Tag: Phoenix

  • DeJa Skye Didn’t Come to Win She Came to Go Viral (And Succeeded)

    DeJa Skye Didn’t Come to Win She Came to Go Viral (And Succeeded)

    DeJa Skye has never been one to follow the crowd—and on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10, she made it clear: she’s not chasing the crown, she’s chasing the memes.

    Returning to the werkroom after first making waves on Season 14 (and singlehandedly carrying the Snatch Game with her Lil Jon impersonation), the Fresno queen brought her trademark blend of humor, heart, and internet-readiness back to the screen.

    “I didn’t come to win. I came to go viral,” DeJa told GAY TIMES. Mission: accomplished.

    Back in the Werkroom

    All Stars 10 kicked off with a twist: a bracket format that split queens into groups of six. DeJa competed in Bracket One alongside Aja, Bosco, Irene the Alien, Olivia Lux, and Phoenix.

    Her return to the franchise included a standout turn as Chardonnay Harrington in the improv challenge Murder of the Dance Floor, which earned rave reviews from the judges. Despite falling just short of a challenge win and racking up a respectable four points, she was eliminated in Episode 3 alongside Olivia and Phoenix.

    Still, DeJa walked away from the competition with her head held high—and with the internet firmly in her corner.

    “I’m very happy with what I showed, minus the international turmoil,” she joked, referencing her self-doubt during the improv challenge. “My goal was never to win. It was to show a transformation, have fun, and make memeable moments. I think I achieved that.”

    Meme Queen Energy

    If you missed the moment DeJa became a certified meme, let us set the scene: Bosco and Olivia are bickering over critiques, Aja’s reacting in real-time, and DeJa? She’s hairspraying a wigless mannequin head in the background like a bored neighbor at a BBQ.

    The clip exploded online—and even DeJa doesn’t remember doing it.

    “I saw a can of hairspray and was like, ‘I’m just going to mind my business…’ And then Aja stepping in when she did, it was the cherry on top,” she laughed. “That’s my memeable moment, for sure.”

    A New Format, A Fresh Perspective

    Though DeJa didn’t advance to the semifinals, she had praise for the All Stars 10 format and its point-based structure.

    “It makes more sense,” she said. “You get at least three episodes to show what you’ve got. You can throw ideas at the wall instead of overthinking everything.”

    Still, she acknowledged the format can be tough for slow-burners: “Some girls don’t hit their stride until week four, but here, you’ve got to hit it from the start.”

    DeJa was quick to uplift her fellow bracket-mates, calling them “heavy hitters” and adding, “We didn’t get lost in the fray. And having six queens instead of 18 really helped us shine.”

    One More Twist…

    Although DeJa’s run in Bracket One is over (for now), Drag Race wouldn’t be Drag Race without a gag. At the end of Episode 3, RuPaul announced that all eliminated queens would get another shot—sort of.

    Each regular judge will nominate one eliminated queen for a wildcard lottery. One queen will be randomly selected to rejoin the competition in the final lip-sync smackdown for the crown—and a $200,000 prize.

    So while DeJa may be out, she’s definitely not forgotten. And who knows? The queen of viral might just have one last twist up her bedazzled sleeve.

    Next Week on All Stars 10

    The spotlight shifts to Bracket Two, where six more queens—Jorgeous, Kerri Colby, Lydia B. Kollins, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Nicole Paige Brooks, and Tina Burner—will face off for a coveted place in the semifinals.

    Catch new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 every Friday, streaming on Paramount+.

  • Phoenix Claps Back at Ice Spice’s Critique on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ After Shy Performance

    Phoenix Claps Back at Ice Spice’s Critique on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ After Shy Performance

    RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 is already delivering drama, with Phoenix clapping back after a candid critique from guest judge Ice Spice. The drama unfolded during the double premiere of the season, where queens were challenged to write and perform original verses for the “Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner” music video.

    The Challenge: A High-Energy Music Video

    In the first episode of All Stars 10, the queens—Phoenix, Irene the Alien, Deja Skye, Olivia Lux, Aja, and Bosco—were tasked with writing and recording original verses for a music video inspired by 80s metal. After learning choreography from Jamal Sims, the queens took to the stage for a high-energy, unique performance.

    While most of the queens received praise, Phoenix’s performance was met with some constructive criticism. Judges Michelle Visage and Ross Matthews encouraged Phoenix to open up more in her performance, but the real conversation starter came from Ice Spice.

    Ice Spice’s Blunt Critique

    When it was Phoenix’s turn, Ice Spice didn’t hold back. The rapper gave the Atlanta-based queen a blunt critique, stating, “I hear you’re a legendary icon, but tonight, I don’t think I would have been able to tell with how shy you were.” Ice Spice’s words left fans on social media buzzing, with some viewers praising her for honesty and others calling her comment too harsh.

    One Twitter user wrote, “The critique Ice Spice had for Phoenix stopped me in my tracks omg slow down.” Another Reddit commenter noted, “She came off as mean, but she wasn’t wrong. That doesn’t make Phoenix any less of a legend tho.”

    Despite the polarized reactions, some fans felt that Ice Spice’s delivery was more surprising than harsh, noting that her monotone delivery made the critique come across colder than intended.

    Phoenix Claps Back

    Phoenix didn’t take the critique lying down. On May 10, she took to Instagram to address the comment, writing, “I appreciate the love from everyone about the Ice Spice comment! I’ll comment more and tell the funny part about this later. But TRUST ME WHEN I SAY! My 25 years of experience and decades of contributing to my community is what makes me an ICON! Not 3 minutes on a TV show…”

    Photo: Instagram (@phoenix_atl)
    Photo: Instagram (@phoenix_atl)

    The drag queen went on to take a jab at Ice Spice’s rise to fame, adding, “That being said, I’m perfectly fine not getting ‘icon’ validation from someone who’s ‘fame’ has come from 1 song about shitting and farting.”

    As of now, Ice Spice has yet to respond to Phoenix’s Instagram post.

    The All Stars 10 Standings

    Despite the drama, the competition presses on. The double premiere ended with Aja, Bosco, and Irene as the frontrunners, earning three and four points, respectively. Phoenix, along with Deja Skye and Olivia Lux, earned one point each in the Most Valuable Queen voting.

    Looking ahead, the queens will face a new challenge in their next episode, where they will be tasked with transforming “red-hot hoopsters into their very own drag sisters.”

    As the competition heats up, fans are eager to see how Phoenix’s bold response to Ice Spice will impact her journey on All Stars 10.