Oh. My. Gaga!

"Oh. My. Gaga!"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 9
Episode 1
Directed byNick Murray
Presented byRuPaul
Original air dateMarch 24, 2017 (2017-03-24)
Guest appearance
Lady Gaga

"Oh. My. Gaga!" is the first episode of the ninth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race.[1][2][3] It originally aired on March 24, 2017. The episode's main challenge tasks contestants with presenting two looks in a fashion show: one representing their home town and another inspired by Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is a guest judge.[4] The episode does not have a lip-sync contest and no contestant is eliminated. It earned two awards from four nominations at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.[5]

Episode

The season's thirteen contestants—Alexis Michelle, Aja, Charlie Hides, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Eureka, Farrah Moan, Jaymes Mansfield, Kimora Blac, Nina Bo'nina Brown, Peppermint, Sasha Velour, Shea Couleé, and Trinity Taylor—enter the Werk Room one a time. Lady Gaga joins the contestants; in one recorded segment, she offers commentary as her alter ego Ronnie. RuPaul greets the group and Lady Gaga offers advice to the contestants. RuPaul shares that no contestants will be eliminated on the premiere, then reveals the season's first challenge, which tasks contestants with presenting two looks in the Miss Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent Pageant: one representing their home town and another inspired by Lady Gaga.[6][7]

The contestants select their work stations and start to prepare for the fashion show. On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow panelists Michelle Visage, Carson Kresley, and Ross Mathews, as well as Lady Gaga.[8] The fashion show commences, then the judges deliberate. Nina Bo'nina Brown is declared the winner of the challenge. RuPaul reveals that a fourteenth contestants will enter the competition. The episode does not include a lip-sync, and no contestant is eliminated.

Production

The episode originally aired on March 24, 2017. It was directed by Nick Murray.

Lady Gaga was a special guest for her first time, though her songs had been performed on the show previously.[9][10] Her participation included a recorded segment as her alter ego Ronnie.[11] Lady Gaga also appeared in the corresponding episode of Untucked, setting a new precedent for making a backstage appearance with the contestants.[12][13] Peppermint later said of the singer's participation: "Lady Gaga seemed to do something unusual and make it a point to come back and connect with us. It seemed as though she was genuinely touched that we had put so much into these tribute looks to her."[14]

Fashion

For her entrance, Nina Bo'nina Brown wears a look inspired by Minnie Mouse.[15] Perry Meek designed Lady Gaga's outfit for her guest appearance on the show. He designed three outfits for her and she selected which one she would wear.[16]

For the pageant, Peppermint represents New York City by presenting a Statue of Liberty-inspired outfit. Valentina represents East Los Angeles with a charro-inspired look, which includes a sombrero. Representing Tennessee, Eureka carries and doll and has cigarettes in her hair. Charlie Hides represents Massachusetts by dressing as a pilgrim. Farrah Moan represents Las Vegas with a showgirl look. Representing New York City, Sasha Velour wears a yellow crown and carries an Andy Warhol-inspired portrait. Also representing New York City, Alexis Michelle presents a white dress with written phrases, including "Black Lives Matter". Shea Couleé wears a red outfit with a hot dog headpiece, representing Chicago. Representing Orlando, Trinity Taylor has large colorful outfit. Kimora Blac presents a black outfit with a large headpiece, representing Las Vegas. Representing Milwaukee, Jaymes Mansfield wears a black-and-white outfit with a cow print. Representing Brooklyn, Aja dresses like the Statue of Liberty. Representing Georgia, Nina Bo'nina Brown's face resembles a peach.

For the Lady Gaga-inspired look, Peppermint wears a blue David Bowie-esque outfit with orange hair, referencing Lady Gaga's look at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016. Valentina's black outfit, blue hair, and sunglasses reference Lady Gaga's look at the CFDA Awards in 2011. Eureka recreates Lady Gaga's look from the music video for "Telephone" (2010). Charlie Hides wears a white dress with a tall blonde wig, recreating Lady Gaga's look at the Brit Awards 2010. Farrah Moan's white outfit with a red cross recreates Lady Gaga's look in the "Alejandro" (2010) music video. Sasha Velour black-and-white outfit and colorful makeup recreates a look from the "Applause" (2013) music video. Alexis Michelle wears a black gown and a blonde wig, recreating a Donatella Versace-designed outfit Lady Gaga wore to the 73rd Golden Globe Awards in 2016. Shea Couleé also wears a white dress and a blonde wig, recreating a look designed by Jim Henson for the Monster Ball Tour. Trinity Taylor wears a white dress and a blonde wig, inspired by Lady Gaga's character in the television series American Horror Story: Hotel. Kimora Blac wears an "on the go" black outfit. Jaymes Mansfield's purple dress and blonde wig recreate Lady Gaga's look on the cover of Vogue. Nina Bo'nina Brown wears a pink outfit that has lace covering her face and body, recreating Lady Gaga's Alexander McQueen-inspired look at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Aja wears a blue-and-gray dress that recreates one of Lady Gaga's outfits designed by Comme des Garçons.

Reception and recognition

Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of "B+".[17] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine wrote, "Even lesser episodes of Drag Race go down like cotton candy, but this premiere lip-synced not for its life, nor the show's legacy."[9]

The episode received almost a million viewers and was among the most-watched episodes in the show's history.[18]

The episode earned two awards from four nominations at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards. Zaldy and Perry Meek won in the Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming category[16] and Jamie Martin, John Lim and Michael Roha won the Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program category.[19] Hector Pocasangre was nominated in the Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program category and Jen Fregozo, Nicole Faulkner and Natasha Marcelina were nominated in the Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program category.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Booster, Joel Kim (March 24, 2017). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season Premiere Recap: Spring Queening". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Judge Carson Kressley Shares His Thoughts on the Series Premiere". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  3. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 9 Premiere Recap". Observer. March 25, 2017. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  4. ^ "YAS GAGA! Watch Lady Gaga Surprise the Queens of Drag Race Season 9 - PAPER Magazine". Paper. ISSN 1073-9122. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  5. ^ Chan, Stephanie (September 11, 2017). "'RuPaul's Drag Race,' 'Big Little Lies' Costume Designers Win at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race Episode 1 Power Rankings: Gagged for Gaga". W Magazine. March 25, 2017. Archived from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  7. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race S9E1 - Oh My Gaga! - Blog - The Film Experience". thefilmexperience.net. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  8. ^ Baxter, David (March 27, 2017). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9, Episode 1 RuCap: Gagging for Your Gaga". Manhattan Digest. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Henderson, Eric (March 25, 2017). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Season 9, Episode 1, 'Oh. My. Gaga!'". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Yee, Lawrence (February 7, 2017). "Lady Gaga to Appear on Season 9 Premiere of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  11. ^ Yee, Lawrence (March 24, 2017). "Lady Gaga Makes Entrance on 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Pranks Contestants (Watch)". Variety. Archived from the original on March 25, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  12. ^ Smith, Reiss (August 28, 2020). "Lady Gaga changed Drag Race forever by defying the show's producers, Sasha Velour and Peppermint reveal". PinkNews. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  13. ^ "Sasha Velour, Peppermint kiki on Lady Gaga's unaired 'Drag Race' season 9 moments". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  14. ^ "Sasha Velour, Peppermint kiki on Lady Gaga's unaired 'Drag Race' season 9 moments". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  15. ^ Walker, Harron (May 26, 2017). "Drag Race's Nina Bo'Nina Brown: I 'Checked Out' During My Lip Sync". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Chan, Stephanie (September 11, 2017). "'RuPaul's Drag Race,' 'Big Little Lies' Costume Designers Win at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  17. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race goes Gaga with a new season on a new night and network". The A.V. Club. March 25, 2017. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  18. ^ Pickett, Carli (2024). "The Construction of Character and Authenticity on RuPaul's Drag". Portland State University. Archived from the original on June 17, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  19. ^ "Creative Arts Emmy Awards: '13th', Samantha Bee, Leah Remini, RuPaul Charles Among Night 1 Winners — Full List". Deadline Hollywood. September 9, 2017. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  20. ^ "Creative Arts Emmys 2017: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. September 9, 2017. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
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