The DESPY Awards

"The DESPY Awards" is the fifth episode of the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on March 30, 2015. Isaac Mizrahi is a guest judge. Kathy Griffin also makes a guest appearance to coach the contestants for the main challenge.

Episode
For the mini-challenge, contestants are tasked with creating replicas of red carpet looks from paper, in teams of two. Ginger Minj and Kandy Ho create a version of Lil' Kim's purple pasty look from the MTV Video Music Awards in 1999, Jaidynn Diore Fierce and Kennedy Davenport recreate Lady Gaga's meat dress, and Miss Fame and Violet Chachki replicated Jennifer Lopez's green Versace dress. Katya wears a version of Bjork's swan dress as Mrs. Kasha Davis impersonates Joan Rivers, and Max (channeling Cher) and Pearl create a Bob Mackie-inspired outfit. Katya and Mrs. Kasha Davis are declared the winners of the mini-challenge.

For the main challenge, contestants present at the DESPY Awards. Katya and Mrs. Kasha Davis are co-hosts, and the remaining contestants are presenters and award nominees.

Isaac Mizrahi is a guest judge. Kandy Ho and Mrs. Kasha Davis placed in the bottom two and face off in a lip-sync to "Lovergirl" (1984) by Teena Marie. Mrs. Kasha Davis is eliminated from the competition.

Production
The episode originally aired on March 30, 2015.

Griffin was previously a guest judge on "Born Naked", the first episode of Drag Race seventh season. Mizrahi was later a guest judge on the season 16 episode "The Mother of All Balls" (2024).

Reception
Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B-'.