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RuPaul Brings The Drag Race To Canada

Tv and Film

RuPaul Brings The Drag Race To Canada

What’s that you say? The Stanley Cup playoffs will begin in July before RuPaul ever brings the Drag Race to Canada. 

Well, guess what? They’re both about to happen. 

As the NHL continues preparations for its COVID-19 pandemic return to play format that will see 24 teams ultimately in competition to determine a Stanley Cup champion, Canada will get its first taste of RuPaul’s Drag Race. 

Well, at least the first up close and personal sampling, that is. 

RuPaul’s Drag Race just completed its 12th season in the USA on Logo TV and VH1. It’s the highest-rated program on Logo TV. The show airs worldwide, including such locales as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Israel.

Canada’s Drag Race, a spinoff of RuPaul’s successful show, is being produced by the Toronto-based Blue Ant Studios. 

The first episode will air July 2nd on Crave and OutTV. Both of those Bell Media stations also carry the original American version of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

“This new franchise has my whole-hearted blessing,” RuPaul said in a statement. “Good luck . . . and don’t puck it up!”

This Canadian content was the fourth international version of the Drag Race franchise to be announced. It was preceded by, Drag Race Thailand, The Switch Drag Race in Chile, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Just two months after the unveiling of plans for the Canadian show, Drag Race Australia was also announced.

In other parts of the world, Drag Race Canada will stream on World of Wonder’s WOW Presents Plus.

Canada’s Drag Race will consist of 10 one-hour episodes.

“Canadian drag is world class and we could not be more excited to bring these artists and their stories to Crave,” Blue Ant Studios’ Sam Sniderman told NewNowNext.com. “We are thrilled to be working with WOW on this legendary and game-changing global format.”

RuPaul’s Legacy

RuPaul. Photo by David Shankbone (Wikimedia).

If you’re not familiar with RuPaul’s Drag Race, well girlfriend, what rock have you been living under?

Launched in 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race has captured an audience and brought drag queens in the mainstream. On the show, RuPaul serves as host, coach, and judge.

Each week, contestants partake in a series of challenges. At the end of each episode, one of the drag queens is ordered to abdicate and leave the show until at the end of the competition, one contestant is left standing as the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Where’s RuPaul?

Can it be RuPaul’s Drag Race without RuPaul? Apparently not.

The reason why RuPaul’s name isn’t part of the title for the Canadian version of the show is because RuPaul won’t physically be part of the show. 

The legendary drag queen is recording voiceover narration for the show but won’t be hosting the Canadian episodes. In fact, the show intends to go without a regular host. Instead, some of the judges of the competition will fill various hosting duties.

A number of popular Canadian celebrities will be periodically featured as judges during the show’s 10-week run. Among them are well-known Canadian comedians Tom Green, star of the film Freddie Got Fingered and Mary Walsh, forever remembered as Marg Delahunty, Princess Warrior on This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Drag Race

Canadian actor Elisha Cuthbert and singer Deborah Cox are other celebrity judges to be featured on the show.

“By the power vested in me, I command them to go forth and be my ‘Judge Judys’ of the North,” RuPaul said in a press release. “I have complete confidence in their ability to choose Canada’s first drag superstar!”

Also on the judging panel will be RuPaul Drag Race Season 11 runner-up Brook Lynn Hytes. The stage name of Canadian drag queen Brock Hayhoe of Toronto, this will mark the first time that a competitor in the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise will appear on the judge’s panel on any edition of the show.

Canadian Content

A casting call for the Canadian version of the show was held last year. A dozen contestants made the cut and will be featured on Canada’s Drag Race.

You can place a wager on the outcome, and there are odds available at online sportsbooks. The winner will take home a $100,000 cash prize.

Sports Interaction is listing Tynomi Banks as the 4.00 favorite to be Canada’s Drag Race champion. A world-class drag entertainer, Banks is known as the Dancing Queen of Toronto. Banks was the first drag entertainer to perform in Toronto’s Dundas Square during World Pride 2014.

Anastarzia Anaquway (6.00) is another top contender. Anaquway has won more than 15 pageants including Miss Canada International and Miss Gay Toronto. Anaquway is the reigning Miss Black Continental at Large.

If it’s a price you seek, Jimbo is opening at odds of 15.00. A different type of drag queen than what viewers of RuPaul’s Drag Race might be accustomed to seeing, Jimbo has a background in clowning and incorporates elements of that into drag competitions. As a cabaret performer, Jimbo loves standup and singing and wants to showcase that side of drag, seeking for the audience to find laughter in the uncomfortable.

The longest shot on the board is Priyanka at 15.50. No stranger to being in front of the camera, Priyanka worked as host of a children’s television show before turning to drag full-time. Now Magazine named Priyanka Favorite Toronto Drag Queen in 2019.

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