| Series: | RuPaul's Drag Race |
| Season: | 12 |
| Episode: | 12 |
| Prev: | One-Queen Show |
| Next: | Reunited: Alone Together |
"Viva Drag Vegas" is the twelfth episode of the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[1] The episode focuses on the Las Vegas show RuPaul's Drag Race Live![2] [3]
Gigi Goode wins the mini-challenge as well as the main challenge. Jackie Cox is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip-sync against Crystal Methyd to "On the Floor" by Jennifer Lopez.
Gigi Goode wins the mini-challenge, which has contestants design headdresses.
The episode's main challenge is a Rusical that has contestants perform songs from RuPaul's Drag Race Live!, including "We Made It", "Mirror Song", and "Losing Is the New Winning". For the latter, the contestants contribute original rap verses. Jamal Sims is the choreographer.[4]
In addition to RuPaul, the judges were Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Matthews, and Sims.[5] The runway category is "Eleganza Extravaganza" (or elegant drag).[6] Gigi Goode wins the main challenge. Crystal Methyd and Jackie Cox place in the bottom two. The two face off in a lip-sync to "On the Floor" (2011) by Jennifer Lopez, and Jackie Cox is eliminated from the competition. Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode, and Jaida Essence Hall are declared the season's finalists.[7]
Sims has appeared on the show several times. He was a guest judge and choreographer on the eighth season's "Bitch Perfect" (2016), as well as the thirteenth season's "Condragulations" and "" (2021). Additionally, he was solely guest choreographer on the seventh season's "Glamazonian Airways" (2015), the twelfth season's "" (2020), and the thirteenth season's "Gettin' Lucky" (2021). On the sixth season (2021) of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Sims was a guest judge and choreographer on "Halftime Headliners" and solely a guest choreographer on the finale "This Is Our Country".
Kevin O'Keeffe of Xtra Magazine opined, "Through no fault of its own, this episode of RuPaul's Drag Race is a bit of a downer." Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly ranked the looks by Gigi Goode, Jackie Cox, Jaida Essence Hall, and Crystal Methyd numbers 33, 32, 14, and 3, respectively, in a list of all looks from the season. Heidi N Closet has revealed the look she planned for the episode on social media.[8]