When the All-Stars Have to Lip Sync For Their Lives, Not Everyone Is Feeling That Fire

RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars, Episode 6: "LaLaPaRuZa"

Before we get started on this week's episode, let's talk about Naomi Smalls. I've seen a lot of articles, comments, heck, even friends who say that she is being slept on. That she's not getting the credit that she deserves and that she has been robbed a few times this season. I've been thinking about this and my highly scientific conclusion is... nah. I think Naomi is a great queen. If you don't have something to offer, you don't make it on All-Stars and you certainly don't make it as far as she has. I feel like Naomi does just enough and because she's not known for being funny or having the best acting skills, when she does OK, people lose their minds. I totally understand that. It feels more impressive when someone achieves something when it's not necessarily one of their strengths. Sometimes Naomi shines because of the weaknesses of the other queens. Take the Snatch Game of Love. I stand by that her Wendy Williams wasn't that impressive. It just felt more impressive because Monét, Valentina, Gia and Latrice did so poorly. If Monét had performed as well as she did in season 10, no one would be talking about Naomi. Naomi also has this thing where she pulls out one big gag, in Snatch Game of Love, it was the faint. That gets a lot of attention and sort of influences how her performance the rest of the time is viewed.

Now, all that being said, I do think that Naomi should have been top 2 in the girl group challenge. Her verse was fire, she interacted the most with Stacy Layne and her runway look wasn't bad. The show was pushing this Valentina arc where she redeemed herself so Naomi definitely got the shaft. Otherwise, she's been strictly safe and that's what she's deserved. Who knows what will happen from here, but it's clear that Naomi needs to win a challenge.

They just learned Latrice is a legend.

After welcoming their sisters back into the Werk Room, the queens gather at the couches and it's not long before old wounds are being re-opened. Oh Latrice. I'm not sure what is going on in that head of yours. Perhaps the spirit of delusion has overtaken you, because you definitely deserved to get the chop. You're just not bringing it. It's fine to have your style of drag, but I feel like you are resting on being beloved. It's fine if you want to do this pageant drag, but elevate that shit. Do something new. Wow us. Is this a coping mechanism? Can she not handle the fact that she's not doing as well as she thought she would, so she is trying to spin this disingenuous narrative with Monique. 

Then there is Valentina. She is not amused by Monét and Manila choosing her to go home. She's about as amused as the judges were by her roast "jokes." They were laughing at ya, gal. At. You. It's time for Valentina to go. You have to have some self-awareness to play this game and if you don't, then bye. Go feel and live your fantasy somewhere off my television screen, please.

The next day, Ru lays it out for the queens. The eliminated queens and the remaining All-Stars will compete in a lip sync LaLaPaRuZa. Whoever wins the lip sync stays in the game, whoever loses goes home. So, there could be four new queens in the competition once it's all over. The eliminated queens will choose their opponent in reverse elimination order: Latrice, Gia, Farrah and Jasmine. Manila and Monét are immune since they were the top 2 All-Stars last week.

The lead up to the lip sync off is kind of lackluster and feels like a lot of filler. Gia tries to stir the pot by coming for Trinity and her nerves. And we appreciate it girl, but it's just not enough. It's not interesting. I just wish there was more to the challenge. It feels like a lot of padding to get to the meat of the episode which is the lip syncs.

Happy to be there

On the runway, Ru continues to kill it. Showing off those legs in a vinyl mini. The category on the runway is LaLaPaRuZa Eleganza Extravaganza. It's a pretty lackluster runway since it's basically just a bunch of dance costumes that you can lip sync in. Manila takes full advantage of her immunity and slays in a spaghetti and meatballs dress. It's quintessential Manila. It's couture. It's goofy. She sells it. It's so smart of her to pull this out. She's the standout on the runway. Monét does not do this. At first glance her dress is fine, but as she moves down the runway, there's a lot of problem. It doesn't fit her, the nude illusion isn't right. From the neck up, she looks gorgeous, but I wish she would have used this opportunity to really pull something out. Everyone else looks fine. Naomi is the standout for the other girls. The long straight hair, the red S&M style look. It reminds me of Aquaria's season 10 entrance look filtered through Naomi Smalls. 

It's time for the LaLaPaRuZa and first up it's Jasmine and Trinity. They lip sync to "Peanut Butter" and it's clear from the jump that Trinity is going to take this. For the first full minute of the lip sync, Jasmine doesn't open her mouth. How do you not know the words to this song? It's so easy. Trinity reveals a barely there costume showing off her silicone'd bod and she shakes it. Jasmine tries but she knows that she is going home and she does. Trinity rightly stays in the game.

Farrah chooses her frenemy Valentina. Farrah has the pop star dance moves, but her hair doesn't do her any favors. She spends more time shaking it out of her face then she does performing. If she had just wore something a little more structured she really could have given Valentina a run for her money. Valentina looks great in a red, sequined catsuit and she uses "Hey Kitty Girl" as her inspiration. A lot of cat moves, she knows her words. It's relatively underwhelming, but Valentina stays and Farrah goes off to cry somewhere.

This is how you plank, girls.

Gia chooses Naomi and they work it out to "Adrenaline." Can you believe that Gia has a reveal? You should, since it was clearly visible during her runway walk. I get why Gia would pick Naomi. This is the best match up so far. Gia doesn't know any of the words, but when she makes her reveal and starts voguing it's not bad. She makes Naomi work for it and work Naomi does. Naomi pulls faces, uses those legs to propel herself down the runway. The bitch full on back bends on six-inch heels. The whore has some core strength. It's flabbergasting to watch. I've seen it like four times and it gags me. Like, I full on understand why Monique was gushing. I know it may have felt like I wasn't a Naomi fan in my little preamble to this, but I am. This is what I want to see from Naomi from here on out. She's definitely the unofficial winner of this challenge.

Now we have our main event. The heavily teased match up between Monique Heart and Latrice Royale to "Sissy That Walk." Naomi is right that of the returning queens, Latrice has the most fire to return. It's a battle, for sure. I don't think Monique runs away with it. They both do a lot of the same stuff. Both wig reveals are pretty shoddy. I mean, Monique's first wig is sliding back almost from the jump. They both do splits and Latrice does that weird head banging thing. Ru deems Latrice safe and at that moment, I knew... Monique was going to be safe, too. Monique should not have gone home for that. She killed it. 

So, we are back to a top 7. Let's do some rankings.

7.) Latrice. Let's be real, she's going to go home again next week.

6.) Valentina. Double elimination next week? It's time.

5.) Naomi. Only because she hasn't won a challenge yet.

4.) Trinity. She needs to get back on top.

3.) Monique. That lip sync, America. And her roast was good.

2.) Monét. Get your runway game more consistent, girl.

1.) Manila. You can't tell me that Manila doesn't deserve to win. No matter what happens.

Well, that was... underwhelming, honestly. I did love how Ru was clearly loving and living for it. This was probably something she'd wanted to do for a while and her enthusiasm was great. I really am loving this season. What do you guys think? What team are you on? Am I completely wrong about Naomi's performance thus far? Let me know in the comments.