| "Condragulations" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RuPaul's Drag Race episode | |||
| Episodeno. | Season 13 Episode 2 | ||
| Featured music | "Break My Heart" byDua Lipa | ||
| Original air date | January 8, 2021 (2021-01-08) | ||
| Guest appearance | |||
| Jamal Sims | |||
| Episode chronology | |||
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| List of episodes | |||
"Condragulations" is the second episode of thethirteenth season of the American television seriesRuPaul's Drag Race.[1][2] It originally aired on January 8, 2021. The episode's main challenge tasks contestants with writing, recording, and performingchoreography to original verses forRuPaul's song "Condragulations". ChoreographerJamal Sims is a guest judge.[3]
Symone wins the episode's main challenge, after placing in the top two and winning a lip-sync contest againstOlivia Lux to "Break My Heart" byDua Lipa. The episode received a nomination in theOutstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series category at the73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
The start of the episode reveals thatElliott with 2 Ts was voted out.[4] On a new day, the winning contestants from the previous episode enter the Werk Room.RuPaul greets the group and introduces Elliott with 2 Ts, who will continue to compete. RuPaul recognizes some of the show's first contestants to be eliminated in their season, includingVictoria "Porkchop" Parker andVanessa Vanjie Mateo. RuPaul then reveals the mini-challenge, which tasks contestants with showing two looks on the runway for the categories "Day Time Drama Mama" and "Night Time Is the Right Time". In the Werk Room, the contestants prepare for thefashion show. The contestants the present their looks to RuPaul,Michelle Visage, andRoss Mathews in the main stage area.
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Back in the Werk Room, the contestants get out of drag. RuPaul arrives and introduces the main challenge, which tasks contestants with writing, recording, and performing choreography to original verses for RuPaul's song "Condragulations".[5] The contestants write their verses in the Werk Room, then rehearse choreography on the main stage.Gottmik struggles to focus after hearing her vocals, which address hergender identity, before she has the chance to discuss the topic with her fellow contestants. Back in the Werk Room, the contestants prepare for the performance. Gottmik discusses her gender identity anddysphoria withOlivia Lux; the two also talk about theirpreferred gender pronouns. Elliott with 2 Ts shares with the group what happened with the vote at the start of the season. The contestants share who they would send home at this point in the competition.
On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow judges Visage and Mathews, as well as guest judgeJamal Sims. RuPaul then reveals the runway category: "Lamé You Stay". The contestants perform "Condragulations", then present their looks for the fashion show. The judges deliver their critiques, deliberate, then share the results with the contestants. Elliott with 2 Ts,LaLa Ri, Olivia Lux,Symone, andTina Burner receive positive critiques. Gottmik andKandy Muse receive negative critiques. Olivia Lux and Symone are the top two contestants of the week and face off in alip-sync contest to "Break My Heart" (2020) byDua Lipa for the win and a $5,000 tip.[6] Symone is declared the winner.
The original version of "Condragulations", which is inspired by one of RuPaul's catchphrases, appears on the studio albumYou're a Winner, Baby (2020).[7][8] Gottmik's verse for the song addresses her gender identity and dysphoria. She also discusses the topics in the Werk Room and onUntucked.[9][10][11][12]
Sims was a guest judge and choreographer on theeighth season's "Bitch Perfect" (2016), thetwelfth season's "Viva Drag Vegas" (2020), and the thirteenth season's "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical" (2021). He was solely guest choreographer on theseventh season's "Glamazonian Airways" (2015), the twelfth season's "Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical" (2020), and the thirteenth season's "Gettin' Lucky" (2021). On thesixth season (2021) ofRuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Sims was a guest judge and choreographer on "Halftime Headliners" and solely a guest choreographer on the finale "This Is Our Country".
For the mini-challenge's "Day Time Drama Mama" category, Gottmik wears a blue latex dress with a rainbow. She carries a sun prop. Kandy Muse has a red dress and a blonde wig. LaLa Ri wears a green-colored dress with a floral print, as well as braids. Olivia Lux's dress is yellow and purple. She has sunglasses and carries and small purse. Symone's1990s-inspired multi-colored outfit has acape. Tina Burner's dress is orange and has a large bow. Elliott with 2 Ts wears a red dress and a matching hat.[13]
For the "Night Time Is the Right Time" category, Gottmik wears a black dress with apasty on her chest. Kandy Muse presents another red look, this time with horns on her shoulders. Her wig is blonde. LaLa Ri has a black dress and a red wig. Olivia Lux's dress is purple. She has dark hair and carries another small handbag. Symone has a wig with braids and she carries a purse. Tina Burner has an orange-and-yellow latex outfit. She has tall red boots and a long braid. Elliott with 2 Ts has a black dress and a hat with feathers on top.[13]
For the "Condragulations" performance, Gottmik wears a black dress and a blonde wig. Kandy Muse has a black latex outfit with ananimal print. LaLa Ri has large black sleeves and black boots. Olivia Lux's dress is blue and gold. She has a large blonde wig. Symone has a blue dress, a blonde wig, and nude high heels. Tina Burner's outfit is her signature yellow and red. She also has gold-plated feathers on her shoulders. Elliott with 2 Ts also wears an outfit with an animal print. She has a blonde wig and black boots.[13]
For the final runway's "Lamé You Stay" category, Gottmik presents a gold outfit inspired by sea-dragons. Kandy Muse wears a purple outfit with white boots and gloves. LaLa Ri's outfit is also gold. Olivia Lux's dress is green and white. She has alily on her shoulder. Symone wearsboxing gloves and blonde braids. She has a "cut" on one of her eyebrows. Tina Burner's silver look is inspired by theTin Woodman fromThe Wizard of Oz. Elliott with 2 Ts wears a blue-and-green dress and a red wig.[13]
Kate Kulzick ofThe A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B'.[14] Kevin O'Keeffe ofXtra Magazine said Gottmik's verse was "less impressive".[15] The episode, along with the season's seventh episode "Bossy Rossy RuBoot", earned production designer James McGowan and art director Gianna Costa a nomination in theOutstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series category at the73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[16]
| External media | |
|---|---|
 The Queens Perform 'Condragulations' onYouTube |
