RuPaul serves up a Dynasty-style catfight in unaired Saturday Night Live skit
RuPaul channeled Dynasty’s Dominique Deveraux in an unaired Saturday Night Live skit. (YouTube/SNL)
RuPaul Andre Charles’ Saturday Night Live debut was so packed full of drag comedy gold, this Dynasty-inspired sketch had to be cut.
Saturday Night Live shared a “cut for time” sketch to YouTube, with RuPaul channeling Diahann Caroll’s iconic Dynasty character Dominique Deveraux.
Dressed in a pussycat wig and shoulder-padded blue overalls, “Big Dom” is the boss of a coal mine who has a dramatic, soapy showdown with her rival, Alexis (Bowen Yang).
The two unlikely miners trade bards with the Drag Race host doing his best version of Caroll’s distinctive transatlantic accent.
Alexis reads Dominique, saying: “The lighting in here suits you, there isn’t any.”
Dominique replies: “Alexis, I see you kept your figure, your coveralls fit you like a glove. The glove of a very fat hand.”
The exchange soon descends into a slapping fight, before the pair sit down to spill some tea over a mining accident.
RuPaul is the first drag queen to host Saturday Night Live.
RuPaul’s stint on Saturday Night Live was widely applauded, with many noting the significance of him being the first drag performer to host the show in its 45-year history.
Let’s not forget that RuPaul came thru in the 1980s as a young black man fearlessly defining drag culture in NYC. Tonight he’s making history as the first drag performer to host Saturday Night Live. #SNL pic.twitter.com/wqnH9MnXdD
— Chris Witherspoon (@WitherspoonC) February 9, 2020
I agree – I loved the range of genders / characters Ru portrayed. It felt really good, as a queer person, to have SNL embrace such flexibility of expression!
— Ari Love Evergreen (@arievergreen) February 10, 2020
In the 5 years I’ve worked at #SNL, this week was by far the best. An atmosphere that is typically so macho and hetero was completely overtaken by a wave of queerness this last week and I’ve never been more excited and comfortable in that space. Thank you, @RuPaul.
— Christos “Stose” Poulos (@Stose) February 9, 2020
For his opening monologue RuPaul appeared out of drag, adding: “I am wearing my grandmother’s panties.”
Repeating his “you’re born naked and the rest is drag” mantra, he explained: “Whatever you put on after you get out of the shower, baby that’s your drag.”
A later sketch saw RuPaul proclaim Pete Davidson’s Chad character – and his “magnificent penis” – “the future of drag”.
“That face! Those cheekbones! These eyes!” RuPaul screams after spotting Chad.
“There’s something dynamic about you, boy. Have you ever done drag?”
“Naw, just weed and pills,” he replies.
