It goes without saying thatRuPaul’s Drag Raceredefined the relationship between drag and the mainstream. And while thereality competition seriesshowcases the incomparable talents of its performers, their appearances on the show are entangled in the high-stakes structure of the format. For those needing a reprieve from the high-pressure nature ofRPDR, there is Hulu’s new seriesDrag Me to Dinner. UnlikeDrag Race,Drag Me to Dinnermocks the former’s format with a faux contest where two pairs of drag queens “compete” to throw the best dinner party. The parties, which are really campy sketches, are humorously assessed by the show’s panel of “judgers”:Neil Patrick Harris,Bianca Del Rio,Haneefah Wood,David Burtka, and hostMurray Hill. By sending up the conventions of competition television while showcasing the immense talents of its contestants,Drag Me to Dinneris the perfect low-stakes complement toDrag Race.
‘Drag Me to Dinner’ Sends up Reality Competition Conventions
As with most reality competition shows,Drag Me to Dinnerfeatures interview introductions to the contestants at the beginning of each episode. Rather than attempt to create any sort of empathetic response in the viewer that motivates the audience to root for the contestant, as is the goal of most contestant packages, these introductions simply serve as a vehicle for the pairs of queens to banter with one another. For example, whenJaida Essence HallandHeidi N Closetintroduce themselves as sisters in the eighth episode, “Slumber Party,” Hall says, “She says, ‘sister,’ I say, ‘bully.’” Closet responds, “I can’t bully you—look at your shoulders.” From the beginning of each episode’s competition, then, there is a break from the competition structure’s expected sincerity.
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Since the competition’s structure is dependent on a grand prize for the show’s winner,Drag Me to Dinnermocks this convention by having the queens compete for a meaningless trophy. Each episode ends with one pair of queens “winning” the Golden Grater, a gold-painted cheese grater given to the team that is greater than the other. Additionally, when Hill introduces the prizes the queens are competing for each week, he lists a series of nonsensical items that, though depicted in a showcase-style montage, are never mentioned when the Golden Grater is bestowed on a pair of queens. These prizes, such as a Cher-cuterie board, eau de Harry Styles, and 55 gallons of lube, are, therefore, just presented for the amusement of the audience.
No competition series would be complete without the challenge that requires the contestants to compete against one another.Drag Me to Dinnerlaughs in the face of these challenges by having the queens throw faux dinner parties. Each pair is given ninety minutes to determine a sub-theme, create a menu, decorate a room, prepare entertainment, mix a signature cocktail, and cook all the food. Now, anyone who has ever done any single thing knows it is physically impossible to do all these things in an hour and a half. The show jokingly plays with the time constraints by having Hill shout out their remaining time, introducing an obstacle if the queens lose a trivia question (in the form of the bumbling Sue Chef, who is Burtka in drag), and having the queens absolutely destroy their meals as they cook them. For instance, while making their pork crown roast in “Whoring 20s,” the second episode,Trinity the TuckandBeBe Zahara Benetdrop eggs, shells and all, into a blender. When Trinity pours the blender’s contents over the roast, the blade cutter falls into the pan with the sauce, and Trinity leaves it in the pan to cook. By mocking the challenge which structures the competition itself,Drag Me to Dinnerlaughs at the high stakes of other reality competitions.
‘Drag Me to Dinner’s Self-Reflexivity Makes It Clear There Is Nothing Serious Here
Even if a viewer was somehow to take the show’s competition at face value,Drag Me to Dinnermakes sure to punctuate its lack of seriousness by laughing at its own production. In the first episode, “Tropical Kiki,” the judgers attend a party hosted byJinkx MonsoonandBenDeLaCreme. When the judgers discuss their sandcastle cake, David Burtka asks, “It’s edible on this island?” Monsoon begins her response, “Anything’s edible,” but as she delivers her punchline, “If you try hard enough,” BenDeLaCreme simultaneously says, “If you put it in your mouth and eat it.” Monsoon looks at BenDeLaCreme and asks, “Should we do that again and not talk over each other?” When Monsoon delivers the line a second time, neither queen delivers a punchline, which prompts character-breaking laughter from the cast.
If, by some stretch of the imagination, a viewer was to take this moment as just part of the improv process, the show goes even further to self-reflexively demonstrate its own inauthenticity. In the fifth episode, “Divorce Party,” queensLatrice RoyaleandManila Luzonhost a divorce-themed dinner. When Wood asks the queens to give her the recipe for their lemon pepper chicken, Luzon responds, “Well, you can watch Hulu onDrag Me to Dinner,and you can get the recipe there.” After a cut, a producer interjects to ask the performers to try the lines again. In the shot with the producer, the set, cameras, and crew are all visible. A cut back to the dinner sketch finds Wood and Luzon once again trying to complete their banter, but again a producer interjects. Luzon continues to deliver her line with the cast laughing, work shopping the joke, and commenting on how long they have been trying to get this shot. By revealing—and reveling in—the show’s own construction as a show,Drag Me to Dinnerdistances the audience from any sense that what is on-screen is to be taken seriously.
‘Drag Me to Dinner’ Is a Showcase for Camp Drag Talent
The only thing that can be taken seriously aboutDrag Me to Dinneris the talent of the drag cast. The show serves as a showcase for camp drag through the queens’ witty humor, over-the-top aesthetics, and entertainment prowess, all without thetension-filled fighting ofDrag Race. For fans ofDrag Race,Drag Me to Dinneris filled withRPDRalumni, from original winner Benet to walking memes likeVanessa “Ms. Vanjie” Mateo. The cast is especially timely because several ofDrag Me to Dinner’s queens are also competing on the currently streaming eighth season ofRuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars. For queens likeMrs. Kasha DavisandDarienne Lake,Drag Me to Dinnerhighlights their campy comedic chops rather than situate them as early eliminations, as done inAll-Stars. Additionally, whereasAll-Stars’ high stakes and high pressure led to Closet’s withdrawal from the competition, she gets the chance to buoyantly light up the screen, stress-free, inDrag Me to Dinner.
Beyond theDrag Racealumni,Drag Me to Dinneralso gives a platform to iconic non-Drag Raceperformers likePeaches Christ, the lateHeklina, and, perhaps most importantly, host Murray Hill. WhereasDrag Raceexcludes drag kings from the stage,Drag Me to Dinnerputs Hill front and center for each episode. By showcasing a diverse array of drag talent without forcing them to actually compete for recognition and money, and through its sending up of reality competition conventions,Drag Me to Dinneris the perfect representation of drag as pure entertainment.
