Culture

“Oh, the producers are working:” Drag Race fans react to season 17’s Badonka Dunk twist

By Jordan Robledo

11th January 2025

Part two of the Drag Race season 17 premiere has arrived, and it left fans (including us) gagged. 

Major spoilers ahead.

The search for ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’ continued on Saturday (11 January), with the second batch of queens – Crystal Envy, Hormona Lisa, Kori King, Lana Ja’Rae, Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, and Sam Star – preparing to show off their sickening skills at the Drag Queens Got Talent Show.

While putting on their makeup and gathering costumes, Kori made rounds around the workroom to secure high votes from the queens who performed in the first week.

“Rate-A-Queen is a sack of shit. I have to beg and barter to get votes… but I’m gonna,” she said in a confessional.

While Kori was working towards securing allies, Acacia Forgot was mulling over her voting strategy since she would be lip syncing for her life against this week’s bottom.

“Since finding out that I’m going to have to lip sync, I’ve had a good cry, I’ve got it out of my head, and I plan to win because I’m not going to be the first one out of here,” the southern queen said in a confessional.

When Crystal asked Acacia if she would take a strategic approach to voting, the latter coyly agreed.

“I’m definitely playing strategic rating the queens because my ass is on the line, and I want to put someone in the bottom that I know I can take,” she added in additional confessional.

Halfway through their preparation process, the queens were interrupted by Drag Race UK season two winner Lawrence Chaney.

“It’s me, Alan Cumming, and there is a traitor amongst you… I’m kidding, it’s me, Lawrence Chaney,” she exclaimed.  

The Scottish talent went on to reveal the queens’ runway category with a playful game of “Is it Cake or is It Cock.”

“Listen closely. I have a question that could change this game forever –– is it cake or is it cock,” Lawrence ominously stated while a Pit Crew member wheeled a rooster figurine.

After slicing into the solid “cock” figure, the beloved talent revealed that the runway theme would be ‘Is it Cake?’

“You need to serve a look that features your bootylicious booties. Now as we say in the bonnie bank of Loch Lomond, good luck and don’t f**k it up,” she added.

Following Lawrence’s exit, the ladies finished up their looks before heading to the mainstage – where they showed off their runway ensembles and unique talents in front of RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Ts Madison, and guest judge slash GAY TIMES’ Amplify digital cover star Docheii.

Like group one, the second batch of queens delivered an array of dazzling performances – including fierce original lip syncs, a hard-hitting rap two-step, stand-up comedy, and a jaw-dropping roller skate routine.

Once the Drag Queens Got Talent Show ended, Ru sent last week’s performers to the back to select their picks for the week’s tops and bottoms via the Rate-A-Queen system.

During the voting process, most of the ladies played fair and stuck to their alliances. Arrietty placed Lana at the top, and Jewels voted for her drag cousin Sam to sit in first place. 

After submitting their votes, Ru announced that the top two queens – Lexi and Crystal – would be the ones to lip-sync for the maxi-challenge win.

To the beat of Doechii’s hit track ‘Alter Ego,’ the two queens delivered a gag-worthy performance full of drama, turns, dips, splits, and rap lip sync excellence.

In the end, Lexi was named the challenge winner and recipient of a cash tip of $5,000.

Mama Ru then announced that Hormona had been voted the bottom queen of the week, resulting in her competing in a lip sync against Acacia.

This time around, the ladies were tasked with performing to Ariana Grande’s iconic track ‘yes, and?’ – which included a gagworthy makeup brush reveal from Acacia.

Ultimately, Acacia was named the winner and allowed to slay another day.

However, it wouldn’t be a Drag Race two-part premiere without a last-minute twist thrust upon the queens.

Instead of instructing Hormona to sashay away, Ru revealed the Badonka Dunk elimination save.

“Hormona Lisa, I’ve got a question for you. Are you feeling lucky?” RuPaul asked.

“I’m giving you one last chance. One last chance to Badonka Dunk your way back into the competition. But first, we need a virgin.”

After Michelle graciously took up the spot as the virgin Badonka Dunk sacrifice, Ru reviewed the rules.

“Hormona, before you are 10 levers. Two of those levers will drop Michelle Visage into the Badonka Dunk Tank. If you dunk Michelle, you get to stay. If you don’t, you will sashay away,” she explained.

Following a tense decision process, Hormona pulled lever number seven, which resulted in Michelle landing in the tank.

“I’m just so filled with joy and filled with relief and I just thank God. I thank Ru. I thank my phalanges for grabbing the lever and pulling it back. I’m just so happy to be here,” she exclaimed in a confessional.

In addition to saving herself from elimination, Hormona was also gifted a trip to Las Vegas.

On next week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17, the queens will be tasked with “taking fashion inspiration from Monopoly and bringing it to the runway.” Comedian Sandra Bernhard will be stepping in as guest judge.

Check out more fan reactions below.

RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 and its aftershow – RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked – are available exclusively in the UK on WOW Presents Plus every Saturday. Subscribe now via https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/