Culture

Drag Race star Willam addresses her future with the franchise

By Conor Clark

5th June 2023

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ star Willam has told fans that she does not “foresee” herself ever appearing on a season of ‘All Stars’.

She famously took part in the fourth season of the show, making history as the first queen to ever be disqualified for breaking the rules.

Since then, Willam has always been adamant that she will “never be on ‘All Stars’”due to having a poor relationship with the production team.

This sentiment was one she echoed in a tweet to a fan on 1 June who asked when she will compete in the series again.

“i dont foresee myself on @RuPaulsDragRace All Stars,” she explained. “im on another tv show right now which pays the queens what they’re actually worth for helping make great television @hulu #DragMeToDinner now streaming and if you’re stuck on me being on something starry, Try A Star is Born.”

In a separate tweet, Willam gave more insight into the difference between what she could potentially make on ‘Drag Race’ versus some of the other projects she is currently working on.

“i would have to do 10 episodes of drag race as a contestant to make what i did on 1 episode of DMTD if we are talking what the girls get for regular competition not all stars,” she said.

“The producers are often the greediest, most-calculating, capitalist culture thieves”

Willam’s comments came just days after winner Yvie Oddly put production on blast for the way they treat the show’s contestants.

“They fuck with real people’s lives, career opportunities, and health,” she explained. “They drive themselves home in their luxury cars when their contestants are sleep-deprived, depressed, and DRASTICALLY underpaid for their contributions to the cultural phenomenon.”

She continued: “Then they tell themselves they’re good people for showcasing queer content and creating opportunities for us while ignoring the irreparable damage they cause, and creating a chokehold monopoly on how drag artists can succeed.”

READ MORE: “Capitalist culture thieves”: Yvie Oddly slams Drag Race producers

Yvie said fans can “ask any of the drag kings who’ve never been cast” for proof of the “chokehold monopoly” the show holds over drag, adding: “Or the trans contestants who were barred from being themselves until a few years ago when they realized how lucrative that representation was in the culture wars.”

The star went on to clarify that she is “thankful” for ‘Drag Race’ but remains hopeful “for a future where queer people have opportunities to flourish outside of a fake competition to make a few rich old gays richer.”

“Tell you what,” Yvie further stated. “I’ll admit I was foolish to return when my gigs aren’t heavily populated by people who waited to see a random rugirl for their first drag show. Once we stop asking local stars if/when they’re going on drag race. When people stan us before we get a seal of appRUval.”