Top 10 Times RuPaul's Drag Race Queens Broke on Snatch Game
#10: Peppermint Season 9
When in doubt, just say “bloop!” In the season 9 iteration of the Snatch Game, Peppermint picked a strong character to portray. “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”’s queen bee, NeNe Leakes, is the kind of person with enough stock phrases to coast through an impersonation. But the jokes just aren’t coming, and in between the pauses, it’s pretty clear Peppermint is just barely staying in character. Each time she stumbles, she seems to get a little more frazzled and the cracks start to show. The episode’s eventual winner, Alexis, finally breaks her with her outstanding Liza Minnelli impression.
#9: Mo Heart Season 10
Top 10 Times Drag Race Queens Broke Ru on Snatch Game
So much of a successful Snatch Game is about rhythm. RuPaul’s constantly throwing out set-ups for these queens to take and land with a killer punchline. One slip-up can shake a contestant’s confidence. That’s what seems to have happened with Mo Heart’s performance as Maxine Waters. She remembers to include some of the congresswoman’s more meme-worthy moments, but one too many stumbles over her punchlines appear to leave her dazed and confused. Her unnatural pauses and misplaced laughter seem like placeholders as she tries to click back into the character. She never really finds her footing.
#8: Chi Chi DeVayne All Stars 3
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Rule number one of Snatch Game: you have to know how to spell the person’s name. From the jump, the late great Chi Chi DeVayne is fighting to stay in character. As soon as she misspells Maya Angelou’s name, the queen asks in earnest: [“How do you spell Maya?”] The writing is on the wall at this point, but Chi Chi is nothing if not a good sport. Her first joke is pretty shaky too. Knowing she doesn’t have a good answer to Ru’s question, she just kind of owns up to it, and can barely contain her own laughter at how underprepared she is.
#7: Symone Season 13
Season 13 champion Symone brought an icon of American history to the panel. What makes this one so hilarious is that Symone actually kills it for most of the challenge. That is, until she gets her Jennifers mixed up, mistaking Jenifer Lewis, the renowned Black actress, for Jennifer Lawrence, the renowned white one. Realizing her flub, she has just the slightest break. Everyone else on the panel breaks character too, falling apart with laughter. Even after the mishap, Symone is able to recover so completely that it just makes her performance all the more impressive.
#6: Latrice Royale Season 4
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Season 4’s eventual Miss Congeniality had already proven she was a gifted comedian. She had just won a scripted acting challenge the week before. However, nothing could prepare her for the level of unprofessionalism going on in the front row. Latrice’s decision to play the “Queen of Soul” was smart. However, as the challenge continues, Jiggly Caliente and Kenya Michaels’ uproarious behavior makes it hard for the seasoned queen to stay focused. She tries to not let it get to her, but it’s clear by the end she’s so over it that she’s barely able to answer RuPaul.
#5: Latrice Royale All Stars 4
Sometimes, a queen just can’t catch a break. During All Stars 4, Latrice Royale’s impersonation of “Touched by an Angel” star Della Reese got sidelined by the antics of her co-star, Gia Gunn. She soon lost her patience, and most of her performance seemed to be played in response to every moment Gia was trying (and failing) to steal. Latrice wasn’t the only one who was tired of Gia’s constant interruptions and jokes that went nowhere. Manila Luzon also took a brief step out of her Barbra Streisand impersonation to put her in her place.
#4: Anetra Season 15
Because it was split into two rounds, season 15’s Snatch Game was double the fun and double the mishaps. Even the better performances had their share of mistakes, with Mistress Isabelle Brooks completely forgetting she was playing Rosie O'Donnell and not Abby Lee Miller. But it’s RuPaul herself who’s most to blame for this now classic moment. The host can’t even say Anetra’s character’s name, Gorgena Ramsay, without wheezing with laughter. Anetra can barely hold it together as a result. We love when Ru stops being the unflappable presenter and just has a little fun with the queens. It’s a reminder of just how ridiculous and fun the show is.
#3: Shea Couleé & Jaida Essence Hall All Stars 7
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There’s no doubt that Jinkx Monsoon’s powerhouse performance as Judy Garland is among the best Snatch Game showings of all time. Her mimicry and naughty stories of Hollywood depravity are gut-bustingly funny enough. However, her impromptu singing at various points during the challenge is a surprise that neither Ru nor the other contestants are even close to being prepared for. At the end of the challenge, Jinkx’s castmates Shea Couleé and Jaida Essence Hall are practically inconsolable with laughter themselves. Honestly, you really cannot blame them for losing the plot here. In fact, we are right there with them.
#2: Trinity K. Bonét All Stars 6
Look, it’s usually not fun to watch a queen give up. Still, there is something kind of fierce about how Trinity K. Bonét seemingly realizes she is completely outclassed by Ginger Minj and Kylie Sonique Love. Instead of folding, she almost just packs up her shaky Whitney Houston impression, and decides to have as much fun as anyone at home. We love a self-aware queen. It’s a wholesome and charming moment from a contestant whose biggest hindrance in her original season was how she often got in her own way. She knows she’s not doing well, but she looks like she’s having a great time watching her sisters carry on like the brilliant fools they are.
#1: Basically Everyone All Stars 2
The caliber of talent in the All Stars 2 cast made it one of the best seasons. When you have this many queens firing on all cylinders, even the biggest professionals may crack during the Snatch Game. We’re treated to shot after shot of queens breaking character or trying to hold back laughter after every new outlandish joke or visual gag. Detox breaks shortly after RuPaul introduces her performance as Nancy Grace. Tatianna later breaks because of Detox. Katya just barely maintains her composure when Alyssa Edwards starts talking. And is that the faintest hint of Alaska’s real smirk creeping across Mae West’s face? It starts to feel like they’re trying to make each other laugh as much as they’re trying to make Ru laugh. Which Snatch Game was your favorite? Sound off in the comments.
