RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: On Weaponizing BFAs

"They were often kept at arm's length from the judging panel - praised for their individual performances but not their overall persona. That was a time when the winners were Symone, Willow Pill, and Sasha Colby, who didn't have a lot in common, but what they all did have was a natural charisma Ru was immediately charmed by. The theater queens, by comparison, seemed a little try-hard."

"Truly do not believe either of these people has an actual passion for drag - I do however believe that a few yrs ago they both resorted to slapping on wigs & weaponizing their BFAs in musical theatre as a last-ditch grab at fame. People hated it at the time, but it captures something that RuPaul also thought: These drag queens are using the success of the show to create successful creative careers."

"RuPaul is of the belief that drag is for the misfit toys of the world (which is why he's so encouraging to less-than-polished but clearly fab queens"

Musical theater training on Drag Race presents a paradox. During the show's peak cultural influence, highly trained theater queens with conservatory backgrounds—including Alexis Michelle, Jan, Rosé, and Denali—performed excellently but struggled to connect with RuPaul and audiences. Winners like Symone, Willow Pill, and Sasha Colby succeeded through natural charisma rather than technical polish. Theater queens were perceived as opportunistic performers weaponizing their BFAs to launch careers, treating drag as a means to success rather than a genuine passion. RuPaul's philosophy favors authenticity and passion over technical perfection, preferring queens who embrace drag as their true calling rather than those applying conservatory training strategically.

Read at Vulture