Drag

“Bitch I’m up!”: Fans react to part one of the Drag Race season 16 premiere

By Jordan Robledo

6th January 2024

Part one of the Drag Race season 16 premiere delivered an array of gagworthy twists and turns.

Major spoilers ahead.

The search for ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’ continued on Saturday (6 January), with seven out of the 14 new queens making their way into the iconic werkroom: Q, Xunami Muse, Amanda Tori Meating, Morphine Love Dion, Sapphira Cristál, Dawn and Mirage.

After making their grand entrances, the group receive their first piece of RuMail. It didn’t take long for some of the queens to figure out that they were one out of two groups in the competition.

“Immediately when I hear the RuMail, I’m like, ‘Oh my god, split premiere,'” Q theorized in a confessional.

After listening to the riddle-filled RuMail, Mama Ru entered the workroom to welcome the queens into the franchise.

“My queens! Welcome to RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16. From this moment on, you will forever be one of my girls. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to spread your charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent around the mothertucking world,” she exclaimed.

“Now, as the first seven queens to arrive, I must warn you, several many twists, turns, tangents, and tiaras lie ahead. But in the end, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race will receive a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmetics plus a gag-worthy grand prize of 200,000.”

Ru then tasked the girls with a “posing the house down” mini-challenge photo shoot.

After delivering face, comedy, and body via a doorbell cam on Ru’s “house” porch, Sapphira was named the challenge winner and awarded a prize of $2,500.

With the welcome pleasantries officially over and the mini challenge in the bag, Ru returned to business by revealing the girls’ first maxi challenge.

“No ladykins! This week, we are paying tribute to a classic, MTV’s Spring Break. So, for your first maxi challenge. We are transforming the mainstage into MTV Spring Break talent show,” Ru revealed.

However, in true Drag Race premiere fashion, Ru introduced a few new twists.

“Wait a minute. There’s more. In addition to a cash prize of $5,000, the winner of this week’s challenge will also receive immunity. That’s right, immunity is back,” she continued.

In a confessional, Q pointed out that there hasn’t been immunity in the competition since Drag Race season five.

“Now you can use immunity to save yourself from a future elimination,” Ru continued.

However, before leaving the workroom for good, the ‘Sissy That Walk’ icon dropped one final surprise by revealing the “Rate-a-Queen” feature.

“This week, I will not be judging you. Instead, you will be judging each other using a peer evaluation system we’re calling Rate-a-Queen; more about that later,” Ru concluded.

The next day, the seven queens entered the workroom to prepare for the MTV Spring Break talent show and their first elimination.

While painting their faces, the ladies were hit with another surprise, but this time, it was in the form of celebrity guest judge Charlize Theron, who delivered some words of wisdom.

“Listen, I just want to say, given the climate in our country right now, there’s a lot of energy being put toward your community not existing,” she said.

“I truly believe that all of that is coming from a place of fear. The beauty of who you guys are, what your community brings to all of us, and the truth of who you are and what you represent will come out.”

In a confessional, Xunami praised Theron for her inspiring words, describing the interaction as “affirming.”

“She is using her platform to protect our rights. It’s very affirming as an artist when our allies share the message of love that we bring when we do this,” she added.

After Theron’s inspirational visit, the queens opened up about their backstories – like Morphine’s double drag life – before heading to the mainstage to deliver their sickening talent show performances.

Hosted by Drag Race alum Derrick Barry, the seven contestants gagged the judges throughout the challenge by delivering showstopping lip-sync performances, live singing, and a hilarious ballet routine.

With their talent officially showcased, the queens strutted down the runway in their very best “RuVeal Yourself” ensembles before meeting the judges.

While the panel delivered their honest critiques, Ru reminded the contestants that they were in charge of selecting the tops and bottoms of the week with the new “Rate-a-Queen” system.

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

In addition to the aforementioned twist, Ru revealed that no one would be going home this week.

To the beat of the ICONIC Beyoncé track ‘Break My Soul, Sapphira and Q delivered a gagworthy performance full of dips, turns, drama, face, body and saggy breastplates.

In the end, Mama Ru named Sapphira the winner of the MTV Spring Break talent show and immunity.

Part one of the Drag Race season 16 premiere certainly left fans gagged, with many praising the talent show and the inclusion of Beyoncé’s Renaissance album.

One fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “So we got 5 lip-syncs, opera, and puppet ballet.”

Another viewer added: “Sapphira doing the Beyonce moves with the titties, SHE IS SO ICONIC LMAO.”

On next week’s episode of Drag Race season 16, the second batch of new queens enter the competition, with Becky G set to appear as a guest judge.

Check out more hilarious fan reactions below.