After being chosen for RuPaul’s Drag Race, the first objective on every participating queen’s mind is DON’T GET SENT HOME FIRST. You can read the tea leaves as to which season eight queen gets that unfortunate fate, but judging from the talent pool, the elimination will be brutal no matter which one goes. In the seven seasons thus far, the first elimination has ranged from obvious to unfortunate to downright unfair. Whatever their fate, these gone too soon queens are typically the least heralded, so let’s take a minute to celebrate their part in the Drag Race pantheon.
Onto our underloved girls…
Victoria Porkchop Parker
The show’s first queen to sashay away hasn’t fallen door on that potentially poor notoriety, but instead has used it to her advantage. She’s still constantly improving and is a staple on season finale’s ever since – Mother Ru’s “Hey Porkchop!” is always a kind nod to a vital queen to the show’s history.
Shangela Laquifa Wadley
Her early elimination has since been mostly forgotten since her surprise return on season three led to more memorable and definitive moments for the performance. Shangie has since taken over small television roles and is among the Drag Race elite, going to show the worth in giving some underwhelming queens a second chance. Halleloo!
Venus D-Lite
Her career as a Madonna impersonator didn’t help her get far in the competition (watch out Derrick Barry) and the hungry returning loser Shangela floored her in the lipsync. Venus has since gone on to appearances in numerous reality television shows, including one about plastic surgery obsessions where she talked about changing her face to more resemble the Material Girl.
Alisa Summers
Perhaps the most forgettable first girl sent packing, she’s remembered most for her cheap and tacky breastplate. Her post-apocalyptic outfit creation was in poor taste even for a challenge that called for unconventional materials like paint and aluminum foil, and lipsync assassin Jiggly Caliente worked her ass of to send Alisa home.
Penny Tration
All the love of the Facebook fan vote (where she beat season 6 favorite Adore Delano) couldn’t help save this queen – and Ohio native. While her awkward silhouette and poor padding got her into the lipsync, she could’ve have easily been spared elimination from one of the series’ most reviled queens Serena Cha Cha if she had just learned the words to “Party in the U.S.A.”
Kelly Mantle
Though she had a successful acting career long before Drag Race, it’s her now forever association with pork products that she caries with her after the show. Her Downton Abbey inspired gown was notoriously compared to bacon and sealed her fate against an losing lipsync battle against Vivacious.
Magnolia Crawford
Season six’s split premiere technically means two first queens to go home, and this queen was an easy out for too many factors. Competing against lipsync assassin Darienne Lake, a bellyflop of a hoedown dress, that razor-thin nose contour, and one of the worst attitudes in the show’s history made this one hard to root for.
Tempest DuJour
Last season’s earliest out is the one who had the most left to offer, despite the drab presentation granted to her by the production. Her momentary rift with Kandy Ho felt like the fuel to the fire that caused their lipsync that Sasha Belle somehow evaded. Tempest is a funny and charming queen that continues to surprise with her creativity after her untimely (and unfair) elimination. Sometimes the worst isn’t the one sent packing.
ICYMI Previous 8 Days of Drag Race Posts:
- Top 10 Guiltiest Pleasures
- RuPaul’s Best Friend Race – Favorite Squirrelfriends
- A Suggested Lipsync For Your Life Playlist
Tagged: Lists, RuPaul's Drag Race, Television
