‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Crowns Season 12 Winner (Video)
Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode and Jaida Essence Hall lip sync for the crown from home
Reid Nakamura | May 29, 2020 @ 6:33 PM
Last Updated: May 30, 2020 @ 10:55 AM
(Warning: This post contains spoilers for Friday’s finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” crowned its Season 12 winner on Friday, capping off the season with a remotely filmed finale.
Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode and Jaida Essence Hall were the three finalists vying for prize and the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar in a series of at-home lip syncs, testing their ability to put on a show under any circumstances. The queens were challenged to prepare three performances: a close-up lip sync using just their faces, a solo in the homes where they’re quarantined, and a final lip sync for the crown.
Ultimately, Jaida Essence Hall came out on top, besting the other two queens with her final performance of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” and walking away as the winner of Season 12.
Elsewhere in the finale, Heidi N Closet was named Season 12’s Miss Congeniality when last season’s recipient, Nina West, showed up to reveal the results of the cast vote. All the queens who participated in the virtual finale were also surprised with a $2,000 cash tip for their efforts.
The at-home finale put a cap on what was already an unusual season. A fourth queen, Sherry Pie, was also supposed to vie for the crown in the finale but was disqualified after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced earlier this year.
Back in March, five men came forward saying that Joey Gugliemelli (Sherry Pie’s non-drag name) had tricked them into recording “embarrassing audition tapes of themselves saying and doing degrading things” by posing as a casting director named Allison Mossie. At the time, all episodes except the finale and last week’s reunion had already been filmed and Sherry Pie’s place in the top four had been solidified, forcing the show to edit around a disqualified queen for an entire season.
The only reference to Sherry Pie in either the finale or the reunion was an oblique joke about the number of queens on the season in the reunion’s opening number.
Watch Jaida Essence Hall react to winning the crown, above.
'RuPaul's Drag Race': The Most Debatable Winners (Photos)
"RuPaul's Drag Race" -- the long-running reality TV competition that started on Logo and currently airs on VH1 -- has crowned many worthy winners.
These champions were able to channel their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to snatch the crown and title of America's Next Drag superstar.
TheWrap takes a look at some of the more debatable winners from "Drag Race" and its "All-Star" editions. We're not throwing shade at the winners; we just argue that they had fierce -- and sometimes title-worthy -- competition.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Tyra Sanchez over Raven (Season 2)
Tyra was young, beautiful and ambitious, but even she seemed surprised that she bested experienced queen Raven in the Season 2 finale. After her name was announced Tyra collapsed and started hyperventilating.
Tyra courted controversy over the years, and eventually quit drag entirely. Raven went on to far greater success, appearing on the inaugural "All Stars" edition (where she again placed second), hosting the digital Fashion RuView web series, and becoming RuPaul's make-up artist and creative producer on the show.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Raja Gemini over Manila Luzon (Season 3)
Raja -- who previously worked as a make-up artist on "America's Next Top Model" -- was one of the series' first bonafide high fashion queens.
Many thought runner-up Manila Luzon -- who herself had many memorable fashions and great comedic chops -- would've also been a worthy winner. Manila has since become a fan favorite (competing on two seasons of "All Stars") and considers Raja one of her close friends.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Jinkx Monsoon over Ro-Laska-Tox (Season 5)
Jinkx was the sleeper hit of the season; she literally has narcolepsy. She not only stood up to the powerful alliance of Roxxxy Andrews, Alaska and Detox -- the talented trio that made up Ro-Laska-Tox -- but ended up victorious in the end.
Alaska, who was visibly distraught after Jinkx was named the winner, would beat her teammates to win "All Stars" a few years later.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Violet Chachki over well, pretty much everyone else (Season 7)
Season 7 boasted an impressive cast that included pageant pro Kennedy Davenport, theater queen Ginger Minj, and the multi-talented Trixie Mattel and Katya -- all of whom would be deserving winners. But it was burlesque beauty Violet that was the polished gem that outshone the rest.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Bob the Drag Queen over Kim Chi/Naomi Smalls (Season 8)
Runners-up Kim Chi and Naomi Smalls are two of the most fashionable queens to ever grace the main stage, but it was Bob's humor and smarts that won her the crown, even though her looks were perhaps a notch below the competition's.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Sasha Velour over Shea Coulee, Peppermint, and Trinity Taylor (Season 9)
Season 9's final four is arguably the strongest in the show's history. It was the first season "Drag Race" introduced sudden death lip sync. After slaying her good friend Shea in the semi-final with her now-legendary rose petal reveal, Sasha took down the vivacious Peppermint in the final.
Trinity would go on to win "All Stars," and Shea is reportedly part of the next all-star line-up, so they are truly the cream of the crop.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Trixie Mattel over well, everyone else (All Stars 3)
Trixie is an extremely talented and well-liked queen, but her path to victory was secured when frontrunner BenDeLaCreme eliminated herself after winning 4 out of the first 5 challenges. Shangela -- who many predicted to be a finalist -- was left out of the running when a jury of her peers did not vote her into the Top 2.
Shangela has done just fine though, appearing in "A Star Is Born" and the HBO series "We're Here."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Monet X Change and Trinity the Tuck over each other (All Stars 4)
For the first time in "Drag Race" history, RuPaul named co-winners. Both Monet and Trinity appeared surprised by the decision and somewhat shoddily edited finale (the show tapes several endings to keep the results from leaking).
"There's a tie?" Trinity asked in disbelief while watching the finale.
Yeah, we don't quite get it either...
Photo credit: Getty Images
Yvie Oddly over Brooke Lynn Hytes (Season 11)
Conceptual beat out conventional when self-proclaimed oddity Yvie beat out Brooke Lynn, a stunningly polished dancer.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Did the best woman win her season? We debate the winners of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and its “All-Star” editions
"RuPaul's Drag Race" -- the long-running reality TV competition that started on Logo and currently airs on VH1 -- has crowned many worthy winners.
These champions were able to channel their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to snatch the crown and title of America's Next Drag superstar.
TheWrap takes a look at some of the more debatable winners from "Drag Race" and its "All-Star" editions. We're not throwing shade at the winners; we just argue that they had fierce -- and sometimes title-worthy -- competition.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images
