Shady Politics

"Shady Politics" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Vivica A. Fox and Thomas Roberts are guest judges.

Episode


For the mini-challenge, contestants guess whether members of the Pit Crew prefer a bed's top or bottom bunk. Derrick Barry wins the mini-challenge.

The main challenge has contestants in pairs create political ad campaigns. The pairs are Bob the Drag Queen with Derrick Barry, Chi Chi DeVayne with Thorgy Thor, and Kim Chi and Naomi Smalls.

The runway category is "black and white film realness". Vivica A. Fox and Thomas Roberts are guest judges. Bob the Drag Queen and Derrick Barry win the main challenge. Chi Chi DeVayne with Thorgy Thor place in the bottom and lip-sync to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" by Jennifer Holliday. Thorgy Thor is eliminated from the competition.

Reception
Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B'. Charlie Grey included the main challenge in Queerty 2021 list of the show's five funniest political moments. The episode's lip-sync is considered among the show's by various media outlets,  as well as Angeria Paris VanMicheals. In Magazine said, "It was full of passion, and raw emotion. Chi Chi tore apart the cascading beads on the back of her dress, sending them flying all over the stage. The drama of it all was spectacular and will remain one of the most memorable lip syncs in the show’s herstory." Billboard ranked the lip-sync thirteenth in 2018.