The Crystal Ball (RuPaul's Drag Race)

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"The Crystal Ball"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 15
Episode 9
Presented by RuPaul
Featured music"Thats What I Want" (2021) by Lil Nas X
Original air dateFebruary 24, 2023 (2023-02-24)
Guest judge
Julia Garner
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"The Crystal Ball" is the ninth episode of the fifteenth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race . [1] [2] It originally aired on February 24, 2023. The episode's main challenge tasks the contestants with presenting three looks in a crystal-themed ball. Julia Garner is a guest judge.

Contents

Sasha Colby wins the main challenge. Spice is eliminated from the competition, after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip-sync contest against Salina EsTitties to "Thats What I Want" by Lil Nas X.

Episode

Sasha Colby (pictured at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023) wins the main challenge. DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -8 (cropped).jpg
Sasha Colby (pictured at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023) wins the main challenge.

The contestants enter then Werk Room, after Jax was eliminated in the previous episode. RuPaul greets the contestants and reveals the mini-challenge: to photobomb classic Drag Race moments in honor of the show's 200th episode. The contestants get into "quick drag".

Following are the contestants and scenarios:

Spice (pictured in 2023) is eliminated from the competition. DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -163 (crop).jpg
Spice (pictured in 2023) is eliminated from the competition.

Anetra wins the mini-challenge. [3] RuPaul reveals the main challenge, which tasks the contestants with presenting three looks in a crystal-themed ball. Two can be brought from home and one will be made in the Werk Room. The runway categories are: "Start Your Engines", an homage to RuPaul's auto racing look in the show's title sequence; "My Favorite Ball", a reference to a previous ball challenge of each contestants' choosing; and "Crystallized Eleganza", which has contestants create a new look featuring crystals. [4]

The contestants create their crystal outfits in the Werk Room. RuPaul and Carson Kressley visit and get status updates from each contestant. RuPaul reveals that Julia Garner will join as a guest judge. The contestants make their final preparations for the runway. They talk about their families, and Anetra shares her coming out experience. They also talk about iconic moments from the show's history. On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow panelists Michelle Visage, Kressley, and Garner, then performs "Cake and Candy" with backup dancers to celebrate the 200th episode. [5] [6] Anetra, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, and Sasha Colby receive positive critiques, and Sasha Colby wins the challenge. Loosey LaDuca, Salina EsTitties, and Spice receive negative critiques, and Loosey LaDuca is deemed safe. Salina EsTitties and Spice place in the bottom and face off in a lip-sync to "Thats What I Want" (2021) by Lil Nas X. [7] Salina EsTitties is declared the winner, and Spice is eliminated from the competition. [8] [9] [10]

Production and broadcast

Julia Garner (pictured in 2020) is a guest judge. Julia Garner-6726.jpg
Julia Garner (pictured in 2020) is a guest judge.

The episode originally aired on February 24, 2023.

Sasha Colby reportedly urinated on the main stage during the lip-sync contest. [11] [12] Spice uses a disco ball during the contest. [13]

Fashion

For "My Favorite Ball", Mistress Isabelle Brooks wears an outfit made from deconstructed beach balls based on "The Ball Ball" (season 12). Marcia Marcia Marcia's outfit is based on "The Bag Ball" (season 13) and Malaysia Babydoll Foxx's dress is based on "The Hair Ball" (season 3). Spice's purple outfit is based on "The Ball Ball" and Salina EsTitties presents an outfit based on "The Money Ball" (season 3). Loosey LaDuca's look is also based on "The Bag Ball" and Luxx Noir London's look is also based on "The Hair Ball". Sasha Colby's cannabis-inspired look is also based on "The Bag Ball" and Anetra's look is based on "Sugar Ball" (season 5). For "Crystallized Eleganza", Spice's look incorporates disco balls. Marcia Marcia Marcia presents a can-can-inspired look. Loosey LaDuca's concept is a small town girl who placed runner-up in a local beauty pageant. Anetra's look has a protruding crystal spine. [14]

Reception

Trae DeLellis of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'A-'. [15] Stephen Daw ranked the "Thats What I Want" performance number 17 in Billboard 's list of the season's lip-syncs and wrote, "The real criminal in this lip sync was the choice of song. Both Salina and Spice did fine given the assignment, but we're stuck wondering why 'That's What I Want' was the song picked out of all Lil Nas X's discography for a Lip Sync For Your Life. 'Call Me By Your Name (Montero),' 'Industry Baby,' and even 'Old Town Road' would have all been much better choices with clearer paths to success for either of these two queens, while 'That's What I Want' offered very little for our performers to act on." [16] Kevin O'Keeffe of Xtra Magazine said Salina EsTitties "delivered an uncharacteristically low-key" lip-sync performance. [17]

References

  1. ↑ Frank, Jason P. (February 24, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: What I See in My Crystal Ball". Vulture . Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15, Episode 9 recap: Happy birthday, 'Drag Race'!". Xtra Magazine . Pink Triangle Press. February 26, 2023. ISSN   0829-3384. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15 Episode 9 Recap: "The Crystal Ball: Episode 200"". Honeysuckle Magazine. February 25, 2023. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  4. ↑ "The Diamond Drag: The Crystal Ball: Episode 200 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". The Diamondback . University of Maryland, College Park. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  5. ↑ Robledo, Jordan (February 25, 2023). "Drag Race: RuPaul and the queens celebrate the series' 200th episode". Gay Times . ISSN   0950-6101. Archived from the original on September 11, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Swift, Andy (February 25, 2023). "Drag Race Gives One Queen A Reality Check In Episode 9, While [Spoiler] Emerges As Season 15's Clear Winner". TVLine . Static Media. Archived from the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  7. ↑ Gregory, Drew Burnett (February 25, 2023). ""RuPaul's Drag Race" Episode 1509 Recap: Spine-Tingling". Autostraddle . Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Duncan, Charlie (February 25, 2023). "42 thoughts I had watching Drag Race season 15, episode nine: 'She should be illegal'". PinkNews . Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ Harrison, Frankie (February 25, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15 Episode 9 Recap: The Crystal Ball 200th Episode". IN Magazine. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ Daw, Stephen (February 28, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Spice Felt Like A 'Little Producer' With Her On-Screen Antics". Billboard . Penske Media Corporation. ISSN   0006-2510. OCLC   732913734. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Sasha Colby reveals she Christened 'Drag Race' stage: 'I could not hold my pee in'". Entertainment Weekly . People Inc. ISSN   1049-0434. OCLC   21114137. Archived from the original on June 19, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race's Sasha Colby "literally peed" onstage during lipsync". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. March 29, 2023. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Spice performed a rap for RuPaul before trotting off 'Drag Race' stage". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  14. ↑ "The Crystal Ball". RuPaul's Drag Race. Season 15. Episode 9. February 24, 2023. MTV / WOW Presents Plus.
  15. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race goes back to basics in its 200th episode". The A.V. Club . Paste Media Group. February 25, 2023. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  16. ↑ Daw, Stephen (April 18, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Every Lip Sync From Season 15, Ranked". Billboard . Penske Media Corporation. ISSN   0006-2510. OCLC   732913734. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  17. ↑ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15, Episode 9 power ranking: Crystals are a queen's best friend". Xtra Magazine . February 26, 2023. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
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