Compare the Drag Race contract to the Survivor cast contractor the Big Brother houseguest contract, and youll find a lot of similarities. And, for the queens who drain their bank accounts to appear on the show and dont take home the $100,000 prize, is it all worth it? The biggest pitfall of Drag Race to its queens- among the long hours of filming and impending hateful tweets from the fandom - seems to overwhelmingly be the expenses of competing. By commenting below, you confirm that youve read and agree to those rules. The contestants agree to fully participate in sponsor integrations and sponsor activity., The queens give up rights to everything they do during the show, including theelements of my life story contained within the Project.. The process of going on Drag Race is, in my opinion, more than a fiscal investment, Bob said. The process, however, is different: potential contestants for season 11have to answer dozens of questions first, ranging from How did you get your drag name? to Who would you do on Snatch Game? before theyre sent the Participant Agreement, the document you see below. "I auditioned three times to get on . Jinkx Monsoon made $100,000 for winning season five of RuPaul's Drag Race. It was easier and safer to go look for a size 13 pump in a used store than it was to go into the ladies section. Having an experienced team behind them to cultivate the best deals makes a big difference, obviously.. Some even higher. Go ahead and get that H&M dress or that ASOS jacket and do something with it. (Above: never-before-seen footage of Sasha Velour trying on her faux fur runway outfit in her Brooklyn bathroom before going on the show. She created nearly all of her costumes herself, along with the help of some friends. The incident brought long-simmering questions up to the surface: What does it actually cost to compete on RuPauls Drag Race? It's just what you do with that in the future that really makes the difference., That said, its probably not the best use of thousands and thousands of dollars if youre not really serious about your drag career. Premiere: May 20, 2022. RELATED: Mark Burnett: Reality TV's $500 Million Winner. RuPaul's Drag Race. The mechanisms of Drag Race make it almost impossible to not spend a fortune. Latrice Royale - $1 million. As we all know, the winners split 50k between them, and the majority of the cast will go on to secure a wealth of sponsorship . As such, the document below was publicly available on World of Wonders website, and that is where I obtained it. The queens came with costumes they'd made themselves and rarely breached the costly pricey of contestants nowadays. Similarly, RuPaul herself openly chastised competitor, Joe Black on the second season of the show's UK spin-off. "I think I spent about $4,000 on the costumes, out of pocket," says season 8 winner Sasha Valor in an interview with In Style, "Thats why on TV, Im not wearing anything custom, whereas thats a huge part of what I do now because I have money from the gigs I can invest back in it.". That is what they did. Photos via VH1, I know a lot of those girls have never sewn before, Tom Fitzgerald said. They also dont know which of the looks on the list will be worn for the all-important runway, and which will be worn for, say, less important acting challenges. (The pandemic decimated live entertainment, including drag performances.) 7PM. And now it's 13 years later, it's won all of these Emmys, it's HD, it's got superstar guest stars. And it got worse. If you've already cut the cord, you can watch . You'll also find other people's insightful takes on reality TV in these pages, too. Bob the Drag Queen, winner of Chi's season, told Vice, "If I went back on Drag Race now, I'd probably be spending $20-40,000." That's an astounding amount seeing as how she only spent around $4,000 her first time around. Together, Bolte and Petersen have also cast unscripted reality shows like "Million Dollar Listing" and "Say . Meet the cast of 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' season 1, including Cheryl Hole, Blu Hydrangea, Crystal, Baga Chipz, and more fabulous British drag queens! I did not spend a lot of money, Bob the Drag Queen, who was crowned the winner of Season 8 in 2016, told VICE. DragCon is big business, BBC reports. But at what cost? With wigs, extravagant costumes, and mountain piles of makeup, the price to go on the show could be as costly as four to five figures! I spent more on this competition than I did on college, Cracker replies solemnly, and a moment of silence falls over both queens. What Prize Does The RuPaul's Drag Race UK Winner Get? Series 2 (2016) was won by Nick Cummings and Ayo Adesina who took 50k each. 59 votes, 46 comments. How Much Do The Contestants On RuPaul's Drag Race Make Per Episode. Ru has always had a soft spot for those girls., Still, it isnt necessarily fun to be the broke but charming queen who is regularly in the bottom because of her runways. I mean, it was just hard.. Just like the UK show, the Chasers are hired talent from their respective production company/networks. Trans women and queer men couldnt walk into a department store and buy dresses. A post shared by RuPaul's DragCon (@rupaulsdragcon). RuPaul's Drag Race contestants, . A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. (Bob said she and Derrick have talked about it and are cool now.), Monique Heart pointed out that young queens of color dont always have the kind of community support that allows them to embrace activities like, say, reading Vogue or playing with makeup while they are still in high school. Up until the 80s and the 90s, drag queens essentially dressed in vintage clothing, Fitzgerald told VICE. Sasha Velour said she spent $4,000 for her looks, half of which she had in savings, and half of which her father loaned her. Like, my asshole is collateral against a loan, my asshole is in a bank vault somewhere, Miz Cracker on RuPaul's Drag Race Untucked. During casting for season eight, the process required applicants to sign this contract before they even filled out the application or uploaded a video. After being on Drag Race, When touring, recording, merchandise and endorsements are factored in, top queens are earning in the low to mid-six figures annually,Jacob Slane, Partner and Associate Manager atProducer Entertainment Group(PEG) told Billboard. I dont want to see any (f'n) H&M!". Season 10 winner Aquaria told VICE that she doesnt remember exactly what she spent on her wardrobe, but guessed that it was around $5,000. But contestants on Survivormake about $2,500 in the beginning, plus there is a big payout for first, second and third place winners. While we dont know what Season 12s top three queens spent (none could be reached for comment for this article), winner Jaida Essence Hall recently said that she made all but two of her costumes herself. She later competed on All Stars 1 and 4 and on RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-slay . Earlier in the episode, Joe had sung and danced his way through the Eurovision girl-group challenge wearing a pink knee-length dress with a high neck and puffy sleeves. My hand-crafted newsletter is sent most Fridays, and is free! There are typically a couple of design challenges during a given season, wherein queens have to make their looks from scratch on the spot. # . Youll collect some fans along the way if theres something there to fan over, she said. Feb 18 2023. So, the longer they stay in the competition, the more money they will have. I created reality blurred 22 years ago as a place to collect interesting links I found. The current contract may be different, but while the show moved from Logo to VH1, its parent company (Viacom Media Networks) and production company (World of Wonder) have not changed. Meanwhile, it has been widely speculated that the Masked Singer UK judges earn between $250,000 and $500,000 (around 186,000 to 372,000) to appear on the show. how much do drag race contestants get paid uk. The high point for a synthetic would be up to about $1000, Zlotnik said. The grand prize for the third season amounted to $75,000 and then eventually plateaued at handsomely generous $100,000 the season following. A confident, charismatic queen truly can make an Amazon jumpsuit or a thrift store dress look incredible, particularly if the garment feels authentic to the queens overall personality and vision. Copyright @ 2000 to 2022 Reality Blurred LLC and individual contributors, reality TV reviews, news, and analysis since 2000, The Mole behind the scenes: how it was produced, Desi Williams on her DQ, rules, theft, and more: not everything in The Challenge is fair, How The Amazing Race started: an oral history of CBSs first race around the world, interviews with producers and reality stars. RuPaul's Drag Race has become one of the most successful shows on television, but it's not been without its fair share of unresolved scandals. And Drag Race contestants received $400 per episode, according to a contract obtained by Reality Blurred. RuPaul chooses one to continue (shantay you stay), and one to eliminate (sashay away). The glamorous styles showcased in "Drag Race" come at a cost. Nor is not having it., For me, it was [worth it]definitely, 100 percent, Heidi, who recently released GAP, her first single, said. If a contestant enters on the first day and . Unfortunately, the stars of Married at First Sight don't exactly make bank for their time in the marriage experiment no matter how much drama, backlash or wine-throwing comes their way.. MAFS Australia contestants are only paid $150 per day for the show.Source: Nine. That said, everyone I spoke to for this story said that styling and swagger matter a lot to the judges. If I went back on Drag Race now, Id probably be spending $2040,000, she said. Behind the couches is artfully layered backstage detritus: two megaphones, a couple of directors chairs, a ladder, and a neon light shaped like a pair of lips. "If you're a Black girl, that's generally not what's happening.. Craig Revel Horwood has been with the show since its inception in 2004 and started on a salary of 110,000. Photo: Santiago Felipe. She then also won All Stars 7 and was crowned the Queen of All Queens, taking home the . Were looking for Great Britains next superstar. This is no shade to World of Wonder, the amazing team behind Drag Race, but for the past few seasons the prize for winning the show has been a "grand prize of $100,000" -- the most recent winner . White homos tend to know other rich white homos with money or if they dont have money, they know someone who does," Monique said. Cast members are paid $400 per episode for their first season, and their pay increases 5 percent for future seasons: $420 per episode for their second season, $441 for their third, and so on. If an eliminated queen is only shown in a flashback or in the previously on RuPauls Drag Race segment, that does not count as an appearance, so theyre not paid for that episode. Fans can soak up drag glory in September in New York or in Los Angeles in May, . The 22-year-old fashion obsessive has . But its also the case that some of the more affluent girls can also sew (and some broke queens cant), meaning theres no guarantee that a design challenge will favor the people with less money. Which was funny because in the moment, I didn't feel ratchet, or particularly urban or hood. I felt really elegant in this gown with my Afro. At the other end of the spectrum, the glam Jack-in-the-box look Sasha put together for a club kidsinspired runway was fairly cheap. Drag queens are known for stretching a dollar, so, ahead of their . The stakes are just higher., Fitzgerald, Marquez, and many others all agree that drag becoming mainstream is overwhelmingly a good thing. The first season of Drag Race had a grand prize of $25,000. I believe pop culture can both entertain and affect us, and so reality blurred's goal is to amplify the best and hold the worst accountable. Royale made her first Drag Race appearance on season 4, where she was crowned Miss Congeniality. Were looking for Great Britains next superstar. I think I had a month's worth of time between getting the phone call and leaving. This was the case for the late, great Chi Chi DeVayne in Season 8 during an exchange that is fairly representative of these kinds of conversations. In response, Joe stage-whispers, Aiiitch and emmmmm, and then laughs. According to a contract obtained by Reality Blurred, cast members are paid $400 per episode that they appear in. ), It's an unfair playing field, BenDeLaCreme, of Season 6 and All Stars 3, told VICE. September 23rd. or something stupid like that, she said. While she made the vast majority of her costumes herself (with the help of her longtime partner, Johnny Velour), it was a huge effort. I remember we would have to make decisions on like, Oh, are we allowed to get some more rhinestones? What does the winner of 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' receive? But it really gets to the heart and the history of what drag is: You pull it together from what you have. Season 11 winner Yvie Oddlywho was regularly criticized by her fellow contestants for wearing trashtold VICE she spent $14,000 on her famously cheap-looking wardrobe: $2,000 of her own money (all of my bank account), $5,000 that her creative partner put on a credit card, and $7,000 that the bar where she worked sponsored her with. Receiving an invitation to compete on Drag Race is many queens dream come true, but its quickly followed by the reality of the huge logistical challenge ahead. Dont waste my time. And this goes to all of you up here: If it is from H&M, you better glitter the fuck out of it, and make it something special. The UK's fiercest queens are back and coming for us on Ru Paul's Drag Race UK series 3.That's right, the show that got us through week 694682457 of lockdown and delivered a serious dose of much-needed serotonin is back and bigger than ever.. I could tell that, even having spent more money than I had ever even had in my life, everybody else was clearly more expensive, she said. Recently, store-bought costumes have become the biggest fashion faux pas for the judging panel and fans alike. Of course, it's true appearing on the show can boost celebrity and launch careers. Fans can soak up drag glory in September in New York or in Los Angeles in May, CNBC reports.In New York at the Javitz Convention Center, DragCon sold out its first year in 2017, Fenton Bailey, executive producer of RuPauls Drag Race and co-creator of DragCon told CNBC. With that said, as the show continues to see success, the looks become more and more over-the-top and the money spent continues to increase for competitive reasons. I was like, If they eliminate me early, maybe I can return it, and I won't have rented it for so many days. RuPaul may very well be many queens fairy dragmotheras she truly is a star-maker. The larger industry is just starting to catch up and see the entertainment value and commercial value of these artists, Slane added. During some episodes of Drag Race, contestants win vacations and gowns. The top 10 richest drag queens in 2022. Mama Ru has an invitation for you. How contestants prepare to go on Drag Race, How much money contestants are actually spending on a season of Drag Race, What happens to queens careers after Drag Race, Money isnt a panacea on RuPauls Drag Race. reality blurredis regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews ofreality TV showsincluding Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Mole, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, Top Chef, Holey Moley, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, and many more. This you dont need money ethos shows up a lot on Drag Race, despite the fact that you very obviously do need money to go on the show. For 12 runway looks, thats $5,400. On May 1, 2009, the casting website for the series opened, allowing prospective contestants to create user profiles and upload videos of themselves to be voted on by viewers; the applicant collecting the most votes being invited to become a contestant of the second season. Stars like Bianca Del Rio have seen brand partnerships and touring opportunities as a result of their earned celebrity. I spent close to $20,000 just on supplies, fabrics, and wigs and designers and whatnot, and didnt win! ET and 2:45 p.m. PT . After stunning us with that international all stars season, 2022 gives us another long-awaited first . The contract also notes that any appearances after the first season come with a 5% raise. In the years since it began airing, RuPauls Drag Race has become a cultural juggernaut, with numerous spin-offs and international editions. Indisputably one of the most recognisable drag queens in the country, The Vivienne shot to fame in 2019 when she won the inaugural series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, and last year held her own against some of the US franchise's most popular champions for an All Stars series that had fans . My waist in a corset is about three inches lower than the average female waist placement. Additionally, for the first time in the history of drag race, the runner-up will also receive $50,000 cash prize, powered by Cash App. OBSESSED with the fact that there's no cash prize for Drag Race UK, just the WOWPresents series that most US queens get just for showing up Lex (@lexfirth) October 3, 2019 Now drag artists are cutting albums, selling serious merch, being signed to ad campaigns and movie deals. In series 3 (2018), there were four winners - Daniel Murphy, Joseph Appleton, father and son Bob and Alex . Here is a look at the wealthiest drag queens in 2022 and their estimated net worth. A confident, charismatic queen truly can make an Amazon jumpsuit or a thrift store dress look incredible, particularly if the garment feels authentic to the queens overall personality and vision. With its nineteen Primetime Emmy awards - including four consecutive wins for Outstanding Competition Program - and it's seven international spin off shows, RuPaul Charles has cultivated a new mold of entertainment with this cultural phenomenon. And now it's 13 years later, it's won all of these Emmys, it's HD, it's got superstar guest stars. The first mermaid looks like she loves Lush bath bombs and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, and can usually be found swimming around in the waters of Paramus, NJ: A gold headpiece decorated with larger-than-life pearls keeps her flowing, cotton candy colored hair off her face, so her hot pink eyebrows, thick black eyelashes, and fuschia mouth are fully visible as she speaks. I've already packed all my bags, I'm already here.. . But despite the number of pricey designer looks on the runway each week, its not really accurate to say that someone can simply buy themself a win (or even a better-than-average run) on Drag Race. Miss Peppermint made her Broadway debut and was part of the 2021 Inauguration entertainment lineup. The peach-colored plastic flower necklace she is wearing ends a couple of inches above her absolutely enormous cleavage, which is nestled in the bejeweled bra of a pop star. Two mermaids are lounging, tails and all, on the kind of boxy, nondescript gray couches youd find in the office of a small startup. Heart appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10, finishing in eighth place, and was a finalist on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 4. Many self-fund new projects (like tours, comedy specials, and music videos), and do a big post-show glow-up, appearing at meet-and-greets with better wardrobes and wigs, and, occasionally, new teeth. Winning a maxi challenge now nets a $5,000 cash prize, but that only began in Season 12 in 2020; before that, it was gift certificates for wigs and jewelry, and, eventually, in Season 11, nice vacations. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. . Be there. (Alaska and Trixie Mattel were both wearing BobbiePinz wigs when they were crowned on their respective seasons of All Stars.) If anything, I'm going to break it in a day. Contestants on Idol earn a weekly $450 stipend. Read Next: 15 Secrets You Didn't Know About RuPaul's Drag Race, Source: Mic,In Style, Vice, Showbiz Cheatsheet. That's an astounding amount seeing as how she only spent around $4,000 her first time around. Though the pressure of looking like a million bucks weighs on each queen that walks into the competition, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity cajoles competitors to readily dig into their savings. And regardless of what a Black queen wears or how she presents herself, she might not be viewed as elevated or expensive., I was called ratchet on the show, famously by Michelle and Derrick, Bobwho, to be clear, does not do ratchet (or banjee) dragsaid. Drag race also pays for their hotel and airfare while they're touring for the show. Theres a clause that allows for filming to take place in contestants homes or elsewhere, and the language allows producers to enter and occupy their home or business and place cameras and other recording devices. If a contestant doesnt control a location, they agree tohelp producers get permission. DeLa said that contestants often spend money on details that feel important or high-end, but that dont necessarily give them much bang for their buck. had been forced to sell all of his costumes, Legendary Children: The First Decade of RuPaul's Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life, Faux Fur Fabulous Russian-inspired runway look, medieval tapestryinspired look topped with a bloody horn, a reality show about her Dallas dance studio, was part of the 2021 Inauguration entertainment lineup, 'RHOP' and the Hypocrisy of 'Your Behavior Is Bad for Black Women', she walked around the East Village asking people for money while wearing literal trash as a drag costume, who recently released GAP, her first single, The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People. She also said that shed been setting aside money in the hopes of getting on the show, but that her savings was not a lot. Not every reality show contestant earns asalary. On "Big Brother," for example, Page Six reports competitors getting $1,000 per week of filming. (See also: the avant garde hooded dress Utica made out of a sleeping bag for a design challenge.) "I spent $2,000 on an alpaca wool suit that is so deeply impractical, and I wear it all the time." The contestants also have to prepare looks for the entire season knowing that if they get eliminated early, the outfits wont see the light of day. Andy Dehnart is the creator of reality blurred and a writer and teacher who obsessively and critically covers reality TV and unscripted entertainment, focusing on how its made and what it means. Every time you travel somewhere, you're spending money; every time you plan a new show, anytime you go to a DragCon or somethingeverywhere you go, everything you do, you are spending money., Yvie Oddly wearing an outfit to DragCon that led to fan backlash. 'The auditions are the worst'. The collection of legal documents is 51 pages long, and includes background check and medical release forms, plus basic rules. Some of it just comes down to taste, Branman said, pointing to Season 13s Utica as a recent example of someone whos got it. Prize money is a big deal for a reality/competition show, and it's possibly the biggest deal on RuPaul's Drag Race. Johnny and I didn't sleep for two weeks, she said. This competition. the first mermaid, who goes by the name Miz Cracker, is saying. Its also what makes it impossible to wear stuff off the rack., Bob the Drag Queen at DragCon UK. Yvie isnt the only contestant to turn to others for help funding her wardrobe. Heidi N. Closet makes her entrance on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12. These should, in theory, level the playing field a bit, and benefit the DIYers in the group.