RuPaul's Drag Race (season 4)
The fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race began airing on January 30, 2012, and aired its final episode on April 30 of the same year.[2] The cast members were announced November 13, 2011.[3] The winner of season four headlined Logo's Drag Race Tour featuring Absolut Vodka, and also won a one-of-a-kind trip, a lifetime supply of NYX Cosmetics, and a cash prize of $100,000.[4]
RuPaul's Drag Race | |
---|---|
Season 4 | |
![]() Promotional poster for season four | |
Hosted by | RuPaul |
Judges |
|
No. of contestants | 13 |
Winner | Sharon Needles |
Runners-up | |
Miss Congeniality | Latrice Royale |
Companion show | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked! |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of episodes | 14 |
Release | |
Original network | Logo TV |
Original release | January 30 – April 30, 2012 |
Season chronology | |
Like the previous season, Santino Rice and Billy B (Billy Brasfield), celebrity makeup artist and star of the HGTV mini-series Hometown Renovation, shared the same seat at the judges table alternatively, Brasfield filling in for Rice when needed.[1] Both judges appeared side-by-side in the audience during the "Reunited" episode.
The theme song played during the runway every episode was "Glamazon" and the song played during the credits was "The Beginning", both from RuPaul's album Glamazon.
This is the first season in which a contestant, Willam Belli, was disqualified from the competition for breaking the rules, and the second season in a row in which a contestant, Kenya Michaels, was brought back into the competition after having been eliminated in a prior episode.
The winner of the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race was Sharon Needles, with Chad Michaels and Phi Phi O'Hara as runners-up, making it the first time in the show's history to have two runners-up. The final also featured the first three-way lip-sync battle, instead of the usual format with two competitors. It was the first season in which the winner was not crowned in the studio, but instead during the "Reunited" episode, which was filmed in front of a live audience. This was also the first time three versions of the finale were filmed with each Top 3 contestant being crowned to prevent spoilers; this came after Raja winning Season 3 was leaked by Perez Hilton in 2011.[5]
Contestants
![](../I/Sharon_Needles_at_Christmas_Queens_2018.jpg.webp)
Ages, names, and cities stated are at time of filming.
Contestant | Age | Hometown | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Sharon Needles | 29 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Winner |
Chad Michaels | 40 | San Diego, California | Runners-up |
Phi Phi O'Hara[lower-alpha 1] | 25 | Chicago, Illinois | |
Latrice Royale | 39 | South Beach, Florida | 4th place[lower-alpha 2] |
Kenya Michaels | 21 | Dorado, Puerto Rico | 5th place[lower-alpha 3] |
DiDa Ritz | 25 | Chicago, Illinois | 6th place |
Willam[lower-alpha 4] | 29 | Los Angeles, California | Disqualified[lower-alpha 5] |
Jiggly Caliente | 30 | New York City, New York | 8th place |
Milan | 36 | New York City, New York | 9th place |
Madame LaQueer | 29 | Carolina, Puerto Rico | 10th place |
The Princess | 31 | Chicago, Illinois | 11th place |
Lashauwn Beyond | 21 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 12th place |
Alisa Summers | 23 | Tampa, Florida | 13th Place |
Notes:
- Now professionally known as Jaremi Carey, Phi Phi O'Hara was originally known as Phoenix O'Hara but changed it upon being cast.[6]
- Latrice Royale was voted Miss Congeniality by the viewers.
- Kenya Michaels originally placed ninth before re-entering the competition.
- Willam Belli is referred to as Willam on the show.
- It was revealed during episode 8 that Willam was disqualified from the competition for breaching the contract agreement.[7]
Contestant progress
Legend:
Contestant | Episode | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1[8] | 2[9] | 3[10] | 4[11] | 5[12] | 6[13] | 7[14] | 8[15] | 9[16] | 10[17] | 11[18] | 13[19] | 14[20] | |
Sharon Needles | WIN | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | WIN | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | Winner |
Chad Michaels | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | SAFE | Runner-up |
Phi Phi O'Hara | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | BTM | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | Runner-up |
Latrice Royale | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | BTM | BTM | ELIM | Miss C | |
Kenya Michaels | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | ELIM | Guest | ||||||
DiDa Ritz | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | |||
Willam | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | BTM | DISQ | Guest | ||||
Jiggly Caliente | BTM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | ELIM | Guest | |||||
Milan | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | BTM | BTM | ELIM | Guest | ||||||
Madame LaQueer | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | ||||||||
The Princess | SAFE | BTM | ELIM | Guest | |||||||||
Lashauwn Beyond | SAFE | ELIM | Guest | ||||||||||
Alisa Summers | ELIM | Guest |
Lip syncs
Episode | Contestants | Song | Eliminated | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alisa Summers | vs. | Jiggly Caliente | "Toxic" (Britney Spears) |
Alisa Summers |
2 | Lashauwn Beyond | vs. | The Princess | "Bad Girls" (Donna Summer) |
Lashauwn Beyond |
3 | DiDa Ritz | vs. | The Princess | "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" (Natalie Cole) |
The Princess |
4 | Madame LaQueer | vs. | Milan | "Trouble" (Pink) |
Madame LaQueer |
5 | Kenya Michaels | vs. | Milan | "Vogue" (Madonna) |
Kenya Michaels |
6 | Jiggly Caliente | vs. | Milan | "Born This Way" (Lady Gaga) |
Milan |
7 | Jiggly Caliente | vs. | Willam | "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)" (Pam Tillis) |
Jiggly Caliente |
8 | Phi Phi O'Hara | vs. | Sharon Needles | "It's Raining Men... The Sequel" (Martha Wash and RuPaul) |
None |
9 | DiDa Ritz | vs. | Latrice Royale | "I've Got to Use My Imagination" (Gladys Knight & The Pips) |
DiDa Ritz |
10 | Kenya Michaels | vs. | Latrice Royale | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin) |
Kenya Michaels |
11 | Chad Michaels | vs. | Latrice Royale | "No One Else on Earth" (Wynonna Judd) |
Latrice Royale |
13 | Chad Michaels vs. Phi Phi O'Hara vs. Sharon Needles | "Glamazon" (RuPaul) |
None | ||
- The contestant was eliminated after their first time in the bottom two.
- The contestant was eliminated after their second time in the bottom two.
- The contestant was eliminated after their third time in the bottom two.
Guest judges
Listed in chronological order:[4]
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, actress and television hostess
- Mike Ruiz, photographer
- Rick Fox, professional basketball player
- John Salley, professional basketball player
- Amber Riley, actress and singer
- Natalie Cole, actress, pianist, singer and songwriter
- Nicole Sullivan, actress, comedian, voice artist
- Max Mutchnick, television producer
- Loretta Devine, actress
- Ross Mathews, comedian and television personality
- Kelly Osbourne, television host and comedian
- Pauley Perrette, actress, singer, and writer
- Regina King, actress
- Pam Tillis, singer and songwriter
- Lucian Piane, composer and music producer
- Pamela Anderson, actress
- Jennifer Tilly, actress
- Dan Savage, author
- Jeffrey Moran, Absolut Vodka marketing/branding executive
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson, actor
- Jennifer Love Hewitt, actress and singer
- Rose McGowan, actress
- Wynonna Judd, actress and singer
Episodes
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
38 | 1 | "RuPocalypse Now" | January 30, 2012 | |
Thirteen new queens enter the workroom. For the first mini-challenge, the queens will do a photoshoot on a spinning platform while being sprayed with "hazardous waste". Jiggly Caliente wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will create a post-apocalyptic couture outfit made from items looted from drag queen zombies. On the runway, Lashauwn Beyond, Sharon Needles and The Princess receive positive critiques, with Sharon Needles winning the challenge. Alisa Summers, Jiggly Caliente and Kenya Michaels receive negative critiques, with Kenya Michaels being safe. Alisa Summers and Jiggly Caliente lip-sync to "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Jiggly Caliente wins the lip-sync and Alisa Summers is the first queen to sashay away.
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39 | 2 | "WTF!: Wrestling's Trashiest Fighters" | February 6, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will create a "badonkadonk" with padding. Chad Michaels, Phi Phi O'Hara and Willam win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will Create a wrestling storyline, with a backstage clip and entertaining match in the ring.
On the runway, category is Girly Girl Couture. Team Chad Michaels is the winning team, with Chad Michaels and Madame LaQueer both winning the challenge. Team Phi Phi O'Hara and Team Willam are the losing teams. DiDa Ritz, Lashauwn Beyond and The Princess receive negative critiques, with DiDa Ritz being safe. Lashauwn Beyond and The Princess lip-sync to "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer. The Princess wins the lip-sync and Lashauwn Beyond sashays away.
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40 | 3 | "Glamazons vs. Champions" | February 13, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will Create hats with butterfly-shaped accessories for guest Piyah Martell, Internet diva and transgender teen born with Caudal Regression Syndrome. Jiggly Caliente, Kenya Michaels and Phi Phi O'Hara win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will team up to Produce and act in TV infomercials for RuPaul's Glamazon and Champion albums. Team Champion:
Team Glamazon:
On the runway, category is Platinum and Gold. Chad Michaels, Kenya Michaels and Sharon Needles receive positive critiques, with Sharon Needles winning the challenge. DiDa Ritz, Madame LaQueer and The Princess receive negative critiques, with Madame LaQueer being safe. DiDa Ritz and The Princess lip-sync to "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole. DiDa Ritz wins the lip-sync and The Princess sashays away.
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41 | 4 | "Queens Behind Bars" | February 20, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will pair up and paint each others faces while handcuffed to one another and pose for a mug shot photoshoot. Madame LaQueer and Willam win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will team up and star in two different episodes of a sitcom.
On the runway, category is Television Premiere. Team Willam is the winning team, with Latrice Royale winning the challenge. Team Madame LaQueer is the losing team. Kenya Michaels, Madame LaQueer and Milan receive negative critiques, with Kenya Michaels being safe. Madame LaQueer and Milan lip-sync to "Trouble" by Pink. Milan wins the lip-sync and Madame LaQueer sashays away.
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42 | 5 | "Snatch Game" | February 27, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will compete in a game called "Beat the Cock". Phi Phi O'Hara wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens play the Snatch Game. Loretta Devine and Ross Mathews star as the celebrity contestants. The cast consisted of:
On the runway, category is Best Drag. Chad Michaels, Sharon Needles and Willam receive positive critiques, with Chad Michaels winning the challenge. Kenya Michaels, Milan and Phi Phi O'Hara receive negative critiques, with Phi Phi O'Hara being safe. Kenya Michaels and Milan lip-sync to "Vogue" by Madonna. Milan wins the lip-sync and Kenya Michaels sashays away.
| ||||
43 | 6 | "Float Your Boat" | March 5, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens must gain the biggest crowd reaction in a wet T-shirt contest. Willam wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens must create and wear a pride float based on a color of the pride flag.
On the runway, Latrice Royale, Phi Phi O'Hara and Willam receive positive critiques, with Willam winning the challenge. DiDa Ritz, Jiggly Caliente and Milan receive negative critiques, with DiDa Ritz being safe. Jiggly Caliente and Milan lip-sync to "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga". Jiggly Caliente wins the lip-sync and Milan sashays away.
| ||||
44 | 7 | "Dragazines" | March 12, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will read each other to filth. Latrice Royale wins the mini-challenge. For this week's main challenge, the queens will create a magazine cover on a certain topic.
On the runway, Phi Phi O'Hara and Sharon Needles receive positive critiques, with Phi Phi O'Hara winning the challenge. Chad Michaels, Jiggly Caliente, Latrice Royale and Willam receive negative critiques, with Chad Michaels and Latrice Royale being safe. Jiggly Caliente and Willam lip-sync to "Mi Vida Loca" by Pam Tillis. Willam wins the lip-sync and Jiggly Caliente sashays away.
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45 | 8 | "Frenemies" | March 19, 2012 | |
For the mini-challenge, the queens must take a polygraph test. Based on these results, the queens are then paired up for the main challenge, in which they must live sing a duet to "So Much Better Than You".
On the runway, Latrice Royale and Willam win the challenge. Phi Phi O'Hara and Sharon Needles are announced as the bottom two and lip-sync to "It's Raining Men (The Sequel)" by Martha Wash and RuPaul. After the lip-sync, RuPaul calls Willam to the front of the stage, saying that she has broken the rules, and will be disqualified immediately. Because of this disqualification, Phi Phi O'Hara and Sharon Needles both survive the lip-sync and remain in the competition.
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46 | 9 | "Frock the Vote!" | March 26, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will design an Absolut Vodka inspired shoe. Phi Phi O'Hara wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will participate in a Presidential debate as the 2012 Wig Party candidate. On the runway, category is Inaugural Drag. Chad Michaels and Sharon Needles receive positive critiques, with Sharon Needles winning the challenge. DiDa Ritz, Latrice Royale and Phi Phi O'Hara receive negative critiques, with Phi Phi O'Hara being safe. DiDa Ritz and Latrice Royale lip-sync to "I've Got to Use My Imagination" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. Latrice Royale wins the lip-sync and DiDa Ritz sashays away. At the end of the episode, RuPaul tells the other queens that the judges will be voting one of the eliminated queens back into the competition.
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47 | 10 | "DILFs: Dads I'd Like to Frock" | April 2, 2012 | |
RuPaul reveals that the judges have voted back Kenya Michaels, and she officially returns to the competition. For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will give a teddy bear a makeover. Kenya Michaels wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will makeover a DILF into a pregnant drag diva. On the runway, Chad Michaels and Phi Phi O'Hara receive positive critiques, with Phi Phi O'Hara winning the challenge. Kenya Michaels, Latrice Royale and Sharon Needles receive negative critiques, with Sharon Needles being safe. Kenya Michaels and Latrice Royale lip-sync to "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. Latrice Royale wins the lip-sync and Kenya Michaels sashays away.
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48 | 11 | "The Fabulous Bitch Ball" | April 9, 2012 | |
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens will have a bitch fest with puppets. Chad Michaels wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens will create three looks for the Bitch Ball: Daytime Dog Park, Pooch in a Purse and Canine Couture, an outfit inspired by an actual dog.
On the runway, Phi Phi O'Hara and Sharon Needles receive positive critiques, with Sharon Needles winning the challenge. Chad Michaels and Latrice Royale receive negative critiques, are announced as the bottom two. They lip-sync to "No One Else on Earth" by Wynonna Judd. Chad Michaels wins the lip-sync and Latrice Royale sashays away.
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49 | 12 | "RuPaul Rewind" | April 16, 2012 | |
A look back on the highlights, low-lights, and previously unseen footage from the season as we race toward the climactic grand finale! RuPaul is joined by Shannel (season 1), Pandora Boxx (season 2) and Mariah (season 3) as they look back over the top 10 fits of fashion from the season so far. This episode also included a few clips of queens who didn't make it on the season, among them, Alaska, who later became a contestant on season 5. Magnolia Crawford, Joslyn Fox and April Carrión, who later became contestants on season 6 and Mrs. Kasha Davis, who later became a contestant on season 7. | ||||
50 | 13 | "The Final Three" | April 23, 2012 | |
For the final challenge of the season, the queens will star in RuPaul's music video "Glamazon" and act in a dramatic scene with RuPaul. On the runway, category is Best Drag. It is announced that all three finalists will lip-sync to "Glamazon" by RuPaul. In a twist, RuPaul does not crown a queen, and says that the winner will be announced next episode in front of a live audience.
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51 | 14 | "Reunited" | April 30, 2012 | |
For the first time in Drag Race history, the queens sit in front of RuPaul in front of a live audience. Ru catches up with all the eliminated queens. She then invites out Willam and she reveals that she invited over her husband to her hotel, which is a clear breach of the contract. It is announced that Latrice Royale is this season's Miss Congeniality. It is then announced that Sharon Needles is the winner, leaving Chad Michaels and Phi Phi O'Hara as the runners-up.
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Marketing
In January 2012, Logo released the second running of Fantasy Drag Race, an online fan contest inspired by fantasy football where viewers assemble a team of three season four Drag Race contestants. Players receive and lose points based on their team's performance on the show, and can earn additional points by redeeming codes and performing tasks given out when episodes of the show first air. The highest scoring players receive Drag Race and NYX Cosmetics products, and one player wins a trip for two to the first stop on Logo's Drag Race Tour.[21]
Already having a generous social media presence, Logo expanded its efforts across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, GetGlue, and Foursquare in preparation for the premiere of season four. Both RuPaul and contestants tweet live while the show airs, and LogoTalk! chat parties (featuring judges, contestants from previous seasons, and contestants from season four) occur on the official Logo website while participants watch new episodes.[22] Season four specifically marks an increased interest from Logo in Tumblr, where the network publishes animated GIFs, contestant trading cards, and images that incorporate internet memes.[23] Dan Sacher, VP of digital for VH1 and Logo, has stated that their online marketing efforts are part of helping the small network expand their fan base across as many outlets as possible.[22]
Reception
The premiere episode of season four averaged a 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic, totaling 481,000 viewers, and ranked as the highest-rated premiere in Logo's network history. Untucked totalled 254,000 viewers, marking the companion show's most watched debut. During the evening of the premiere, the show registered eight US trending topics on Twitter (including Jiggly Caliente, Sharon Needles, Phi Phi O'Hara, and Latrice Royale) and reached a 7th place ranking on Trendrr. Leading up to the first episode, the show's Facebook page saw an 89% increase (earning over half a million fans).[24]
The season finale scored a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic and drew 601,000 viewers total, while the reunion episode became the highest rated episode of the season. Season four's "RuPaul's Drag Race: Reunited" was also the highest-rated reunion in the franchise's history, seeing a 33% increase in the 18-49 demographic compared to season three. The reunion registered five trending topics on Twitter (including Sharon Needles, Phi Phi, Willam, and a new portmanteau Willam introduced to the show: "RuPaulogize"), and ranked 4th among non-sports cable programs for the night on Trendrr.[25]
During season 4, the show's Twitter following increased by 77%, and the Facebook page accrued a 36% increase in likes.[25] TV.com also declared it was the best reality show on television.[26]
References
- Peterson, Brian. "Legendary Makeup Artist and RuPaul Drag Race Judge Billy B. Eats Boys for Breakfast, Specifically "New Queer on the Block"". Seattle GAY Scene. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014.
- Polly, John (October 10, 2011). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 Judges: Think Glee, Modern Family!". NewNowNext. Logo. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- "Rupaul's Drag Race Season 4". Logo. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- Shumaker, Jason (December 12, 2011). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Fourth Season Premiere Sashays onto Logo, Monday, January 30th" (Press release). Logo. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- "'RuPaul's Drag Race': The Elaborate Way Producers Prevent Audience Spoilers While Filming the Season Finale". May 16, 2019.
- "HEY QWEEN! HIGHLIGHT: PHI PHI O'HARA ON CHANGING HER NAME FOR DRAG RACE". Hey Qween. July 9, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- "The Most Powerful Drag Queens in America, Ranked". Vulture. June 10, 2019.
Willam Belli [...] Season 4 seventh place
- "RuPocalypse Now". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 1. January 30, 2012. Logo TV.
- "WTF! Wrestling's Trashiest Fighters". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 2. February 6, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Glamazons vs. Champions". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 3. February 13, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Queens Behind Bars". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 4. February 20, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Snatch Game". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 5. February 27, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Float Your Boat". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 6. March 5, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Dragazines". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 7. March 12, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Frenemies". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 8. March 19, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Frock the Vote". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 9. March 26, 2012. Logo TV.
- "DILFs: Dads I'd Like to Frock". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 10. April 2, 2012. Logo TV.
- "The Fabulous Bitch Ball". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 11. April 9, 2012. Logo TV.
- "The Final Three". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 13. April 23, 2012. Logo TV.
- "Reunited". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 4. Episode 14. April 30, 2012. Logo TV.
- "RuPaul's Fantasy Drag Race". Logo online. Logo. Archived from the original on April 16, 2011. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- Winslow, George (January 30, 2012). "Logo Expands Social Media Efforts". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- Edelsburg, Natan (February 3, 2012). "Inside look at how Logo's "RuPaul's Drag Race" is using Tumblr". Lost Remote. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- Shumaker, Jason (February 1, 2012). "LOGO'S SEASON DEBUT OF "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE" ON MONDAY NIGHT SCORES AS THE HIGHEST-RATED PREMIERE IN NETWORK HISTORY". Logo Press Room. Logo. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- Slane, Jake (May 2, 2012). "LOGO'S "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE' SEASON FOUR REUNION WINS THE CROWN AS HIGHEST-RATED EPISODE THIS SEASON". Logo Press Room. Logo. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
- Navarro, Alex (April 23, 2012). "Why RuPaul's Drag Race Is the Best Reality Show on TV Right Now". TV.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
External links
- Official website (U.S.)
- Official website (Canada)
- Official Facebook page