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WHO'S ROOTING FOR VIOLET CHACHKI?
Jinkx Monsoon, Bianca Del Rio, Bob the Drag Queen, and...Violet Chachki? One of these queens is not like the others. As I try to analyze the commonalities and winning traits of different season winners, I have a hard time coming up with either for Violet Chachki. Particularly if you think of the first few seasons separately from the more recent ones, as I often do, Violet’s place among the other winners puzzles me. I can see what RuPaul says he values in the other three (Jinkx, Bianca, and Bob) but not in Violet.
Let me begin by comparing sheer likability of these queens. Jinkx, the lovable narcoleptic underdog-esque queen that took the competition by storm. Especially after being attacked by Roxxxy Andrews in the final episodes, it was difficult not to want to see her win. Bianca’s bizarrely endearing hateful nature, razor sharp wit, and flawless sewing skills made her seem so clearly deserving of the win, and even though she entered the competition an established professional, we still saw character development and growth. Bob the Drag Queen won over both viewers and his competition alike with his charisma and wit, and while he was confident in his drag and ability to slay the competitions, he still brought a dose of humility, a willingness to laugh at himself, and definitely a desire to grow and improve.
And then there’s Violet Chachki. In her time on the show, I could never understand just what it was that people liked about her. From what I’ve seen online from her fans (especially on reddit) people are most drawn to her eye for fashion and distinctive style. Fans say, “...she's one of the most fashion-talented queens on the show EVER.” and praise her looks as “Best fashion/runway in all seven seasons”.
Personally, I don’t see her mildly impressive visual aesthetic to be a substitute for a personality.
What she’s got in Talent is outweighed by what she’s missing in Charisma, Uniqueness, and Nerve. On the show she is often very blunt towards the other queens. Granted, she’s a drag queen, this shouldn’t be out of the ordinary that she’d be a little rude. However the difference that I find is that she’s not funny in doing so. No, I’m not talking about the fact that she’s not a comedy queen and the other 3 are. In the competition, the way she interacts with her fellow queens is often very rude, but without the appeal of sarcasm.
Another aspect to detract from any likability is that she does not showcase any humility or willingness to admit there is room for improvement. Confidence is a good thing to have, especially in this competition, and it’s certainly an uphill battle for queens who don’t have it. However, I think it can be difficult to relate to someone who carries themselves as if they have no flaws.
Maybe that’s what it comes down to when I think about the difference in likability in these 4 queens. I can relate to the others, as they seem like real people who work very hard and believe in their ability to succeed, yet also stumble, cry, learn, and laugh. Maybe it has to do with RuPaul’s oft-referenced vulnerability. I just don’t see that from Violet Chachki. The laughing, stumbling, or learning is missing, and while polish is nice, it leaves little room for an audience to relate. To address the most obvious difference between Violet and the other winners, comedy, maybe that’s tied in with these same characteristics that we don’t see from Violet. Doesn’t comedy involve a certain element of vulnerability? Maybe this is why Violet doesn’t emphasize comedy in her drag. Or maybe she’s just not funny. Either way, we see little in the way of vulnerability when it comes to Violet. The show and RuPaul emphasize the importance of this and there are plenty of opportunities for queens to be open and reveal something about themselves. These moments are often the ones that allow us to really connect with and relate to the contestants. We never get this from Violet throughout the season. Violet’s unwillingness to open herself up to show any flaws perhaps comes from the same part of herself that doesn’t allow herself to be funny. At the end of the day, it is certainly a big part of what sets her apart from the other winners of the past 4 seasons of Drag Race. I guess I still don’t know who’s rooting for Violet Chachki, but I sure know it’s not me.
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