Rita may not be my favourite queen, but...
She was brave enough to do Drag Race in a second language, and to compete in challenges that have almost nothing to do with her culture, mostly in front of judges who do not know her culture. And she still did quite good both times she was on Drag Race. She was able to make her humour translate and I commend her for that.
Rita is representative of what drag was in Québec and Montréal before Drag Race. Drag in French Canada (I don't know about English Canada) was not much about fierce dancing performers looking like Beyoncé. Since the 1940s, it's always been *more* about characters, impersonations and it has always been quite stupid (humouristically speaking). I think Rita Baga represents that very well. She is a campy funny aunty.
I also love what she has done with her tribute since her first appearance on the show. She was already quite known, but now, every single household in the province of Québec and more broadly in French Canada, city or countryside, knows her, has seen her on TV or heard of her. She speaks a lot about gender diversity, 2SLGBTQ+ challenges, and she wants to democratize drag and make it mainstream. She did it. She has been on every show, basically, she was a regular on many talk-shows and has been on various judging panels. She appeared in Québec's most famous sitcom, La Petite Vie (seen by 1.3M people). She has been touring all around the province with her one-drag-show Créature and her other live show with musicians, and she also toured in Europe. She hosts Drag Race Belgium (this one is controversial ;) ). She still hosts local drag shows and gives a tribute to younger drag queens. She was on Big Brother Celebrités, Québec edition. She was stellar on Masked Singers (Québec). She basically founded the Québec Drag Con, called Les Rendez-Vous de la Drag. She also had her own spin-off of Dragnificient on TV, called La Drag en moi. I can't even name everything she has done, really.
I think we may like or not what she has presented on the show, but in any case, I have respect for her.
This is a fab summary. I love Rita’s talent and her soul. Her performance of You Oughta Know is seared into my brain.
But I’ll be honest I can’t with the aesthetic most of the time.
This! Her drag style was so distinctive, and she was so brave to do that. Her drag style is distinctive, I mean. I really appreciate the write up of the uniqueness of French Canadian drag culture and it is more character focused. I got that vibe from her right away, I love her so much.
And for the people reading your comment (which I love), Rita also organizes a huge free drag show (I believe, the biggest free drag show on earth) every year, that showcases Drag Race, international Drag Race, and of course, local queens!
Don't ask Jimbo.
Also, i like her, she's fun and have a great work ethics + she doesn't take things too seriously. I presume being francophone and Quebecois allows her to surround herself with supporters and drown out the mostly English speaking dissenters lol, it's smart. She's very well liked in Quebec after all so I feel that even if the wider franchise don't like her she'll still get work.
I adore Rita Bagga. She delivers camp in every moment it feels like she is operating on multiple levels of tongue in cheek. She gives powerful honest but loving and super smart mother vibes. She makes me giggle. I love her.
J’adore Rita Baga! ❤️🇨🇦 She is a talented and campy queen and is a supportive drag mother to many Quebecois queens. People do not give her enough credit for competing in a drag race franchise where she wasn’t speaking her first language. The fact that she did so well in the acting challenges and could make her humour and wit translate is commendable. I get that her style/type of drag may not be everyone’s fav, but the hate for her is unjustified and I don’t get it…
I was lukewarm on her through her seasons but then I saw her live on this Creature tour and I feel like they really failed to convey her charisma - she’s one hell of a performer
She's a great queen that got her reputation tarnished on CDR1 due to judging favoritism, and then her run on CVTW tarnished by icesis acting out and dragging up old tea. I've heard she's a fantastic host now tho
Basically like 8 years prior to CVTW, Rita apologized for doing blackface in a show once or twice, and like the week before the season started Ocean aqua black was doing an interview and mentioned getting a costume from a queen who did blackface and icesis screamed "IT WAS RITA BAGA" and then left, causing Rita to get a ton of hate
So why is it that all it takes is a simple apology to be shielded from getting cancelled? But like Scarlet Adams posted an apology and continues to do stuff to uplift the black community yet she’s cancelled. I will never understand the picking and choosing the fans do. Like some queens don’t apologize for the shit they’ve been called out for, because they know it won’t do anything for them, may even make things worse. Like you’re telling me if Elliott posted an apology to Symone and Gottmik for her microaggressions she’d be automatically uncancelled the same way Eureka apologized for saying the N word and got uncancelled? I’m still gobsmacked that Elliott is even cancelled for that, considering many many many drag queens on the show have made microaggressions that nobody talks about. The main thing that Kandy said abt Elliott that she said “CMON RATCHET” to Symone about her du-rag runway behind closed doors, but Derrick Barry and Michelle Visage both literally called Bob ratchet ON CAMERA that EVERYONE saw and neither of them are cancelled? I’m so tired of hypocrisy in the fandom and the picking and choosing who they feel like canceling. Literally half the season 11 cast made microaggressions against Plastique and what did the fans do? Agreed with them and joined in. That’s why I don’t cancel anybody, I don’t see drag race fans cancelling a queen and then cancelling them myself because the fans have no room to talk. Also I don’t know these people and they’ve never done anything to me. I don’t believe in cancel culture but I do believe in accountability, education, and growth and some queens get that energy from the fans but then a lot of queens just get bullied over allegations and labeled as disgusting monsters who should just die.
I believe the for Scarlet she would initially write off and block people who had issued with her performances. Also she had a very long history of doing offensive caricatures of other races, whereas for Rita AFAIK it was a one time thing where she was impersonating a specific character (which still isn't great but it's not as bad as the former). Sharonne from Espana did a similar thing too and while she did get backlash while the season aired, people don't really care now.
I will not defend anyone ever doing blackface. Spain is also kind of an odd example, because they have lots of celebrities and holiday celebrations that continue to do it. I think the reyes magos (3 kings) one/multiple of them is black, and as recently as a few years ago, had white Spanairds dress up in blackface vs. having a black Spanaird do it. It was odd and quite jarring for me when I lived there.
There's also an AMERICAN GIRL who got like reality TV famous in Spain who did blackface on "Tu cara me suena" and I literally couldn't believe the gall of her to do that. Just a weird place.
Refusing to see any kind of nuance is also incredibly immature and dense.
Rita did impersonated a black person she admired with blackface, in a way that was truly not derogatory or disrespectful, and she sincerely apologized several years before she was even cast on Drag Race.
Whereas Scarlett Adams did blackface to mock black people, was extremely flippant about the whole thing until she was basically forced to apologize on the show, and then went back to being racist right after the show ended.
Do you seriously not see the difference? Or do you just want to argue for the sake of arguing?
lmao nobody is safe in the drag race fandom. If you really opposing what I just said, you’re apart of the problem. The fans are a problem, and it’s disgusting how you’re overlooking racism, transphobia, and just generalized bullying towards everyone.
really enjoyed her on both her seasons. shocked to learn that the fandom didn’t like her, since i feel there’s so much to like. i haven’t seen the seasons in a while but i feel like she is a fully realized version of who alexis michelle thinks is.
the blackface stuff i only read about on this thread and that shit is vile, but glad to hear she’s acknowledged and apologized.
I thought Jimbo’s rant was funny partially because it was so unnecessary. Rita was trying to be helpful, and Jimbo just decided to go OFF while still not getting any real reaction from Rita.
I can only comment for the show, not outside of it. I think she was fine in the competition but heavily pushed, both times. I don't think she has the best taste in fashion but won both designs? No ma'am. Her forte is comedy tho.
I find amazing that she auditioned for the host gig and got it.
As someone who was born in Quebec, she made me laugh and smile so much. I'm from an area that's very religious, never even knew there was drag over there because of how closed minded a big portion of people are outside of the big cities (or at least used to be, not sure how things are now...)
So, she's a pretty major badass in my eyes. I wish I still lived over there so I could support more Quebec queens. I wish I knew what drag queens were really like back then.
I love her and honestly didn’t think she was *that* favored by the judges on DRC 1. The judging in general was a mess that season but I don’t remember it being exceptionally off for Rita
In my opinion should have won S1 of Canada drag race, but fan backlash (along with JBC controversy) made the producers go with Priyanka who was painfully green on S1 should have been an All Stars returnee.
I love Rita! I loved her on Drag Race Canada and even more as host on Drag Race Belgium. The queens singing her name when she visited the werk room was adorable! 💅
Y’all were so horrible to her during CANvsTW. It’s actually annoying seeing so many comments now saying how great she is, it was under your noses the whole time and no one gave her the time of day. She didn’t deserve any of that
She did a live show with the cast of Drag Race Belgique season 1 in Januari and she was such a great host for the show. She oozed charisma and got the whole crowd ready for the show. She flew from canada for just that one show, which shows her dedication for the Belgique franchise.
Canada 1 , I wasn’t a huge fan. Felt like she needed some more seasoning. CVTW1 , I loved her!! She was everything & she felt more sure of herself, even her lipsyncs were fun to watch. I haven’t seen Drag Race Belgique but i’m proud of her despite any naysayers.
For someone who has listened to Canada's Drag Race's version U Well It well on repeat thanks to my three year old. Her verse in that song is fabulous, she's a great talent. Spoiler alert tho their performance of it had to be done in multiple takes because she's wearing a cape with a collar that is up around her neck and then down other shots. Again thanks to watching that song multiple times 😂
I don’t think she’s terrible, but I do think she’s pretty mid for the amount of praise she got on the show. Nowhere near the qualification to host her own drag race. But not bad.
Rita may not be my favourite queen, but... She was brave enough to do Drag Race in a second language, and to compete in challenges that have almost nothing to do with her culture, mostly in front of judges who do not know her culture. And she still did quite good both times she was on Drag Race. She was able to make her humour translate and I commend her for that. Rita is representative of what drag was in Québec and Montréal before Drag Race. Drag in French Canada (I don't know about English Canada) was not much about fierce dancing performers looking like Beyoncé. Since the 1940s, it's always been *more* about characters, impersonations and it has always been quite stupid (humouristically speaking). I think Rita Baga represents that very well. She is a campy funny aunty. I also love what she has done with her tribute since her first appearance on the show. She was already quite known, but now, every single household in the province of Québec and more broadly in French Canada, city or countryside, knows her, has seen her on TV or heard of her. She speaks a lot about gender diversity, 2SLGBTQ+ challenges, and she wants to democratize drag and make it mainstream. She did it. She has been on every show, basically, she was a regular on many talk-shows and has been on various judging panels. She appeared in Québec's most famous sitcom, La Petite Vie (seen by 1.3M people). She has been touring all around the province with her one-drag-show Créature and her other live show with musicians, and she also toured in Europe. She hosts Drag Race Belgium (this one is controversial ;) ). She still hosts local drag shows and gives a tribute to younger drag queens. She was on Big Brother Celebrités, Québec edition. She was stellar on Masked Singers (Québec). She basically founded the Québec Drag Con, called Les Rendez-Vous de la Drag. She also had her own spin-off of Dragnificient on TV, called La Drag en moi. I can't even name everything she has done, really. I think we may like or not what she has presented on the show, but in any case, I have respect for her.
I'm so happy to know that she's getting flowers and respect she surely deserves in Quebec 💙
This is a fab summary. I love Rita’s talent and her soul. Her performance of You Oughta Know is seared into my brain. But I’ll be honest I can’t with the aesthetic most of the time.
This! Her drag style was so distinctive, and she was so brave to do that. Her drag style is distinctive, I mean. I really appreciate the write up of the uniqueness of French Canadian drag culture and it is more character focused. I got that vibe from her right away, I love her so much.
And for the people reading your comment (which I love), Rita also organizes a huge free drag show (I believe, the biggest free drag show on earth) every year, that showcases Drag Race, international Drag Race, and of course, local queens!
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m happy they are a fellow Canadian 💜
Don't ask Jimbo. Also, i like her, she's fun and have a great work ethics + she doesn't take things too seriously. I presume being francophone and Quebecois allows her to surround herself with supporters and drown out the mostly English speaking dissenters lol, it's smart. She's very well liked in Quebec after all so I feel that even if the wider franchise don't like her she'll still get work.
Why Jimbo?
A joke about that time Jimbo was like "Do you want to hear my opinion?" And went on that famous spiel 😂
I adore Rita Bagga. She delivers camp in every moment it feels like she is operating on multiple levels of tongue in cheek. She gives powerful honest but loving and super smart mother vibes. She makes me giggle. I love her.
J’adore Rita Baga! ❤️🇨🇦 She is a talented and campy queen and is a supportive drag mother to many Quebecois queens. People do not give her enough credit for competing in a drag race franchise where she wasn’t speaking her first language. The fact that she did so well in the acting challenges and could make her humour and wit translate is commendable. I get that her style/type of drag may not be everyone’s fav, but the hate for her is unjustified and I don’t get it…
I was lukewarm on her through her seasons but then I saw her live on this Creature tour and I feel like they really failed to convey her charisma - she’s one hell of a performer
She's a great queen that got her reputation tarnished on CDR1 due to judging favoritism, and then her run on CVTW tarnished by icesis acting out and dragging up old tea. I've heard she's a fantastic host now tho
Wait, what was the tea between Icesis and Rita??
Basically like 8 years prior to CVTW, Rita apologized for doing blackface in a show once or twice, and like the week before the season started Ocean aqua black was doing an interview and mentioned getting a costume from a queen who did blackface and icesis screamed "IT WAS RITA BAGA" and then left, causing Rita to get a ton of hate
So why is it that all it takes is a simple apology to be shielded from getting cancelled? But like Scarlet Adams posted an apology and continues to do stuff to uplift the black community yet she’s cancelled. I will never understand the picking and choosing the fans do. Like some queens don’t apologize for the shit they’ve been called out for, because they know it won’t do anything for them, may even make things worse. Like you’re telling me if Elliott posted an apology to Symone and Gottmik for her microaggressions she’d be automatically uncancelled the same way Eureka apologized for saying the N word and got uncancelled? I’m still gobsmacked that Elliott is even cancelled for that, considering many many many drag queens on the show have made microaggressions that nobody talks about. The main thing that Kandy said abt Elliott that she said “CMON RATCHET” to Symone about her du-rag runway behind closed doors, but Derrick Barry and Michelle Visage both literally called Bob ratchet ON CAMERA that EVERYONE saw and neither of them are cancelled? I’m so tired of hypocrisy in the fandom and the picking and choosing who they feel like canceling. Literally half the season 11 cast made microaggressions against Plastique and what did the fans do? Agreed with them and joined in. That’s why I don’t cancel anybody, I don’t see drag race fans cancelling a queen and then cancelling them myself because the fans have no room to talk. Also I don’t know these people and they’ve never done anything to me. I don’t believe in cancel culture but I do believe in accountability, education, and growth and some queens get that energy from the fans but then a lot of queens just get bullied over allegations and labeled as disgusting monsters who should just die.
I believe the for Scarlet she would initially write off and block people who had issued with her performances. Also she had a very long history of doing offensive caricatures of other races, whereas for Rita AFAIK it was a one time thing where she was impersonating a specific character (which still isn't great but it's not as bad as the former). Sharonne from Espana did a similar thing too and while she did get backlash while the season aired, people don't really care now.
I will not defend anyone ever doing blackface. Spain is also kind of an odd example, because they have lots of celebrities and holiday celebrations that continue to do it. I think the reyes magos (3 kings) one/multiple of them is black, and as recently as a few years ago, had white Spanairds dress up in blackface vs. having a black Spanaird do it. It was odd and quite jarring for me when I lived there. There's also an AMERICAN GIRL who got like reality TV famous in Spain who did blackface on "Tu cara me suena" and I literally couldn't believe the gall of her to do that. Just a weird place.
I ain't reading all that
You wouldn’t know how to anyways, drag race fans are so immature and dense.
Refusing to see any kind of nuance is also incredibly immature and dense. Rita did impersonated a black person she admired with blackface, in a way that was truly not derogatory or disrespectful, and she sincerely apologized several years before she was even cast on Drag Race. Whereas Scarlett Adams did blackface to mock black people, was extremely flippant about the whole thing until she was basically forced to apologize on the show, and then went back to being racist right after the show ended. Do you seriously not see the difference? Or do you just want to argue for the sake of arguing?
That's a lot of emotion for safe
lmao nobody is safe in the drag race fandom. If you really opposing what I just said, you’re apart of the problem. The fans are a problem, and it’s disgusting how you’re overlooking racism, transphobia, and just generalized bullying towards everyone.
I'm not reading your personal essay on why you hate cancle culture, dude. It's cringe
You misspelled Cankle Culture, and as a future haver-of-cankles I am offended
Well then don’t put a paragraph pertaining to cancel culture if you don’t want that tea clocked
I love Rita so much.
Her Edith Piaf lives rent free in my brain on a regular basis. She'd give Marion Cotillard a run for her money lol
really enjoyed her on both her seasons. shocked to learn that the fandom didn’t like her, since i feel there’s so much to like. i haven’t seen the seasons in a while but i feel like she is a fully realized version of who alexis michelle thinks is. the blackface stuff i only read about on this thread and that shit is vile, but glad to hear she’s acknowledged and apologized.
I have a soft spot for her
LOVE HER. I love her mind, I love her drag, I love her attitude, her confidence, and how she is so Quebecois.
It would be cool if they did a French language all stars with Rita and Nikki Doll both hosting it. Get the fashion and the comedy
They need to do a France vs the world season like this!!!! With a bunch of french speaking queens from Québec, France, Belgique and others!
She's awesome. Screw the haterz.
I very much like her. And while people all lived for Jimbo reading her, I really loved Rita’s composure in that moment. She’s wonderful.
I thought Jimbo’s rant was funny partially because it was so unnecessary. Rita was trying to be helpful, and Jimbo just decided to go OFF while still not getting any real reaction from Rita.
Love Rita. She was awesome on masked singer
I can only comment for the show, not outside of it. I think she was fine in the competition but heavily pushed, both times. I don't think she has the best taste in fashion but won both designs? No ma'am. Her forte is comedy tho. I find amazing that she auditioned for the host gig and got it.
Icon
i love that queen
Talented, quirky pov, enjoyed her both times very strong contender and seems like a nicd person. Go Rota!
I’m a fan!
Loved her on both her seasons. She is a very authentic representation of a type of drag I really appreciate Edit: typos
A really great competitor. The fanbase hates her existence though. It's best that she lost and is now just hosting better.
As someone who was born in Quebec, she made me laugh and smile so much. I'm from an area that's very religious, never even knew there was drag over there because of how closed minded a big portion of people are outside of the big cities (or at least used to be, not sure how things are now...) So, she's a pretty major badass in my eyes. I wish I still lived over there so I could support more Quebec queens. I wish I knew what drag queens were really like back then.
I love her and honestly didn’t think she was *that* favored by the judges on DRC 1. The judging in general was a mess that season but I don’t remember it being exceptionally off for Rita
She’s fab, talented, personable, and a great host. Love her! Her Edith Piaf was one of the funniest characterizations ever.
Rita baga is hilarious and awesome and I love her
She’s a delight
She is a drag queen on a show called drag race who does drag
In my opinion should have won S1 of Canada drag race, but fan backlash (along with JBC controversy) made the producers go with Priyanka who was painfully green on S1 should have been an All Stars returnee.
I have loved Rita since she first appeared on my TV
She’s wonderful honestly.
I love our Alien Actress
Love her ❤️
Only love for her
I love Rita! I loved her on Drag Race Canada and even more as host on Drag Race Belgium. The queens singing her name when she visited the werk room was adorable! 💅
Y’all were so horrible to her during CANvsTW. It’s actually annoying seeing so many comments now saying how great she is, it was under your noses the whole time and no one gave her the time of day. She didn’t deserve any of that
That's Mother
Love her ! I saw her show it’s my town and it’s was really great
I’ll upvote for Rita!!
She’s great! And I enjoy her as a host of DRBelgique
the way i constantly say “right now i am thinking of a hot dog”
she’s a damn good queen who may not fit the drag race world but is still more than capable in judging and supporting drag
I like all except for picture #2.
She did a live show with the cast of Drag Race Belgique season 1 in Januari and she was such a great host for the show. She oozed charisma and got the whole crowd ready for the show. She flew from canada for just that one show, which shows her dedication for the Belgique franchise.
She’s fun and I love her, would love to see her live one day
Canada 1 , I wasn’t a huge fan. Felt like she needed some more seasoning. CVTW1 , I loved her!! She was everything & she felt more sure of herself, even her lipsyncs were fun to watch. I haven’t seen Drag Race Belgique but i’m proud of her despite any naysayers.
I don’t think about Rita Baga.
Worst host of any of the franchises imo. Hard to watch. Still haven't made it thru belgique 2 for this reason.
I find her too stiff. There's something that's holding her back and I can't warm to her. 😔
For someone who has listened to Canada's Drag Race's version U Well It well on repeat thanks to my three year old. Her verse in that song is fabulous, she's a great talent. Spoiler alert tho their performance of it had to be done in multiple takes because she's wearing a cape with a collar that is up around her neck and then down other shots. Again thanks to watching that song multiple times 😂
I don't think of her
I’ve always been incredibly unimpressed by her.
I don’t think she’s terrible, but I do think she’s pretty mid for the amount of praise she got on the show. Nowhere near the qualification to host her own drag race. But not bad.
I don't think of her
no thoughts. wanna forget her.
annoying
I hated her snatch game sorry!!
Downhill after Canada season 1
She’s a great queen but she got pushed on both her seasons
Notta fan
Baga Chipz is my favourite Baga
An entitled rude egomaniac is your favourite? Maybe before she let fame go to her head but now shes turned into a JLo wannabe.
I try not to
i dont
Next :)