Damn this is going to be a mess and yes @Trinu 3.0 there is no budget this time around
Drag Race Italia
- Thread starter Vasilios
- Start date
.... the fuck?
Sorry for the double post, here is the official cast:
Ava Hangar: https://www.instagram.com/avahangardrag/?utm_source=ig_embed
Divinity: https://www.instagram.com/divinity_maurizio/?utm_source=ig_embed
Elecktra Bionic: https://www.instagram.com/elecktra_bionic/?utm_source=ig_embed
Enorma Jean: https://www.instagram.com/enorma_jean/?utm_source=ig_embed
Farida Kent: https://www.instagram.com/farida_kant/?utm_source=ig_embed
Ivana Vamp: https://www.instagram.com/ivanavamp/?utm_source=ig_embed
Le Riche: https://www.instagram.com/leriche.dragqueen/?utm_source=ig_embed
LuQuisha LuBamba: https://www.instagram.com/luquishalubamba/?utm_source=ig_embed
Ava Hangar: https://www.instagram.com/avahangardrag/?utm_source=ig_embed
Divinity: https://www.instagram.com/divinity_maurizio/?utm_source=ig_embed
Elecktra Bionic: https://www.instagram.com/elecktra_bionic/?utm_source=ig_embed
Enorma Jean: https://www.instagram.com/enorma_jean/?utm_source=ig_embed
Farida Kent: https://www.instagram.com/farida_kant/?utm_source=ig_embed
Ivana Vamp: https://www.instagram.com/ivanavamp/?utm_source=ig_embed
Le Riche: https://www.instagram.com/leriche.dragqueen/?utm_source=ig_embed
LuQuisha LuBamba: https://www.instagram.com/luquishalubamba/?utm_source=ig_embed
Drag Race Italia premieres Nov. 18 at 6:01 p.m. ET/ 3:01 p.m. PT on WOW Presents Plus
If I'm not worng, 6:01 pm ET Nov 18 is 0:01 Nov 19 in Italy
So, Discovery released the Meet the Queens and a sneak peek of the first episode, which I don't know how to embed here, and... it all looks extremely well-made, if not potentially iconic? The production values, the theatre, the fashion, the camp, the limited Zorzi screen time, the queens being such FUCKING CLOWNS and the awkwardness of some of them speaking like they're mentally translating from English? WHAT!
The show is being heavily promoted on TV and the press alike, and seeing the adverts on the screen feels so surreal and EXCITING! We might be in for something big, at least at the national level. Not this sudden redemption narrative!
The show is being heavily promoted on TV and the press alike, and seeing the adverts on the screen feels so surreal and EXCITING! We might be in for something big, at least at the national level. Not this sudden redemption narrative!
Is it available in Italy? Would you mind to post a link?
They're on the Discovery+ website and related social media accounts!
Oh wow 3 seasons of Drag Race on at the same time. I might wait for UK to finish to start this as I'm struggling with following 2 seasons let alone 3 all at once.
My simple mind can't cope with it.
So? Have you seen episode 1? What do you think?
It's better than what I expected, my only critique is on the last segment of the show, that runaway editing and lighting is a big NO and the fact that they first have the "judges consulting" and then they give out the critiques is strange. Apart from that, very good cast and a great budget (thank God we have in-sponsorship in Italian commercial shows).
One last thing, the winner of Drag Race Italy will win 30k€ + be the face of MAC cosmetics in Italy for one year + will have her own line of make-up with MAC + crown (I'm not sure they say this at the beginning).
I'll comment on the girls later on so I won't spoil this.
It's better than what I expected, my only critique is on the last segment of the show, that runaway editing and lighting is a big NO and the fact that they first have the "judges consulting" and then they give out the critiques is strange. Apart from that, very good cast and a great budget (thank God we have in-sponsorship in Italian commercial shows).
One last thing, the winner of Drag Race Italy will win 30k€ + be the face of MAC cosmetics in Italy for one year + will have her own line of make-up with MAC + crown (I'm not sure they say this at the beginning).
I'll comment on the girls later on so I won't spoil this.
Runway lighting and lack of critiques aside (I honestly thought the Safe group were the Tops/Bottoms), I enjoyed it. The interaction between the Queens was great - both the drama and the more confessional/sharing stuff - and I thought casting-wise they did a good job of representing the peninsula.
I have no idea who the hosts are but thought that Chiara was much more entertaining and more thought out in her critiques than Priscilla.
I have no idea who the hosts are but thought that Chiara was much more entertaining and more thought out in her critiques than Priscilla.
Well, I didn't have this much fun watching an episode of Drag Race since forever, so the episode definitely delivered on that! I found myself smiling stupidly for most of it, maybe because not having to work through the layers of another culture means every stupid little joke, every dumb pop culture reference, every UE UA NO AMO TI PREGO ADORO UI UO hits just right. Chiara Francini's bizarre Tammie-Brown-went-to-drama-school monologues? The Rupaul's Best Friend Race (plus Enorma) vibe in the workroom? Every time Ava Hangar opens her mouth? The gorgeous abundance of regional accents, and Farida especially representing for all us Far Southern Italian faggots and our extremely open vowels? The fucking genius of "nun facit' strunzat'" to translate that one RuPaul-ism (and why aren't all the other RuPaul-isms in napoletano too? It would have been so iconic!)? Cristina D'Avena as a guest judge??? Non-Italians will not grasp the monumentality of "Occhi di gatto" as a lip sync choice.
But there are other aspects of the show that are just... from confusing to straight-up bad. The editing is so odd, for example. I don't understand why the second half of the episode is structured so weirdly, it's almost nonsensical. The runway portion is just atrocious, so uselessly frantic, it doesn't let you focus on a look for more than two seconds. And of course, the complete lack of diversity, which is especially puzzling because most Italian versions of big international talent shows—Masterchef, Bake Off, X Factor and so on—are always much more inclusive in casting. It's true that the world of Italian drag is quite small compared to other scenes though, so options are limited.
But I'm not going to let visible wig lines, one questionable judge, the glamor of other franchises or amateurish editing ruin the fun for me because we need queer representation on TV desperately and our stories being told on a such platform is a victory in itself. I must root for this! There's always Season 2 to be perfect etc.
But there are other aspects of the show that are just... from confusing to straight-up bad. The editing is so odd, for example. I don't understand why the second half of the episode is structured so weirdly, it's almost nonsensical. The runway portion is just atrocious, so uselessly frantic, it doesn't let you focus on a look for more than two seconds. And of course, the complete lack of diversity, which is especially puzzling because most Italian versions of big international talent shows—Masterchef, Bake Off, X Factor and so on—are always much more inclusive in casting. It's true that the world of Italian drag is quite small compared to other scenes though, so options are limited.
But I'm not going to let visible wig lines, one questionable judge, the glamor of other franchises or amateurish editing ruin the fun for me because we need queer representation on TV desperately and our stories being told on a such platform is a victory in itself. I must root for this! There's always Season 2 to be perfect etc.
She/Her/Queen
That mess of an elimination. It just fell flat and was very unnecessary.
The drama during the “Untucked” was it that serious? Maybe something was lost in translation? But it seemed like the girls were giving drama for the sake of it.
Them loving and fawning over Ivana’s look. I-
The lip sync’s song Google translate lyrics, can someone do a better job? Or is it supposed to be vague?
The drama during the “Untucked” was it that serious? Maybe something was lost in translation? But it seemed like the girls were giving drama for the sake of it.
Them loving and fawning over Ivana’s look. I-
The lip sync’s song Google translate lyrics, can someone do a better job? Or is it supposed to be vague?
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He/Him
This worked out a lot better than I imagined. The queens speaking over themselves, raising their tone as if it were Sunday lunch at my grandma's. An actual funny mini challenge. Divinity being a sack of pettiness and jealousy. Luquisha giving budget Conchita Wurst. Enorma's teeth. Half the cast having a sob story in the first episode. "Valentinity". The amount of times "pazzescahhh" gets thrown around. All the "amoooo, adoroooo"s. Dialects being showcased. Ivana Vamp randomly singing opera in the confessionals. I was entertained from start to finish.
I don't agree with the lipsync result, but it's Drag Race so I'm used to it. I'm gonna need at least one lipsync of each: Rita Pavone, Mina, Raffaella Carrà, brazilian icon Corona, Dalida, and I'm sure we're getting Laura sooner or later. Also wonder if it's remotely realistic to expect Myss Keta in any capacity (I'm not from Italy so I don't know how she's perceived). I wonder if Mika is showing up too.
I don't agree with the lipsync result, but it's Drag Race so I'm used to it. I'm gonna need at least one lipsync of each: Rita Pavone, Mina, Raffaella Carrà, brazilian icon Corona, Dalida, and I'm sure we're getting Laura sooner or later. Also wonder if it's remotely realistic to expect Myss Keta in any capacity (I'm not from Italy so I don't know how she's perceived). I wonder if Mika is showing up too.
The song's translation is correct! It's the opening theme of the Italian dub of Cat's Eye, a staple of the rich anime offer on Italian commercial television, and the lyrics refer to the anime's plot, so they make sense in that context. Maybe it was clear from the episode but Cristina D'Avena owes her huge fame and icon status to the countless cartoon theme songs she sang.
As for the drama, it was implied earlier in the episode that Enorma likes to pick fights with other queens and had bad blood with Farida in the past, so the Untucked fight played with that narrative. The queens got mad because Enorma told Divinity to "eat up" her opponent in front of the other girls potentially in the bottom. That's why Ivana and Luquisha said her words were disrespectful and in bad taste. But everyone kept going about Enorma being a loudmouth and an attention whore, so there was probably more to their annoyance that what was shown.
Not sure how spoiler-friendly this thread is supposed to be but at least one of your wishes will come true! Not really a spoiler because the show has already self-spoiled it on Instagram but Tiziano Ferro will make a special appearance. Other big names will cameo or guest-judge as well, although they're legendary locally and unknown to the international audience. That's the trouble, many LGBTQ+ celebrities\allies\reference points who are beloved and cherished here are nobodies abroad while there are big names known internationally who we may see as has-beens, right-wingers, just not that iconic\too iconic for a gig on Discovery+ or a bad fit for a queer show. I'm glad the show has an unmistakable homegrown flavour though. I'm already shaking thinking of what the queens came up with for Snatch Game.