| RuPaul's Drag Race | |
|---|---|
| Season 12 | |
 Promotional poster for season twelve | |
| Hosted by | RuPaul |
| Judges | |
| No. of contestants | 13 |
| Winner | Jaida Essence Hall |
| Runners-up | |
| Miss Congeniality | Heidi N Closet |
| Companion show | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked! |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Release | |
| Original network | VH1 |
| Original release | February 28 (2020-02-28) – May 29, 2020 (2020-05-29) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 11 Next → Season 13 | |
| List of episodes | |
The twelfth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race premiered on February 28 and concluded on May 29, 2020. The competition was broadcast onVH1 in the United States and saw 13 new queens competing for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar". VH1 renewed bothRuPaul's Drag Race and its spin-offRuPaul's Drag Race All Stars for a twelfth andfifth season respectively on August 19, 2019. At the time of the renewal theDrag Race franchise had earned VH1 a total of 14 Emmy nominations.[1] Casting calls were opened in January 2019 while the cast was revealed byseason 11 winnerYvie Oddly on January 23, 2020.[2]
Following multiple revelations of misconduct,Sherry Pie wasdisqualified from the show and mostly edited out of the American broadcast, although initial overseas screenings retained the original edit.[3]
Due to the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic, the reunion and finale were held virtually across the country.[4]
The winner of the twelfth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race wasJaida Essence Hall, withCrystal Methyd andGigi Goode being the runners-up, andHeidi N Closet being Miss Congeniality.
The Halloween variety showBring Back My Ghouls, hosted by Jaida Essence Hall and featuring season 12 contestants, was broadcast onWOWPresents on October 30, 2020.[5]
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Ages, names, and cities stated areat time of filming.
| Contestant | Age | Hometown | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaida Essence Hall | 32 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Winner |
| Crystal Methyd | 28 | Springfield, Missouri | Runners-up |
| Gigi Goode | 21 | Los Angeles, California | |
| Sherry Pie | 27 | New York City, New York | Disqualified[a] |
| Jackie Cox | 34 | New York City, New York | 5th place |
| Heidi N Closet | 24 | Ramseur, North Carolina | 6th place[b] |
| Widow Von'Du | 30 | Kansas City, Missouri | 7th place |
| Jan[c] | 26 | New York City, New York | 8th place |
| Brita[d] | 34 | New York City, New York | 9th place |
| Aiden Zhane | 29 | Acworth, Georgia | 10th place |
| Nicky Doll | 28 | New York City, New York | 11th place |
| Rock M. Sakura | 28 | San Francisco, California | 12th place |
| Dahlia Sin | 28 | Los Angeles, California | 13th place |
Notes:
Legend:
| Contestant | Episode | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1[7] | 2[8] | 3[9] | 4[10] | 5[11] | 6[12] | 7[13] | 8[14] | 9[15] | 10[16] | 11[17] | 12[18] | 13[19] | 14[20] | |
| Jaida Essence Hall | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | WIN | BTM | SAFE | Guest | Winner | |
| Crystal Methyd | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | BTM | Guest | Runner-up | |
| Gigi Goode | TOP2 | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | WIN | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | Guest | Runner-up | |
| Sherry Pie | TOP2 | WIN | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | DISQ | ||
| Jackie Cox | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | BTM | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | |
| Heidi N Closet | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | SAFE | BTM | WIN | SAFE | BTM | ELIM | Guest | Miss C | ||
| Widow Von'Du | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | ELIM | Guest | Guest | ||||
| Jan | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | |||||
| Brita | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | SAFE | BTM | ELIM | Guest | Guest | ||||||
| Aiden Zhane | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | |||||||
| Nicky Doll | SAFE | BTM | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | ||||||||
| Rock M. Sakura | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | |||||||||
| Dahlia Sin | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | Guest | ||||||||||
Legend:
| Episode | Contestants | Song | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1[21] | Gigi Goode | vs. | Widow Von'Du | "Starships" (Nicki Minaj) | Widow Von'Du |
| 2[8] | Jaida Essence Hall | vs. | Sherry Pie | "Call Your Girlfriend" (Robyn) | Jaida Essence Hall |
| Episode | Contestants | Song | Eliminated | ||
| 3[9] | Dahlia Sin | vs. | Nicky Doll | "Problem" (Ariana Grande ft.Iggy Azalea) | Dahlia Sin |
| 4[10] | Brita | vs. | Rock M. Sakura | "S&M" (Rihanna) | Rock M. Sakura |
| 5[11] | Heidi N Closet | vs. | Nicky Doll | "Heart to Break" (Kim Petras) | Nicky Doll |
| 6[12] | Aiden Zhane | vs. | Brita | "Let It Go" (Caissie Levy) | Aiden Zhane |
| 7[13] | Brita | vs. | Heidi N Closet | "Burning Up" (Madonna) | Brita |
| 8[14] | Jan | vs. | Widow Von'Du | "This Is My Night" (Chaka Khan) | Jan |
| 9[15] | Jackie Cox | vs. | Widow Von'Du | "Firework" (Katy Perry) | Widow Von'Du |
| 10[16] | Heidi N Closet | vs. | Jackie Cox | "Kill the Lights" (Alex Newell,DJ Cassidy,Nile Rodgers) | None |
| 11[17] | Heidi N Closet | vs. | Jaida Essence Hall | "1999" (Prince) | Heidi N Closet |
| 12[18] | Crystal Methyd | vs. | Jackie Cox | "On the Floor" (Jennifer Lopez ft.Pitbull) | Jackie Cox |
| Episode | Contestants | Song | |||
| 14[20] | Crystal Methyd vs. Gigi Goode vs. Jaida Essence Hall | "Bring Back My Girls" (RuPaul) | |||
| Crystal Methyd | "I'm Like a Bird" (Nelly Furtado) | ||||
| Gigi Goode | "Take On Me" (A-ha) | ||||
| Jaida Essence Hall | "Get Up" (Ciara ft.Chamillionaire) | ||||
| Final contestants | Song | Winner | |||
| Crystal Methyd vs. Gigi Goode vs. Jaida Essence Hall | "Survivor" (Destiny's Child) | Jaida Essence Hall | |||
Listed in chronological order:[22]
Guests who appeared in episodes, but did not judge on the main stage.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146 | 1 | "I'm That Bitch" | February 28, 2020 (2020-02-28) | |
Seven new queens enter the workroom. RuPaul then announces that this season will be a split premiere. For the first mini-challenge, the queens will walk the runway showing off two looks: one from their spring collection and one from their fall collection. For the main challenge, the queens will write, record, and perform verses to "I'm That Bitch". On the runway, category is Sparkles. Brita, Gigi Goode, Jackie Cox and Widow Von'Du receive positive critiques. Heidi N Closet and Nicky Doll receive negative critiques. It is then announced that Gigi Goode and Widow Von'Du are the top two queens of the week and will lip-sync for the win. They lip-sync to "Starships" byNicki Minaj. After the lip-sync, Widow Von'Du is announced as the winner of the challenge. RuPaul then reveals that no one will be going home.
| ||||
| 147 | 2 | "You Don't Know Me" | March 6, 2020 (2020-03-06) | |
The remaining six queens enter the workroom. For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will walk the runway showing off two looks: one from their spring collection and one from their fall collection. For the main challenge, the queens will write, record, and perform verses to "You Don't Know Me". On the runway, category is Tulle. Aiden Zhane, Jaida Essence Hall, Jan and Sherry Pie receive positive critiques. Dahlia Sin and Rock M. Sakura receive negative critiques. It is then announced that Jaida Essence Hall and Sherry Pie are the top two queens of the week and will lip-sync for the win. They lip-sync to "Call Your Girlfriend" byRobyn. After the lip-sync, Jaida Essence Hall is announced as the winner of the challenge. RuPaul then reveals that no one will be going home.
| ||||
| 148 | 3 | "World's Worst" | March 13, 2020 (2020-03-13) | |
For this week's main challenge, the queens will team up and improvise in the talent competition "World's Worst".
On the runway, category is Buttons and Bows. Heidi N Closet, Jackie Cox and Sherry Pie receive positive critiques, with Sherry Pie winning the challenge. Crystal Methyd, Dahlia Sin and Nicky Doll receive negative critiques, with Crystal Methyd being safe. Dahlia Sin and Nicky Doll lip-sync to "Problem" byAriana Grande ft.Iggy Azalea. Nicky Doll wins the lip-sync and Dahlia Sin is the first queen to sashay away.
| ||||
| 149 | 4 | "The Ball Ball" | March 20, 2020 (2020-03-20) | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will compete in "The Beehive Jive" dance competition. Gigi Goode wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will create three looks for The Ball Ball: Lady Baller, Basketball Wife Realness and Balls to the Wall Eleganza. On the runway, Gigi Goode, Jaida Essence Hall and Nicky Doll receive positive critiques, with Gigi Goode winning the challenge. Aiden Zhane, Brita and Rock M. Sakura receive negative critiques, with Aiden Zhane being safe. Brita and Rock M. Sakura lip-sync to "S&M" byRihanna. Brita wins the lip-sync and Rock M. Sakura sashays away.
| ||||
| 150 | 5 | "Gay's Anatomy" | March 27, 2020 (2020-03-27) | |
For this week's main challenge, the queens will overact in a parody of the popular TV show "Grey's Anatomy" called "Gay's Anatomy".
On the runway, category is Planet of the Capes. Aiden Zhane, Gigi Goode, Jan, Jackie Cox, Sherry Pie and Widow Von'Du receive positive critiques, with Sherry Pie winning the challenge. Brita, Heidi N Closet and Nicky Doll receive negative critiques, with Brita being safe. Heidi N Closet and Nicky Doll lip-sync to "Heart to Break" byKim Petras. Heidi N Closet wins the lip-sync and Nicky Doll sashays away.
| ||||
| 151 | 6 | "Snatch Game" | April 3, 2020 (2020-04-03) | |
For this week's main challenge, the queens will play theSnatch Game.Daniel Franzese andJonathan Bennett star as the celebrity contestants. The cast consisted of:
On the runway, category is Frozen Eleganza. Gigi Goode, Jackie Cox and Sherry Pie receive positive critiques, with Gigi Goode winning the challenge. Aiden Zhane, Brita and Crystal Methyd receive negative critiques, with Crystal Methyd being safe. Aiden Zhane and Brita lip-sync to "Let It Go" byCaissie Levy. Brita wins the lip-sync and Aiden Zhane sashays away.
| ||||
| 152 | 7 | "Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical" | April 10, 2020 (2020-04-10) | |
For this week's main challenge, the queens will perform inMadonna: The Unauthorized Rusical.
On the runway, category is Night of a ThousandMichelle Visages. Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode and Jan receive positive critiques, with Gigi Goode winning the challenge. Brita, Heidi N Closet and Jackie Cox receive negative critiques, with Jackie Cox being safe. Brita and Heidi N Closet lip-sync to "Burning Up" byMadonna. Heidi N Closet wins the lip-sync and Brita sashays away.
| ||||
| 153 | 8 | "Droop" | April 17, 2020 (2020-04-17) | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will pair up and create a box of FabFitFun products for another duo, then gift it to them with shade. Gigi Goode and Jackie Cox win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will create and market products for the new drag queen lifestyle brand "Droop".
On the runway, category is Black Wedding. Crystal Methyd, Heidi N Closet, Jackie Cox and Jaida Essence Hall receive positive critiques, with Heidi N Closet winning the challenge. Gigi Goode, Jan, Sherry Pie and Widow Von'Du receive negative critiques, with Gigi Goode and Sherry Pie being safe. Jan and Widow Von'Du lip-sync to "This Is My Night" byChaka Khan. Widow Von'Du wins the lip-sync and Jan sashays away.
| ||||
| 154 | 9 | "Choices 2020" | April 24, 2020 (2020-04-24) | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will audition for Kitty Girl 2020. Jackie Cox wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will participate in a presidential debate called "Choices 2020". On the runway, category is Stars and Stripes Forever. Crystal Methyd, Heidi N Closet and Jaida Essence Hall receive positive critiques, with Jaida Essence Hall winning the challenge. Gigi Goode, Jackie Cox and Widow Von'Du receive negative critiques, with Gigi Goode being safe. Jackie Cox and Widow Von'Du lip-sync to "Firework" byKaty Perry. Jackie Cox wins the lip-sync and Widow Von'Du sashays away.
| ||||
| 155 | 10 | "Superfan Makeover" | May 1, 2020 (2020-05-01) | |
For this week's main challenge, the queens will makeover Drag Race superfans. On the runway, category is Drag Family Resemblance. Crystal Methyd, Jaida Essence Hall and Sherry Pie receive positive critiques, with Jaida Essence Hall winning the challenge. Heidi N Closet and Jackie Cox receive negative critiques, and are announced as the bottom two. They lip-sync to "Kill the Lights" byAlex Newell andDJ Cassidy ft.Nile Rodgers. They are both declared the winners of the lip-sync and no one goes home.
| ||||
| 156 | 11 | "One-Queen Show" | May 8, 2020 (2020-05-08) | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will have a bitchfest with puppets. Jackie Cox wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will create and perform in your own one woman show.
On the runway, category is The Color Purple. Crystal Methyd and Jackie Cox receive positive critiques, with Crystal Methyd winning the challenge. Heidi N Closet, Jaida Essence Hall and Sherry Pie receive negative critiques, with Sherry Pie being safe. Heidi N Closet and Jaida Essence Hall lip-sync to "1999" byPrince. Jaida Essence Hall wins the lip-sync and Heidi N Closet sashays away.
| ||||
| 157 | 12 | "Viva Drag Vegas" | May 15, 2020 (2020-05-15) | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will create an over-the-top, one-of-a-kind showgirl headdress. Gigi Goode wins the mini-challenge. For the final challenge of the season, the queens will perform a medley of songs from RuPaul's Drag Race Live! On the runway, category is Eleganza Extravaganza. Gigi Goode and Jaida Essence Hall receive positive critiques, with Gigi Goode winning the challenge. Crystal Methyd and Jackie Cox receive negative critiques, and are announced as the bottom two. They lip-sync to "On the Floor" byJennifer Lopez ft.Pitbull. Crystal Methyd wins the lip-sync and Jackie Cox sashays away.
| ||||
| 158 | 13 | "Reunited: Alone Together" | May 22, 2020 (2020-05-22) | |
RuPaul and the queens reunite to discuss the season's highlights and drama during a "virtual slumber party" while in quarantine due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Discussions include: Aiden Zhane and Brita's beef, Rock M Sakura's heartbreaking elimination, Nicky Doll being a fan favorite, Dahlia Sin storming off set after her elimination and Jan crying when Brita was sent home and being upset after not winning the Rusical episode. | ||||
| 159 | 14 | "Grand Finale" | May 29, 2020 (2020-05-29) | |
For the first time a virtual finale is held from remote locations across the country due tothe effects of COVID-19. For the first lip-sync, the queens will all lip-sync to "Bring Back My Girls" byRuPaul, with only their faces showing. The final three queens will then all lip-sync alone to a song of their choice. Crystal Methyd lip-syncs to "I'm Like a Bird" byNelly Furtado, Gigi Goode lip-syncs to "Take On Me" byA-ha and Jaida Essence Hall lip-syncs to "Get Up" byCiara ft.Chamillionaire. It is then announced that Heidi N Closet is this season's Miss Congeniality. For the final lip-sync, Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode and Jaida Essence Hall lip-sync to "Survivor" byDestiny's Child. It is announced that Jaida Essence Hall is the winner, leaving Crystal Methyd and Gigi Goode as the runners-up.
| ||||
"In light of recent developments and Sherry Pie’s statement, Sherry Pie has been disqualified fromRuPaul’s Drag Race. Out of respect for the hard work of the other queens, VH1 will air the season as planned. Sherry will not appear in the grand finale scheduled to be filmed later this spring."
On March 4, 2020, Ben Shimkus, a 25-year-old actor, posted an update toFacebook detailing his experiences with the contestant Sherry Pie, whose real name is Joey Gugliemelli, and accusing him ofcatfishing when the two studied together in themusical theater program atSUNY Cortland.[27] Shimkus' post alleged that Gugliemelli deceived him using a fake identity of "Allison Mossey" to make promises of a musical career onBroadway.[28] Shimkus also claimed that Gugliemelli coerced him into sending sexually suggestive fetish videos as part of the audition process.[28]
In these videos, Shimkus was asked to play the character of Jeff, a steroid-dependent individual obsessed with growing muscle and gaining physical strength.[28] In the script provided by Gugliemelli, Shimkus explained, the character of Jeff was supposed to appear ostensibly pleased with hisbody odor that resulted from taking steroids.[28]
In an article withBuzzFeed News published on March 5, 2020, four other men came forward with similar allegations of Gugliemelli posing as Mossey and leading them to believe that recording sexually daring audition videos would increase their chances of being noticed by casting directors.[29]
Another former classmate at SUNY Cortland alleged that Gugliemelli similarly deceived him to film various provocative scenes wearing revealing clothing as part of his audition for a musical production ofThe Nightmare Before Christmas, which he was told was affiliated with the directorTim Burton.[29] One victim claimed that Gugliemelli had explicitly asked them tomasturbate on camera.[30][28] As of March 6, 2020, a total of seven victims of Gugliemelli's alleged misconduct have come forward, including Season 12 contestantJackie Cox.[31]
Gugliemelli posted an apology on his Facebook page, staying that he was sorry for "[causing] such trauma and pain" and that he had been "seeking help and receiving treatment since coming back toNYC".[30][32] On March 6, 2020, VH1 released a statement regarding the incident, and made the decision to disqualify Gugliemelli from the contest. According to the statement, the season would air as planned but Gugliemelli would not appear in the live finale.[28] After both episodes 3 and 5, wherein Sherry Pie won the challenge and received $5,000 cash tips, World of Wonder donated $5,000 toThe Trevor Project.[33]
The contestant was originally one of the Top 4 queens, alongsideGigi Goode,Crystal Methyd andJaida Essence Hall but due to her disqualification, she finished in 4th place, resulting in Season 12 being the first to feature a top 3 since Season 8.
Bring Back My Ghouls is aHalloween variety special presented byWorld of Wonder, which streamed on the company'sYouTube channel and WOW Presents Plus subscription service on October 30, 2020. The broadcast saw the season 12 contestants performing lip-syncs and participating in interviews. RuPaul also appears with a "special message". Viewers could submit requests and send tips via Cash App, PayPal, or Venmo, which were split evenly between the performers.[34][35] Participants lip-synced to the songs "Bring Back My Ghouls" and "I'm That Witch" and wore Halloween-inspired costumes. Gigi Goode appeared asTippi Hedren inAlfred Hitchcock's 1963 filmThe Birds, Rock M. Sakura dressed as a squid, and Widow Von'Du dressed as theWicked Witch of the West, a fictional character inL. Frank Baum'schildren's novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and subsequent adaptations. Season 12 winner Jaida Essence Hall spoke with fellow contestants about their Halloween plans.[36] The "Time to Vote" segment was a collaboration with Crooked Media and Vote Save America and saw Brita and Heidi N Closet emphasize the importance of voting in the2020 United States elections in a parody of the music video for RuPaul's song "Peanut Butter".[34][36]
At the72nd Primetime Emmy Awards the season won thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Competition Program. With "I'm That Bitch" as the submitted episode, it also won:
Rupaul also won forOutstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program.[37]
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "I'm That Bitch" | February 28, 2020 | 0.19[38] | 0.504[38] |
| 2 | "You Don't Know Me" | March 6, 2020 | 0.24[39] | 0.558[39] |
| 3 | "World's Worst" | March 13, 2020 | 0.23[40] | 0.542[40] |
| 4 | "The Ball Ball" | March 20, 2020 | 0.33[41] | 0.678[41] |
| 5 | "Gay's Anatomy" | March 27, 2020 | 0.29[42] | 0.630[42] |
| 6 | "Snatch Game" | April 3, 2020 | 0.36[43] | 0.708[43] |
| 7 | "Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical" | April 10, 2020 | 0.34[44] | 0.731[44] |
| 8 | "Droop" | April 17, 2020 | 0.29[45] | 0.633[45] |
| 9 | "Choices 2020" | April 24, 2020 | 0.35[46] | 0.688[46] |
| 10 | "Superfan Makeover" | May 1, 2020 | 0.34[47] | 0.701[47] |
| 11 | "One-Queen Show" | May 8, 2020 | 0.25[48] | 0.607[48] |
| 12 | "Viva Drag Vegas" | May 15, 2020 | 0.33[49] | 0.695[49] |
| 13 | "Alone Together" | May 22, 2020 | 0.25[50] | 0.597[50] |
| 14 | "Grand Finale" | May 29, 2020 | 0.34[51] | 0.658[51] |
