King of Drag is back for its second week and everyone gets a chance to show more of who they are and what they can do. On any competition show, each subsequent episode has less exposition and that’s especially true with a new series.
But this week we do get to start by meeting the kings out of drag. Drag Race really only does this in its final episodes when the queens talk to their younger selves. Here everyone goes around and says their out of drag names and most say their out of drag pronouns. I really appreciated this look at the wide range of people who can be drag kings!
Last week I said Big D was by far the oldest because that’s what he said, but Buck Wylde is almost 50 as well! They’re also both parents and married to men. The show gives them both space to talk about their relationships to gender and performing without trying to put them into easy boxes.
The theme is comedy and Murray’s Somebody Somewhere costar Jeff Hiller is there to coach the kings on improv. The weenie challenge is more of an exercise, one that will be familiar to anyone who did improv in high school. (Dick shares that he briefly did improv in high school to be near a crush which is a gorgeous adolescent experience.) They split into three teams and have to mansplain given topics one word at a time. The kings are not good at this !! As far as I’m concerned, the only king who does this well — listening and injecting comedy — is Big D. But Alexander, Henlo, and Buck Wylde win for at least being relatively in sync.
I don’t mind that the show feels as much like drag king school as it does a competition. An improv game before they have to improv more seriously was nice! Considering how many queens come on Drag Race All Stars still not being able to sew, a mini challenge crash course could probably serve them well. Teacher Jeff gives some key comedy advice: Don’t let the audience know when you screw up.
The beefy challenge this week is The Dong Show, a talent show where the kings have to do their talents while doing celebrity impersonations. They get two hours to prepare — a whole half hour more than last week!
Earlier Perka talks about being autistic, and this whole episode he seems very overwhelmed and insecure. He was an immediate favorite for me, but I fear his anxieties might get the best of him in this competition. Meanwhile, Dick has chilled out a bit since last week and I like him a lot more. And speaking of anxiety, Murray shares with Charles that the way he used to conquer stage fright was to engage directly with the audience.
We also get some moments of Dick talking about sobriety, Pressure K talking about having PCOS, and Buck talking about attending Catholic school.
Joining Jeff and the regular judges — Tenderoni, Sasha Velour, and Wang Newton — is another Somebody Somewhere costar Bridget Everett!
The celebrity impressions are Buck as the devil, Big D as Sylvester Stallone, Dick as Steve Irwin, Henlo as Jack Black, Molasses as Ira Glass, Charles as Nosferatu, Perka as Steve Urkel, Alexander as Justin Bieber, and Pressure K as Rick Ross. They all start off talking to Murray and then one by one do their performances followed by some questions from the judges.
Buck struggles and I think part of it is doing something like the devil is really hard. I get the appeal if impressions aren’t your thing, but I think we’ve learned from Drag Race that abstract impressions are even harder. Alexander has the look and is talented at dancing but there’s just no humor. Big D as Stallone trying to fold a fitted sheet is very funny but here’s where I nitpick… it bothers me when people do celebrity impressions but are just impersonating one of their characters. Stallone is not Rocky Balboa! If you’re impersonating Rocky then be Rocky! Henlo has the same problem! Playing the trombone with his feet was impressive but he was very specifically doing School of Rock which wasn’t even necessary because Jack Black was in a band.
Dick was one of the standouts especially with the improv. I thought they could’ve incorporated the brass instruments into their performance and a bit more organically but the banter with Murray and the judges was sharp. And then there’s Molasses. I’m curious how many of the kings are jealous, how many are horny, and how many are both. Ira Glass is such a funny choice for Molasses and also very smart because Glass talks so slowly that it allowed Molasses whose strength isn’t improv to have time to respond well. Also he did push ups! In a sleeveless shirt! I asked for horny and I got it.
I thought Charles as Nosferatu was so funny. His recitation of “What Does the Fox Say” as a poem wasn’t maybe the best choice for the character, but all his improv moments killed me. I also thought Pressure K was great as Rick Ross and his ribbon performance was very funny.
Sadly, Perka struggles a lot. Mostly because he changes from Urkel into Sonic which was baffling until he later explains that’s because Jaleel White voiced Sonic something he thought was common knowledge. Alas not for me or the judges! And once the joke didn’t land, his insecurity got the best of him and he kind of fell apart.
Charles, Pressure K, and Henlo are all safe. The tops are Big D, Dick, and Molasses. The bottoms are Buck, Alexander, and Perka. I thought the win would go to Dick to spread the love, but nope Molasses was the clear winner and he wins again!
The Final Thrust this week is one minute of stand up. Buck is doing okay but doesn’t time it well so doesn’t get to say his big punchline. Perka does pretty good even if it feels more like a roast than standup. I did think it was funny how everyone groaned when he said being a trans guy and a drag king have a lot in common since people call both male impersonation. Let the trans guy make a joke! Don’t groan to prove your ally bonafides!
With a four to one vote, Perka is saved and Buck says goodbye. Now I just need Perka to get some confidence!
Showbiz! Here are some random thoughts:
+ I didn’t mention this last time but the opening credits are really fun. My screener doesn’t have finished credits but I want to look up who designed them.
+ Alexander says he wants to save more of his talents for later in the competition and no that’s a bad idea! Give it all from the top!
+ Jeff says that Rocky didn’t win and Big D says yes he did and Jeff admits to not having seen Rocky. But Jeff was right?? In the first Rocky, he does not win!
+ I appreciate the standard of drag Sasha is holding them to as a judge. Even though Big D was in the top, she critiques him for his beard falling off.
+ King I’m rooting for: Molasses (even though he does not need it)
+ King I’m horniest for: Molasses
+ King I want to appreciate himself more: Perka
I met Mo at a Juneteenth Blsck burlesque revue, they were very sweet and hawt