Television
RuPaul Has a Message for Trump, Possibly Teases 'Drag Race U.K.' Look
Plus new performances by Shea Coulee, Priyanka, Jaida Essence Hall, and Envy Peru.
December 05 2020 3:55 PM EST
May 26 2023 1:29 PM EST
MikelleStreet
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Plus new performances by Shea Coulee, Priyanka, Jaida Essence Hall, and Envy Peru.
On Friday, World of Wonder put on the WOWIE Awards -- virtually of course. This latest edition honored "the best in artistry, activism, entertain(t)ment, and more," as the event has been doing for the past few years, and was hosted by Vanessa Vanjie Mateo and Heidi N. Closet. It featured guest performances by the reigning RuPaul's Drag Race 2020 winners like Jaida Essence Hall, Shea Coulee, Envy Peru, and Priyanka. But to kick it all off came a skit by RuPaul's Drag Race U.K. season one winner The Vivienne and a cameo appearance by Mama Ru herself.
"The time has come for you to lipsync for the presidency," RuPaul says in the skit to The Vivienne who is reprising her Snatch Game role as Donald Trump. The drag performer then gives her rendition of Ru's own song "Champion." The show is interrupted by a buzzer.
"The votes have been counted," Ru says. "America has made its decision: Donald Trump, sashay away!" Has there ever been a better delivery of the line?
\u201cTrump is finally out! But how did he react? Watch now to find out! \nThank you @RuPaul for having this little bit of fun with me \u2764\ufe0f #trump #TrumpTantrum\u201d— TheVivienne (@TheVivienne) 1607171002
Hardcore fans of the show are surmising that clip -- at least Ru's parts of it -- was recorded on set during a season of RuPaul's Drag Race U.K. Earlier this year, World of Wonder announced that season two and season three of that iteration would air in 2021. Ru rarely gets into drag when she's not getting paid and as a result, most footage she sends around while wearing drag is filmed during Drag Race taping. That this clip has the line focused backdrop as opposed to the honeycomb, means this was likely taken during Drag Race U.K.
The WOWIEs also boasted virtual performances by Hall to Ru's "Glamazon," Priyanka to Ru's "Adrenaline," Peru to Ru's "I'm a Winner, Baby," and Coulee (As Flava Flav) to Ru's "Call Me Mother."
\u201cYeahhhhh boyyyyy! \u23f1\n\n@SheaCoulee performs @RuPaul's "Call Me Mother" at the 2020 WOWIE Awards \ud83d\udc51\n\nStream her full #WOWIES performance now on the #WOWPresents YouTube: https://t.co/56Wgedd08f\u201d— World of Wonder (@World of Wonder) 1607154920
\u201cShe's so wild! \ud83d\udc60\n\n@jaidaehall performs @RuPaul's "Glamazon" at the 2020 WOWIE Awards \ud83d\udc51\n\nStream her full #WOWIES performance now on the #WOWPresents YouTube: https://t.co/hBl4RhG2uS\u201d— World of Wonder (@World of Wonder) 1607145702
\u201cCan I get it to go? \ud83d\udcab\n\n@thequeenpri performs @RuPaul's "Adrenaline" at the 2020 WOWIE Awards \ud83d\udc51\n\nStream her full #WOWIES performance now on the #WOWPresents YouTube: https://t.co/56Wgedd08f\u201d— World of Wonder (@World of Wonder) 1607150243
\u201cWhen you set your sights, you can reach the sky! \ud83d\udc51\n\ufffc\n@PeruEnvy performs @RuPaul's "I'm a Winner, Baby" at the 2020 WOWIE Awards, introduced by @NikkieTutorials \ud83d\udc96\n\ufffc\nStream her full #WOWIES performance now on the #WOWPresents YouTube: https://t.co/hBl4RhG2uS\u201d— World of Wonder (@World of Wonder) 1607147521
Of the night's winners: Jujubee won Outstanding Song with her track "Don't Wanna Love," Ts Madison tied with Margaret Cho for Outstanding Comedian, Andre Leon Talley won Outstanding Beauty/Fashion, Marti Gould Cummings for Outstanding News/Politics Twitter Account, and more. RuPaul's Saturday Night Live hosting gig won Outstanding Television appearance.
Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.
Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.