Drag Race Philippines S4, EP 1 Review
In this hour‑long podcast episode, hosts Calypso and Virginia (the Slaytion Persuasion duo) recap and critique the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race Philippines Season 4. After a year‑long hiatus, they discuss their personal updates, the season’s mermaid‑inspired trailer, and the runway’s halo‑halo theme, explaining its cultural symbolism. They walk through each contestant’s entrance, offering first‑impression commentary on Guli Gush, Andy Crocker, Bomba, Miss Wah, Valeria, Maureen, Borge Gum, Katana, Merx, Dixie Decoy, Taylor Sheesh, and others, noting strengths, weaknesses, and design choices. The hosts dissect the greased‑pole mini‑challenge, evaluate the judges (including guest judge Ofranio Vásquez), and explore the episode’s tribute to the late contestant Miss Soa. A substantial portion of the conversation is devoted to the growing use of AI in drag performances, with both hosts expressing concerns about authenticity, accessibility, and ethical implications. They also reflect on the capitalist pressures of the show, the labor of the queens’ bodies, and the community dynamics within the Filipino drag scene. The episode ends with the hosts ranking the queens, predicting the top two (Manza and Katana) and bottom two (Taylor Sheesh and Borge Gum), and promising deeper analysis in the next episode.
Chapters
Okay, yes. Are we recording?
Yes, we are.
Okay.
Well, we're still Slaytion Persuasion, by the way.
Yes, I know. Of course. That's what I was about to say. I was like, is that the name of our show still?
It's been a year.
Yes, I know. It's been a year.
Well, yeah.
Well, hello, everybody. I'm Calypso.
I'm Virginia, please.
And welcome back to Slaytion Persuasion after one whole year.
Can you imagine?
It's been crazy. I know y'all are probably surprised to see. Yes, yes, y'all thought it was over with one season. No, no, no, no, no. We came right back a year later in the same black bust-down that I left in. I'm still here.
And a lot of things have happened, girl.
A lot of things have happened.
I was unemployed. I was struggling. But finally, I got employed.
You know, we went through it. What a year.
What a year. I really was being tested. But I survived.
You survived. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And now we're ready for season 4.
Oh, 2026 was something else. But now we're ready for another year and another season.
Exactly. And we're going to be looking forward. Like Mama Pao said, we're going to be looking forward after this episode.
We're going to do it so many times in the episode.
You're right.
OK, anyways, let me start with the trailer. Did you like the mermaid?
I— look at my earrings. Y'all see these earrings? I love the sea. I love underwater. Everything related to the sea and ocean really speaks to me. So this, I was living. You know, season 7—
That's why I see a lot of videos of you in the sea.
If you look at my Instagram, literally, I'm always at the beach. I'm always at the beach. I'm always by the water. I'm in the water doing all sorts of stuff. I can't stand the sun. Really?
5 minutes, I have sunburn already. I'm too white.
See, that's why I go in the evening, because that way you get the ocean, the magic. But, uh, you know, Season 17 did a similar promo a few years ago. Anything related to water, I am there. So I'm really excited to see it. But I loved how mermaid-forward this was.
I loved it as well. And I, in fact, I saw one of the contestants before she— before the evening show started. I was in the Philippines, by the way, so I saw Their promo look? Promo look.
Oh, so this whole season, Virginia has an insider scoop because she was on the ground, in the scene, in the Philippines.
I was waiting to be called because, you know, I don't think it's a secret. I tried out, but I did not make it. Damn.
Their loss.
Yes, I know. And in fact, what I'm wearing right now is one of the things that I had made. It's not exactly mermaid, but if I were to make you guess, what is it? What's the reference?
You know, it's giving like sea witch. Very, you know, like Aquawoman. Exactly. That's Aquawoman. Yeah.
You got the reference.
You look like an evil villain in Aquaman. Yes, yes, yes. Right, exactly. It's evident, Mama, because especially in the promo, a lot of them went very bubbly, mermaid pink. Some of them went dark.
Yes.
Like Dixie Decoy went a little dark. Katana. There were like undersea, like the under bottom of the sea.
I love that. And by the way, Jade Saw wore something like this. Oh. In Down Under.
Yes. And who wore it better? You are better.
Well, I was going to claim that mine was made first. So she probably copied me when she went to the designer. Hi, Jigsaw. That's what she did.
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
We haven't even started yet.
The goddess is going to come for us.
I know. But, well, yes.
I love Jigsaw. Shall we get started with this season?
Yes, we will.
Yes. So first impressions, we're on season 4. We took a break for Slaysian, right? So now this is almost 2 years since the last normal season of Philippines. So the scene has changed. They've had time to marinate. The queens who wanted to be there So let's start with the entrances.
Yes.
Yes. So up first we have Guli Gush. I, you know, during her promo, I loved her voice. She had like a— I think she had like a throat something going on in her voice, but it was so raspy and I just loved it. It just really drew me in. So I really liked it.
The inside tea is that when the auditions was happening and I was in the Philippines, I heard that someone not very professional yet got in. Someone that that can be eliminated right away. And when she walked in, I'm sorry to say, girl, that I thought that it was you.
Oh my gosh!
I was like, filler queen!
You know, she did say— one thing that I noticed about her is that she said that she used to be a PA for all the other drag superstars. So for Kat Kat, for Maxi, for Precious. I think the best way to learn how to do something is by assisting someone who's really good at it. Yes, that's a good way to look at it. So I'm excited to see what she does because that gives— I tell my drag daughter this when I make her my personal assistant. I say, "You're learning. This is an internship." So when she's holding my bags, putting my wigs on, like she's learning. So what a better way to learn than by learning from the greats?
Yes, and you know everybody deserves to be on Drag Race.
She is saying. Wait, D. My God! Everybody deserves.
I didn't make it.
That's why I'm like this. Oh my! Up next, we have Andy Crocker. Andy Crocker. So she's the drag mother of some previous contestants.
Yeah. So I always see their name on. Instagram, so I expected someone else. I expected someone slimmer.
Oh my God! Shots fired every no girl is safe. This entire cast. No, it's not her.
It's my mind playing tricks on me.
Girl, I'm a proper height.
No, but I expected something more because I thought that they were an established queen in the Philippines because I always see their name.
Yeah. What did you think? I I I get. I'm not super familiar with the the drag families and things in the Philippines, but. There are a few names that I recognize, but we'll get to those names.
And apparently they're mothers and go to the same daughter. Yeah, related.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we already have the mother-daughter.
I could see the family tree right there.
Hey, was that shade? Was that shade? Did y'all pick up on that shade? Up next, moving on.
Dixie Decoy from Davao.
She is my favorite. I'm just saying it right now. Dixie Decoy, I am your biggest fan. I am so excited. From her entrance look till now, I'm a fan. Amazing entrance look, promo look, everything.
I love it, I love it, I love it.
I will say this queen looks different every single time you see her. Yes, she looks like different people, and that's not a bad thing. I just think it's so interesting how she's really a chameleon because from her performance, her runway, her entrance, her promo, 4 different people.
She looks really young though, so let's see like if she can maintain that kind of standard all throughout the season.
Well, we'll get to her talent show, but yeah, Dixie D'Koi, I am a fan.
Yeah, me too. Okay, next is Merx.
Merx. Merx is our ballroom diva. I'm excited to see ballroom. I think it's so amazing how ballroom has expanded all over the world and it's integrated into drag. It's synonymous with a lot of the things, especially because of Drag Race. Ballroom culture and ballroom terms have permeated globally. I can just tell you from India right now, there is a ballroom scene in India. They have vogue battles, they have balls. So it's beautiful to see how— and that's so far removed. From you know where it all originated from.
Yeah, I went to the Philippines and actually took classes in ballroom.
A vogue, a vogue class.
Entire community in the Philippines.
Exactly. It's beautiful.
Mark hasn't made a name for herself.
And I I really liked her talent. I'm rooting for her. Really? Okay. She's your standout.
Who's who made a shade? Who said a shade about her? Like let's see what oh I I know I I think I know who who said that. It was a girl from Baguio. Oh Maureen says oh let's see what she can do aside from dancing.
Maureen Maureen Maureen We're gonna get to Maureen. Yes.
Borge Gum.
Borge Gum. This name immediately, it sounded South Asian to me for some reason. When I heard Borge Gum, it sounded like some kind of ingredient or spice or something. Well, we're gonna get into her talent show and how she, you know, behaved on top.
Yeah, but look, I thought immediately messy, messy, messy. I'm sorry to say.
But to that I say alternative, alternative, alternative.
That's what I'm trying to say. This is the, um, this is when alternative queens get into this platform There's a conflict because, you know, there's a standard that you're held up into, and then alternative can be anything. It can be messy. You know what I mean?
But I don't think that means it should be messy. I think you can be alternative, but there's still ways to execute vision.
Like, your vision can be so baked.
And the thing that I noticed with her is her silhouettes just seem a little off. The concepts are great, you know.
Did you see the corset in the back?
Yeah, I noticed that. Like I said, if it was just adjusting the proportions a little bit, A little bit. Like, it's one thing to have the exaggeration.
Oh, Maureen says, oh, let's see what she can do aside from dancing.
Maureen, Maureen, Maureen, we're gonna get some Maureen.
All right, next one.
Another—
oh no, Miss Wah.
Was Miss Wah next? Yeah, it's Katana next.
It's Katana. Well, Katana, I think we got the order.
Oh, we'll cut it back.
We'll cut it back.
Okay, so up next we have Katana. I was really intrigued. This huge— what did you think about this look?
I was like, this is how you do it.
Oh, this is how you do it?
I loved it. I loved it. But you know, I've seen Katana and I had my own, um, biases and impressions of her. She has a resting bitch face and I don't like that.
Do you think it's the piercings? Do you think it's the tattoos?
I think it comes with the attitude and you know, that can play tricks on your mind as an audience.
I found her kind of endearing. She was kind of keeping it real.
I actually love her.
No, I was enjoying her.
I was so surprised. Yeah.
I was so surprised.
I loved her because I was proven wrong about her attitude and who they are.
No, she really takes everything to the chin. And I really appreciated that about her. Her looks were great too. And I'm— we'll talk about her talent show. It was fabulous.
Yes.
But you know, Maureen, let's talk about Maureen. Maureen was another name that I knew before because her name is so funny. Maureen Biology. Also, imagine walking into the workroom. Imagine walking into Philippines and then they're telling you the underwater theme and your name is Maureen Biology. I'd be like, girl, Something's afoot. If I was another girl there and I'm like, oh, so the theme is underwater and this bitch name is Marine Biology? Yeah, come on.
I'm biased with what she's wearing because that's a designer I also work with.
Oh, come on.
Hi girl, thank you for the designs that you've made me. And yeah, I mean, yeah, but not a good—
Miss Wah. Yeah, my heart sank every time I saw her on the screen.
Me too.
It was just, it was so Poetic, her appearance, and some of the things that she said and some of the things that she was talking about were like it's as if somebody knew that this was going to be her last, which is horrible to say, but it was a beautiful tribute. This whole episode was kind of a tribute to her.
If you're not an RuPaul's Drag Race fan, Miss Soa is the contestant that died in episode two.
She ultimately passed away.
Yeah, just just for context.
Yes, for context. And we're probably going to talk about the next episode too because.
Yes, unfortunately when it happened, I was in the Philippines when I was waiting to be called, but when they were already filming, you know, I found out when I was there and that was really like a shock. Yeah, yeah, well, we can talk more about it.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. But you know, beautiful entrance look. Yes, beautiful personality, everything, all an all-rounded—
I thought that— I thought when she came out, I'm like, she has a huge family and that's where this is coming from, is the support that she's getting from all the sisters that she has, which are also very creative. Hannah Beshi.
Hannah Beshi, yes. I know that she's friends with Kiana. Yes, exactly.
Yeah, it's the same family.
And if you take a look at her Instagram, all of her drag sisters are tribute. Every single post is a tribute to her because they made the package. So as much as it was Miss Was, it was also their whole families.
Yes.
So, you know, House of LaFea. Shout out to House of LaFea.
I could just imagine how they are feeling right now.
I think it's mixed emotions because they're seeing their work and they're seeing it displayed. And it's also like, it's a tribute to their friend because, you know, she'll never go away now.
Exactly. But yes, and then we have Valeria.
Valeria, she's so pretty. She's so beautiful.
But like Michelle said, stop relying on that beauty, girl. And that's the body, girl.
If I had a body like that, mama, I'd be relying on it.
Hell, I've seen him several times in Obar, and I, I brought a friend from the US, and he was like, I'm not impressed by Valeria.
Yeah. Oh, oh, well, I really haven't seen her perform beyond just what we showed us. And Obar, I think proves that she is really, really good. And Obar is one One of the biggest bars in the Philippines. Exactly. It's in Manila?
Yeah. Manila.
Yeah. But speaking of O Bar, we had a diva, Manza. Manza. Manza. Well, that was one of the queens who I knew of before the season started because I think we've all seen the clip of her swinging up and— I think she— Did she fall in that one video? Or was that somebody else?
There was 2 of them.
Yeah. Was one of them Manza?
I'm not sure.
Well, I'm not sure either. I feel like they would have mentioned it maybe.
Fact check.
I know, literally. Can someone check that? But I know of Manza because literally, like she said, whenever a Ru girl from the US or from elsewhere when I would go visit the Philippines, they would be at O Bar and they'd be taking a video of her doing, you know, twirling from the ceiling. And those clips would go viral every single time.
So those O Bar divas. Yeah, I have some tea about Manza. You know, some of the queens are like, okay, what? Yeah, everyone's waiting for her to get in, but what is she gonna do after the aerial thing? She can't do anything else.
I mean, if that's the one thing she's got, it's beautiful.
Yeah, but we're about to see what she's really capable of.
I also noticed something. Her transformation is kind of remarkable. When she's out of drag versus in drag, totally different person.
I have this one note, like, Manza in her interview, she looks like a help, I'm sorry to say.
Oh my God, what do you want to say about Gigi with black, flat black hair? What are you trying to say? What are you trying to say?
She's wearing something on top of her head.
Oh, is she?
And she looks like she's wearing a uniform.
Oh, I guess maybe that color. The color, the color, the mint, like kind of like the mint.
Yeah.
Nurse-y green. Yeah, yeah.
I was really confused. I was like, is this branding?
Is this branding? Branding, branding.
It's the brand.
And then next we have Bomba. Bomba's our diva from the US, so I'm rooting for her automatically.
I know when I found out it was Bomba who got in from the international pool, you know, pool, I, I felt a little bit better because I thought she deserved it.
Bomba has been doing this for a while and has been trying to get in the main franchise, and now it, you know Yeah, some of the other queens, like, you know, we think about Dee Dee Marie Holiday, we think about Dawn Fedaliaga, and then Gigi Era. Those are all of our international representation so far.
Yeah, yeah. So you know what, I'm expecting more of Bomba because not only does she have money, she has a lot of money, she's a nurse, but I've been with Bomba in drag and Bomba is ahoot. She's so funny in public. and while she's performing. But in this episode, I didn't see that so much.
I think she was like— I think she's like, she doesn't feel— I know that she's technically the oldest. It doesn't feel that way. I think they're all being like, oh, she's mother, she's mama. But I think like she's here to play. Yeah, she has been waiting for this opportunity and she's ready to take every single moment. And I love that.
But there's just a huge difference with what I've experienced with Mama. Maybe it's the editing. I don't know.
Definitely. Yeah, because that is different when you see someone you know personally on the show. It might be different.
Exactly.
Up next, we have Taylor Sheesh.
Final queen, yeah.
I loved this bitch's entrance look. She was playing in everybody's faces with that entrance look. And I like that. She's waking it up.
I cannot see a trend here. You know the winner who came up? Willow Pill. Willow Pill.
Yes.
I think she's trying to get into that kind of pattern, kind of footstep.
It's kind of camp. It's kind of camp.
Because her talent is also a little bit the same.
Yes, yes, yes. It's kind of like an interpretive dance, a little, yeah.
Although it did not work.
She is so funny. I mean, of course, I'm only understanding half of it because half, you know, it was pretty English heavy this episode. But the other bits, she's hilarious. She's like a joke a minute.
She is boom boom boom popular in the Philippines. And by the way, she was popularized by Jiggly.
Really?
Did you see that video? Yeah, when Jiggly commented, oh, okay, everyone can be in drag, but then not everyone can be on stage in drag.
And about Taylor Sheesh? Yes.
Oh, and that blew up and that made her popular. So thanks to Jiggly.
But Taylor Sheesh is selling it. I've seen the videos of entire malls.
Yes, exactly.
They're all watching her do it. And she actually really does look like Taylor Swift in her promo photo. I'm like, oh, especially with the bangs. I'm like, girl, that's Taylor Swift. Yeah, I, I'm rooting— okay, my, my picks after we've seen everybody: I'm rooting for Dixie Decoy, Taylor Sheesh, and let me add a third— Bombalicious.
Katana from B. Katana.
Okay, Katana, Bomba, and Maureen.
Maureen.
Okay, those are your top 3. Maureen.
Well, okay. Okay.
Yeah, I mean, I can do it. Oh, never mind. So let's go through the mini challenge real quick.
Mini challenge.
They have to climb greased poles?
Yeah.
Girl, how is that— would you have been able to do it? Tell me.
I think so.
You think so? Oh, well, let me not— see, I like going to the gym too, but I think my strength is not in my upper body.
If Bomba can do it, I can do it. That's right.
That's your sister. That's your sister.
We're the same generation, so.
I mean, again, if I If I saw that challenge and I'm like, oh, so we have the aerialist Monza right over here, I'd be like, this is— I smell a stunt.
Yeah.
I smell a stunt.
It was so expected already.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I mean, I was— the last— I would have expected Monza to do it. Katana, she also did it, right? She got up there. The last person I would have expected would have been Bomba. But that bitch was like, I'm here to fucking play. And I like that. I'm here to play.
You know?
She's here to play. So let's move right along to the runway. Because they kind of did a little—
Let's talk about the judges first.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
We had Judge Ofranio Vasquez.
Who is the winner of The Voice?
Yeah.
You want to know something interesting? Here's some interesting— I saw this Mia Starr from the last season of RuPaul's Drag Race. She used to be a producer on The Voice.
Yeah.
And she was the producer who picked Sefronia.
Sefronia. Really?
Isn't that interesting?
Because why? I really— I really—
Oh! I mean, I don't know about why. Well, someone fact-check me if I'm wrong.
I really— I was like, what does he know about Drag Race? I mean, you know, there are other— there are other— I mean, guest judges in other franchises who may Have the same, you know.
I think also Loki, like he didn't give any critiques.
Exactly.
That's what I mean. Well, they didn't have opportunity to.
I think they just got him for the name.
I mean, I mean, why not?
Why not?
Why not?
I mean, it works for them.
Is that would you say this is true? Philippines celebrates anybody who represents them internationally.
Of course.
Would you agree? Yes. Well, there you go. Boom. That's it. You know, like I know that like you know. I'm thinking about other Filipino figures abroad who Filipinos might love, like Olivia Rodrigo, for example. All the Miss Universe winners. Yeah. You know, so is there like, you know, you root for and you love. So like, even if The Voice America, you know, they're like, that's our man, you know? So good for Sefonia.
Yeah. Philippines is very nationalistic like that. Absolutely. Okay.
Pride.
Mama Pao's entrance. Girl.
Girl.
My comment about her, about the silhouette.
I'm like, We want something else.
Get that girl.
She did that.
I liked the little—
I liked when she was like, you listen to my comments. She's listening. She's a listener. Hi, Mama. I loved it. I really liked it.
Uh, it's so refreshing to see her not in a butterfly. Yes.
And it was—
I—
did you notice it was kind of like a P? Yes, it was kind of like a PP for Paolo.
Oh, I didn't even get that reference.
In my mind, I might not be the reference, but in my mind I'm like, oh, it looks like she's— she has it because it was like And her arm was going through it. So the runway theme is halo halo halo. Yes. Tell us about halo halo.
Okay, so it's actually pronounced as halo halo halo halo. Halo halo. So it's a wordplay again. This is what I like about Drag Race because it's a lot of wordplay and they're so creative about it. So instead of halo halo, they're saying halo halo halo, which means hello. Yes. And halo halo is a delicacy.
Delicacy, yes.
Yeah, delicacy.
Delicacy.
Yeah.
It's kind of like a sundae.
Yes.
Which has all these different toppings.
Yes.
I once watched a video video of Padma Lakshmi talking about Filipino cuisine in the US.
Yeah.
And she came here because the San Francisco Bay Area is a huge hub for Filipino Americans, right? Would you say so?
Yeah.
So she went to a place and she interviewed someone for her show on Hulu, and they explained how like, uh, the, uh, halo-halo itself is kind of like a story of the colonial history of the Philippines. Do you see that? Because you have Because some of the toppings are like cornflakes, flan, ice cream, ube. So ube represents the indigenous. The cornflakes comes from America. The flan comes from Spain. So wow. I thought you would have known about this.
I thought I wasn't educated.
It's because it's food. And I was like, that's my forte. So I was like, let me get into it. Isn't that interesting? Which is— isn't that because this was what the Filipino chef explained to Padma Lakshmi on the show. She was like, it's a— It is kind of a representation of something that's uniquely Filipino that references its colonial history.
That totally makes sense. Yeah.
Yes.
So halo-halo is mix-mix.
That's what that means?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Literal translation.
Yeah. So what are some components of halo-halo?
Uh, ube ice cream, flan, uh, makapuno, uh, which is guinea pig. Makapuno, I don't know what it is.
Tell us below. Tell us in the comments below. That's okay. Okay.
Yeah. Jackfruit, yeah.
Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So there's a similar dish in India called falooda. It's another kind of like dessert that has ice cream, but then all these other toppings. And that marrying of textures and that— it's a great idea for a drag look. It's Filipino. There's so many ways that you can go with it.
Can you find that anywhere here in the Bay?
Falooda?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. You can go to like an Indian— not most— some Indian restaurants have it. I would say some Indian restaurants definitely have it. Can you get halo-halo? Where can you get halo-halo?
There's a lot in Daly City, girl.
Girl, that's what I was about to say. That's where Padma Lakshmi went. Okay, well, On my way out of here.
Filipino City in the Bay.
Let me stop. Yeah, let me stop on my way back. It's so good, I'm telling you. Yeah, absolutely. Let's go. Let's speedrun through these runways real quick.
Yes, yes, we will. So Dixie Decoy looks amateur enough. That's what I said.
Amateur? That's my queen, Dixie. I liked your look.
Okay.
And then next we have Taylor.
Love it. Love the corn decoy.
Is corn added to—
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Like that type of corn?
Yeah. Oh, corn itself, but not the entire—
no, no, but like kernels.
Yes.
Interesting. To sweet. Yeah, it's with ice cream.
You eat that? Yes. Wow.
Isn't corn sweet? Corn is. You're right. You know what? You're right. Corn is sweet. But in my mind, I would never associate it with something like ice cream. Interesting. I like that.
I love it.
I love it. And then next we have Andy.
Kind of, you know, before the reveal, I was like, is that cardboard?
Cardboard girl. Yeah, I mean, maybe a little bit of polishing.
And when the reveal came out, I didn't understand it.
It was And then up next we had Bomba. I loved this look.
I loved it. From the top up—
She was so royal.
I know, but I didn't like the bottom of it. Oh, okay.
You know, I expect—
it was good, but I expect a lot from Bomba because Bomba—
That's her girl. That's her girl.
I know, and she spent so much money on it.
Let's wake that up.
Anyways, but I love you, Bomba.
Bomba, loved the look. It was so beautiful. I really enjoyed the purple. She looked so royal, so regal.
I thought it was well made. I just wanted it to be longer.
Yeah?
Yeah. Maureen.
Maureen. You know what I really liked? The boning went all the way down to the skirt.
You know what is that? That's the detail.
The glass.
Yeah, the glass. Exactly. That was so creative, I thought.
And what I loved was the see-through. So you could see the ingredients in there.
You know what I said here? She looks statuesque despite the concept.
It's hard to pull off. Yeah, absolutely. I really enjoyed it.
I still don't like her though. Damn, damn, damn, damn. Um, one of the judges, uh, Khaled Karen, made a comment, said tapioca boba.
I didn't notice that.
Yeah, boba means idiot in the Philippines, so that was, that was a play of words.
Yeah, you know what I like actually? This season on WOW Presents, they have subtitles with the context added. Yes, sometimes in the past it would just be the thing, but this time it says Like, like what was Avi Sala?
Avi Sala.
Avi Sala. They said that was a greeting from a TV show. Like they were adding the references or at the beginning of Mercs. Like it said these are characters from a TV show.
Yes.
I like that because it gives me a little bit more context.
There's a fantasy TV show that uses that as a greeting. Avi Sala.
Ah, well there we go.
Okay. Yeah.
Okay. Next next look.
We had Guli Gush.
You did not like hers?
Didn't get it. They just added. I embellished it with fruits.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I mean, yeah, the fruits were a little bit of like kind of like an afterthought.
It wasn't cohesive at all.
Yeah, no, absolutely.
Yeah, Borge.
Borge, girl.
I didn't get it. It's all over the place.
Sorry, girl. Sorry. Yes, sorry to— sorry to Borge, girl. I mean, like, I mean, like I said, it's just we need to focus on the silhouette and see what we can do to adjust it. Like, we need to make some adjustments.
I said it looks dirty. It looks like an abstract painting. I mean, true to alternative drag, but But I don't know, there's something about it that—
I will say I liked the concept and the execution, especially with the pops of color at the bottom of her dress. But I think when I looked at it, I think whenever you have a runway, we should know what it is immediately. I would not have been able to deduce that this was related to halo-halo or dessert, ice cream, none of that. But I will say if we took it separately, I did enjoy aspects of it. But like I said, I think it doesn't— for this runway, Hit us over the head. Like, make it obvious.
Well, you're in RuPaul's Drag Race, girl.
No, like, RuPaul, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
You don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Okay, Valeria.
Loved it. Bottom part should have been different.
I feel like it was a good look from the waist up.
Yes, it was.
And then the ankles down.
Yes.
Everything in between, I'm like, weak. It left me wanting more.
It should have been a catsuit.
It should have been a catsuit or like a tight pencil skirt. Something that like gives us Because I want to look like you're holding it because it's like you're like you know like a cone or something you know anyways I liked aspects of it though next we had Miss Wa I liked Miss Wa's it was I just thought the shoulders were lousy okay bigger this is like a ribbon here yeah yeah a tiny yellow ribbon yeah it could have been yeah I think I think there's a lot of elaborate like her looks are very elaborate and intricate but again maybe the refinement I love the rest of it except for the shoulder part absolutely Katana Fierce but off concept. She was a cow. You know, again, I'm— the way that I was thinking about, like, okay, if the runway theme was ice cream, someone came out as cow, I could see it. Yeah, halo-halo, I think, is not just about the ice cream.
Yeah, right.
It's about—
she, she was trying to represent the milk.
Is milk added to halo-halo?
Yes!
Oh, okay.
It should have been milk, not the cow. Well, I get it, but it's a little bit off.
I think it should have been more milky. Like, you can be a cow, but be a cow that's like covered in milk. Like, you know, Abraham Levy did pieces like this, rest in peace. He used to have these pieces that were Worbla, and then it would be splashes. So it looked like a splash of white. You know, I like the idea of cow, but, you know, make sure that like, you know, it's represented.
Don't get me wrong, Katana, I love you.
No, no, I like the look. It was interesting.
For this runway?
Yeah.
Interesting choice. Manza, it was just a gown, girl, and the headpiece was ugly. I'm sorry, Manza.
Well, I think it was like, it's just like, where can we take it? What can— what do we— when you're going ready for Drag Race, you don't always have to like buy new outfits or everything. It's like, what can you repurpose? At the same time, make it make sense.
I wanted to say, you know, although we're making— I'm making these comments, I know for a fact that a lot of these girls don't really have the resources, the money to get all of, you know, New things, correct designer, expensive designer. They just make most of it on their own. They make do. I mean, props for all of them to making it this far. But you know, we're here to make comments.
Yeah, of course. We're here to discuss because these are conversations that we're having. We're just having them too.
Exactly.
All right, let's get into that. What does tite mean?
Tite is penis. Oh, penis. Tite is dick.
I was like, I was like, I'm no— Virginia's gonna have to explain this to me. But I thought it was funny how they were making a joke about that. Kind of like the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent. Yeah, how do they they they spell it again? Totally. Oh my god! I have it right here. Something talent extravaganza. It was the end of it.
What's the I? Tite. Totally interesting talent extravaganza.
Totally. Let me find it. I have it right here. I'm like, you're right because I'm like, what was the acronym? It was the totally impressive talent extravaganza.
Totally impressive.
Totally impressive. Oh, as artite is totally impressive. That's the double joke.
Look, they all showed tite in this talent show.
So let's start with Dixie Decoy.
Dixie Decoy, girl, you did that. I love this. The energy.
My shapeshifter. My shapeshifter. I also think the lyrics are great. We're gonna get into it. Some of these songs are written with AI.
Like, there was no doubt about it.
And you know what I liked? I'm like, you can disprove us easily. Her team immediately posted a video of her singing in the booth immediately, and they were like, baby, no AI here. And then I saw that her, like, one of her producers literally commented and said she recorded this and then posted the receipt.
Let's talk about AI. Now that it has infiltrated RuPaul's Drag Race, how do you feel about it?
You know, here's the thing. Yeah, AI is— we— AI is everywhere, whether we like it or not. I'm not saying that means that we have to use it or integrate it into our life. You know, there should be pushback, there should be regulations, there should be ways that we scale back the way that it's integrated, and we need to be conscious of its environmental you know, impact.
Yeah.
When it comes to creativity, for me, when AI is used, I feel for posters, especially in the drag world, if it's used for posters, if it's used for like changing, like making those '80s edits of yourself, I think it's tacky. And I think it kind of lacks taste. When you're using it as a tool to get stuff done, whether it be like, you know, writing an email or like, you know, Google searching, that's different. But when you're creating a whole song, When you're imagining runway looks, it's just— there are ways to access creativity that I don't think that are, you know, use your creativity, mama, use your creativity. And let me say one thing about songs. The Philippines' global export is karaoke.
Yes.
All of y'all have great singing voices. You couldn't find a single person to get into a booth and record it? You're spending that much money on your elaborate runway looks? Spend the money on the song too?
I think the argument is AI, like in this example, Um, some of the girls are using AI is that AI in a lot of platforms democratizes the creativity. And I think that's what's happening here. It takes a while to record, pay a producer, and then have the producer produce it. You have to pay for your sessions as well while recording. So for girls who don't have that resources— I mean, I'm not advocating— yeah, I'm, I'm also very much conflicted with AI. I use it in my process as well. I don't use it fully None of my works are fully AI. Some of it is improved, maybe, you know, deleting a background or improving the quality of the sound. That's AI right there. AI is integrated, unfortunately, in a lot of creative tools, and there's no escape. You can't go to the older version. Well, you know, technically everything that's digital is AI. They've just gotten so much better.
I mean, like we were talking about it, like a lot of the tools, like generative fill on Photoshop or, you know, object removal, that's AI. You know, the idea is more so like, are we using it to create— like, you wouldn't say, like, if you're creating a sculpture like this, like the beautiful sculptures that we see around here, you wouldn't say, AI, give me a similar sculpture. That comes from your heart. That comes from your soul. But when queens would say— when queens take a look at your work, for example, and they say, I want to make a statue like that, and they go, AI, generate me a statue that looks like Jethro's exhibit.
Yeah.
You know, that is unfair to you as the artist. And maybe the queen is creating something, but at the same time, you know, I will say the use of AI has democratized not only creativity. I would say it's democratized knowledge. But sometimes that knowledge comes with bias. That knowledge comes with misinformation, disinformation. So there's a lot of things that we need to keep in the conversation here.
Listen, we're all still trying to figure this out.
We're still trying to figure it out. But I'm just saying, girl, don't use it for this. I mean, you know, there are— use it for something else.
Yes, yes, yes.
But anyways, great, great performance from Dixie. We're gonna speedrun through the next one. Up next, Taylor Sheesh. I have it right here.
I'm sorry, girl, you tried to copy— what's the name again?
Willow Pill. What's this giving Willow Pill? I think Willow Pill had way more of a, uh, there's a lot more thought process in Willow Pill. Maybe a little bit more. I was— I think she's here to troll, and I love a bitch that just—
yeah, they, they drew a penis.
Yeah, and I think that's just maybe She did a tite. Um, you know, she's a comedy queen, and maybe, you know, maybe this comedy wasn't meant for everybody.
Yeah, I was disappointed actually because I expected so much more from Taylor Shish.
Yes.
Yeah.
Up next we have, uh, Andy Crocker. So, uh, you know what, Andy Crocker looks like Harabeshi. I see that too. I do see that. As soon as I'm looking at this video, I'm just like, it's giving out Harabeshi. The audio mixing on this one, I was like, girl, what am I listening to?
I was like, girl, I really want to like you. I really want to like you, but it's flat.
It's— yeah, it was not— I mean Everybody used their backup dancers. Maybe everybody didn't need to. Yeah, you know, be be more intentional with the use. It just feels like it feels like you're putting a hat on a hat.
Yeah.
Up next, we have your diva Bombalicious. Bombalicious.
For me, this song really means so much because she it's like a goodbye song.
Goodbye production value.
Yeah.
Yeah. And she was like kind of like telling him to like.
And it's not AI.
It's not AI, baby. We live, Bomba. It was fierce. And the look is sickening.
Slay Bomba. Oh my god.
Oh, the AI queen herself, Maureen Biology. You can't spell Maureen Biology without AI. I'm kidding, girl. But come on now, there are such telltale giveaways when the song kind of rhymes but kind of doesn't rhyme. When the vocal is so crisp but a little breathy and echoey. Girl, telltale signs. But I will say she was the first one that I saw who like said, girl, I messed up. I used AI. Will not be doing it. So, you know, acknowledge it. Take it on the chin. So props to you, Maureen.
She said that?
She did. Not in the episode. She released a statement later. She said like, hey, you know, I'm sorry. Like she—I can pull up the statement right now. You can maybe add it to the episode so everyone can see it. She said, sorry, that was the caption. And then she said, address ko lang yung AI song. I'm sorry. This song was written by me and my team, and my vision really was parang goddess vocals. Obviously, I cannot sing like that. We tried, Naman, to look for a vocalist, pero due to time and budget, I really had to make do with AI vocals. So, you know, there are producers out there who use AI vocals, so it's not like she just went on ChatGPT and said, give me a song. There were people involved in the process.
Now that makes it more complicated because she's lip-syncing to a song that apparently should be hers, but it's not her— it's not performed by her. Yeah, yeah.
If she doesn't have the vocal capacity to do it, you know, I mean, you know. Anyway, so you know beautiful performance.
Beautiful performance. When she did the whole like, yes, that gag.
Yeah, yeah. Up next we have Merks. I baby, I love this one. She was educating because it's so true. We can't use these ballroom terms without knowing the history or what they mean. Yeah. So I appreciated how she was. Yeah. And to think that it's coming from a Filipina.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. I mean the ballroom scene is all over the world and she's. She's providing the legitimacy. Like, this is how it's done, babe. You know?
Yeah.
Very well done. Clean.
Yeah.
Next we have Golly Gush. Um, I think this could have been a little bit more polished. The wig was fried, chopped beyond. My God. Um, the, the dress, like, there was a little bit of a malfunction a little bit, but I like the song. Very classic Drag Race song. You know, give us the performance, give us who you are.
You know what? I'll give it to her. I expected less.
Yes.
Yeah? But she, she went beyond what my expectations.
Yeah!
I thought she would be—
She studied.
Yeah.
Studied. She's not a filler queen, baby. She studied.
Yes.
All right, Borge Gum, girl. Borge Gum. Wait, did we forget about Mark's? No, it's gonna come next.
Okay, okay, okay. Borge, Borge.
Borge, girl. Borge Gum. What, what was this, mama? I also don't love the sound of like the, like the, the mouth sucking, the clicking. I don't like— I just can't stand that. So her song was filled with that.
Yeah.
It was like weird, weird, weird. I'm weird, I'm weird. weird. Like, baby, give us, give us something more. And same thing with this silhouette. You can give us, you know, weird silhouettes, but like make it more flattering. Yeah, there's a way to make the unflattering flattering. And you know, her defense of just being, they don't get it because I'm alternative.
Yeah, look at the fit and, you know, the shapes. It was just not executed well.
Yeah, yeah, I think so. Yes.
And then we have Valeria. Oh, Valeria. Yeah, you know what I thought? Oh yeah, I'll reveal.
But girl, when she revealed, oh my God, I was like, I had to put my phone down for a second. I was watching this at work on my lunch and I was like, okay, we can't— I can't be putting that on this screen when the pit crew came out.
I didn't even approve this on TV. It's like, I mean, barely— it's for streaming, so they allow it, but it's barely any coverage in there. Uh, another, another AI song.
Yeah, but I was like, girl, the body is sick.
No, I was just like, hooray for trans queens.
Up next we have Miss Wa. This is a song in a different language?
It's, girl, it was in a local language. Part of it is my language, Cebuano, but it was pronounced in an American accent.
The whole song? Part of it. Do you think that was AI?
That was AI. That was AI?
Sounds super AI. AI does not know the regional dialect, the regional accents and the But great performance though.
Yeah, cool performance. The dragon was amazing.
Yeah, I like— I liked it. And she's kind of representing her heritage too. She said that she's a Chinai queen.
Yes.
So she has Chinese heritage.
I love the play of words that they leaned into. Um, what's— where was she from? Miss Amis Oriental.
Yeah.
And she used the word Oriental to play on it and take advantage of it.
All right.
Yeah.
Katana, baby, this one. Consummate professional. Gorgeous.
Amazing.
Fierce, fierce, fierce. I really enjoyed it.
It was almost as if I'm looking at a serious pop star with serious face.
So good. And she has that edge to her that I think is so attractive. It's not just she's beautiful and she's pretty. She's everything. And she has that edge. There's a queen in LA who kind of reminds— I'm not saying they're similar at all, but it's like that edge that they bring to their drag and that severity. There's a queen. Her name is Samara Sin in LA. She works in LA a bunch, and yeah, I think it's that edge and that thing that you bring. You can also do the stunts. You can be pretty, but you can also bring that spook. Yes, and I really like that.
Yep, she's taking advantage of her resting bitch face.
I find her so endearing and charming.
She's very endearing. Don't get me wrong, Katana. I love you. I've learned to. I was so endearingly surprised by you. Very great job.
Yeah, and then up next, finally, you have Manza. Yeah, of course. No singing, no lip-syncing.
This episode was made for her. Because of this moment right here. Yeah. Come on. The production said everyone needs to learn and see manza all around the world.
Yeah, literally. And like, she's— I love how the queens know that the Philippines isn't the only people watching. Baby, we're watching. All the whole world is watching. Yeah. And what a thing to show. Amazing. And my favorite part whenever I see an aerial performance is at the very end of the finale is like a slip, but then they catch themselves. Yes. My heart skips. I'm screaming. I'm jumping up. Beautiful job, Bonzo. Yeah. All right.
Let's see how she fares, though, in the next episode.
Well, we shall see. It's a girl group. She can do those stunts on a girl group. But it's Raida Queen.
Yeah.
No judging. Yeah. Raida Queen. How would you have played it? I'm like, you shake it up. Why not? I mean, I could foresee that there was going to be nobody going home. I could kind of tell that. But I was like, Raida Queen, that's interesting. Immediately we go backstage, Marina's just like, I don't like any— she didn't say that. But she was just like— I was like, Marina, shut up, girl. All of them were probably going to vote her. I don't know how she was feeling. feeling in that moment, but she was like, you know, she was feeling a kind of way.
I wonder if she's really like that. Some of the queens are already saying they've heard that she's really like that.
I've read comments that have said that she's like that. So again, I, I'm so far removed, I'm just, I'm just reporting the news.
I love Merx's comment though. Yeah, when you say that you're kind, you're actually not kind.
Right, you're right. Those should come from the people around you, not from you, baby, baby.
Yeah, but I love the confidence, but girl, I think she still has a lot to learn.
Absolutely.
I mean, drag is about community, and if you have an attitude like that, you have a lot to learn.
Speaking of community, Miss Wha's heartfelt statement about, like, her frustration at the fact that she wasn't being judged, that she'd have to vote for everybody. There were so many moments this episode where it just felt like a tribute to Miss Wha. And that's great because, you know, they record for hours. So they picked moments that fit, of course. But when she was in the mirror talking about her family, when she was in Untucked talking about her community and how all— someone says this, and they said, Miss Wha, no matter what happens after this, we're all your sisters. Wow!
What knowing everything that we know, the fact that all of those moments happened on this episode—I mean, I'm—you were telling me earlier that you felt it was a little bit eerie for her to say. I got chills. She knew it was gonna happen.
I got chills. The way that she was like, if this was all that I got to show, I'd be happy. Yeah. My family was there to support me. Finally, they sent me to the airport. Like, I'm getting goosebumps now.
She's saying, like, I felt really loved during the preparation. Oh my gosh!
What? Oh my god! You know, but now, like I said, it's immortalized forever. The whole world knows who she is, and she can rest knowing that we know her.
And this has not happened before.
This is actually historic. Yeah, there have been contestants who have passed away, unfortunately, but not like this during filming.
Yes. Yeah. And there there have been rumors of what really happened.
I'm probably not allowed what to say that to say that. Oh, specialty insider scoop. Yeah.
But you're expected to perform at a certain level when you're on that platform, and I think that comes with capitalism. You have to sell, and that's why everything follows.
Your body is the labor.
Yes, exactly.
I mean, sorry, your body is the product. There's a term. Capitalism is fueled by the bodies of the people.
Yes. And the ultimate bottom line, which is Money, money, money. Yeah, the show has to sell.
Yeah. Yeah. We get to rate a queen. The bottom two is Taylor Sheesh and Borge Gum.
Yeah.
The top two is Manza and Katana.
Yeah. Would you agree? I agree. I agree too. I thought Katana should have won though.
Oh, you know what?
Yeah, we'll get to the lip sync inside of a time.
I think Manza was like bam, bam, bam. Here's everything I can do. No, but Katana was like baby.
And with the song, Manza was showing the same thing that she was doing in her talent. That's true. That is already telling of what she's capable of doing next. If she's gonna do the same exact thing— Hold it. Yeah.
Play your cards close to your chest. Don't show us everything. Yeah. Because if you do, then— because that happens a lot of times on Drag Race when a queen lip syncs over and over and over again. The judges get tired. They're like, girl, we've seen everything.
Yeah.
You've shown it all. So if you've shown us everything, you better be—
she better be confident for the next 10 episodes. Remember, Tiana, that's what you told me for Slayshun Royale. Yeah. Like, Mama Paja's seen everything that she could already done. So— There was a moment that Mama Paja—
I have to say this— was when Borgegum was like, like, no. She was like, do you think you should go home tonight? She said no because they don't understand that I'm alternative. And Mama Pow was like, it was a yes or no question. That was so cunty. Yeah, because that was— in that moment, Mama Pow should have been like, pull the lever and then eliminate. I think Mama Pow was like, do we have to save them? She would have been like—
anyways, talk about Mama Pow. I just found that the judges this time, they're so scripted, girl.
Yeah, there was— well, to be fair, they didn't have anything to say because there was no critiques. I'm looking forward to critiques next episode. But you know what that congratulations to Katana and Manza.
I know, yeah. Duel. And that's episode one. That's episode one.
I know we have to speedrun it, girl. I have a gig. But next episode we will sit down and really illuminate. I'm so happy to be back with my diva. Friendship persuasion.
Please watch us every week. And we'll see you in the next one. Yes. Bye.
