Okay okay okay — I know there’s a lot of Drag Race happening right now. I know it’s near impossible to watch every episode of every series and also live a functioning human life. But when something absolutely wild happens in an international Drag Race franchise and I neither see nor hear anyone talking about it? That’s when I have to start shouting, mama. So yeah — something has happened and it is absolutely wild… but because it happened on Drag Race Belgique Season 2, even the hardcore Drag Race fans probably missed it. Are you ready for this piping hot tea? Because I’ve got that Earl Grey loaded into a Super Soaker and I’m about to start spraying it all over this website.
Can we please, for the love of Ru, please talk about how two queens competing on Belgium’s Drag Race were caught snooping through the judges’ notes???!!! Yes, that happened!!!
I have watched hundreds of seasons of reality competition shows. I remember when Tyra Banks asked, “How many people were scared?” I remember when Project Runway had to devote three episodes to the spectacular flameout — one quit and one disqualification — of identical twin designers. I remember the accusations of stolen pea purée on Top Chef. Even on Drag Race, I remember so many shocking moments that I’ll link to that very list instead of running through all of them. I feel like I’ve seen every kind of accusation, rule break, dismissal, and breach of contract that can be carried out on reality TV — but I don’t think I have ever seen competitors on a show go rummaging around through the judges’ notes!
To put this absolute chaos into context, the instantly iconic incident happened in Episode 4 of Drag Race Belgique Season 2. The challenge was essentially a standup comedy challenge, except instead of jokes the queens had to… form Belgium’s first drag government and, as leaders of a draggy ministry, propose a “law” that was drag-related, funny, and also personal — not to mention at least kinda legal sounding. Oh — and it all had to be delivered in one minute. Yeah, it was one of those impossible Drag Race challenges where even though there are a million boxes to check, ultimately the only criteria was, “Is it funny?”
If you’ve watched the previous episode of Belgique’s “next time on” promo, though, the entire episode plays out like a whodunit. You know a rule is going to be broken at some point, you know there’s going to be an allegation of cheating, but you have no idea how it will play out. Would Star get in trouble for assigning queens to ministries counter to their personalities? Would the queens trade assignments and get in trouble? Would queens get in trouble for writing jokes for each other? Would they ignore the minute rule and get roasted for going over? All of this has happened on Drag Race before and it’s never been called cheating nor against any rules. I kept waiting for the cheating to happen, completely stumped as to how a queen could ever cheat on Drag Race.
And then, following the challenge and the Eurovision-themed runway (god, Europe is so gay), host (and Canada’s Drag Race runner-up) Rita Baga dropped the bomb: “Before we get started, it’s come to my attention that some of you used the jury’s absence to go through our notes.”
Spit take. What??? Guest judge and Eurovision star Gustaph, who’s literally dressed like a school boy Pokémon, was gagged.
Apparently while the queens were getting ready for the runway, transforming from their government looks to their Eurovision looks (god, this franchise!), Star and Gabanna snuck back onto the main stage and rifled through the notes that the judges took during the Maxi-Challenge. They did this completely forgetting that, you know, this is a TV show and that there are cameras very clearly everywhere.
Yes, there’s footage — and it’s so iconic.
So iconic, and so memeable.
The queens apologize. Star even says, “It’s not what I do” even though there’s literally footage of her staring right at the camera, as if saying, “This is what I do.”
What’s even wilder, though, is Rita Baga’s response: “I’m giving you a warning and this goes for all of you. If this happens again, you will automatically be disqualified. Am I clear? We don’t like cheaters here.” The episode then proceeds as planned with no further mention of the cheating!
Now, if you’ve been watching Drag Race Belgique, this… well, as a regular consumer of American TV it makes zero sense, but it makes sense within the vibe of this Drag Race. Overall, Drag Race Belgique feels less produced than US and UK and the judging is not as blunt as France or Canada. Rita seems to host with her heart first; when a queen is eliminated, she doesn’t just offer them a pre-written goodbye with a pun on their name. Rita gives them sincere words of encouragement and praises what they’ve done well. To be honest, Rita hosts like someone who has competed on the show twice and fallen just short of the crown twice. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why the show wanted to address this and then move on with the judging. Why should Star and Gabanna have their entire, season-long narratives be demolished by this truly bizarre lapse in judgement?
Also — maybe they weren’t punished because there’s truly nothing to gain from looking at the judges’ notes! Star and Gabanna did well in the challenge! Gabanna still placed high even after being caught engaging in some light espionage! Why they felt the need to do that, and why they thought production would not notice two cast members fully walking out of the Werk Room and onto the fully-lit main stage is beyond me.
Anyway — I keep thinking about how RuPaul would’ve handled this moment had it happened on her watch. We saw how she responded to a queen admitting they wore unaltered H&M on the main stage. How would Ru handle two queens putting their hands all over her notes? I think she’d say “sashay away” and personally put two lip sticks in their hands for their mirror messages — and that moment would have absolutely dominated the Drag Race conversation for a week, if not the rest of the season. It would become Drag Race canon up there with “I’d like to keep it on, please.” Let’s be sure to put that level of chaotic respect on this Drag Race Belgique moment, okay?
This was some gaggery and buffoonery of the highest magnitude — and the queendom must be alerted. Ultimately this just proves that the international Drag Race seasons are just like watching drag queens perform: you gotta pay close attention because you never know what kind of sickening stunt they’re gonna pull.
Drag Race Belgique Season 2 is available to stream in America on WOW Presents Plus.
