- 4 days ago
Featuring special commentary by JAYMES MANSFIELD! From early-outs and villain edits to fan-favorite comebacks and hard-earned crowns, these queens proved that a first impression doesn’t always tell the full story. Join us as we celebrate the most memorable glow-ups in Drag Race history, featuring jaw-dropping transformations, emotional returns, and the kind of growth that turned underdogs into legends. Which comeback was your favorite?
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NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're...
00:03Wait just a minute, Ms. Mojo.
00:05I know you don't think you're going to start this video without me.
00:09Hello, it's me, James Mansell, and I'm here for my redemption.
00:13Yeah, yeah, you won't allow the shtick.
00:14James is here to help us rank the most notable queens
00:17who returned to Drag Race after being overlooked and underestimated,
00:20completely transforming their reputations.
00:22And who's more qualified?
00:25I've worked my ass off these past couple years.
00:28Holy shit!
00:28The way I've evolved from where I was in Season 9,
00:31I don't even recognize that girl looking back.
00:33Let's get started on this list.
00:36Number 10. Silky Nutmeg Ganache
00:39Not many queens have faced as negative a reception as Silky did on Season 11.
00:44Viewers piled on her for dominating the airtime
00:47and frequently clashing with fan favorite Edie Audley.
00:50I didn't want to be a big bitch!
00:51Well, girl, you're being a big bitch now then by bringing it up now after...
00:55Because you're putting words in my mouth!
00:57She was also ridiculed for failing to deliver on her own hype during her lip-sync against Nina West.
01:03Meh.
01:05When she returned for All-Stars 6,
01:07Silky initially seemed determined to tone herself down,
01:10but in the process, lost some of her signature charisma.
01:13Coming back to All-Stars, I just thought it was going to be somewhat easier because I know everything.
01:19But I feel like kind of second-guessing myself because I didn't get the love for my season.
01:24Impressively, she turned things around in the lip-sync SmackDown episode,
01:28eliminating six queens in spectacular fashion.
01:31With her subsequent returns on Canada vs. the World Season 1 and All-Stars 11,
01:36Silky found the perfect balance, retaining her larger-than-life personality,
01:40but also showing greater restraint and maturity.
01:43Since my seasons, I've realized that I acted like the entertainment,
01:47and now I'm the entertainer.
01:50Being polished, it's the number one for me.
01:52So I'm excited to compete as a fully realized Silky.
01:56Silky refuses to be kept down.
01:58I heard from a very reliable source that she's actually competing on several versions of RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars
02:03throughout several different multiverses.
02:05That's right, the multiverse of ganache.
02:08Special shout-out to Joey Jay, who competed alongside Silky in All-Stars 11 with an impressive new package,
02:14proving that being the first gay drag race contestant leaves an incredible legacy.
02:18Gay-er than ever, opening doors for more homosexuals to come through behind me.
02:24Number 9. Roxy Andrews
02:26Let's give it up for an absolute icon, Miss Roxy Andrews.
02:30Jinx Monsoon's outer saboteur on Season 5 was undoubtedly Roxy Andrews.
02:34By appearing to pick on the eventual winner,
02:37Roxy received the villain edit and was reviled by fans.
02:41Jinx, it's competition to me.
02:42I'm gonna do anything to get her off her track.
02:45Victims blame other people when they don't do well.
02:48You're getting all angry and...
02:50I have done well in this competition and I love what I do, so I am not angry.
02:55All-Stars 2 did little to change that perception.
02:58Fans felt she survived several weeks largely due to her Rolaskatox alliance,
03:03allowing her to reach the finale despite multiple bottom placements.
03:07It shows on the side. I'm sorry. I can't send it to me.
03:10I'm so sorry.
03:11But I just couldn't send Roxy home today because she's been so amazing.
03:16By the time she returned for All-Stars 9, however, things had changed.
03:21Years removed from the drama of Season 5,
03:24fans had come to appreciate Roxy's immense influence on drag.
03:27Where my people at?
03:28She proceeded to back up that reputation with the best competitive run of her career.
03:32What you do get is this here outhouse, where you can be shitting while you're pissing,
03:39shitting while you're pissing, at the same time.
03:43This time, instead of questioning her place in the finale,
03:47many fans were actively rooting for her to take the crown.
03:50Fun fact, she's also a former Miss Continental winner,
03:53and almost as good of a makeup artist as I am.
03:56Love you, girl.
03:57Number 8. James Mansfield
04:11We'd like to state on the record that no amount of pressure from James
04:14or her incredibly powerful lobbying group influenced this placement.
04:18She genuinely has one of the strongest redemption arcs in Drag Race herstory.
04:22James was the porkchop queen of Season 9,
04:24and left largely with the reputation of being the awkward comic relief.
04:29And I'm James, and I'm a floozy.
04:32Captain, may I speak out of turn for a little bit?
04:35Of course, no, go ahead.
04:35Girl, you gotta sell floozy.
04:36If you want it to be the floozy, you gotta be the floozy.
04:39All right.
04:39I'm not seeing it yet.
04:40But while many early outs typically fade into obscurity,
04:43James built one of the most successful post-show careers in the franchise,
04:47partly through her hilarious wig styling tutorials on YouTube.
04:50James built one of the most successful post-show careers in the franchise,
04:54partly through her hilarious wig style tutorials on YouTube.
04:57Yeah, that sounds about right.
04:58By the time she returned for All-Stars 8,
05:00fans saw her as a legitimate contender with years of growth behind her.
05:04Oh my God, Miss Mojo.
05:06If I hadn't recently just got filler, I'd be crying right now.
05:10While she ultimately fell short of the finale,
05:13she impressed viewers and the judges throughout the season,
05:16coming remarkably close to winning the fame games.
05:18Describe your feet to me in ways I cannot resist.
05:22I didn't know there was going to be a pop quiz.
05:24You're asking about my feet.
05:26Is Quentin Tarantino behind that wall?
05:29More importantly,
05:31she proved that her original run was not a true reflection of her talent.
05:35Yeah.
05:35Okay, Wiglets, you can unfreeze their accounts now.
05:38Number 7.
05:39Tia Coffey
05:39Going from Baroness Basic to Queen of the Mother-Tucking World
05:43is about as compelling as a redemption story can get.
05:46This is perfect.
05:47I'll keep it basic.
05:50On Series 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK,
05:53it was abundantly clear, no shade intended,
05:55that Tia lacked the amount of polish needed from a worthy contender for the crown.
05:59However, she was beloved by the fans for her hilarious confessionals,
06:04effortless charm, and endlessly quotable one-liners.
06:06I am serving you, an adequate dress made of materials that is on my body.
06:13When Tia returned for UK vs. the World, she came back as the fully realized version of
06:18the queen fans had always hoped she could become.
06:21Her runways were dramatically elevated, and her confidence had clearly grown.
06:25But she was smart enough to retain the self-deprecating humor that made her so endearing in the first place.
06:31Michelle, you look stunning.
06:34Graham, you're a vision.
06:36Sorry, I misread that.
06:37Graham, you host Eurovision.
06:38You look a mess.
06:40Number 6.
06:41Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
06:44As the drag daughter of drag race legend Alexis Mateo,
06:48Vanessa Vanjie had a lot of expectations coming into season 10.
06:51But those expectations were shattered when she was eliminated first.
06:56On her way out, she accidentally created one of the show's most iconic catchphrases.
07:01Miss Vanjie.
07:02Miss Vanjie.
07:06Miss Vanjie.
07:08Work this side!
07:10In a franchise where eliminated queens rarely get invited back immediately,
07:14Vanjie returned the very next season largely because of the impact she made in one single episode.
07:20And she proved she was far more than a meme.
07:23On season 11, Vanjie made it all the way to the top 5,
07:27and became one of the season's biggest personalities.
07:29You can get her music available on iTunes and everything else.
07:32Thank you, Miss Vanjie.
07:34I thank myself.
07:36And you too, Britney.
07:37She performed even better on All-Stars 9,
07:40with two challenge wins and a runner-up finish.
07:43Hit it!
07:45Come on, Miss Vanjie!
07:51Insert another leotard reveal here.
07:55I have to say, she was so good to take my spot as fan favorite on All-Stars 9.
08:00They begged and they begged and they begged,
08:02but I told them I can't, I simply can't, I was just on.
08:05Let someone else get the chance.
08:07So, you're welcome, Vanjie.
08:09Last I checked, she did pretty good for herself in that competition.
08:12So for that, you're welcome.
08:14But just remember, they asked me first.
08:18Number 5.
08:19Lemon
08:20Lemon was one of the breakout stars of Canada's drag race.
08:24Although she finished in 5th place with her rap skills, dance prowess, and comedy chops,
08:29many believed it was only a matter of time before she got her due recognition.
08:32Ain't nobody look, turn ahead like mine do.
08:34Ain't no lap, jack, slap like mine do.
08:36Ain't no queen, wrap it back like I do.
08:38When Lemon was announced for UK vs. The World, fans were convinced that was her moment.
08:44Instead, she turned out to be the first of many shocking eliminations that season.
08:48I'm pretty crushed. I feel very, very heartbroken.
08:52I'm proud of what I did, and I'm proud of what I put forward.
08:56Fortunately, Lemon didn't let that setback define her.
08:59Returning for Canada vs. The World, she used her past trauma as fuel.
09:03This time, she delivered on every expectation fans had for her years earlier,
09:08winning two challenges and placing in the top in every episode.
09:12I was like, am I going to consider myself a loser because of one thing that happened in my life?
09:17Or am I going to put the work in, make myself undeniably iconic,
09:22and then they're going to have to have me back?
09:25It was no surprise she snatched the crown.
09:28Number 4. Irene the Alien
09:30If you watched the first episode of season 15 alone,
09:33you would have walked away convinced Irene the Alien would make it to the finale.
09:37I am sopping wet, looking like a drowned, harassed rat.
09:43But I am used to performing in basements in Seattle
09:46while I pour weird substances like baked beans all over myself.
09:50This is a cakewalk.
09:52If you came back for episode 2, though,
09:54you would have gotten the biggest shock of your life.
09:57Irene's lackluster talent number truncated what could have been a phenomenal run
10:01and sent her home first.
10:06No one's laughing.
10:08Just two years later, she returned for All-Stars 10
10:11and proved that, indeed, she had all it took to make it to the end on her season.
10:15I think everybody is capable of having a bad day,
10:19and I already got mine out of the way.
10:21Irene dominated the orange bracket, placing in the top two of every episode.
10:25Ah, yes, Irene the Alien.
10:28Well, I must admit, yeah, she's pretty great.
10:29Although we are still in active litigations over her stealing my voice
10:33for that improv challenge in All-Stars 10.
10:36Somebody else done already done had theirs?
10:40Ain't she a clever bear?
10:42She eventually made it to the finale,
10:44but lost her shot at the crown after being eliminated by Lydia B. Collins.
10:49Number 3. Monet Exchange
10:51If you had told us that the same queen who made the sponge dress
10:54will one day become a contender for the title of queen of all queens,
10:58we would have said Liza Minnelli lies.
11:00On season 10, Monet became a fan favorite for her lovable personality,
11:04but she hadn't fully cooked as a queen.
11:07I feel like I've been on a steady upward climb in the past couple of weeks.
11:10You haven't won any challenges, though.
11:11I know, right?
11:11What's wrong with that?
11:12You know, I think it's just, I mean, I'm doing well on the maxi challenges,
11:15but it's following through on the runway
11:18and really giving y'all something to gag over.
11:20Her charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent broth
11:22came to a boil when she returned for All-Stars 4.
11:25This time around, Monet delivered on what she was already known for,
11:29but with an elevated runway package.
11:31I am bringing my own runway to the runway.
11:33This little train, whatever, bitch.
11:37She ultimately became the first black queen to win an All-Star season.
11:42Then, all winners pushed the redemption arc even further.
11:45Monet proved she could stand beside the best of the best,
11:48making it all the way to the final two.
11:51Funny enough, Monet X Change and I share a birthday,
11:54and I always tell her she may have got the beauty, the brains,
11:57the talent, the singing voice, the money, the career,
12:01the All-Star's crown, but I have the hair.
12:07On season two, then competing as just Sonique,
12:11Kylie Sonique Love showed flashes of star power,
12:14especially as a performer,
12:15but struggled to stand out in challenges and left fairly early.
12:18I was telling myself,
12:20you're going to have to do whatever it takes to get you out of this hole.
12:26It's a lip-thinking competition.
12:28It's not a gymnastics competition.
12:30At the reunion, she came out as trans,
12:33creating an historic moment for the franchise,
12:35even though the show itself still had a long way to go
12:38in how it handled trans contestants.
12:39I've always been a girl.
12:41I've always been a girl trapped in a boy's body.
12:44I started doing drag,
12:46and there's just something about it that wasn't enough.
12:50When Kylie returned for All-Star 6,
12:52everything felt different.
12:53She was calmer, more confident, more experienced,
12:56and far more in control of her artistry.
12:59And it showed.
12:59We did it on the bed, and we did it on the floor.
13:02We did it in the kitchen, and we did it some more.
13:05I love you, Cheyenne.
13:06You're my man.
13:07Jolene, if you are out there, your ass is great.
13:12Ah, yes, Kylie, my twin.
13:15You know, every time I see her on the screen,
13:16it's like looking into a mirror.
13:18Kylie won fans over without ever needing to become over the top.
13:22By taking the crown,
13:23Kylie became the first openly trans winner of a U.S. drag race season.
13:27You know, not to brag or anything,
13:30but I was the one that taught her that back walk over into the split move.
13:34I do it here right now, but I don't have any gin mats set down.
13:37Number 1. Raja O'Hara
13:39There were multiple queens who received a villainous edit on season 11,
13:43but perhaps the ultimate villain was Raja O'Hara.
13:46We need y'all gone because...
13:50y'all are taking up space.
13:54Between workroom arguments,
13:56tension in Untucked and her feud with Plastique Tiara,
13:59many viewers reduced Raja to the Bitter Queen.
14:01Girl, obviously they're trying to get you to the top four
14:04because you've got your mama coming,
14:05you got Rue calling you her child,
14:08you got your boyfriend popping up on a video,
14:11so bitch, just take it as they like,
14:12thank you, I'm getting encouraged.
14:14What got lost was that she was also an exceptional seamstress
14:18and performer with a distinct point of view.
14:20That narrative became a lot clearer when she returned for All Stars 6.
14:23This time, she was more self-aware and showed vulnerability where it mattered,
14:28becoming one of the season's emotional anchors.
14:30Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my mother.
14:33Yeah.
14:33She raised me the best that she could,
14:35but I do find myself holding on to a lot of the hurt that I felt as a child.
14:40I find myself having conversations with her today as that same hurt little boy.
14:45She finally got her much-deserved crown in Canada vs. the World.
14:50Raja O'Hara, another girl that was so kind to take my spot for me
14:53when I got stuck at the Canadian border.
14:56Apparently, they misheard me when I said I was a blonde bombshell.
14:59To go from a highly criticized queen to a beloved international winner
15:04is the gold standard of Drag Race Redemption.
15:06But I gotta say, she did pretty well for herself on that season.
15:10Congrats, gal.
15:11Thanks for coming along for the ride, James.
15:12Now the important question.
15:14Did you agree with our picks?
15:16I suppose you made a pretty good argument as to why these other girls outranked me.
15:20But do they have hair this good?
15:24I don't think so.
15:26So this is toodles for now, my girls' girls over there at Miss Mojo.
15:30Be sure and find me, James Manfield, here on YouTube.
15:33Which Drag Race queen do you think had the biggest redemption arc?
15:36Let us know in the comments.
15:42Let us know in the comments.
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