READ MORE | Our weekly recaps of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Seasons 2 and 3
Celebrity impersonations are drag’s bread and butter, so it feels so right to bring back last season’s game show spoof Snatch Game with the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” girls serving famous faces.
A send-up of the ‘70s series “Match Game,” it was one of last season’s most popular episodes. But before the girls can don their celebrity drag, we need a mini challenge. Since it’s really all about RuPaul, the girls play “Shit RuPaul Says.”
Think “Wheel of Fortune” and imagine the letters revealing themselves, then imagine Delta, Raja and Shangela outguessing the rest on phrases like “TWO PIECE AND A BISCUIT” and “ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA.” Delta wins and gives her phone call home to Shangela, who calls Grandma for a pep talk.
Actress Aisha Tyler and model Amber Rose take their guest seats for Snatch Game, hosted by Ru. Manila channels Imelda Marcos to prove she’ll do any Asian stereotype she wants, Raja does an odd but appropriately cray-cray Tyra Banks who “smizes” until her eyes bleed, Shangela is a boring Tina Turner, and Carmen plays herself but it’s supposed to be Jennifer Lopez.
Taking it to the bad side, Yara is a messy Amy Winehouse but not in a good way, Delta’s Cher (top photo) is awful even if you discount her very un-Cher weight, and Mariah does the worst Joan Crawford ever. As a result, this year’s Snatch Game isn’t as entertaining as last year’s version, with two exceptions:
Alexis serves up a surprisingly good, surprisingly funny Alicia Keys, deciding she’s a pregnant horny lesbian. But the best by far is Stacy Layne Matthews, who kills it as Mo’nique in “Precious” (middle photo). Stacy made the right decision, switching at the last minute from doing Anna Nicole Smith.
On the main stage, the girls are asked to present their “favorite drag look.” So like the last two weeks, the runway has nothing to do with the rest of the episode. Raja gives global warrior weirdness, Alexis throws on another pageant dress, Delta and Stacy wear the polyester pants in their families, Mariah gives good face and sexy legs, Yara serves Jean-Paul Gaultier realness, and the rest mish-mash it up enough to forget them immediately.
Fresh from Snatch Game, Aisha Tyler and Amber Rose are guest judges, and thank heavens, Santino is back alongside Ru and Michele Visage (bottom photo). Stop reading if you don’t want to know what happens.
With just nine girls left, Ru splits them into three groups: Best, Worst and Safe. Deservedly, Stacy and Alexis are both recognized for their celebrity impressions. Stacy, after a bitter road to the bottom two last week, is vindicated with the win. She needs the confidence booster.
Also deserved, Yara, Delta and Mariah can’t be forgiven for their epic fails as Amy Winehouse, Cher and Joan Crawford. In the end, Delta and Mariah sucked more and must Lip Sync For Your Life. It would be nice if they both brought the big guns to the showdown, but Mariah doesn’t know the words. So we say goodbye to Mariah as the last Atlanta contestant in this season’s competition. And the show needs Delta: She represents the queens of size, and besides, who would compete with Raja as the biggest bitch of the season?
The herd is thinning. Only eight queens remain as the competition heats up. See you next week, same drag time, same drag channel.
