There have been plenty of sad moments on RuPaul’s Drag Race, many of which were very tough to watch. As the LGBTQ vehicle that it is, Drag Race has always been filled with queer stories being told by queens who have either overcome those obstacles or are still trying to do better.
All in all, these stories allow fans and the judges to connect with these contestants on a reality competition series. However, we all know that these are more than mere plot points for a TV show, but actual difficult experiences that these artists have faced in their lives.
KIM CHI OPENING UP ABOUT HER FAMILY
Having lived in South Korea during most of her childhood, Kim Chi revealed on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race that her relationship with her parents was a complicated one. In fact, her parents were not aware that she was a drag queen at all.
When asked by RuPaul if being on Drag Race would change anything, Kim Chi said that her parents were somewhat closed off to American television, and that it was unlikely that they’d ever be aware of the show. Watching Kim search for words to explain her very difficult relationship with her family was certainly one of the saddest moments in the franchise. However, it did show fans that even fierce queens such as herself would go through tough things in life.
RUPAUL EXPLAINING THE LYRICS TO “CARRY ON”
During the “Here Comes The Bride” episode of Drag Race season 2, Sahara Davenport and Morgan McMichaels landed in the Bottom Two. Consequently, the two queens were asked to prepare themselves to lip sync to Martha Wash’s “Carry On.”
However, for the first time in Drag Race history, RuPaul broke the standard flow of the Lip Sync For Your Life format to stop and explain to the contestants what that song meant to him. During his speech, Ru opened up about his mother’s longstanding battle with cancer, and how he listened to “Carry On” by Martha Wash on repeat after his mother passed away.
This was a rare moment where RuPaul broke the glamazon character to open up about his personal issues. All in all, this turned out to be a sad and heartfelt moment for fans of Ru and the show.
KATYA STRUGGLING WITH HER SOBRIETY
During her time on season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Katya was just starting out with her journey with sobriety. Given the pressure cooker that a reality competition series is, it came as no surprise that Katya’s struggles with substance abuse came to the surface.
Thankfully, Katya was able to reach out to Miss Fame during a particular moment of panic. Miss Fame already had many more years of sobriety under her belt by the time that season 7 was shot, thus being able to help Katya out at that time. For the fans, it was definitely hard to watch such a beloved queen cry her heart out and struggle with sobriety.
LAGANJA ESTRANJA’S BREAKDOWN
Over time, Laganja Estranja’s “I feel very attacked” breakdown on Drag Race became a famous meme that many fans of the show use in a humorous manner. However, looking back at season 6, it was certainly gut-wrenching to watch a young, talented artist dealing with so many insecurities on a global stage.
Between her teary-eyed standoff with Michelle Visage on the runway and her argument with fellow queens on Untucked, it is safe to say that the “Queens of Comedy” episode on season 6 was not a great one for Laganja Estranja. Ultimately, the queen went home during that episode, never quite being given a chance to overcome those obstacles on the show.
NINA WEST’S COLLEGE STORY
On season 11, Nina West opened up about her story being bullied by homophobic men in college. It all went down during a time when Nina was running for Student Body Vice President, and certain students started leaving threatening messages on her phone.
While recounting her story, Nina West also brought up the assassination of Matthew Shepard, which had just happened during the queen’s time in college. It was certainly valuable for young Drag Race fans to become familiar with this story, given that it shaped an entire generation of gay men who felt pressured to stay in the closet.
ALYSSA EDWARDS’ ALL STARS 2 MAKEOVER CHALLENGE
Alyssa Edwards was always known for her diva attitude and funny quirks. However, things got a little more real during the makeover challenge for All Stars 2.
That season, the queens were challenged to transform their family members into drag queens. For Alyssa Edwards, Drag Race brought in Tabatha, who is her sister. As seen (years later) on the Netflix docu-series Dancing Queen, Alyssa has had longstanding conflicts with her family.
The All Stars 2 makeover episode was shot during the one-year anniversary of the death of Alyssa Edwards and Tabatha’s mother. Thus, it made her presence there all the more meaningful (and sad).
DETOX OPENING UP ABOUT HER EX-BOYFRIEND’S DEATH
One of the most memorable mini challenges on season 5 took place in the “Drama Queens” episode, when the contestants were prompted by RuPaul to cry on cue.
However, things took a turn when it was Detox’s turn. Instead of making it a comedic performance, Detox actually broke down crying, opening up about the fact that her boyfriend had died from a car crash the year before.
This very sad moment added a new layer to the character of Detox on Drag Race, allowing fans to connect with her on a more personal level.
THE ALL STARS 1 LIP SYNC BETWEEN RAVEN AND JUJUBEE
Fans and contestants were not big fans of the team-up format that producers had in place for season 1 of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. With that said, the pairing of Raven and Jujubee (Rujubee) was a pretty perfect one, given that the queens were actually close friends off the show.
However, exactly because Raven and Jujubee are such great friends, it was incredibly tough to watch them lip syncing against each other so that one of them could move on to the finale. The contestants were undeniably emotional throughout the entire lip sync, crying during many different moments.
YARA SOFIA’S LIP SYNC BREAKDOWN
Season 3 was very tough for Yara Sofia, who delivered on the runway week after week but felt misunderstood by the judging panel. When it came time for RuPaul to choose a Top 3, Yara landed in the Bottom Two alongside Alexis Mateo. Unfortunately, that seemed like the last straw for Yara’s imminent breakdown.
During the lip sync, Yara Sofia collapsed to the floor, both crying and laughing out of clear disappointment and desperation with the circumstances she was put under. For the first time in Drag Race history, we saw most of the judges crying as well, visibly relating to the pain that Yara was feeling.
ROXXXY ANDREWS’ CHILDHOOD STORY
Roxxxy Andrews changed RuPaul’s Drag Race forever during the “RuPaul Roast” episode of season 5.
After failing to make the audience laugh during her standup comedy number, Roxxxy Andrews landed in the Bottom Two and lip synced against Alyssa Edwards to Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair.” During that performance, Roxxxy revealed a wig under a wig, elevating the expectations that the judges came to have of “look reveals.”
After the lip sync, Roxxxy Andrews opened up about the fact that she and her sister were left by their mother at a bus stop when they were kids. Roxxxy’s childhood story made everyone incredibly emotional on the show, including her fellow queens and the judging panel.