And Drag Race contestants received $400 per episode, . Go ahead and get that H&M dress or that ASOS jacket and do something with it. 1. The 22-year-old fashion obsessive has . Now drag artists are cutting albums, selling serious merch, being signed to ad campaigns and movie deals. Youre not there playing patty-cake. She adds, If youre not competitive, why the hell are you there? So it's actually very hard to fit me correctly. After everyone has walked the runway, queens are sorted. In the years since it began airing, RuPauls Drag Race has become a cultural juggernaut, with numerous spin-offs and international editions. 1 thing about this: Its a competition, all-star queen Trinity Taylor told Alabama.com. Of course, it's true appearing on the show can boost celebrity and launch careers. Im in a bankruptcy, she says to the judges after receiving criticism for her Neon Queen Realness look in Episode 4. Not every reality show contestant earns asalary. It's not just the winners who make money. I spent close to $20,000 just on supplies, fabrics, and wigs and designers and whatnot, and didnt win! RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 3 airs Mondays at 10:45 p.m. UK time on BBC One. Believe it or not, the Islanders actually DO get paid to be on the show - but it's not as much as you would think. At the end of each episode, theres a runway competition, where they wear a look tailored to the week's themesay, leather and lace or jetset eleganza., BenDeLaCreme, of Season 6 and All Stars 3, attends an All Stars event. I did a look for Bob a few years ago that took 55 hours and was like 300 separate pattern pieces., Sam Branman models Tina Burner's "little black dress," which he worked on for Season 13 of Drag Race. With . Queens are competing for a pretty significant prize. "When Drag Race first started," Tom Fitzgerlad, author of Legendary Children:The First Decade of RuPaul's Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life tells Vice, "they were literally coming in off the street to do this TV show. But if I make it all the way, its going to be this expensive rental. Ru has always had a soft spot for those girls., Still, it isnt necessarily fun to be the broke but charming queen who is regularly in the bottom because of her runways. Yup. The queens are exclusive to Drag Race for 24 months after their last episode airs. With wigs, extravagant costumes, and mountain piles of makeup, the price to go on the show could be as costly as four to five figures! I now live in L.A., living my best life. The weight of her financial setbacks became a key detour of her confidence as she looked around at all the thousand dollar gowns of her competitors. If a queen returns in an additional season, such as Shangela . Queens who return for additional seasons earn a 5% bump on their weekly episode payout. Theres an odd line that says the cast is responsible for providing their own food, drink, clothing and personal items. Their own food and drink, really? On May 1, 2009, the casting website for the series opened, allowing prospective contestants to create user profiles and upload videos of themselves to be voted on by viewers; the applicant collecting the most votes being invited to become a contestant of the second season. I was like, If they eliminate me early, maybe I can return it, and I won't have rented it for so many days. So, I believe its a myth that you can do Drag Race without money. Photo via VH1. Queens like Ivy Winters, Yuhua Hamasaki and Lashawn Beyond mentioned on their seasons how. (Above: never-before-seen footage of Sasha Velour trying on her faux fur runway outfit in her Brooklyn bathroom before going on the show. 3. However, the lead gets an impressive payoff. Its won 19 Emmys, the most of any competition show; its an incredibly influential part of the reality TV genre, and of U.S. culture. With that, the winning queen will also receive a cash . Not only did Season 14 provide an increased grand prize for the winning drag queen, but it also added a runner-up prize of $50,000, according to Entertainment Weekly. And so the price reflects that. A total of 113 queens have competed on the show. ), Mondo Guerra at work on Crystal Methyd's Drag Race Season 12 finale look. The current contract may be different, but while the show moved from Logo to VH1, its parent company (Viacom Media Networks) and production company (World of Wonder) have not changed. Plus drag tours are hotter than ever with some queens making between$5,000 and $10,000 per appearance, BBC reports. And this goes to all of you up here: If it is from H&M, you better glitter the fuck out of it, and make it something special. How contestants prepare to go on Drag Race, How much money contestants are actually spending on a season of Drag Race, What happens to queens careers after Drag Race, Money isnt a panacea on RuPauls Drag Race. Im not even gonna say how much money I spent to get here, because it is She doesnt finish her sentence and instead twists her overdrawn hot pink ombre lips into a frown you could see from space. Fan site TARflies reports that Aaron from Season 6 spilled the beans on how much everyone else earns, with the second place team raking in $25,000 . The cost of a given runway look depends mainly on how complicated and unique it is, and the materials used to make it. It was created in 2000 byAndy Dehnart, who's still writing and publishing it today. Premiere: May 20, 2022. Contestants agree to participate in sponsor integrations, which includes naming, identifying, wearing, using, describing, demonstrating or interacting with sponsors products or services. Show: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. "RuPaul's Drag Race." "RuPaul's Drag Race" has been on the air for 12 years. How Much Do The Contestants On RuPaul's Drag Race Make Per Episode. The music hits a dramatic note as the camera cuts to RuPaul, who looks grim. In a behind-the-scenes video by WOWPresents, queens shared different shocking experiences, such as being blindfolded on the way to their hotels and being forbidden from opening the curtains of their room. They cannot, however, mention their connection to RuPauls Drag Race. How much do 'The Circle' contestants get paid? Put another way: the value of her wardrobe was far more than the $5,000 she spent. After being on Drag Race, When touring, recording, merchandise and endorsements are factored in, top queens are earning in the low to mid-six figures annually,Jacob Slane, Partner and Associate Manager atProducer Entertainment Group(PEG) told Billboard. There is a three page exhibit attached to the agreement with the production protocol, and its a list of rules. " RuPaul's Drag Race " Season 14 will crown America's next drag superstar on April 22 when the finale airs on VH1. I spent more on this competition than I did on college, Cracker replies solemnly, and a moment of silence falls over both queens. Most queens invest in their Drag Race wardrobe believing it will pay off, the same way that someone might take out a loan to fund their small business. 319 posts. "I think I spent about $4,000 on the costumes, out of pocket," says season 8 winner Sasha Valor in an interview with In Style, "Thats why on TV, Im not wearing anything custom, whereas thats a huge part of what I do now because I have money from the gigs I can invest back in it.". As we all know, the winners split 50k between them, and the majority of the cast will go on to secure a wealth of sponsorship . As the shows profile has grown, so too, it seems, has the budget needed to feel competitive. There's stuff like that that you really have to learn, because it is a waste of money, she said. Stars like Bianca Del Rio have seen brand partnerships and touring opportunities as a result of their earned celebrity. Courtesy of VH1. Having an experienced team behind them to cultivate the best deals makes a big difference, obviously.. Contestants on the Drag Race get paid by episode. Social and financial marginalization forced drag artists to be creative. The-bank-owns-my-butthole money. Much of the language is standard and makes sense, allowing the production to use whats filmed on television and in advertising, and making perhaps obvious things explicitly clear, including that there is no expectation of privacy.. Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino / Getty Images. If you've already cut the cord, you can watch . Because the show tapes more than six months in advance of its broadcast, that option could expire well over a year after filming ends. The process of going on Drag Race is, in my opinion, more than a fiscal investment, Bob said. Meanwhile, it has been widely speculated that the Masked Singer UK judges earn between $250,000 and $500,000 (around 186,000 to 372,000) to appear on the show. If a contestant enters on the first day and . The contestants cant do any other media without permission until a year after the final episode airs, thoughbecause they are drag queensthey are allowed to do live performances and appearances. Meet the cast of 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' season 1, including Cheryl Hole, Blu Hydrangea, Crystal, Baga Chipz, and more fabulous British drag queens! You still have the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, no matter where you go home. (Meanwhile, because of British TV standards, Drag Race UK contestants dont win cash prizes at all.). Sasha Velour said she spent $4,000 for her looks, half of which she had in savings, and half of which her father loaned her. But, like any business venture that involves startup costs, investing in a Drag Race appearance is a risk, and contestants have no way of knowing if theyll be eliminated first, or forgotten after the season ends. So when they called me cheap, I understood why., Yvie Oddly on the Season 11 finale red carpet. And Shangela and Willam both appeared in the Oscar-winning film A Star Is Born. ), A lot of the looks that have feathers can be expensive, Aquaria said. The show promises that will be negotiated in good faith and in accordance with industry standard., If a contestant has a YouTube channel, they have to allow it to become part of the shows channel, and that includes allowing them to receive any and all payments from which the producers will take a customary percentage.. With its nineteen Primetime Emmy awards - including four consecutive wins for Outstanding Competition Program - and it's seven international spin off shows, RuPaul Charles has cultivated a new mold of entertainment with this cultural phenomenon. Photo by Bennett Raglin / Getty Images. To say that VH1's smash hit RuPaul's Drag Race has taken the world by storm would be a complete understatement. I was like, If I go and get eliminated first, at least I can say I was on it, get a couple gigs, get an increased booking fee, and keep working. Trans women and queer men couldnt walk into a department store and buy dresses. Occasionally, they appear . The Drag Race opening credits sequence is just a list of prizes! Popular Days. This you dont need money ethos shows up a lot on Drag Race, despite the fact that you very obviously do need money to go on the show. I could sew, and I knew my silhouette, so I could make stuff work. The tops and bottoms then receive critiques from the four judges (typically including a celebrity guest judge) on their runway outfit, hair, and makeup, as well as on their performance in the maxi challenge. A post shared by RuPaul's Drag Race (@rupaulsdragrace). Filming Drag Race. I dont want to see any (f'n) H&M!". Its also what makes it impossible to wear stuff off the rack., Bob the Drag Queen at DragCon UK. The couple took the subway to Manhattans Garment District every day to buy fabric, and then came home and sewed all night. Though her bubbly, humble personality and abundant talent hoisted her into the Top 4 of the competition, this is not the case for queens that are similarly unfortunate. There are eight reasons given why someone might be disqualified and ejected from the show. A confident, charismatic queen truly can make an Amazon jumpsuit or a thrift store dress look incredible, particularly if the garment feels authentic to the queens overall personality and vision. Weve created a community that connects people through open and thoughtful conversations about the TV were watching and the stories about it. A custom wig starts at $325. Most drag performers never left their community, and while their local gigs may have been emotionally rewarding, they werent particularly lucrative. And Drag Race contestants received $400 per episode, according to a contract obtained by Reality Blurred. . There are very well known designers within drag circles that sew for the Queens. The glamour of the contestants' outfits and make-up suggests opulence and wealth, so it's easy to assume that those competing are among the rich and powerful. Still, phrases like a great eye or can pull off anything are the sort of fashion-industry compliments that are often only applied to people who fit a certain mold: thin and tall, for starters, and likely also white and able-bodied. Cast members are paid $400 per episode for their first season, and their pay increases 5 percent for future seasons: $420 per episode for their second season, $441 for their . Even to just pay for the suitcases to get there was stressful., Contestants may go on Drag Race hoping to strike gold, but before the lucky few get to that point, theyll be paid a per-episode rate of just a few hundred dollars for two to three long days of filming. reality blurredis your guide to the world ofreality TVand unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. Ru also seems to genuinely valueand rewardthe charismatic queens who can make something out of nothing. Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for World Of Wonder Productions. Former contestants announced that they spent anything between 2,900 and 30,000 to create jaw-dropping looks, so contestants have risked a lot for the . After interviewing several former contestants on the show, a reporter for Vice concluded that most participants are spending anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000 on their get-ups for the show. Unfortunately, the stars of Married at First Sight don't exactly make bank for their time in the marriage experiment no matter how much drama, backlash or wine-throwing comes their way.. MAFS Australia contestants are only paid $150 per day for the show.Source: Nine. Behind the couches is artfully layered backstage detritus: two megaphones, a couple of directors chairs, a ladder, and a neon light shaped like a pair of lips. Though, with drag just recently becoming a viable vocation for stable income, not every queen has the funds to take on these hefty investments. She also said that shed been setting aside money in the hopes of getting on the show, but that her savings was not a lot. If youre not talented, if youre not funny, if you cant sing, you cant dance, your drag is basic baby, you shouldnt go.. Contestants on RuPauls Drag Race earn a salary more in line with what someone might receive on Amercian Idol. For Season 6, the fan site TARFlies found that the team placing 11th and eliminated first was given $1,500. In fact, they are getting paid, just like anyone doing any other job, and in the case of RuPaul's Drag Race, it's not too badly paid. Contestants on Idol earn a weekly $450 stipend. Network: Paramount+. Similarly, RuPaul herself openly chastised competitor, Joe Black on the second season of the show's UK spin-off. If bespoke pieces arent in a queens budget, buying something inexpensive off the rack and customizing it (or glittering the fuck out of it, as Ru told Joe Black to do with the H&M frock) might not be a feasible alternative.