Shangela has thanked RuPaul for saying she should’ve won Drag Race.
During a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, the host told Andy Cohen that Shangela is the one queen who deserved to take home the crown: “She’s amazing. We’ve actually put her on the show, like, three times?
“Something like that. She’s a fabulous queen.”
Shangela memorably starred on three seasons of Drag Race, seasons two and three and All Stars 3. Her loss in the latter was highly controversial amongst fans, and is still regarded as one of the most shocking moments in the show’s herstory.
Responding to Ru’s comments, Shangela said in an Instagram statement that her “acknowledgment feels just as validating as any [crown]”, before expressing her gratitude for the opportunities that have been afforded to her as a result of Drag Race.
“And I’m even more grateful for the Drag Race sisterhood, and the fans around the world that have stood by me while I tried, failed, even broke a leg… but never gave up,” she told her fans.
“And here we are today, still standing … still entertaining… still creating!”
Shangela continued to thank her passionate supporters and said that, despite never winning Drag Race, she will be “forever strutting forward as a winner. We’re all winners, baby. HALLELOO!”
Although she’s never conquered a season of the show, Shangela has made her mark in the entertainment industry as one of the most successful contestants the franchise has ever produced.
Since she lost the crown in 2018 on All Stars 3, Shangela has appeared alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born, which led to the queen becoming the first-ever drag artist to walk the Oscars red carpet in drag.
She currently stars alongside Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka O’Hara in HBO’s We’re Here, which follows the legendary trio as they travel across the U.S. and recruit small-town residents to participate in drag shows.
The series, which recently launched its third season, has won two Primetime Emmy Awards.
More recently, Shangela halleloo’d her way to the final of the 31st season of Dancing with the Stars with partner Gleb Savchenko. Despite being the favourite to win the series, she finished in fourth place. (Robbed, again!).
Read Shangela’s statement in full here or below.
View this post on Instagram
The new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race premieres 6 January on MTV.
Season 15 will feature the largest cast in the show’s herstory with 16 contestants (check them out here), including TikTok twin superstars Sugar and Spice and Kerri Colby’s drag mother (and Miss Continental winner) Sasha Colby.
The queens will compete for a franchise-high cash prize (bar All Stars 7) of $200,000.
Guest stars for the season include: Ariana Grande, Janelle Monáe, Maren Morris, Julia Garner, Hayley Kiyoko, Ali Wong, Amandla Stenberg, Harvey Guillen, Megan Stalter and Orville Peck.
Ts Madison has also joined Drag Race as a regular and rotating judge on the panel.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 will be available exclusively in the UK via the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus, from 2AM GMT on Saturday 7 January 2023. Subscribe now via https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/
Latest
