The most anticipated episode each season of RuPaul's Drag Race or RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars has to be Snatch Game of course. What started as a simple challenge in season two has become the go to episode of one of the most popular reality shows on television, where the remaining queens impersonate a celebrity or famous person of their choosing. Generally this is the challenge that separates the queens that will go the distance from the ones who go home shortly after this episode airs.
These queens have brought some incredibly memorable and not so memorable impersonations over the years, from Dame Maggie Smith and Judge Judy to stars that have passed like Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford. Who in our opinion made us laugh the most on their "star-studded" panel? Take a look at who we think made the top five.
5. Alyssa Edwards as Joan Crawford, RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 2
I laughed at this one for all the right yet all the wrong reasons. The funny thing is, this performance only made Alyssa safe (compared to her awful Katy Perry impersonation in season 5), but her take on Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest was truly incredible and kept Ru laughing the whole time. It's something that Mariah Balenciaga did in season 3, but didn't do well at all. Alyssa redeemed that for both of them when she shrieked "NO WIRE HANGERS… EVER!" and "BRING ME THE AXE!" which even made Detox start giggling. Alyssa's impression of Joan sort of resonates with her humor in real life: unintentional and totally unexpected, and that's why we love her so much.
4. BenDeLaCreme as Dame Maggie Smith, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6
It's interesting how they edited Ben wanting to do Dame Maggie Smith prior to the Snatch Game portion of the program airing. Her conversation with Ru about it almost caused doubt in the fan favorite, and she was even thinking about changing her character to season 5 funny lady Alyssa Edwards as a result. Thank the lord she didn't, because her impersonation of a Downton Abbey type of Maggie was absolutely hilarious and hit the spot each time she got asked a question. The pinnacle of this was when Nicki Minaj (played by Trinity K. Bonet) insulted her about speaking proper English, to which Maggie clapped back with "Excuse me, we originated the language!"
3. Stacy Layne Matthews as Mo'Nique, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3
It's "Henny" time! Stacy happens to be the only Snatch Game winner who never made it to the top five of her season. She was actually eliminated the episode after in the Face, Face, Face of Cakes challenge. Up to the point of Snatch Game, Stacy was being questioned by several of the other queens regarding her desire to be there as she tended to not let her personality shine the way others had up to that point. Her role as Mo'Nique from the movie Precious completely changed that, as she stayed in character the whole time and was hilarious in doing so. Who knew a downright nasty villain could be so funny? When Ru asked "Freaky Fanny is so freaky. Instead of shaking hands, she shakes…", Stacy responded as Mo'Nique with "A chicken leg cuz a bitch know I'm hungry! I'm hungry as hell!" LEGENDARY.
2. Tatianna as Britney Spears, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2.
This may be a controversial pick, but hear me out. Tati was the first ever winner of Snatch Game almost a decade ago, and her version of "space cadet" Britney really was incredible to watch. Keep in mind, this was around the time of her 2007 madness and all the crazy s**t she was doing in the media, and Tatianna played that incredibly well to her strengths while pretty much everyone else that challenge was mediocre. When Ru asked her what her favorite game is, she cleverly replied with "Hide the cucumber! I love that one. I always win!" Oh Britney.
1. Jinkx Monsoon as Little Edie, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5.
I mean, this was a bit of a no brainer here. What's so fascinating is how Jinkx chose such an offbeat character compared to the other famous people that tend to become predictable each season. Little Edie is such a character in herself, that it made Snatch Game such a breather for the eventual winner, as she was not only able to be funny in her own questions but also in others as well. When Ru asked Marilyn Monroe (Ivy Winters) if she was into "politics"… she didn't exactly get it. Little Edie then stepped in and said "Quite the scandal actually! With my cousin-in-law really. It was in all the magazines at the time," while playfully using her magnifying glass. It's episodes like this that proved what a force Jinkx was and is in her drag, and helped propel her to the win at the end of the season.
Who was your favorite Snatch Game impersonation?
This article was created by one of Instinct Magazine's writers and doesn't reflect the publication as a whole.
Bianca del Rio as Judge Judy,
Bianca del Rio as Judge Judy, of course!