10 Times RuPaul Was EXPOSED By Queens & Drag Race Staff

10 Times Drag Race Queens & Staff Exposed RuPaul

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were untucking some of the juiciest secrets about the Queen of Drag herself, RuPaul, straight from the mouths of the queens and crew who have worked with her behind the scenes.

Art Simone

Drag Race is full of surprises, but one thing the queens can count on in pretty much every regular episode is the RuMail the cheeky video where RuPaul teases the weeks maxi challenge. These segments typically feature RuPaul in full drag, but as Tatianna once said, [what you see isnt always the truth.] According to Drag Race Down Under Season 1 finalist Art Simone, RuPaul actually appeared in the RuMail videos out of drag during her season. And sometimes, she didnt even appear at all. While that reportedly changed in later seasons, RuPaul became even more absent from the Down Under franchise by its fourth season, when she handed over all hosting duties to Michelle Visage.

Reddit User Calm-Tart-5517

The identity of this individual is still unknown but in 2023, a Reddit user named Calm-Tart-5517 popped up, claiming to be a former Drag Race producer with piping-hot behind-the-scenes tea. According to Calm-Tart, while other executive producers can offer input on eliminations, it is RuPaul who gets the final say on who shantays and who sashays away. That power was reportedly invoked in Season 15, which was supposedly rigged for a Sasha Colby-Mistress Isabelle Brooks top two. RuPaul allegedly stepped in to save Anetra from elimination during the Rumix episode, clearing the way for her to bump Mistress. The anonymous insider also claimed that Jorgeous controversial design win in Season 14 was entirely RuPauls doing but hardly anyone finds that surprising.

Tammie Brown

Drag Race fans know that Tammie Brown has never been one to hold her tongue, no matter who shes talking to or about. So its not at all surprising she was one of the first queens to spill some backstage secrets. While the first season of All Stars was still airing, Tammie had an interview with a YouTuber, during which she discussed her experience on the show and how the controversial team twist didnt faze her. While speaking about her beef with the judges, Tammie casually implied that RuPaul wears an earpiece on set, through which she is fed her lines. Although this isnt particularly shocking, considering it is a TV show, it did take some of the shine off RuPauls witty remarks and comebacks.

Cynthia Lee Fontaine

Cynthia Lee Fontaine happily picked up the baton where Tammie Brown left it. In a series of now-deleted tweets from 2022, the Season 8 Miss Congeniality backed up Tammies claims, confirming that RuPaul does, in fact, wear an earpiece during filming. She also spilled that RuPaul and the other judges change into more comfortable clothes and shoes behind the panel, something Utica referenced during her infamous roast on Season 13. Additionally, Cynthia claimed that the judges typically have iPads in front of them while the queens walk the runway. These devices not only display the full pictures of the queens looks, but also their names, because we all know RuPaul doesnt have the best memory when it comes to her girls.

Manila Luzon

In the fourth episode of All Stars 4, Manila Luzon wowed the judges with her performance in the Jersey Justice improv challenge and her runway presentation. However, the quilted pink dress wasnt her original choice. After the episode aired, Manila took to Instagram to reveal the outfit she really wanted to wear: a dress designed to look like a giant bloody maxi pad. Her intention was to help destigmatize menstruation, a perfectly normal bodily function that society somehow still treats like a dirty little secret. However, RuPaul reportedly found the look in bad taste and insisted she change outfits. The moment served as yet another reminder that on Drag Race, RuPaul is in control of every single detail.

Jaremi Carey (fka Phi Phi O'Hara)

The former drag performer known as Phi Phi OHara caused quite a stir during both of his appearances on Drag Race. Following a tense run on Season 4, Carey returned for All Stars with dreams of a redemption arc, but that didnt go as planned. He butted heads with multiple queens, particularly Alyssa Edwards, and felt he was once again cast as the villain of the season. In a later interview, Carey called out RuPaul for unfollowing him on Twitter and clapping back at his comments with a shady Jessica Rabbit gif. He went on to say he lost all respect for RuPaul, accusing the host of rarely interacting with the queens, forgetting their names and essentially treating them less like real people and more like game pieces for her show.

Max

Before the Snatch Game episode on Season 7, Max was the clear frontrunner, but her momentum hit a speed bump that week. During the critiques, Max seemed uncomfortable in her corset and asked to take it off briefly. She then randomly burst into song while taking a break in front of the stage, which made her look like shed completely lost it. In subsequent interviews, Max has clarified what really happened. Apparently, it was RuPaul who asked her to sing to help calm her nerves. But in the final edit, the moment was framed to make it look like she sang out of nowhere, while Ru watched on, concerned. Can she really fault the queens for blaming it on the edit?

Delta Work

This Season 3 queen remains one of few Drag Race alumni to win a Primetime Emmy Award, which she picked up for styling RuPauls hair. Delta Work held that job for multiple seasons, but she was let go during production of AJ and the Queen. The fallout, according to Delta, stemmed from her refusal to also style wigs for background extras. Though another stylist was hired for the show, Delta assumed her work on Drag Race would continue, but she eventually got an email from the host subtly telling her off. To add insult to injury, her name was taken off the Emmys consideration list for Season 11, despite styling Rus wigs that season. The experience, Delta admits, made her see RuPaul in a very different light.

Pearl

Jaremi Carey isnt the only former contestant whos spoken about RuPauls apparent detachment from the queens off-camera. Season 7 finalist Pearl also addressed it in interviews after her run on the show ended. Pearl is mostly remembered for her iconic werk room standoff with RuPaul, after the host called her out for her lack of enthusiasm. As awkward as that moment was on screen, Pearl revealed it was way more uncomfortable in real life and had to be edited down. She also recounted another alleged incident during filming, when she tried to express her admiration for RuPaul, but was told to save it for the cameras. According to Pearl, that was the moment she mentally checked out from the competition.

Willam

Ever since she was unceremoniously disqualified from Season 4, Willam has made it her job to be a constant thorn in the side of RuPaul and World of Wonder. She has called out the host for behaving high and mighty on the show and reportedly telling the Drag Race queens that they exist solely to serve her own legacy. Willam has also never missed a chance to slam RuPaul for apparently neglecting her longtime stylist Mathu Andersen, who worked with her until the ninth season of Drag Race. According to Willam, RuPaul has barely visited Andersen, who has been hospitalized for years with an undisclosed illness. Their falling-out over this issue allegedly led to an explosive argument between the two on the streets of LA.

Have any of these accounts tainted your perception of the Queen of Drag? Or do you take them with a grain of salt? Share your thoughts in the comments below.