Drag on a Dime

"Drag on a Dime"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Original air date	February 2, 2009 (2009-02-02)
Guest appearances
Mike Ruiz Bob Mackie
Episode chronology
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RuPaul's Drag Race season 1
List of episodes

"Drag on a Dime" is the premiere episode of the first season of the American reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race , which aired on February 2, 2009 on the LGBTQ+ cable channel Logo TV. ^[1] This also makes the episode the first in the Drag Race franchise.

In this episode the nine competitors have a car wash photoshoot then must create a "Drag on a Dime" runway look using items found at the 99¢ store/thrift store. ^[2] Regular panelists RuPaul, Merle Ginsberg, and Santino Rice are joined by guest judges photographer Mike Ruiz and fashion designer Bob Mackie. ^[3] The episode and its challenges have been referenced in future episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race and in other editions of the franchise.

Episode

Shannel (pictured in 2024) is the first contestant to enter the workroom.

The episode begins with the nine contestants entering the workroom. Shannel from Las Vegas, Nevada; Nina Flowers from Denver, Colorado; Rebecca Glasscock from Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ongina from Los Angeles, California; Victoria "Porkchop" Parker from Raleigh, North Carolina; Akashia from Cleveland, Ohio; Tammie Brown from Long Beach, California; Jade from Chicago, Illinois; and BeBe Zahara Benet from Minneapolis, Minnesota. ^{[3] [4]}

For the mini challenge, the contestants pose for a sexy car wash photoshoot with the Pit Crew, with photos taken by Mike Ruiz. For the maxi challenge, the contestants create runway looks using items found at the 99¢ store and the thrift store. Nina Flowers and Ongina are praised for their photos and runway looks, while Akashia, Rebecca Glasscock, and Victoria "Porkchop" Parker receive negative critiques. Nina Flowers wins the challenge, earning a stay at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. Ongina and Rebecca Glasscock are safe, leaving Akashia and Victoria "Porkchop" Parker up for elimination. They face off in a lip-sync contest to "Supermodel (You Better Work)" by RuPaul. Akashia wins the lip-sync and Victoria "Porkchop" Parker becomes the first contestant eliminated.

Legacy

Victoria "Porkchop" Parker (pictured in 2017) is the first contestant eliminated on RuPaul's Drag Race.

In WatchMojo' s Top 10 Moments from RuPaul's Drag Race season 1, the "Drag on a Dime" sewing challenge received an honorable mention. Victoria "Porkchop" Parker's elimination was ranked #6, and Nina Flower's Drag on a Dime look was included in the reasoning for her being ranked #10. ^[5] A 2021 ScreenRant article included Nina Flowers's "Drag on a Dime" look as one of the ten best design challenge looks in the series. ^[6]

The main challenge "Drag on a Dime" was used as one of the legendary design challenges for the Maxi challenge on "Keeping It 100!" from season 8, with Naysha Lopez receiving the theme. ^[7] "Drag on a Dime" was again the Maxi challenge on the season 10 premiere episode "10s Across the Board". ^[8] The third episode of the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK "Posh on a Penny" makes reference to the challenge, using the same premise. ^[9]

The mini challenge was recreated by the first group of queens on the season 15 premiere episode "One Night Only, Part 1" for their mini challenge. ^[10]

Victoria "Porkchop" Parker's name has been used to refer to any queens in the Drag Race franchise being called "Porkchops", the "Porkchop" of their season or country, or as getting "Porkchopped". ^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]} This can notably be seen with the queens who lost the premiere lip sync in the season 13 episode "The Pork Chop" being sent to the Porkchop Loading Dock. ^{[16] [17]}

References

1. "Revisiting 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 1, The 'Lost Season' - PAPER Magazine". www.papermag.com. Archived from the original on 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
2. Friends, Squirrels &. "Drag On A Dime | Episode 1 | RuPaul's Drag Race - Season 1 | Squirrels & Friends". squirrelsandfriends.com. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
3. "Drag on a Dime". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 1. Episode 1. February 2, 2009. Logo TV.
4. "See where the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 1 queens are now". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
5. "Top 10 Moments from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 1 | Articles on WatchMojo.com". WatchMojo. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
6. Jalali, Jessica (2021-09-12). "RuPaul's Drag Race: The 10 Best 'Drag On A Dime' Runway Looks". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
7. "'RuPaul's Drag Race' premiere recap: Meet the 12 new queens in the show's 100th episode". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
8. Henderson, Eric (2018-03-23). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Season 10, Episode 1, "10s Across the Board"". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
9. Arcuri, Dean (2019-10-20). "Posh on a penny? Say it aint SEW: Drag Race UK episode 3". Star Observer. Archived from the original on 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
10. Frank, Jason P. "RuPaul's Drag Race Season-Premiere Recap: Supersize Me". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2023-01-08. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
11. Horn, Haley Van (2022-05-17). "How Victoria 'Porkchop' Parker Left A Lasting Impact On RuPaul's Drag Race". The List. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
12. Sollie, Jordan (2022-11-22). "Who Got The PorkChop Chop On Canada's Drag Race: Canada Vs. The World?". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
13. Dzurillay, Julia (2021-01-16). "Why 'Pork Chop' Is an Inside Joke for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Fans". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
14. "Porkchop Queens: Drag Race's list of first-eliminated queens". www.out.com. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
15. Stroude, Will (2020-07-03). "'Canada's Drag Race': First eliminated queen spills the tea on their accident-filled time in the workroom". Attitude. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
16. Guzzo, Bianca (2021-01-02). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 Episode 1 Recap: The Pork Chop". IN Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
17. "Yikes, A Pork Chop Queen Is Causing Major Drama In This New 'Drag Race' Clip". Elite Daily. 2021-01-13. Archived from the original on 2025-06-14. Retrieved 2025-09-04.