On the Season 14 premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a cast of Queens showed off their skills in RuPaul’s talent show. Catch up on the first werk room entrances, challenges and elimination of this season. Superstar Lizzo is onboard as a guest judge.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Where to Watch RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Episode 1
Beauties, it is the premiere you have all been waiting for. RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) is back with season 14 episode 1, “Big Opening No 1,” kicking off last night and what a big opening it was. The premiere aired on January 7th on VH1 at 8PM ET. You can catch new episodes of the show live on VH1.com/ live or use the VH1.com/Activate link to simply activate the VH1 channel on Apple TV when it airs. If you missed the premiere, no worries, VH1 has the full episode handy in its vault; all you need is a cable subscription.
Meet the Season 14 Cast: The First Werk Room Entrance
We previously invited you to meet the queens in our preview tell-all. But for “Big Opening No 1,” it was the queens’ official debut and everyone sashayed into the werk room serving a variety of looks. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 started with a bang and these initial seven queens did not disappoint.
First to enter the werk room was Alyssa Hunter. She is 26 years old representing Puerto Rico. Her opening words: “Hola. I hope you guys are ready to get slayed because it’s hunting season, bitches.” She graced the stage in a beautiful blue and brown color scheme with furs and a bow and arrow to match.
This 28-year-old contestant is the demon queen of Seattle. Bosco was next to sashay in with a sweet opener, “Alright, let’s get out there today and make a difference.” She was outfitted in a black ensemble with large white polka dots and her signature devil horns. Alyssa had some critical words, comparing her to “an angry Minnie Mouse.”
The bakery was officially open when Kornbread “The Snack” Jete walked in. Her one liner, “Is you hungry, because bitch I’m baked.” She is 29 and looking fine, representing L.A. This queen showed off in black leather, cinched at the waist, with gold hardware and accessories to complete the look.
The baby face from Denver is 26 years old and drag sister of Season 11 winner Yvie Oddly, Willow Pill, was next to work the werk room. Her chosen drag character was a bit of a ditz. Her opening line, “Where am I?” and her all-white look was complete with “angel” written across her bust. Kornbread was quick to comment on Willow’s platform flip-flops, saying, “I think she left her shoes at the hotel.”
Willow was also vocal about her health struggles. She suffers from a rare chronic disease known as cystic fibrosis, a kidney illness that affects her eyes, throat, and muscles. Her treatment necessitates periodic blood tests and a variety of medications, but that doesn't mean you should count her out!
Miss Kerri Colby came to represent. She is 25 years old from the big D, Dallas, Texas. She is proud to be a transgender woman and showed that off in the werk room. She walked in adorned with the transgender flag colors, pink, white and blue. The colors popped in her dress, her hair and her painted face. She set the tone letting everyone know “I have one thing to say, baby - you already know every kiss begins with a K.”
This Floridian came to eat up the competition. She is 29 and, in her own words, aging like fine wine. “Grab a fork ladies, jambalaya is served.” That was the one and only June Jambalaya. She entered in a colorful Emilio Pucci jumpsuit, a beat face and big hoops. Ready to bring that southern savage.
Queen Orion Story was heard before seen. She is a 25 year old queen and the first contestant from Michigan, hoping to bring the crown to new places. She came in with a loud whistle and hamburger phone, dressed in a floral bodysuit and matching headband. Her pretend phone call, “Hello RuPaul, yes we’ve been trying to reach you regarding your car’s extended warranty. Oh perfect, well, I just have one more question for you. Are you ready, boots?”
After 14 seasons, RuPaul is looking for the ultimate queen who will bring charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. Who will that be? First impressions are everything but not everything Mama Ru is judging on. Let’s see who brought the CUNT to their mini challenge.
Mini Challenge: Spinning Wheel Photo Shoot by Albert Sanchez
The alarm blared after only seven queens walked in, signaling a split premiere. Mama Ru came on screen to confirm just that before walking in and welcoming the queens, making the contestants’ dreams come true. The competition was off to the races, setting up for one of the first seven girls to be eliminated before the others are even introduced.
The first mini-challenge was a freaky photoshoot. Each contestant was asked to serve face while strapped to a spinning wheel. Celebrity photographer Albert Sanchez was there to make the magic happen. Hair flew, skirts flipped over but each girl delivered a stunning shoot. Kerri Colby however was the most stunning according to Mama Ru and won the challenge along with its cash prize.
With Kerri Colby in the lead, the other queens have to step their game up to have any chance. She is sure serving and if she can keep up that momentum, she can potentially win it all.
Lizzo Judges Episode 1’s CNT Talent Show
For the main challenge, it was time for each contestant to show off their skills in RuPaul’s CNT (charisma, nerve, talent) show. As the girls prepared in the werk room they got to see each other out of drag for the first time. Alyssa was quickly dubbed the hot Latin, while others thought Willow didn’t look old enough to be on the show. The ladies also got a chance to meet guest judge and superstar Lizzo. She fired up the girls, bringing life to the werk room.
Mama Ru started off the talent show with her opening number, performing her new song “Catwalk” and giving the queens a hard act to follow. June was first up, executing an African dance with lots of energy, finishing with an impressive split. Bosco was next, peeling back her flower dress petal by petal for her burlesque number until only glitter nipple covers and a final flower between her cheeks was left.
Alyssa gave a unique performance of “Mayhem” by Halestorm, lip syncing with a rocker guitar accompaniment. Kerri also did some lipsyncing to Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” before showing off her jump rope skills with speed, kicks and a finishing split. To bring a few laughs, Orion delivered a comedy sketch, a vulgar aerobic session parody complete with a cigarette in her mouth. Kornbread came in hot with an original song. She lipsynced on beat, adding some comedic flare with her dance moves and we can’t forget about her chicken wing necklace.
Last but not least Willow gave a chaotic comedic sketch. She took a sip and a few bites of her dinner, then threw the wine, spaghetti and meatballs, bread and then a toaster in a tub before diving in herself. Her delivery combination of lipsyncing and dance moves added humor to the horror.
Willow Pill’s performance was an ode to her chronic illness cystinosis. It is a kidney disease that causes issues in her eye, throat and muscles. A lot of Willow Pill’s drag is tied to her cystinosis, using drag to express and break out from the darkness her chronic illness has caused her. Willow’s performance was truly inspirational and she is proving to those fighting chronic illness that there is light in the darkness.
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Episode 1 Runway Challenge
After the CNT show, each girl walked the runway in her desired look. June was in a glittery jumpsuit with trains on each shoulder. The devil was back in a sparkly black and Bosco completed the look with horns. Alyssa gave us her feather lady fantasy with an ostrich feather hat, umbrella and dress. Kerri pulled out the fur coat and this one had lion faces on each shoulder. Beneath was a pop of pink K’s. Uniquest of all, Orion came out in a mushroom cape stripping it off to reveal three fashioned boobs. It was glitter galore from head to toe with Kornbread’s dress and headscarf. Willow was last to sashay in a color block blue and green two-piece ensemble.
As their second look of the night, it was really the queens’ chance to show up and show out. Those who failed to rise to the occasion would be at the bottom of Mama Ru’s heel. The judges had a tough choice ahead of them and Lizzo aided in slimming down the competition, but RuPaul had the final say.
Who Was the First Queen Eliminated?
Each queen gave beautiful looks and braved the stage to deliver top talent. But one had to go home and be the first eliminated in season 14. Bosco and Willow were the first to be saved. Yet queen Kornbread snatched the main challenge, winning the “Big Opening No 1” maxi challenge of the CNT talent show along with $5,000. RuPaul then saved Kerri and Alyssa, leaving June and Orion to battle it out. The bottom two queens had to perform Lizzo’s “Water Me” as the singer watched from the judge’s seat. It was season 14’s first lip sync battle. The competition was fierce, both queens working the stage and executing the song as if it were their own. However, Mama Ru ultimately sent Orion Story sashaying away.
Watch New Episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14
Part 2 of the premiere continues next week January 14 at 8PM ET on VH1. Catch up on RPDR season 14 episode 1 “Big Opening No 1” with the full episode on VH1’s website.