I'll be the first one to admit it… Eureka O'Hara is a bit too much for me.
Season 10's resident plus-size gal (sorry Kalorie) has been doing quite the superb job on RuPaul's Drag Race as her story line of being tragically sent home on s9 only to rise from the ashes and excel the following year has definitely been a consistent theme throughout the show.
Did I say consistent? I should say consistently annoying, as the clip of her doing a split from last season pretty much ends up in every single episode as it relates to the challenge she's currently doing. And its bringing me to my point: is it too much? Like, are we actually enjoying Eureka for her talent or is this becoming a force-fed situation when we are already full?
I will say some positives about Eureka. Her style is completely on point, there hasn't been a challenge yet where she doesn't look absolutely stunning. She's also funny when she's not trying to steal camera time from the other queens. Just needed to put those in there so not everyone who reads this thinks I'm an a**hole.
I called it, even before the show started this season, that her angle was going to be overcoming her adversities that sent her home in the first place and seeing how well she can do with a completely different group. The way she has gone about it, however, is a little ridiculous as she brings up some major trauma every single episode that doesn't really have anything to do with the show itself.
Take for instance last episode, when she talks about not being able to perform in front of a crowd due to something that happened with her father as a child. Whereas I can have sympathy to an extent as we all go through things, it begs the question… why are you a drag queen then? This is your job, its what you are designed to do which is to perform in front of large crowds. So how does this relate? You've performed on stage before and done well, so it all seems like a moot point.
And enough bringing up the split that sent you home last year. It's redundant. You get a clean slate which is more than about 95 percent of these queens wish they did but don't. Instead of dwelling on the past so much in your confessionals, why not just enjoy the fact that you get a round two which happens to be on the path to actually winning?
The show might be setting her up to win, as she's gotten a pretty good edit so far except for the drama between The Vixen and her which I am still confused about so many episodes later. A plus-size girl has never won this show, but many have come close (Latrice Royale, Ginger Minj, Kim Chi, etc). The thing with those three (primarily Latrice) is that they can command focus without stealing from others.
Eureka has stolen focus from many of her competitors this year, almost to the point where its like "chill". Is it her fault that the other queens can't keep up? Sure, but when you are coming into a situation that you've been in before, that you understand how things roll over everyone else, it may be a good idea to fall into the background sometimes and let others shine as it should come naturally to you to do so and not, as said before, forced.
At the end of all of this, I am still a fan of hers (seriously). She brings something to this competition that is needed for a reality show to succeed, and she's done fairly well so far and may even win. If there is one word to metaphorically "tighten that corset up" it is this: "edit". A fine tune of things can bring a world of difference, especially in the very judgmental world that RuPaul's Drag Race exhibits (no shade).
This was created by one of our Contributing Writers and does not reflect the opinion of Instinct Magazine or the other Contributing Writers when it comes to this subject.
i’m commenting on this a few years after it aired, but the fact that I googled ‘why does eureka get to the final?’ shows that clearly people are still out here feeling confused by her making it that far. I don’t think she’s the worst, I think she has talent and can be very funny….but worthy of the final? No.
Eureka has not been read for
Eureka has not been read for her fashion and her repeat looks like every other queen. It is a known fact that Michelle and most of the judges hate body suits and yet week after week that’s all we saw from her..queens have been read to filth for wearing the same hair more than once, or the same boots more than once. Eureka pulls out the same tired loaf and the thigh high patent boots and nothing. I believe she lawyered up after her injury and being sent home and now she has a free pass to the finale, maybe even the crown. Judges reading her would be considered a breach of that. I also think that it would be considered bad form or even “body shaming” in our hyper sensitive world to reads heavy girl on her fashion. I believe this is rigged and the only reason she is still around.
Sorry folks I agree with this
Sorry folks I agree with this writer! She is an amazing Queen but she has been given passes no other Queen would have been allowed. Breast World, Older drag, made up trauma story #2 or #3 (Always seems like a new one when she is on the bottom). Finally Frankie gate/ “late” loaf wear…. need I mention the dress that would have sent anyone home. It’s still hers to loose but I see cracks beginning to leak.
I completely disagree!Â
I completely disagree!
Happy to see this opinion get
Happy to see this opinion get expressed outside of my own Drag Race viewing circle. It's vindicating, at least enough to feel like I'm not completely off base or over-biased in my own opinion.
Eureka feels forced.
The reason why seems like a nuanced thing that I can't really put my finger on, but I can try. There have been times when her win should have gone to another queen in the top (of course that's subjective), her personality off stage, when not endearing, is so *incredibly* obnoxious (but of course that's irrelevant), and I feel at times like the judges show her favor.
But it's still just a *feeling*, and maybe I'm wrong, but then I go watch episodes of Fashion Photo Ruview and the The Pit Stop, and I see things that bolster the conspiracy rather than shatter it: Eureka getting positive reviews that not only seem out of character for the people offering them (Raja was constantly criticizing Eureka's hair loaf wigs season 9), but also which lack the kind of specifics that accompany genuine opinion but are missing when people follow a script ("And then there's Eureka; yass girl. We love Eureka. Moving on…").
And finally (and mostly) there's the nagging fact that Drag Race has never given a big girl the crown. Combine that fact with the notion that a major brand would be self-aware of its shortcomings and try to address them, and suddenly you've got a believable conspiracy theory.
The fact that Drag Race has never crowned a big girl is, IMO, a symptom of the fact that big girls rarely seem more than token castings each season. Why not change *that*? Why not cast more big girls each season? Fixing the race (if true) isn't the way to address the problem, and it will only make a portion of the audience grow cynical.
Drag is all about being over
Drag is all about being over the top and grabbing people's attention. Don't criticize Eureka for doing her job as a Drag Queen. Drag Race needs a big girl winner and Eureka is perfect as that.
Eureka was safe every episode
Eureka was safe every episode in the first season. Her outfits are on point because she has touring money, so i feel like it is an unfair advantage against the other girls. I appreciate Eureka, but I'm glad that this article came out. It justified what i was worried about on the edit of the show.
I like Eureka. I think she is
I like Eureka. I think she is relatable in her insecurities. She killed it in snatch game as Honey Boo Boo and the DragCon challenge. I think she gets a lot of air time because she is like Money, loud, funny and naturally attention-grabbing. That and Asia and Vixen focused so much on how they don't like her or want to team with her it made for great TV. I love her. I think next to Ginger Minge she is probably the most deserving big girl of the crown.
No. We are being force-fed
No. We are being force-fed Drag Race. It was entertaining for about a minute. But whenever a guy starts talking about DR in detail, I immediately know that we won't get along.
Then… why are you even
Then… why are you even reading and commenting on this article? ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Yea this article is bunk.
Yea this article is bunk. Seems more like an opinion peice. If you don't like a contestant cool. But editing is done AFTER top 4 is already determined. So top 4 get more interview segments than the rest.
Also Eurekas the shit.
Don't be jealous of her boogy :*
It is an opinion piece stupid
It is an opinion piece stupid.
She doesn’t have a fear of
She doesn't have a fear of performing in crowds, only singing in crowds.
So where does Instinct
So where does Instinct Magazine find it’s writers??? I could at least respect the writer if he wasn’t trying to have it both ways – “I am a fan but…” do you have a point of view? Why don’t you call out VH1 for the edits? That would be the angle who decides the edits… or are you just stirring the pot for clicks – with a salacious, disparaging headline? #shameful
This article is complete
This article is complete trash. I disagree with everything besides the positives. Eureka deserves to win. She’s been consistent and on point every episode.
I’ve seen that split clip
I've seen that split clip used once. In eight episodes! EIGHT! Back off and let the queen be the fierce bitch she is
I’m a plus size gay, who was
I'm a plus size gay, who was hoping for Eureka to come in and crush it for the big girls this season. It's the perfect story, and about damn time a big girl won. And I have been struggling because while I love her looks, this article rings so true for me. I feel like I'm being forced to like Eureka, when in actuality, I don't.
Am I watching a completely
Am I watching a completely different show than everyone else ?? So she can't be FUCKING Human? No one bitched about Ms Cracker stealing time talking about growing up poor…. Or Monique talking about not having alot of $ when she gets safe in a hot glue gun dress… That's allow but Eureka being 100% is not?? Come on now…. Why talk shit about Eureka saying she had a hard time singing in front of people. Singing live and lip syncing to a track are COMPLETELY different!!
And saying that she should pull back so that the others can shine? Girl, if they don't shine, they don't shine!! That isn't anyone else's fault but their own. It's not Eureka's job to make them look better…. And don't come with that shit of "She's been here before". Last season she left after 4 episodes… She never made Snatch Game. They are ALL in new territory on Equal footing. Check yourself.
Just curious, was your “just
Just curious, was your "just edit" suggestion similar to that of Bianca del Rio? From what I remember, she stole the show, and no one complained. She was the best, hands down. I'm just wondering if the "plus-sized" aspect to her being is a bias to your qualitative suggestions. Sure, she's over the top – she's a damn drag queen. I'm just hoping the "size" part doesn't have anything to do with it. If anything, she is due MORE credit to how far she's come based upon societal "standards."
First of all, the split has
First of all, the split has not been shown every episode. Second, the story from this past week had nothing to do with performing in front of large crowds. It issue was singing live in front of people. And yes it had everythino to do with an episode where the challenge was singing live. I think it's funny that you and everyone else that makes comments about her being over the top, apparently do not listen to Rupaul and the Judges, when every single week, they instruct the Queens to go for it, push it, make it bigger, over the top. They also tell there queen's to make sure when they are standing out, to not fade into the background. Just because Eureka listens and gives the judges exactly what they ask for isn't her fault, and it is a competition, not her job to help others look good. Her job is to out shine them and beat them at this competition. If Queens have a problem with her or any other queen doing exactly what Rupaul expects from this competition then maybe they should take more advice from RuPaul and Step their Pussy Up!!