Culture

Drag Race Down Under: Here’s why RuPaul delayed this week’s lip-sync

By Sam Damshenas

4th August 2023

For the first time in herstory, RuPaul postponed the lip-sync on this week’s episode of Drag Race.

The second episode of Down Under season three saw the cast tasked with designing wedding couture from leftover bedding materials, in homage to the 1994 classic comedy Muriel’s Wedding. 

Skilled seamstress Isis Avis Loren triumphed over her competitors, while Rita Menu and – for the second consecutive week – Ivory Glaze landed in the bottom two. As they prepared to lip-sync, Ivory lost her balance on the main stage.

“Sorry, sorry, I just feel really dizzy,” said the star, before fainting into the arms of Rita, Bumpa Love and a crew member.

In her confessional, she described the incident as “really scary”: “I’ve never f**ing fainted before. I was like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ I thought it was nerves or something.”

“I have no idea what’s gonna happen,” wondered Rita. “Are we going to be lip-syncing today? Is she going to be sent home? Do I have to do the song by myself?”

After an unspecified amount of time passed, Ivory returned to the stage, where RuPaul questioned whether she was “steady” on her feet. A hesitant RuPaul made the decision to delay the lip-sync.

“For the safety of our queens and to assure a fair competition, I’m going to end the show now,” revealed the host. “Rita, Ivory, we will begin next week’s episode with a lip-sync for your life.”

As well as the lip-sync between Rita and Ivory, episode three will see the contestants star in The Fake Housewives of Down Under, with special guest star Adam Lambert.

Following the episode, Ivory revealed on Twitter that she hasn’t seen the episode: “But I just wanna say girls… don’t lie on your psych eval LOL.”

She later wrote: “In my defence I was out like a light on the floor!!”