- Back at the runway, Heidi introduces special guest Chris March-in drag to everyone's surprise. The next challenge is to design an outfit fit for a drag queen. They each have a particular persona and it's the designer's responsibility to portray that persona in the look that is created. With a great bunch of ladies to work with, the designers pair up and consult with their clients for 30 minutes. This is the designers' chance to feature something theatrical and truly have a good time going over the top, and it's all for a good cause: each design will be auctioned to benefit Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. Following the consultation, the designers have a $200 budget to shop for as much sequenced, shiny, feathery fabrics they can find at Mood. Once back at Parsons, there is an explosion of color as the designers unpack their fabrics and begin working their magic.
- The contestants take some time wondering why various competitors are still there. Korto doesn't understand how Daniel stays safe and Joe thinks Keith is all about swatches. Oh, snap.
Off to the runway. Heidi introduces a large, cackling, disco ball-boobed Viking helmet-wearing drag queen - last season's contestant Chris March, in full drag.
The challenge is to create an outfit for a drag queen.
Chris introduces the "ladies." It looks like the cast of "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." (Some actually look like ladies.) They introduce themselves, with names like Hedda Lettuce and Sharon Needles.
Chris encourages them to be "as theatrical and over-the-top" with their designs as they want to be. The designers pick queens (Heidi admires one's legs).
Off to the workroom. Tim stops by with direction: Portray each drag queen's persona. He reiterates, "theatrical" and "over-the-top." They have a budget of $200 and that day and all of the next to make outfits. The togs will be auctioned to benefit an AIDS charity.
The designers and queens chat. Suede and Hedda Lettuce hit it off. Leanne is thinking "Jetsons" with Sharon Needles. Joe, the straight guy, takes some time to compute.
On the way out, one queen tells Tim to call her.
Off to Mood. Terri buys lots of fabric to clothe Acid Betty.
Back in the workroom, Tim tells them the winner will have immunity as they sort through their feathers, sequins and bright flaming colors. Joe struts around in his queen's bra and fake boobs. Daniel asks to borrow Kenley's bra for his dress form. She declines.
Korto feels out of her comfort zone. Joe has embraced it. Terri is making a kimono and tight legging. Blayne says his drag queen name would be "Neonlicious."
Blayne, still trying for his Christian Soriano "fierce" or "hot tranny mess" catchphrase moment, calls everything "-licious," as has been noted by Stella, Daniel, Jerell and Leanne.
They call it a night and start again the next day.
Suede tells a story about daydreaming and his granddad visiting him and telling him his outfit needs "seeds." He adds bibb lettuce bobs to the gloves.
Keith is again going swatch-happy.
Tim visits. The queens are coming. They come as dudes. Normal looking dudes. Korto's queen is happy his package fits in the dress.
Jerell's queen isn't thrilled a huge collar is distracting from his pretty face.
Joe's worries it's not feminine enough and suggests a nautical theme.
Hedda Lettuce feels a little "barnacle-y." She asks Suede if he was being lazy because he didn't make sleeves. "Whatever I'm saying is out of love, unconditional and pure," she tells Suede. "Just get it right." Suede is annoyed.
Tim brings Chris by to help make the rounds. He suggests Korto turn hers into a removable skirt. Tim tells Blayne his looks like a "Pterodacytl out of a gay 'Jurassic Park.'" He proclaims that his garment will be "drag-licious."
Chris knows all the queens, it seems, and can speak to whether the outfits match their tastes. Suede tells them what Ms. Lettuce said. Tim says it's "mean" and to make her wear the gloves. Tim gives tips on how to communicate with pushy queens: "Don't you-know-what with me, sister."
Chris and Tim seem skeptical of Keith's swatches, which he plans to sculpt into something on his queen.
Tim thinks Daniel's dress needs more going on up top.
With two hours to go, Daniel asks Blayne to try on his orange flamenco dress. Jerell worries about selling his collar-dominated dress to his queen.
The next day. Jerell wakes up making Wookiee noises to describe Keith's shaggy outfit.
At the workroom, the queens arrive, made up. Sherry Vine likes Keith's fringe and doesn't want him to cut it.
Suede tries to calm down Hedda and they make peace.
The queens go to the hair salon and get even more made-up.
Stella worries Jerell's outfit is too classy. Tim asks if they're ready for "the most fabulous show in the history of 'Project Runway.'"
The guest judge is RuPaul, naturally.
The show begins.
Michael Kors is practically giggling. One of Blayne's wings is drooping.
Joe's Varla Jean Merman walks in her pink sequined nautical pantsuit like she's having the time of her life. Stella has made a dress that seemingly contains no leather.
Suede thinks Hedda is on board as she flits down the runway.
Jerell's LeMay gets into it and pops her collar at the end of the runway. Korto did pull off a removable skirt.
Keith thinks his fringe is "completely different" than anything else he's done and that he "nailed it."
Blayne, Kenley, Suede, Stella and Leanne qualify to move on and leave.
Six remain. Out come the models. They start with Terri and Acid Betty. They all love it. Michael wants the disco boots.
Keith says he was going for sex kitten and Tina Turner. Heidi thinks it looks messy. Michael thinks it looks like a sad, molting chicken. Nina mentions he's had problems with messiness before.
Joe gives credit to his lady. Nina thinks she's fantastic. RuPaul admires how it hides the "candy."
RuPaul thinks Jerell's dress is too long. Michael thinks it's sort of normal. "It's like a good bar mitzvah moment."
RuPaul also is a big fan of Korto's. Nina thinks it looks like she had fun. Michael finds it flattering. "Victoria's Secret is calling," he says. "If they only made 44D," replies the queen.
Nina asks why Daniel didn't try for more. He says more would have been gaudy. They try to explain the concept of drag.
The judges chat.
They liked Terri's. "It is Gene Simmons and Diana Ross' love child," RuPaul says. Joe's also draws raves. "The overall effect was very charming," Nina says. Korto's is also good.
The problems: Keith. Heidi reiterates messy. Michael thinks Keith's not paying attention to the body. Jerell's get knocks for not fitting right and being a yawn. Nina thinks Daniel has missed the mark "considerably" in two challenges now (the other being Olympics). She also notes how defensive he gets.
They bring the contestants back out. Terri's in.
The winner is: Joe. (Yes, the straight married guy wins the drag challenge.) Korto's also safe.
As is Jerell.
It's down to Daniel and Keith. Daniel played it safe and made excuses. Keith's outfit was random and unpolished and they'd seen it before.
Daniel is auf'd. "I felt like my heart kind of skipped a beat. It was just really horrible hearing that. It makes me sad that people who thought extremely highly of me, perhaps I'm letting them down somehow," he says.
Keith sobs.
"I know that I'm extremely talented and have a good taste level so this isn't going to stop me. It just makes me sad, you know, that it came to an end," says Daniel.
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