The Norm Can Conform

The opinions you never asked for on the subjects you’re not bothered about.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S2 Ep 4: Goths, Glitter Boobs & Lorraine Kelly

The competition is certainly hotting up now. Three queens down but hey, it’s been good so far hasn’t it? Last week we had a design challenge and this week we had a daytime TV challenge that featured slutty hosts, drunk Essex makeovers and two sad goths (to name but a few). It was all in the name of Morning Glory.

We reviewed this episode on the Here To Make It Queer podcast with legendary RuGirl, Alexis Michelle. Head to the bottom of the article for more info. 

So Asttina was sent home, A’Whora made some catty remarks to Tia and the world kept on turning. It’s a tale as old as time isn’t it? A’Whora is so pressed on being in the competition – focus on yourself. I think it comes from a place of bitterness because even when Tia is in the bottom, the judges thrive on her personality and I think A’Whora feels like she’s being left behind.

We also saw Ginny snap at Lawrence which was surprising. Not Lawrence being snapped at – he does go on a bit, but about it being Ginny who was the one to tell him.

Tayce had opinions on Tia as well this week because he was gutted his mate Asttina was sent home. A’Whora and Tayce are really coming for her. Tayce seems to hate anyone who isn’t a look queen and I’m so glad Veronica called her out. Veronica Green is the justice warrior and I thrive on it. At the end of the day, I would rather pay to go to a gig of someone that will entertain me than someone who wears a nice dress. 💁🏻‍♀️ But enough about the heated tension in the werkroom – its time to get on with the challenges.

The Mini Challenge

The queens had to sell cakes with some sass – sadly it was shit puns and soggy bottoms. The only ones that made me laugh were Bimini and Lawrence. There were a lot of incredibly cringe performances.

Also, it seems that when in doubt, most queens will turn to sex jokes to try and get through but my god it was uncomfortable to watch.

Ellie’s was uncomfortable. Remember Laganja’s standup challenge – this felt like that. And if not that performance, remember that time when a church lady went on Naked Attraction and said she liked men to play with her “kitty” – yep… that.

We also saw Tayce pretend to shove a cream horn up her arse, A’Whora literally hyped up Ginny Lemon in her awkward performance and Veronica had some sort of seizure/speech impediment.

Lawrence didn’t too bad even though he went into scat humour but Bimini smashed it with her clever take on the “Brexit Bun”.

Some people just went down the filthy route, they just went for the vulgar. But intelligent humour takes the biscuit!” – Bimini Bon-Boulash

Bimini was the obvious winner of the mini-challenge which earned her the privilege of choosing her part first in this week’s maxi challenge.

The Maxi Challenge: Morning Glory with Lorraine Kelly

This week the girls would be filling the roles of Daytime TV hosts. We had the main presenters, money-saving experts, a cooking segment, a weather girl and a makeover.

The queens would be directed by the living legend that is Lorraine Kelly – who else could you possibly want to offer advice for a daytime talk show? Lorraine is the queen of morning chat shows. (and we know she’s a die-hard fan of the show). Also, wasn’t it a treat having Lorraine Kelly direct a show called Morning Glory? Can we make this an actual thing in real life please?

Lorraine Kelly Morning Glory

So let me get straight into what I thought of the queens of Morning Glory and how they did in the challenge this week.

Morning Glory – The Cast

The Hosts: Bimini & Tayce

I think Bimini did a great job of hosting. I thought she was funny and it was a gamble that paid off as she chose one of the biggest roles for herself. She was funny, campy and appeared to be drunk throughout – a winning performance.

Morning Glory Bimini and Tayce

Tayce was also there. She wasn’t bad necessarily, she just didn’t do anything to make me laugh. Still, as a pair, Bimini and Tayce steered the Morning Glory ship nicely.

The Goth Party Planners: Veronica & Sister Sister

This was… not good. They both looked the part but there just didn’t seem to be a proper narrative running through. I feel like Veronica missed a trick with her performance – she’s incredibly chatty in her confessionals and I think she should have kept having glimpses of happiness and joy then remembering she was supposed to be a cool goth and dialled up the depression again.

Morning Glory Veronica Green & Sister Sister

Sister wasn’t great but at least it felt like she was hosting to an extent. I definitely saw her frustration when Veronica said she was thrown off midway through the taping. But hey, neither did a great job and I felt like that shitty cake at the end of it.

Morning Glory rat cake

The Dragony Neices: Ellie & Lawrence

Lawrence was giving me pure Michelle McManus vibes and I was thrilled for it. I definitely think Lawrence lead the team and Ellie was dressed like a doll as per usual.

Morning Glory Lawrence Chaney & Ellie Diamond

Lawrence had some rather funny moments so I give her props for that – let’s be honest, we wouldn’t have expected anything less from her.

The Financial-Advisors: Tia & A’Whora

Brilliant. Who would have thought that these two mortal enemies would become the dream team?!

Morning Glory Tia Kofi & A'Whora

Tia did great playing the “straight man” who sets up the jokes to keep the narrative flowing. A’Whora played someone drunk with a brain injury but my word was it grand. (Even though her accent fluctuated between Dutch, Nigerian and Swedish before finding her way over to Essex).

Morning Glory A'Whora & Tia Kofi

I don’t think A’Whora played too far away from her comfort zone but my word did she do it well. The look was excellent. I loved the makeup stained white suit, the dark makeup and the big hair. Tia & A’Whora smashed it this week.

The Weather Girl: Ginny Lemon

Was Ginny the best? No. Was Ginny the worst? No. Her performance didn’t have anywhere to go as she was already switched up to 11. However, I appreciate that she actually had a character and a visual.

Morning Glory Ginny Lemon

There could have been more to her performance but what could she have really done when she was being pelted with fake snow and drowned in rain?

Still, it looked like Lorraine had fun directing Morning Glory so that’s always a bonus.

Category is: Monster Mashup – Toot or Boot

This week the queens had to create their best monster mashup by combining two (or more) legendary horror characters into one look. Some queens did great, some it was hard to find what they were supposed to be.

Veronica Green: Medusa & Sacrificial Pig – Toot

This was spectacular! Veronica somehow managed to turn a pig into pure glamour. It was haunting, it was spooky and it was fashionable. I think this could have been the best look of the week actually – I had no faults with it.

Sister Sister: Werewolf & Mummy – Boot

I appreciate that we can tell what the two characters were supposed to be but I wasn’t a fan. A mummy just feels like an easy outfit. The blue fur was fun as it still felt like Sister Sister and it reminded me of a teen werewolf in a kids cartoon. I just wasn’t blown away by the outfit.

Bimini Bon-Boulash: Pamela Anderson & Satan – Toot

I loved this. Pamela Anderson (a vegan legend) and the devil combined has to be one of the funniest things. The Playboy bunny outfit and the aggressive satanic browbone was a beautiful juxtaposition. Was it the most polished look? Oh god no, but I don’t think it needed to be because it was still fabulous.

Tayce: Bride of Frankenstein & Vampire(?) – Boot

Okay, so Tayce looks utterly stunning but this was really just one look. Some plastic fangs a monster does not make! The bride part was lush but I think there was too much focus on looking gorgeous and not becoming two monsters. Now if she combined the Bride of Frankenstein with a swamp monster or something I would have gagged but this was played safe and that’s why she got a boot.

Ginny Lemon: Toxic Waste Zombie..? – Boot

For the same reason as Tayce, Ginny gets a boot. However, I did like the outfit, it still felt very Ginny Lemon but done with a toxic twist. I loved the hazard sign sprayed into the wig and the fitted dress but yeah, there wasn’t much more to it other than that.

Lawrence Chaney: Texas Chainsaw Massacre & Sweeney Todd – Toot

This is how you serve a look. Granted, I didn’t fully get Sweeney Todd apart from the hair. But my god the dress was great. It looked like skin, I loved the hands and having Lawrence’s own beaten face hanging off the arm was sheer genius – bravo Lawrence. 👏🏻

Ellie Diamond: Werewolf & Troll – Boot

Morning Glory Ellie Diamond runway

This was weak. The makeup was fun but this was very much a girl in a gay bar at Halloween and not a monster look. Also, those bloody chaps are back and this time they’re in a shit fabric. If you’re going to reuse a silhouette (I think this is the 3rd time now she’s worn flared chaps) you have to elevate it each time and this is by far the worst version. For me, this was the worst outfit of the week.

Tia Kofi: Medusa & Witch Doctor – Toot

Tia looked gorgeous this week. I completely got her visual, I think she had two strong looks. It was Egyptian, it was spooky, it was witchy. Everything about this was great.

A’Whora: A Gothic Stripper with a head injury..? – Boot

The outfit was stunning but a head injury does not make a monster. Like Tayce, A’Whora put all her focus into looking pretty. For that reason, she gets a boot – but still, what were the two monsters supposed to be?

The Results

Lawrence won and yeah I guess he did alright but I thought Bimini did a great job of hosting too. Still, Lawrence was funny and his runway was excellent so I can see why he was chosen. It may have been morning glory for Lawrence but it was a sub-par semi for three of our girls.

No surprises, Veronica Green, Sister Sister and Ginny Lemon were the bottom three this week. If it was based on performances alone, Sister Sister and Veronica would have been lipsyncing but yet Veronica was saved! You better believe this caused a stir amongst the queens (and the fans).

Veronica was by far the worst performance of the night but it would appear that her outfit saved her from the lipsync.

The Lipsync

Well… that was a whole heap of drama wasn’t it? I must say, I was gutted to see Ginny exit in the way she did. However, it was punk to not even bother. But I don’t know how much I bought the “she’s my friend so I don’t want to do it” story. I wish she just said, “the judges don’t get me so I’m off bab.” It would have been a lot more impactful.

Still, Sister Sister did a great lipsync even if she was unchallenged so I give her all the credit. She showed she wanted to be there even though she hadn’t realised Ginny had called it a day.

Here To Make It Queer‘s Podcast RuCap

This week we were blessed to have one of the incredible talented Drag Race alum join us. She’s a Snatch Game winner, Macho Man lipsyncer and the co-host of Drag Race’s first live morning talk show – Good Morning Bitches! It’s Alexis Michelle! She was the perfect guest to come and review the episode with us and it was an absolute treat!

Here to Make it Queer Morning Glory with Alexis Michelle

So for those of you who don’t know, my friend Adam runs the Here To Make It Queer podcast where he interviews a lot of incredibly talented queens. We also co-host a RuCap show each week of Drag Race UK and we have been getting some rather lovely guests on to help us mull over the episode.

You can find details over on the @heretomakeitqueer Instagram account. 
And click here to find out where you can listen! 

Harry J Bartlett

Digital Content Creator, lover of fashion, drag queen connoisseur and all around phenomenal human being. If I had to describe myself in 3 words I would say; Gorgeous, Talented and Humble.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top