Live from the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, it’s the Grand Finale of Season 14! After two years, there’s a live audience again and they are really there for it. I wish I was there too! The energy is spectacular.
The category is Viva Drag Vegas and all of the queens of the season walk the runway for a final time. Jorgeous receives loud cheers in her showgirl outfit and Angeria Paris VanMicheals absolutely slays in a blue feathered extravaganza. It is stunning!
Next, Ru descends from the rafters in a deus ex machina comprised of fanned-out candy bars, to which she has one thing to say: “It’s chocolate.” The crowd goes wild. Ru explains that tonight will be a Showgirl Showdown. Each of the final five queens will perform a solo number and the top two will lip sync for the crown.
Sirens go off and Michelle Visage dances onto the stage to the tune of “I’m That Bitch.” (Ru: “You’re not going to slap me, are you?”) She’s there to announce that Clark County proclaims April 22 to officially be RuPaul Day and hands Ru the key to the city. Ru says that “the last time someone handed me a key, it had white powder on the end of it.” I snorted.
The Showgirl Showdown begins. Each performance is preceded by a video montage. First up is Angeria, dancing and lip syncing to an original song, “Check My Track Record.” Her mom and dad are here beaming with pride. Dad says that Angie received a crown every year starting in kindergarten as king, or more correctly as queen king. Bosco brings the house down to “Devil.” She says her family has seen her taint from every possible angle. (Is that why they taint there?) Boyfriend Blake and drag sister Lucy Lips are there to cheer her on.
Next up is Daya Betty performing to “Fighter,” with boyfriend Tanner and House of Methyd sister Lux on hand. Lady Camden’s number is “I Fell Down (I Got Up)”, a tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen. Her mom and drag mom Mara are in the audience.
Finally, Willow Pill performs to “I Hate People.” Her headpiece reveal turns up two extra Willow heads whom she names Carson and Ross, and a crotch reveal shows one more head: Michelle. Willow’s mom and sister are there. Willow and her sis shopped together for clothes at Forever 21, which reminds Ru that she and her sis shop-lifted together. Asked by Ru to explain drag to aliens, Willow responds, “It’s mental illness and rhinestones.” Yas!
The Las Vegas cast of RuPaul Live performs “Losing is the New Winning.” I have one thing to say: Naomi Smalls. Child! Those legs give me the Bigs! Ru then pays a heartfelt tribute to legendary Las Vegas drag queen Hot Chocolate (aka Larry Edwards). She’s the #1 Tina Turner impersonator and she’s “simply the best.”
Ru calls for his five girls and spins two slot machine wheels that will reveal the final competitors: Lady Camden and Willow Pill. Reigning season 13 superstar Symone joins the party, followed by that season’s Miss Congeniality, LaLa Ri. She announces the season 14 Miss Congeniality: Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, our fallen hero from an early-season ankle injury. She gets $10K and the other eliminated queens get $2K. “I finally won something!” yells Jasmine Kennedie.
It’s time for the final lip sync, performed to “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” by Cher. Lady Camden shows off her classical ballet and dance moves in an Elizabethan look with a crown atop a black wig. She stages a tumble and reveals long flame-red hair and a sexy showgirl bodysuit. Willow is typically wacky, opening with a giant sized suit jacket, which reveals giant trousers and ends also in a sexy showgirl bodysuit. After lots of hugs and kisses between the two, the winner is….
Willow Pill! A well deserved and inspirational victory, as well as a shout-out to the disability community. She fought through a lot of pain but clearly gave it her all. She didn’t have the top track record but she made up for it in sheer inventiveness and creativity. And some strategy helped too! Congrats Willow!
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I’d like to once again thank my besties Charles and Tom for their ideas and edits; to Jonathan Dooley for designing the published version; and to Brad Fuhr for publishing my recap in Gay Desert Guide. I’ll be back for All Stars Season 7, the much-anticipated all-winners season. And you’ll hear from me about DragCon in Los Angeles later in May. It’s been great fun recapping the season for you. I hope you enjoyed it! See you soon.