Sorry, you thought RuPaul’s Drag Race was done for a bit? No, no, sweetie. The Drag Race machine can’t stop, won’t stop. Nymphia Wind was just crowned the winner of Drag Race season 16 on April 19, but on April 23, Drag Race Ru–vealed the cast for the upcoming ninth season of All Stars. They love to throw in a twist on All Stars seasons, and, this time, the queens won’t be competing for themselves, they’ll be competing for a charity of their choosing, ranging from the Trevor Project to the ASPCA. The real mystery is why there are just eight queens on the cast list. It would seem that the season will either be especially short (All Stars season six had 13 queens, after all) or that they’re pulling a twist with the elimination situation à la All Stars season seven. Only time will tell, and that time will come on May 17, when RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars season nine premieres on Paramount+. Below, the latest All Stars season-nine news.
The Queens
With only eight queens, there’s nowhere for these girls to hide. We’re gonna put early money on Gottmik taking it, since she came so close on season 13. But don’t count out Roxxxy Andrews based on her All Stars–two run — she’s the pinnacle of drag artistry, and that season was the toughest of all time. The queen we’d most like to see get a boost? That would be Shannel, the delicious Miss Mandarin (thpthpthpthp). The competing queens (and their charities) are as follows:
Angeria Paris VanMicheals (season 14): National Black Justice Collective
Gottmik (season 13): Trans Lifeline
Jorgeous (season 14): National Alliance of Mental Illness
Nina West (season 11): The Trevor Project
Plastique Tiara (season 11): The Asian American Foundation
Roxxxy Andrews (season five, All Stars two): Miracle of Love
Shannel (season one, All Stars one): Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Vanessa Vanjie (seasons 10, 11): ASPCA
The Trailer
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season-nine trailer is, no surprise here, gags galore. We’re talking Oscar-nominated gags (Stephanie Hsu as a guest judge), gold-encrusted gags (Plastique Tiara in a giant winged outfit), Jorgeous making Ru laugh (“Ooh, it’s gonna burn, Mamaâ€), and the Keke Palmer of “The gag is …†fame, bringing her Legendary judging skills to the catwalk.
This post has been updated.