Ginger Minj pushes back on favouritism accusations and Jorgeous celebrates her growth after the All Stars 10 finale…
A new queen has entered the Drag Race Hall of Fame and it was a crowning 10 years in the making. Ginger Minj won the first Tournament of All Stars this past Friday. The queen beat Kerri Colby, Bosco and Jorgeous in a Lip Sync Smackdown For The Crown. The season was Minj’s fourth attempt at the crown and third where she has made the finale.
Ever since the announcement of the latest All Stars, fans were quick to deem the season in favour of Minj. That sentiment heightened as the queen won every challenge in her bracket and the Snatch Game maxi-challenge in the semi-finals.
Finale watch parties showed mix reactions with some viewers letting out disappointing sighs and booing the screen. Fans took to social media after the crowning, exclaiming Jorgeous was the true winner of the season.
While every season of Drag Race seems to divide the fan base, this one hit a new level. Now, days after its conclusion, Ginger Minj and Jorgeous are sharing their feelings about the season and the outcome.
“I felt like Elphaba”: Minj on the fan base witch hunt
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly after her win, Minj spoke about how she had to be her biggest critic and cheerleader. She told EW she felt the fan base wasn’t rooting for her. “I felt like Elphaba throughout the entire competition because it felt like I had all these powers I didn’t have a grasp on at the beginning of the season. Particularly, by a lot of the fanbase, it was kind of like a witch hunt.”
The queen says she tried not to take the favouritism comments personally, but admits she does care what people think. She’s say the fan base built that narrative themselves and that she has never felt favoured. “What made me laugh a little bit and gave me some solace was the fact that I’ve done this competition three previous times, and RuPaul hasn’t had an issue putting me in the bottom, making me lip sync for my life, and not giving me a crown,” she shares.
Now with a crown and $200,000, Minj has set some goals for herself. She says she wants to be the queen that unites all people. “I want to be hopeful for people. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She’s also planning to use the money to take care of some family debt and buy a place in L.A.
As for what’s next? Well she seems to be getting closer to her Broadway dream like fellow All Stars winner Jinkx Monsoon. “I had a Broadway producer contact me and we’re trying to work out my own Broadway show,” she teases, saying it will likely begin next year.
Reaction to Minj’s win
While many fans were quick to say Jorgeous was robbed, Minj’s loyal followers and fellow queens drowned out the online negativity.
Mrs. Kasha Davis wrote a heartfelt message to her season seven sister, and member of the Bitter Old Lady Brigade, saying “Congratulations! NO ONE in the herstery of RuPaul’s Drag Race has wanted this moment more than my sister Ginger Minj. I remember rooting for her as my winner for Season 7 and then the other 14 times she was on I rooted as well…You deserve these flowers my friend. YOU are a STAR! You have talent, grit, tenacity, work ethic, sass and you’re working to be your healthiest self. Enjoy this!!! Focus on the positives!!! Go get em!”
Fellow All Stars 6 competitor and winner Kylie Sonique Love said “Congratulations queen 💜👑 I’m so happy for you.” Jujubee (RuPaul’s Drag Race 2, All Stars 1 and 5, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. The World 1), Venus (winner of Canada’s Drag Race 4), Plasma (RuPaul’s Drag Race 16) and Rita Baga (Canada’s Drag Race 1, host of Drag Race Belgique) all shared similar messages on Minj’s Instagram.
How did Jorgeous feel after losing the crown?
Whereas Minj was on her fourth season, Jorgeous returned for her third. The queen has had quite a redemption story, lip syncing for her life five times on her original season before being eliminated alongside DeJa Skye. She returned for All Stars 9 where she was in the top twice, winning one Lip Sync For Your Charity. In the latest season, she won two challenges in her bracket and beat Aja and Lydia Butthole Kollins in the final Lip Sync Smackdown For The Crown.
On finale day, the queen posted a number of tweets talking about the final result. She started by thanking her fans and expressing how proud of herself she was. “There Was Honestly Nothing I Could’ve Done Different. I Did My Best & I’m So Happy Y’all Saw It For Me…” she tweeted in part.
The post was followed two hours later with her expressing how she felt after learning she lost. “Ngl I Was Sad Af Yesterdayy Now I Just Feel A Hollow. Idk Might Delete Later Lmao”
Fans were quick to comment on Jorgeous’ heartbreak during episode when RuPaul named Ginger Minj the winner. One X user questioned her reaction given the show shoots both crownings. Aja responded saying Jorgeous wasn’t aware they’d be shooting an alternate endings.
“Actually, what y’all didn’t know is that we filmed Ginger’s crowning first, Jorgeous genuinely didn’t know that there would be another ending filmed,” Aja writes. “When we walked backstage, she started crying – like breaking down and it broke my heart. I went up to her, and I was like Neice, you know they gonna film you winning too right?? And she looked up like a lil puppy and was like “really??” It was so sincere and heart tugging.”
During a private finale viewing with Minj, Jorgeous again showed her heartbreak. The reaction led Minj to ask “Are you okay?” with the queen responding she was. “I’m so proud of myself,” she told Minj.
While the two American seasons have wrapped for the year, Drag Race fans still have plenty of content to enjoy. Drag Race Brasil and Drag Race France All Stars are currently airing and Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale debuts August 13.
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