Top 10 RuPaul's Drag Race Comedy Performances
#10: Coco Montrese
“RuPaul Roast”
There were a number of truly hilarious performances during Season 5’s roast challenge. Alaska certainly stood out, with practically every one of her lines drawing laughs. Plus, who could forget Jinkx Monsoon’s legendary opening line at Coco’s expense? However, Ms. Montrese snagged the challenge win, and we can totally understand why. First of all, her idea of appearing as RuPaul’s forgotten cousin from back home was wildly original. But Coco backed up her unique premise with great characterization and side-splitting jokes. If you ask us, Ru may never live down being told he looks like Pee-wee Herman.
#9: Gottmik
“Nice Girls Roast”
No one can argue that Gottmik brought the looks and the makeup skills to Season 13. But as she grew in confidence throughout her appearance, she also developed a strong comedic voice. After her stellar “Snatch Game” outing, this performance proved she was seriously funny. She began with a witty joke about Utica’s bombed set moments earlier. Gottmik then laid into Valentina’s appearance in “Rent: Live,” Ru’s recording career, and Heidi N Closet’s stints in the bottom two. Her jokes were just personal enough but it was her expert delivery that made the routine so special.
#8: Manila Luzon
“Roast in Peace”
Top 10 Manila Luzon Moments on RuPaul’s Drag Race
In “All Stars” Season 4, the roast challenge featured a special guest and format. Rather than targeting someone on the judging panel, the sets served as eulogies at a mock funeral for the iconic Lady Bunny. We have to give Monét X Change props for jokes about the queen’s age and her appearance out of drag. But arguably the top performer of the night was Manila Luzon. From the moment she recoiled at the sight of Bunny in a coffin, we knew we were in for some laughs. While some competitors tried out characters to varying success, Manila had the genius idea of reading Bunny’s will aloud.
#7: Alaska & Alyssa Edwards
“Revenge of the Queens”
Top 10 Alaska Moments on RuPaul’s Drag Race
One of the best twists ever on “All Stars” came about in Season 2. The eliminated queens were all brought back and paired up with the remaining contestants. Then, the duos had to perform stand-up routines in front of a live audience. Alaska and Alyssa are individually hilarious, but their comedic sensibilities are arguably quite different. Nonetheless, they turned out to be the perfect match on stage. While Alaska delivered dry, deadpan quips, Alyssa’s zany personality was on full display. As for funniest moments, there’s really only one contender. “BEAST” will certainly go down as one of the show’s best one-word punchlines.
#6: Bosco
“The Ross Mathews Roast”
After the trainwreck that was Season 14’s “Snatch Game,” we weren’t exactly sure how this insult comedy challenge would turn out. Bosco took on the daunting task of opening the roast, but thankfully, she knocked it out of the park. Her dry sense of humor won her the “Menzeses” panel challenge, and it also helped out here. Coming off of her near-elimination, Bosco started out by poking fun at how many people had told her to go home. However, she spun this into an opportunity to tease the judges and her fellow contestants. Plus, she had a truly original read for Ru calling all the way back to the stone age.
#5: Miz Cracker
“Stand-Up Smackdown”
Top 10 Underrated Snatch Game Performances on RuPaul's Drag Race
Fans of the show know that this comedy queen can sometimes get in her own head. However, she had no trouble showing off her one-of-a-kind personality in this stand-up set. She started off her routine by commenting on the notorious isolation “Drag Race” queens put up with during filming. However, it didn’t take her long to turn her sights on her fellow competitors. She finished the performance with a commentary on body-shaming. Unexpectedly, the bit went from serious and somber to utterly joyful in a matter of moments. The joke, like Miz Cracker’s entire personality, was perfectly offbeat.
#4: Darienne Lake
“Drag Queens of Comedy”
Bianca Del Rio may hold the title for the shady lady of season six. But if there was ever a runner up, it would have to be Darienne Lake. We already knew she was a clap back queen by the time of the stand-up comedy challenge. But here, the lip sync assassin showed she could deliver pre-written jokes with aplomb, too. Her set quickly delved into self-deprecating humor about her childhood and single status. It was refreshing to see Darienne take aim at herself instead of, well, BenDeLaCreme. Ultimately, the set made us fall even more in love with this multi-talented performer.
#3: Peppermint
“RuPaul Roast”
In Season 9, New York City legend Peppermint quickly established herself as an incredibly likable personality. She scored her only win for the challenge themed around roasting Michelle Visage. It’s particularly impressive that she stood out amongst multiple hilarious performances. Shea Couleé, for instance, pulled zero punches when speculating about Michelle’s private life. For her part, Peppermint commented on Michelle’s rise to fame and her age. Her most hilarious jokes, however, were about the judge’s writing career. “The Diva Rules” may not yet be classic literature, but at least it gave us these hilarious on-screen moments.
#2: Kandy Muse
“Nice Girls Roast”
Kandy Muse was arguably the unofficial narrator of Season 13. With her bold personality and quick wit, her commentary on the competition was endlessly entertaining. It was no surprise, then, for her to absolutely kill the roast of past Misses Congeniality. She radiated confidence on stage, which allowed the cutthroat humor in her jokes to shine through. Kandy had the difficult task of opening the show, with no audience to boot. However, she used this as an opportunity to come for Michelle Visage’s performing career. Her jokes aimed at the likes of Valentina, Nina West, and Ru herself were short, to the point, and truly hilarious. Although the venue wasn’t exactly packed, Kandy made sure it was filled with laughter.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Pearl & Max, “The DESPY Awards”
They Were Only Presenting an Award, But This Duo Threw Some Serious Shade
Raven, “The Grand Finale”
This Makeup Expert Discussed Her Intimate Life in the “All Stars” Season 1 Finale
Trinity K. Bonet, “Drag Queens of Comedy”
She Can Assassinate a Lip Sync, & a Stand-Up Set Too
Sasha Velour, “RuPaul Roast”
The Season 9 Winner’s Routine Was Absolutely ‘Edifying’
Jujubee, “Stand-Up Smackdown”
Not Every Single Joke Landed, But Those That Did Were Hilarious
#1: Bianca Del Rio
“Drag Queens of Comedy”
Top 10 Best Bianca Moments on RuPaul’s Drag Race
Going into this challenge, we were expecting comedy gold from this quick-witted queen. From the moment she compared her audience to the geriatric cast of sci-fi film “Cocoon,” it was clear she would nail her set. She quickly turned from teasing her audience to poking fun at her own family and upbringing. The shift in content made her routine feel equal parts ruthless and personal. Another clever turnaround came when Bianca compared her own track record to Michelle and Santino’s. With a perfect blend of insult humor and self-deprecation, Bianca showed why she’s remembered as one of the funniest queens ever.
