Wikipedia

Shady Politics

"Shady Politics" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race.[1][2][3] It originally aired on April 18, 2016. The episode's main challenge tasks the contestants with pairing up and creating presidential campaign advertisements. Vivica A. Fox and Thomas Roberts are guest judges. Designer Andrew Christian also makes a guest appearance to assist with the mini-challenge.

"Shady Politics"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 8
Episode 7
Presented byRuPaul
Featured music"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (1982) by Jennifer Holliday
Original air dateApril 18, 2016 (2016-04-18)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"RuPaul Book Ball"
RuPaul's Drag Race season 8
List of episodes

Bob the Drag Queen and Derrick Barry win the main challenge. Thorgy Thor is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom and losing a lip-sync contestant against Chi Chi DeVayne to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (1982) by Jennifer Holliday.[4]

Episode

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Derrick Barry (left) and Bob the Drag Queen (right) win the main challenge.

The contestants return to the workroom after Robbie Turner's elimination on the previous episode. RuPaul greets the group and invites members of the Pit Crew as well as designer Andrew Christian. RuPaul reveals the mini-challenge, which tasks the contestants with guessing whether members of the Pit Crew prefer a bed's top or bottom bunk. Derrick Barry wins the mini-challenge.[5] RuPaul then reveals the main challenge, which tasks the contestants with pairing up and creating presidential campaign advertisements. The pairs are Bob the Drag Queen with Derrick Barry, Chi Chi DeVayne with Thorgy Thor, and Kim Chi and Naomi Smalls.[6]

The pairs begin to brainstorm and develop their concepts. RuPaul returns to the workroom to reveal who will assist with filming as well as the runway category for the fashion show ("Black and White Realness"). In front of a green screen, the contestants film the advertisements with assistance from Michelle Visage and Carson Kressley. On elimination day, the contestants make final preparations for the fashion show. Bob the Drag Queen talks about her political activities and the importance of voting. Kim Chi discusses her Korean background.

On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow judges Visage and Kressley, as well as guest judges Vivica A. Fox and Thomas Roberts. RuPaul shares the assignment and runway category, then the fashion show commences.[5] The contestants and judges watch the filmed advertisements. The judges deliver their critiques, deliberate, then share the results with the group. Bob the Drag Queen and Derrick Barry are declared the winners of the main challenge.[7] Chi Chi DeVayne with Thorgy Thor place in the bottom and face off in a lip-sync contest to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (1982) by Jennifer Holliday.[4] Chi Chi DeVayne wins the lip-sync and Thorgy Thor is eliminated from the competition.[6]

Production and broadcast

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Vivica A. Fox (left) and Thomas Roberts (right) are guest judges.
Andrew Christian (pictured at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023) also makes a guest appearance.

The episode originally aired on April 18, 2016.

During the lip-sync contest, Chi Chi DeVayne's pearl necklace breaks, sending beads across the stage.[8]

Fashion

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On the main stage, RuPaul wears a purple dress and a blonde wig. For the fashion show, Bob the Drag Queen wears a harlequin-inspired outfit with a blonde wig. Derrick Berry has a long white dress and a long dark wig. Naomi Smalls has a short black dress, tall black boots, and a short dark wig. Kim Chi wears a French clown-inspired outfit with a headpiece. Thorgy Thor wears black pants, a black hat, and a blonde wig. Chi Chi DeVayne has a white gown and a dark wig.[8]

Reception

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Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B'.[9] Charlie Grey included the main challenge in Queerty's 2021 list of the show's five funniest political moments.[10]

The episode's lip-sync is considered among the show's by various media outlets,[11][12][13] as well as by Drag Race contestant Angeria Paris VanMicheals.[14] In Magazine said, "It was full of passion, and raw emotion. Chi Chi tore apart the cascading beads on the back of her dress, sending them flying all over the stage. The drama of it all was spectacular and will remain one of the most memorable lip syncs in the show's herstory."[15] Billboard ranked the lip-sync thirteenth in 2018.[16] In 2020, Christian Allaire of Vogue said Chi Chi DeVayne's performance "remains one of the best of the series",[17] and BET said her performance was among her "iconic" moments on the show.[18] Additionally, Joe Lynch of Billboard called the contest "unforgettable"[19] and BBC said Chi Chi DeVayne's performance is " considered iconic in Drag Race history".[20] Marcus Wratten of PinkNews called Chi Chi DeVayne's performance "show-stopping" in 2025.[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Ru-cap, Episode 7: 'Shady Politics'". Attitude. September 7, 2017. ISSN 1353-1875. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: The Darker the Barry". Vulture. Vox Media. April 18, 2016. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  3. ↑ Walker, John (April 19, 2016). "Recapping Drag Race: And Chi Chi DeVayne's Telling You She's Not Going". Brooklyn Magazine. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Dilip, Mangala (April 19, 2016). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 8 episode 7 recap: 'Shady Politics' bring Bob The Drag Queen and Derrick Barry close together". International Business Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Boulet, Ruth (April 19, 2016). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 episode 7 recap: Shady Politics". Channel Guide Magazine. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Bates, Bryony (April 21, 2016). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 Episode 7: Shady Politics". Vada Magazine. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE recap: "Shady Politics"". OutVoices. April 19, 2016. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Shady Politics". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 8. Episode 7. April 18, 2016. Logo TV.
  9. ↑ "Drag queens eat babies when Drag Race gets into "Shady Politics"". The A.V. Club. Paste Media Group. April 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  10. ↑ Grey, Charlie (November 9, 2022). "The 5 funniest political 'Drag Race' moments to hit pause on your post election doomscroll". Queerty. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  11. ↑ Daw, Stephen (February 2, 2024). "The Best Lip Sync From Every Main Season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Billboard. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 732913734. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Ranking The Best Lip Sync of Each RuPaul's Drag Race Season". Pride.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Ranking the Best Lip Syncs With Stunts in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Herstory". Out. ISSN 1062-7928. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  14. ↑ Wratten, Marcus (February 5, 2024). "The best Drag Race lip-syncs of all time, as chosen by Drag Race queens". PinkNews. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  15. ↑ Guzzo, Bianca (August 24, 2020). "Remembering Chi Chi DeVayne & 5 Of Her Most Iconic Drag Race Moments". IN Magazine. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  16. ↑ Daw, Stephen (March 15, 2018). "The 15 Best Lip Syncs in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Herstory". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  17. ↑ Allaire, Christian (August 20, 2020). "Drag Superstar Chi Chi DeVayne Dies at 34". Vogue. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  18. ↑ "RuPaul And More React To The Death Of 'Drag Race' Star Chi Chi DeVayne". BET. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  19. ↑ Lynch, Joe (August 20, 2020). "'Drag Race' Star Chi Chi DeVayne Dead at 34". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  20. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race star Chi Chi DeVayne dead aged 34". August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  21. ↑ Wratten, Marcus (December 2, 2025). "Ranking all 17 seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race ahead of season 18". PinkNews. Archived from the original on December 8, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
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