“RuPaul’s Drag Race” first aired in 2009, testing a group of drag queens’ charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent through competitions such as themed runways, lip sync performances, design challenges and talent shows.
The 17th season premiered on Friday, Jan. 3, and in New York City, that means queer bars not only prepare a mocktail menu for partakers of dry January, but they also line up performers, a projector and themed drinks for “Drag Race” watch parties.
The Werk Room in Williamsburg is the biggest watch party in the world, gathering an average of 400 attendees and up to 2,000 partygoers, according to organizer and DJ Luis Fernando. Hosted by local queens Essa Noche and Janelle No 5, the party brings queens from the show to “spill the tea” during commercial breaks, followed by live performances.
At the episode three watch party on Friday, Jan. 17, season 17’s Suzie Toot and Onya Nurve and season 16’s Plasma joined the party.
“It’s cool because we watched the viewing parties at home. For season 16, I was at the bars every single week watching it, so to be performing [on the show] instead was wild,” said Toot, originally from Fort Lauderdale.
Nurve, from Cleveland, Ohio, said the Werk Room was her first viewing party outside her hometown. “I love New York. Every time I come here, I’m like, ‘I should live here,’” said Nurve. “Who doesn’t love New York? It’s so much fun.”
New York City has been regarded as a space for queer activism, art and entertainment for decades, but in recent years, Brooklyn has innovated spaces for queer creativity. In the borough, one can find clown shows, taxidermy drag, the beloved Coney Island Mermaid Parade and dungeons and dragons hosted by drag queens. The “Drag Race” party is just one example of Brooklyn’s thriving queer art scene.
“Y’all are spoiled boots,” Plasma told the enthusiastic crowd. “Listen, I’m a white man from the south; I understand privilege. If you don’t understand the privilege of watching Essa Noche and Janelle No 5 host this viewing party every Friday night, you are missing out.”
Plasma described New York as the queer capital of the U.S., if not the world. She attended her first viewing party at Arlo when it started in January 2023 to follow season 16. At the Friday, Jan. 17 event, Plasma said the party changed her life.
“I hope you all feel the incredible, special quality here at the Arlo Hotel. I just want to thank you all so much for coming, supporting ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ and supporting local queer art and drag in New York City,” Plasma said.
Noche emphasized the importance of gathering the queer community together for viewing parties and providing contestants with the opportunity to share their experiences with “Drag Race” fans.
“We’re just happy to have y’all here,” said Noche. “We can kiki, we can shade, we can this and that. But at the end of the day, we all lift each other up.”
Toot moved to Bedford-Stuyvesant four months ago and says she loves it. “In Brooklyn, specifically, the audiences are so great and ready for literally anything,” said Toot. “My weirdest number back home is the most normal number here.” (Nurve replied, “Werk. I love that.”)
Toot’s favorite spot is All Night Skate, a James Beard Award semifinalist on the border of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick that features Mexican food from Mr.Taco, queer-focused entertainment and a roller-skating theme.
“It’s the cutest little place in the world. I went on a very cute date there,” said Toot. “Good Judy is so good, and their sister bar, C’mon Everybody. The best shows that I’ve done in the city yet have been there. Those shows are so fierce.”
Meanwhile, Nurve’s New York experience is about living in the moment and exploring all the city offers.
“I typically just stumble upon places, and I can remember not one,” said Nurve. “Sometimes, you just be out and about with new people seeing things. It’s New York.”
Both queens plan to spend more time in the city’s queer entertainment scene, and “Drag Race” fans, nightlife regulars and queer Brooklynites can expect to see the performers around town in the future.
“We’re setting off on our adventure,” said Toot. “Once the show is done airing, I’m excited to get back out into the Brooklyn scene and really become a part of it.”
“Drag Race” season 17 is one of the first to feature Gen Z and millennial queens exclusively. The season also marks one of the first generations of contestants who grew up watching the show.
Though this season added some new twists to the competition — like the Badonka Dunk, where the queen that is up for elimination can win a second chance — longtime fans prepare for the competition by watching previous seasons and familiarizing themselves with the show’s consistent tropes, such as judge Michelle Visage’s distaste for bodysuits.
Toot said that watching the show taught her to enjoy the journey. “It’s always somebody who is holding themselves back from having fun, so that was something that I would constantly remind myself — have fun,” said Toot.
After watching several seasons where queens entered without knowing how to sew, Nurve prepared for the show by sharpening her sewing skills. This goal paid off, as Nurve’s design landed her in the top three for the first design challenge of the season.
“At this point, you know you’re gonna have at least one sewing challenge,” said Nurve. “Before I got on the show, I was like, girl, you better learn how to make a little one-two before you get on there because you know you’re gonna have to do it.”
“Even a three,” Toot added.
“A one, two or a three,” Nurve replied. “A four and five won’t hurt.”
Toot captivated audiences with her now-viral kitschy tap dance, complete with tapping the Gettysburg Address in Morse code. The offbeat queen says pre-Hays Code films inspired her unique style, especially actor Ruby Keeler. “You have these vintage, black-and-white, gorgeous women, and it’s raunchy and sexy and wild,” said Toot.
Toot hopes the boundary-pushing art on “Drag Race” will inspire audiences.
“A narrative I’m really excited about is this idea of imperfection versus creativity,” said Toot. “In a world of Artificial Intelligence and bullshit and nothing, art that is imperfect, art that makes you think, art that makes you angry, that makes you hate it and say, ‘That’s so gross. Why would they do that?’ — That’s art, and that’s what we need to be pushing forward and respecting and loving and creating.”
Nurve has been open about the challenges of coming out in her late 20s, sharing on-screen that she has struggled with feeling entirely accepted in queer spaces, despite having many queer friends growing up and having an artistic background.
“I was always hanging out with the art kids, always hanging out with the theater kids, and through that process, I ended up meeting the most amazing queer people before coming out,” Nurve said. “I felt comfortable coming out because I had a community of people that I felt comfortable around.”
Even though she endured challenges as she navigated her identity, Nurve shared her story so others could find their place and accept themselves.
“If I was to give someone some advice, it’s don’t give a fuck about what people think of you, then that’s it,” said Nurve. “Ru said, ‘If these bitches don’t pay your bills, pay these bitches no mind.’ I feel like at the last leg of my journey, I ran with that, and now I’m here.”
“Drag Race” is a form of queer people taking space and making their voices heard, and Nurve said the theme of season 17 is “to continue being an intervention in spaces that would keep you out otherwise because it’s important for people to see what we do.”
Nurve continued, “It’s important for people to understand why we do this. That’s the biggest takeaway from this season and every season.”
According to Arlo representatives, Arlo Hotels is advancing its approach to nightlife and entertainment with Arlo After Dark, a new series of events and nightlife activations featuring celebrity talent, comedy shows and curated parties across the Arlo Hotel portfolio.
Upcoming Werk Room parties will feature season 16’s Dawn and season 17’s Arrietty and Jewels Sparkles, among others. Tickets are available on the Arlo website.
Charlotte Chauvin, commonly known by her clown name Chuckie Sleaze, is on a mission to help Brooklynites tap into their inner clown through Clown Cult,
Photos by Beth Eisgrau-Heller Summer Sparkles emerges from the subway dressed as a Hah-Hah-Hahctopus. Members of the Champagne Clown Posse pose in front
