Ariana Grande pulls off the best RuPaul’s Drag Race prank ever

There’s a time-honored tradition on RuPaul’s Drag Race season premieres, when a very special guest pop queen surprises the drag queens — and it’s the gag of the season. That was the time. Lady Gaga pretended to be Ronnie, “New Jersey’s No. 1 Lady Gaga impersonator”; that time when Miley Cyrus went undercover in boy drag as bearded film crew member “Barry Johnson,” aka “BJ”; and that inside-jokey stunt when Christina Aguilera masqueraded as Season 9 contestant Farrah Moan, a reference to a hilarious incident when a fashion blogger mistook a photo of Farrah at DragCon 2017 A paparazzi shot of Aguilera attending the Met Gala

But Friday’s second part is not yet available. Drag Race Season 15 premiere on new network MTV, the queen of pop and ponytails, Ariana Grande, pulled off the most epic and inside-jokey ambush yet… involving the triumphant return, or Ru-turn, of Ornacia!

Who’s Ornacia, you ask? Allow me to give you a primer, going all the way back to 2014, to illustrate just how well thought-out this particular Ru-veal was…

So, in Season 6, a contestant named Vivacious only placed 12th — but she secured a permanent place in Drag Race Herstory and what is considered to be it one of the most iconic Werk Room entrances of all time. A ‘90s New York club kid who described her style of drag as “living art,” Vivacious experienced a minor wardrobe malfunction, resulting in her screentime being dominated by her nuclear-wasted-eyed, conjoined-twinning, mannequin-headed sidekick. That Styrofoam dome was named Ornacia, after a lyric from RuPaul’s 1993 single “Back to My Roots,” and Ornacia subsequently became more famous than Vivacious herself (and more famous than several other Season 6 contestants, actually).

“Mother has arrived!” was Vivacious’s delayed declaration, once she got her zipper unstuck — and a classic RPDR The catchphrase was born. That moment is below, complete with snarky Ru-cap commentary from that season’s winner and current “The Pit Stop” hostess, Bianca Del Rio:

All that? OK, then you’ll fully appreciate this mother of all Drag Race pranks, where Vivacious (and Ornacia) seemingly sashayed onto the Season 15 set. But then — bang bang, into the Werk Room — it turned out to be Ariana Grande inside that club-kid costume. Ornacia looked radiant since 2014.

The eight contestants who witnessed this Ru-veal — especially the Brady Bunch-inspired Marcia Marcia Marcia, who’d just cited Grande as her favorite pop star and “life icon” — were understandably thrilled, as Grande, who’d been a guest judge before on Season 7, told them: “I think drag is the most infectious and joyous art form that there is. We are so grateful to you for adding joy to our lives. Drag Race Fans and to everyone.” Grande also told RuPaul, “My p***y’s on fire” — but how was her head? I’m assuming there were no complaints. (That’s another Drag Race in-joke; look it up.)

And then, just when things couldn’t get any more meta, when the next batch of eight queens entered the Werk Room, they were surprised by… the actual Vivacious and Ornacia! Mother truly Had arrived. This was surely a clever setup for Ornacia when she ultimately competes. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 You’re right! Vivacious may see a significant increase in merchandise sales during the interim. according to EWShe sells limited-edition Ornacias themed for special occasions such as Pride (“Pridenacia”) and Valentine’s Day (“Valentinacia”) and Halloween (“Hallonacia”)

“I have been keeping this secret from the summer. I am always in good company. “Vivacious, thank you @arianagrande! posted on Instagram The premiere aired. “I have been referenced in every season since s6. Thanks to @rupaulsdragrace & family. You have always looked out for me. I am now able to reach ALL Stars, if heaven permits. My Pride single Released at 9 PM tonight

But back to this current competition: On Friday’s supersized premiere, the show also gave a nod to Drag Race She reconstructed memorable photo shoots from Seasons 2 and 3, before the 16 contestants took part in the Talent Extravaganza maxichallenge. And then, after a lip-sync-for-their-life showdown between bottom two contestants Irene Dubois and Amethyst to Grande’s “7 Rings,” Irene got the chop.

So far, my favorite two queens among the remaining 15 contestants are the above-mentioned Marcia Marcia Marcia (who would’ve been great in 2021’s “Dragging the Classics” Brady Bunch spoof) and the elegant Sasha Colby. But really, let’s Styrofoam)-face it… Ariana and Ornacia pretty much upstaged everyone this week.

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