Guess who love’s reality TV enough to talk about it twice in one semesters blogs!!!
When someone wins a competitive reality TV show, the thought is that they will be the most famous, the most loved, the most respected competitor that season. So often, though, that is not the case.
I will be looking at RuPaul’s Drag Race (because it is the reality show who’s contestants I follow most post-show), however this phenomenon is also seen on Masterchef (with Poh getting her own TV shows after not winning the grand prize), Project Runway (Santino Rice is often a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race which is the best consolation prize), and The Bachelor (with the non-winning fan favourite often getting their own season of The Bachelor/ette).
I will be looking at the winner’s success vs the fan favourite’s success through the seasons…
SEASON ONE
WINNER: Bebe Zahara Benet
FAN FAVOURITE: It’s difficult to say. This season is very underground, I was lucky to watch when it first came out as the season was soon lost and it is very difficult for the new fandom to find this season online. I would say Nina Flowers or Ongina or even Shannel, but they’re all still underground.
SEASON TWO
WINNER: Tyra Sanchez: has released a single, but the fandom does not like her due to telling a fan of the show to kill themself on Twitter, fairly underground
FAN FAVOURITES: Shangela: left episode 1, fan favourite due to following season
Raven: competed on All Stars 1 and placed as runner up, co-hosts Fashion Photo Ru-View on Youtube, make up icon
Jujubee: competed on All Stars 1 and placed as 4th
Tatianna: competed on All Stars 2 and placed as 6th (elimination seen by fans as unjust), has a single out
Pandora Boxx: competed on All Stars 1 and was first eliminated, has 6 singles, hosted Drag Race recap show Drag Center
SEASON 3
WINNER: Raja: co-host of Fashion Photo Ru-View on YouTube, has 4 singles, considered one of the fan favourites
FAN FAVOURITES: Shangela: main character in film Hurricane Bianca, has appeared in Glee, Community, Bones, and Dance Moms, has 2 singles
Manila Luzon: competed on All Stars 1 and was 3rd eliminated (although speculation among fans and contestants that this was rigged), has 4 singles
Carmen Carrera: trans activist, appeared on What Would You Do? and Cake Boss (however this episode received criticism from Carmen after her appearance was made into a joke against trans people), very critical of the transphobia shown on Rupaul’s Drag Race which has lost her favor among many fans
SEASON 4
WINNER: Sharon Needles: considered one of the fan favourites, horror host for show Fierce, has 2 albums and 7 singles, has an official day named after her in hometown Pittsburgh, formed the Haus of Haunt drag troupe
FAN FAVOURITES: Chad Michaels: Competed on and won All Stars 1, has appeared in Jane the Virgin, 2 Broke Girls, Kath and Kim, Top Gear, and film Bamboo Shark as Cher or a Cher impersonator
Latrice Royale: competed on All Stars 1 and was 3rd eliminated (although speculation among fans and contestants that this was rigged), has 1 EP and 1 single, appeared in off-broadway production Mister Act
Willam: had previously appeared in many TV shows and films, famously disqualified from RuPaul’s Drag Race, main character in Hurricane Bianca, hosts multiple YouTube shows, has 2 albums and 23 singles, released a book, was a part of DWV and American Apparel Ad Girls (or AAA Girls)
SEASON 5
WINNER: Jinkx Monsoon: narcolepsy advocate, has 2 albums and 7 singles, has been a part of many musicals (including leading characters in Hairspray and Hedwig and the Angry Itch), was a part of web documentary Drag Becomes Him
FAN FAVOURITES: Alaska Thunderfuck: competed on All Stars 2 and won, has 2 albums and has 16 singles, co-host of Bro’Laska on YouTube, played Frank-n-Furter in Rocky Horror Picture Show production, a part of American Apparel Ad Girls (or AAA Girls), formed the Haus of Haunt drag troupe
Detox Icunt: competed on All Stars 2 and was runner up, has 7 singles, was a part of DWV, has appeared in many music videos for songs by Rhianna and Ke$ha
Alyssa Edwards: competed on All stars 2 and was a lovely 5th alternate, host of Alyssa’s Secret on YouTube, appeared in Hurricane Bianca, opened dance studio Beyond Belief, formed House of Edwards drag troupe, drag mother to multiple previous and future competitors
SEASON 6
WINNER: Bianca del Rio:considered a fan favourite, was the inspiration and leading character in Hurricane Bianca, host of Really Queen? on YouTube, has headlined two comedy tours
FAN FAVOURITES: Adore Delano: had previously competed in American Idol, competed in All Stars 2 and dropped out in the second episode, has 2 albums and 13 singles
BenDeLaCreme: Headlines touring burlesque shows Terminally Delightful and Cosmos
SEASON 7
WINNER: Violet Chachki: has 1 EP and 2 singles, part of Dita Von Teese’s burlesque show Art Of The Teese
FAN FAVOURITES: Katya Zamolodchikova: competed on All Stars 2 and was runner up, hosts multiple shows on YouTube including Unhhh, Drag 101, RuFlections, RuGrets, and Total RuCall
Trixie Mattel: has 1 album, 1 EP, and 2 singles, hosts Unhhh on YouTube, hosts comedy show Ages Three and Up, appeared in American Horror Story: Roanoke
Miss Fame: has 1 album and 3 singles, hosts Painted By Fame on YouTube
SEASON 8
WINNER: Bob the Drag Queen: has 1 single, has appeared in 1 pilot series, considered one of the fan favourites, has met me
FAN FAVOURITES: Kim Chi: hosts M.U.G on YouTube
Naomi Smalls: hosts M.U.G on YouTube
Thorgy Thor: nothing of note yet, hopes to create own orchestra
So what does this all mean? Do the fan favourites have more successful careers than the winners of reality TV?
Honestly, this data isn’t the best. While it may seem that Willam or Alaska are the most successful queens due to their immense amount of work, my lists disregard many drag shows and other hometown successes. It also mostly focuses on their careers after Rupaul’s Drag Race. Many people would consider Raven and Raja or Trixie and Katya the most successful due to their YouTube series and absolute favouritism among fans. However this is all subjective. Queens from season 8 may end up being the most successful, but haven’t had time to create the same resume’s as the previous competitors.
Moral?
Don’t spend an hour and 1000 words talking about a subject if you haven’t figured out exactly what you’re trying to say.