RuPaul's Drag Race producers Randy Barbara and Tom Campbell joins 4 Quadrant host Gregory Ellwood to discuss season nine which featured Lady Gaga, the shocking elimination of Valentina and the incredible twist for the season finale that one saw coming. Plus:
- Why Lady Gaga did the show.
- Why there was no elimination in the first episode.
- The pop culture inspiration for many of the challenges.
- How the control room reacted during shooting when Valentina asked to keep her mask on.
- Why there were less mini-challenges and one-hour episodes.
- Could Alyssa Edwards and Detox’s shows go to broadcast instead of YouTube?
- Are they surprised over Valentina’s popularity?
- Randy Barbato, “Nothing can prepare you for the reunion.” (He was right).
- How the finale is the “gay Super Bowl.”
- Why they went in this direction for the finale.
- How being on VH1 has opened up the door to landing lip sync songs and remixes they have always wanted and were previously unable to get.
- On the finale twist “Drag is unpredictable. Drag breaks rules. You have to watch this show because you never know.”
- The finale was not rigged.
- They did not have separate dressing rooms before the final lip syncs. But, they know how to hide things and “keep secrets from one another.”
- The finalists knew a couple of weeks before about the lip sync showdown and they were “thrilled.”
- Were the idea for using the mirror in “AS2” came from.
- “Never underestimate a drag queen.”
- Who are their dream future guest judges?
- What are their favorite episodes?
Follow Gregory on Twitter @theGregoryE and on Instagram @Gregel17