Multiple condragulations are in order after the April 17 finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which revealed the winner of Season 18 — among other surprises.
As always, the finale began with performances of original songs from each finalist, beginning with Darlene Mitchell’s goofball anthem “Cooking With Gas,” followed by Myki Meeks’ double entendre-laced “Versatile,” and ending with Nini Coco’s dance-heavy number “Stimulate.” If we were to rank the performances (and why not?), we’d say they improved progressively. In addition to “Stimulate” being more of an earworm than the other songs, we were really impressed with Nini’s tight choreography.
We then got a special appearance from Miley Cyrus, who took home this year’s Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award, along with the returns of reigning Miss Congeniality Crystal Envy and Season 17 winner Onya Nurve.
Heading into the Season 18 finale, 62% of TVLine readers predicted that Myki would take home the crown, followed by Darlene in second place with 31%, and Nini in a distant third with only 7% of the votes. As for which queen our readers wanted to win, the results were a little different: Darlene was the frontrunner with 50%, followed by Myki with 41%, and Nini once again in third with just 9%.
So, how close were those predictions to the actual outcome of Friday’s finale? (Spoiler alert: not very!) Read on for a breakdown of the Season 18 closer, from the reveal of Miss Congeniality to the announcement of an “All Stars 11” premiere date.
Jane Don’t wins Miss Congeniality
Of course, the winner of Season 18 isn’t the only queen who got to sashay away with a fancy new title after the finale. There was also the crowning of this year’s Miss Congeniality, announced by reigning title holder Crystal Envy. And the winner is… Jane Don’t! She appeared to be somewhat surprised by the big reveal, but much like her elimination, she accepted her victory with grace and poise.
“Well, congeniality is not something the women in my family generally aspire to,” Jane said as she received her ceremonial bouquet. “But one of the best gifts that this whole experience has given me is my relationships with these girls. You are the best prize that I think any of us gets, so thank you so much. I love you, I love you, thank you!”
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 11 premiere date revealed
When one cycle of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” ends, the next is never far behind, so we interrupt this recap for a special breaking announcement: During the Season 18 finale, Paramount+ revealed that Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” will begin streaming on Friday, May 8 with a two-episode premiere.
And because no “Drag Race” fan wants to settle for half the story, Paramount+ is giving us a new season of “All Stars: Untucked,” which will also premiere with two episodes on May 8.
The full cast of “All Stars 11” will be announced at a later date, but with 18 seasons of “Drag Race” queens available (not to mention any potential international inclusions), the contestant pool has never been larger. Which familiar faces would you like to see back in the Werk Room? We’ll see you in the comments section below.
Darlene Mitchell is eliminated first
Darlene Mitchell managed to avoid having to lip sync for her life in Season 18, so we were excited to see what the kooky queen would bring to the stage in a one-on-one showdown for the crown. Unfortunately, we’ll have to keep wondering what could have been, because RuPaul announced Myki Meeks and Nini Coco as this season’s final two queens, cementing Darlene’s third-place finish.
“I’m sorry my dear, but this is not your time,” Ru told Darlene before surprising her with an additional $10,000 tip for slaying all season. Not only was this a well-deserved bonus, but it also gave Darlene a chance to celebrate by showing us what she would have RuVealed during the lip sync. Trash glamour at its finest!
It was heartwarming to see Darlene’s fellow contestants cheering her on, chanting her name, and celebrating her journey. And the comedy queen gave us one last laugh when she abruptly turned around to ask Ru, “Are you sure?” before formally sashaying away.
Nini Coco and Myki Meeks battle for the crown! And the winner is…
Then came the moment we’ve been waiting for all season: the final lip sync smackdown for the crown between Myki Meeks and Nini Coco, set to the tune of Miley Cyrus and Naomi Campbell’s “Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved.” We never would have predicted this as the final lip sync song, even with Cyrus literally seated beside RuPaul on the judges’ panel, but it ultimately provided the perfect dramatic backdrop for a phenomenal battle.
While there was plenty to enjoy about the lip sync — from Myki’s spins and Nini’s death drops to both queens getting down during that dance break — the biggest gag was easily Nini’s purse RuVeal. What first appeared as merely an oversized red handbag suddenly transformed into a glamorous puppet, which Nini used to mouth Campbell’s spoken portion of the song. Gooped! “Sesame Street” could never.
These queens left everything on the floor with this one, including the fandom’s collective jaw. But only one will succeed Onya Nurve as America’s Next Drag Superstar, and that queen is… Myki Meeks, officially the winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 18.
Do you agree with the outcome of Friday’s “Drag Race” finale? Vote in the poll below, then drop a comment with more of your thoughts: Were you surprised to see Jane Don’t crowned Miss Congeniality? And which queens would you like to see return for “All Stars 11”?
