“Malibu Baby!” @TrinitytheTuck as Caitlyn Jenner
This week’s main challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 4 was Snatch Game, where the queens must do their best celebrity impressions, answering questions with wit, sass and most important, comedy. This season added a Dating Game twist, as they had to answer questions from eligible gay bachelors Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy and actor Keiynan Lonsdale.
Everyone knows that the queens have to bring it to win it in Snatch Game, a RuPaul staple. If you don’t make Mama Ru laugh, you’re gonna be in the bottom. In the work room, the queens gabbed about who they were going to portray. Drama again followed Gia Gunn as she and Trinity the Tuck both chose to impersonate Caitlyn Jenner. Surprisingly, Gia yielded and went for Cardi B’s Instagram-famous nail artist Jenny Bui.
In an epic game, Trinity knocked it out of the park as Caitlyn Jenner, Naomi Smalls did a great Wendy Williams, and Manila Luzon stepped up her game as Barbra Streisand with a comically over-the-top Jimmy Durante-sized prosthetic nose. However, the bottom competitors were painful to watch. Valentina knew the ins and outs of Eartha Kitt, but failed to land any jokes. Gia Gunn bombed big-time. She had no material, attempted an Asian-stereotyped accent, and stole attention from other queens. Latrice Royale visibly shook with anger during the entire ordeal – eye rolls for days! Monique Heart selected Tiffany Haddish.
Gus Kenworthy picked Trinity/Caitlyn Jenner, and Keiynan Lonsdale chose Manila/Barbra Streisand as the Snatch Game winners.
On the main stage, the category was “Boots the House Down,” as the queens were asked to walk the runway with their best boot outfits. Again, Trinity took the top place with thigh-high buckles that had a ’90s couture vibe. Manila was comically sexy with an S&M bondage bunny look. Gia and Valentina were at the bottom.
Backstage, they pleaded their cases as to why they should stay. Gia actually was very heartfelt and revealed she was feeling conflicted this season because she is the only one competing as an openly trans woman, reverting to her villainess ways from Season 6 as a defense mechanism. She was authentic and honestly made the audience root for her once again.
The main drama was with Manila. She was on the fence about whom to potentially eliminate. If she were to win the lip sync, should she choose to eliminate a top competitor, Valentina, making it easier for a later victory or eliminate Gia, who clearly failed the Snatch Game?
Trinity and Manilla lip-synced for their legacy to Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.” It was a fun, bubbly pop number that stayed true to the song. It wasn’t very memorable, though, lacking any death drops, outfit reveals, or wig drama. Manila took the win and left us on the edge of our seats about whom she would eliminate. She chose to send Gia Gunn home. It was a smart move, as Valentina fans would never have forgiven her.
You can catch the watch parties at Woody’s Classic Sports Bar in Midtown at 7 p.m. every Friday, hosted by local queen Candice Marie.