Note: This story contains spoilers from the “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 9 finale.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 9 came to a close with Friday’s finale, and only one drag queen and her bundle of benefactress badges went home with the $200,000 cash prize for her charity of choice.
In a season with no eliminations, the crown, scepter and spot in the coveted Drag Hall of Fame could have been any of the eight queens’ to claim. In the end, Angeria Paris VanMicheals was crowned the winner, earning the prize money for the National Black Justice Coalition, courtesy of The Palette Fund.
“From the country to the silver screen, I’m officially the All Stars queen!” she exclaimed as she strutted off the stage with her new title after Kylie Sonique Love, All Stars season 6 winner, presented her with the crown and scepter and inducted the queen into the Drag Race Hall of Fame.
Each season of “Drag Race” has its own special twist, and for the charity season host RuPaul Charles decided to be charitable herself — no one went home. Instead the winner was to be determined based on how many “benefactress badges” the queens earned. Badges could be earned through mini and maxi challenges or even from a philanthropic sister.
Ahead of Friday’s finale, Roxxxy Andrews was the frontrunner with five badges with the other girls falling in line behind her.
But there was a twist. The two winners of the “Slay It Forward Variety Extravaganza” would win three badges, giving even the queens in last place (Gottmik, Nina West and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo) with only two badges a chance to win.
Angeria and Vanjie won the talent show maxi challenge. Angeria’s “Park and Bark” number, culminating in a quippy one-liner, “don’t I look rich? you ugly b**ch,” left the judges in stitches. And Vanjie’s leotard dance number, clapping back at resident judge Michelle Visage’s biggest pet peeve, encapsulated the iconic queen’s dry humor and dance talents. Angeria’s badge count went up to six, while Vanjie’s win brought her to five.
Additionally, T.S. Madison came in with another surprise: the double diamond. The queen granted the double diamond would get to double their badges. Another redemptive chance to move ahead on the least competitive season of “Drag Race” to date. Nina West won the All Stars’ version of a Miss Congeniality prize, but it still wasn’t enough to place her in the top three.
Roxxy, Vanjie and Angeria took the stage for their final lip sync for the crown to Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation,” with Angeria earning the crown.
Angeria made her “Drag Race” debut on season 14 and returned for the All Stars season hungry for the win, dominating in several maxi challenges and earning her stripes even after being blocked several times.
“If you would’ve told me when I was a little Black boy growing up in Sparta, that I would grow up to be a strong, glamorous drag queen superstar, honey, and win $200,000 for the National Black Justice Coalition, an organization that fights to empower Black queer people who are just like me, I would not have believed it,” she said. “I’m proud of myself.”
As runner ups, Vanjie and Roxxxy each received $25,000 for their charities, the ASPCA and Miracle of Love, respectively.
All episodes of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9” are streaming on Paramount+.
