RuPaul's Drag Race: 10 Biggest Production Favoritism Scandals

Art Simone

Down Under Season 1

Before joining Drag Race Down Under, Art Simone had already made a name for herself in Australia and was seen as a strong contender. However, those expectations quickly crumbled when she was eliminated in the second episode after bombing the Snatch Game. Then, without warning or explanation, RuPaul brought her back two episodes later, as if nothing had happened. While it wasnt the first time a queen had been brought back, previous seasons typically offered all eliminated contestants a fair chance to return. But that was not the case here. This decision was widely criticized, especially since the two other eliminated queens Jojo Zaho and Coco Jumbo were both people of color with less visibility than Art, who could have greatly benefited from more screen time.

Tia Kofi

UK vs. the World Series 2

While it has introduced many international queens to a broader audience, the UK vs. the World franchise has also drawn criticism for putting non-UK contestants at a disadvantage. In the second series, Tia Kofi proved to be a formidable competitor, snagging four maxi-challenge wins. However, by the finale, some fans felt the competition was being steered in her favor. Marina Summers, the seasons lip sync assassin, was expected to be Tias toughest opponent in the Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown. Instead, she was conveniently eliminated in the first round by Hannah Conda, a decision that many fans disagreed with. Although Tias talent made her a deserving winner, many believe the finale wouldve been more satisfying had she faced and defeated her strongest rival head-on.

Jimbo

All Stars 8

RuPaul appeared to take a liking to Jimbo on the first series of UK vs. the World. After Jimbos unexpected elimination that season, she became the first international queen to compete on a regular All Stars season, joining the All Stars 8 cast. From the moment she walked into the werkroom, it was clear the producers were set on making her the winner. Thats not to downplay Jimbos talent; she easily could have won UK vs. the World series 1. Still, All Stars 8 seemed specifically designed to play to her strengths. Unlike past All Stars seasons that brought back heavy-hitters, half of this cast were early-outs who offered little actual competition. As a result, Jimbo cruised to the finale and snatched the crown with relative ease.

Gigi Goode

Season 12

By the season 12 finale, Gigi Goode was the queen to beat, having snagged four maxi-challenge wins without ever landing in the bottom two. But that track record felt almost too perfect. After a lackluster lip sync in the premiere, it seemed producers deliberately kept Gigi away from the bottom two, even when she arguably deserved a spot there. Then, in the Rusical, Gigi snatched a surprise win over Jan, who gave an equally, if not more, impressive performance. This decision not only seemed to push Jan to her breaking point, but also sparked backlash from fans, who accused the show of favoring Gigi while setting Jan up for a try-hard edit. Ultimately though, Gigi lost the crown to Jaida Essence Hall.

Trixie Mattel

All Stars 3

After BenDeLaCreme, the frontrunner of All Stars 3, eliminated herself, the crown became anyones to snatch. Based on track record alone, Shangela was the obvious choice to win. However, for the first time ever, RuPaul let the eliminated queens vote on who should make the final two, which many saw as producer interference to control the outcome. As she was responsible for sending several queens home, Shangela failed to secure their votes and was passed over in favor of Trixie Mattel and Kennedy Davenport. Trixie then beat Kennedy in the final lip sync and won the crown. Although this decision was criticized, it may have benefited the show in the long run, as later sexual assault allegations against Shangela may have tainted its reputation, had she won.

Shea Couleé

All Stars 5

Shea Couleé certainly would have won Season 9, if not for the introduction of the Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown. Following that loss, it was clear Shea would get her crown eventually, and that moment seemed to arrive on All Stars 5. From the start, the show leaned into her redemption arc, framing her as the queen with something to prove. Much like All Stars 8, this season featured mostly early-outs and queens who hadnt competed in years, meaning there was little real competition. Also, the revamped format, where one top queen faced a lip sync assassin, also worked in Sheas favor, as it shielded her from potential elimination by her fellow contestants. While Shea is undeniably talented, the edit left many with the impression that her win was predetermined.

Jinkx Monsoon

All Stars 7

With several past winners returning to compete, All Stars 7 was the first season where anyone could have plausibly taken the crown. However, as the season progressed, one name quickly rose to the top: Jinkx Monsoon. The quirky underdog-turned-powerhouse racked up win after win, even in episodes where other contestants arguably outperformed her. Through a mix of undeniable talent and what many perceived as a nudge from production, Jinkx secured a spot in the Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown. But the final showdown against Monét X Change stirred controversy, as some argued the edit heavily favored Jinkx while cutting out Monéts strongest moments. It felt as though the show had positioned her as the one to beat, and ensured no one actually could.

Jorgeous

Season 14

Once RuPaul tells a queen they were born to do drag, it often feels like they can do no wrong in her eyes. That was certainly the case for Jorgeous on Season 14. While she could lip sync the house down boots, yes mama, gawd, okurr Jorgeous struggled in nearly every other area. Yet, she was repeatedly spared from the bottom, even when she deserved to be there. The most baffling moment came during the Glamazon Prime design challenge, when Jorgeous walked out in a single scrap of fabric with star-shaped cookie cutters glued to it, and still won. That decision united the Drag Race fandom in outrage. Although Jorgeous was eventually eliminated just before the finale, many fans believe she lasted far longer than she should have.

Ginger Minj

All Stars 10

The first two brackets of All Stars 10 harked back to the golden era of Drag Race. But things took a sharp turn with the third bracket, when accusations of favoritism began to emerge. Due to the nature of the challenges, fans perceived the third bracket as being perfectly suited to the strengths of one queen: Ginger Minj. While the other groups had a mix of design, comedy and performance challenges, the third bracket featured mostly comedy-based challenges, an area where Ginger thrives. But eyebrows really shot up when she won the Lip Sync for Your Legacy in episode two, despite many believing that Denali outperformed her. This decision felt questionable, not just to the viewers, but also to fellow queens like Alyssa Hunter and even Denali herself, who reportedly stormed off stage afterwards.

The RuGirls

Global All Stars Season 1

The Global All Stars season was designed to spotlight drag from around the world, with each queen representing a different franchise. Given the language barriers, one would expect the challenges to level the playing field. However, most of them still favored the English-speaking queens. Fans also noticed that the judges consistently gave more favorable critiques to Alyssa Edwards, Kitty Scott-Claus and Kween Kong, the only RuGirls in the competition. Meanwhile, the other contestants had to overcome not just the language hurdles, but also the added pressure of forming a rapport with the judges from scratch. This perceived favoritism quickly soured many fans opinions of the season. Although Alyssa Edwards remains beloved, her win felt like a coronation for the queen the show had already picked from the start.

What is the most baffling show of favoritism by the Drag Race producers to you? Let us know in the comments below.