August 10, 2022
Celebrating Jinkx Monsoon's 10 Most Iconic 'All Winners' Moments
Barry Levitt READ TIME: 5 MIN.
"RuPaul's Drag Race" gave fans a long-awaited dream come true, pitting eight different winners of the show against each other in an "All Winners" battle for the title of Queen of All Queens, and a $200,000 prize, the largest in the show's history (though frankly, it's still way, way too low).
When the cast was announced, it was clear that Season 5 champ Jinkx Monsoon was going to be a frontrunner, as her talents beautifully matched what the show asks queens to do. Unsurprisingly, she completely delivered, winning week after week, and stepping it up in every imaginable way as she made her way to the crown. In honor of Jinkx's incredible win, we're taking a look at her 10 most iconic moments in the "All Winners'' season.
The Entrance
It took roughly three seconds for Jinkx Monsoon to establish herself as some serious competition on "All Winners." She walked into the Werk Room looking drop-dead gorgeous, posed, and delivered a suitably legendary entrance line. With her eyes manically darting from side to side, she proclaimed "Line?" letting everyone know that she was funny as ever, winning the audience (and fellow queens) over immediately.
I'm Crowning Runway
Jinkx was adored for many things in Season 5, but her runways were not part of what made her such a fantastic winner. After nearly a decade of post-"Drag Race" success, you better believe Jinkx was ready to rectify her past fashion woes. Right out of the gate, she delivered an incredibly beautiful look, a self-described mix of the Virgin Mary, Queen Elizabeth I, and Angelina Jolie. It's a stunning look (how is that split there?!) that announced Jinkx as a fully well-rounded goddess.
Before & After Runway
What is a comedy queen that can't deliver good, old-fashioned camp? While Jinkx may have underwhelmed in the design challenge, her first two looks in the Realness of Fortune ball were great, especially her tremendous Before & After runway. Her theme of choice was "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Fonda?" a spectacular combination of Jane Fonda in Barbarella and Bette Davis in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" We stan a queen that knows her herstory.
Natasha Lyonne Snatch Game
When it was first announced that Jinkx would be on "All Winners," it was impossible not to dream up what she'd do for Snatch Game. The season upped the stakes by making each queen perform two different celebrities, and Jinkx unsurprisingly knocked it out of the park. Her impression of Natasha Lyonne was astonishing, perfectly mimicking the cadence and tone of her voice. The best part was her ridiculous monologue about Jada topping Monet, which lives in our minds rent-free.
Social Media Dance Challenge
Not known as a dancer, Jinkx brilliantly focused on her gloriously quirky slutty mom persona, diving into a personality-filled video. While other queens focused on real dance choreography, Jinkx made...a peanut butter sandwich, and then she absolutely devoured it. It was completely and totally Jinkx, and it helped her earn a richly-deserved win. Ridiculous? You bet. Hilarious? Without a doubt. Unforgettable? You better believe it!
Fairytale Justice
Jinkx won an extremely impressive five challenges over the course of "All Winners," and while Snatch Game is undoubtedly her crowning glory, her performance in the improv challenge Fairytale Justice is a close second. Jinkx came to life as a vain, social media-obsessed pig named Spare Rib. Her ad-libbing was sensational – when the bailiff dropped a book, she was quick to improvise "its drop the book shocking!" She remained in character every second, but what really made it an unforgettable performance was at the very end. When her prosthetic ear fell off, Jinkx shouted "Jesus Christ!" claiming that all the pressure of the case caused her ear to fall off. Perfection.
Losing it in the Werk Room
Some of the loveliest, and silliest moments of "RuPaul's Drag Race" come when the queens are preparing for the challenge in the Werk Room. This wonderful Jinkx moment came in the second design challenge, "Legendary Legend Looks." Clearly stressed out by having to create yet another look, Jinkx descended into a glorious, and hilarious, moment of madness, that culminated in her bending over on a table and demanding to be spanked by Yvie Oddly. It's always delightful to see the queens' personality outside of the challenges, and it was such a wild moment that it can only be defined as iconic.
What Lies Beneath Runway
There's always an excitement in the air when a reveal-based runway is in the cards, and the queens delivered big time in the "What Lies Beneath" runway. An amazing surprise was Jinkx Monsoon, who gave us not one, not two, but three reveals, culminating in four beautiful and inspired runway looks. The design was truly impressive, with each reveal transitioning into a completely different style of outfit. What was even more impressive, is that the looks told a story, taking us through four distinct art periods. Glorious.
All Glowed Up Runway
The "All Winners" season was all about pushing things to the limits and doing things that hadn't been done before. A great example of this was the All Glowed Up runway, likely inspired by Mo Heart's showstopping look on "UK vs. The World." The queens were challenged to bring a look that lights up, and it gave Jinkx an opportunity to deliver her very best look. Jinkx stormed the runway in a gorgeous, expensive-looking white gown, with her hands tied behind her back with rope. It reached the next level when it was lit up to simulate flames, echoing a witch burned at the stake. Jinkx unleashed a blood-curdling cackle as the flames lit up, and this may just be the moment that cemented her as the season's winner.
Judy Garland Snatch Game
Quite possibly the single greatest moment in "Drag Race" herstory. That's right, not just the "All Winners" season, but the entire franchise. Jinkx Monsoon's Judy Garland impersonation in Snatch Game became legendary the moment she opened her mouth, and she continued to get funnier and funnier with each passing moment. She was in total command of the Snatch Game, and it truly became Jinkx's world that we were merely living in. From ridiculous stories about Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra to singing Garlandized versions of RuPaul songs, Jinkx could have been crowned mere seconds after this performance, and nobody could have complained. The only way we'll get a better performance is if Jinkx graces our screens yet again.