‘Drag Race’s Jessica Wild Has No Hard Feelings About ‘All Stars’ Elimination
Q&A
For the first time ever, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has a final two. The Emmy-winning competition series’ eighth season, airing Fridays on Paramount+, saw former Season 2 queen Jessica Wild eliminated in the July 7 episode, leaving only Jimbo and Kandy Muse left to fight for the crown.
TV Insider caught up with Jessica following her exit, and she said her elimination wasn’t the only departure that surprised her. Here, we chat about Season 8 Episode 10, Kandy Muse’s tiebreaking vote that sent her packing, and more.
You were so close to the finale, but top three, that’s really something.
Jessica Wild: Oh, yeah. I’m beyond happy because when you go to the show, anything can happen. It’s a competition. Anyone can go home first. I hoped to go as far as possible, and I did.
I interviewed Alexis Michelle last week after her elimination, and she said that you two were really close this season. Could you speak a little bit about that?
No, she’s lying. I’m joking! I’m joking. Yes, yes, I had a good connection with Alexis even before we went to the competition. I’ve been always good friends with Alexis. She helped me go through a lot during the competition. We have kind of the same age. And I was connected with her. Yeah, that’s true. We spent a lot of time together; even when we had free time [while filming], we would always go out to take a break together. Yeah, she’s telling the truth. But we didn’t see that on TV.
So when you learned that she chose your lipstick when she was eliminated, how did that make you feel?
I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t impressed. At that point, you need to pick somebody. At least I was fair, because her critiques were the worst of the four of us. Based on the decision of the judges, I chose her lipstick. I think she chose mine because of her alliance with Kandy. I was like, “OK, I’m fine. I’m here. So it’s all good.” I’m not taking her decision personally. It’s a competition.
She said something similar last week, saying that at this point in the competition, she can’t hold people’s lipstick decisions against them because every decision is difficult.
Yeah, and we all have the power to decide whatever we want. If I want to save you just because you’re beautiful or just because you’re my friend in the competition, it’s my decision. No one can do anything about it. So that’s why to me, I was trying to be fair, trying to not regret my decisions. But you know, I don’t regret anything. Every decision that I made during this competition was based on what was happening. That’s all we got. Everybody’s amazing, and sadly, we have to choose. And that day, [Alexis] decided to choose my lipstick. I wasn’t angry, to be honest.
Would you say your votes this season were all pretty much based on the performance that week?
Yes. As an example, people ask why I voted for Jaymes for the Rusical. We all did amazing. It was an amazing Rusical. It was just details. Kahanna [Montrese] was in the bottom the week before, but for the Rusical, she chose the longest verses. It was the most difficult song to me because it was super long. It was a lot of choreography, plus she had an amazing runway. Just based on those details, I made my decision. But it’s not that Jaymes did a horrible job. I was looking at that challenge as a choreographer, as a singer. And I saw that Kahanna took the risk because she wanted to prove that she can do more.
Kahanna Montrese (L) and Jessica Wild (R) during ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 8 Episode 7
What would you say was the hardest vote you had to cast this season?
I’m going to sound like a pageant queen, but every lipstick. [With] every lipstick, you feel that you are breaking a heart. I think the hardest is when you win. Because you are happy that you won, and then you have to show a lipstick on stage. So to me, to send [Mrs. Kasha Davis home], it was really painful. When I saw her sad on stage, I felt super guilty. If I have to choose one, it was that moment because I was happy, and then in a second, in a blink of an eye, I was sad. And that guilt is with you for a few hours.
I can imagine. And it’s hard because it’s the group choosing versus you choosing by yourself.
Yes. And you ask yourself like, “Oh my god, did I make the right decision?” No matter what, someone’s going to end up with a broken heart.
I imagine choosing based on the performances of that week makes it a little bit easier because it’s not out of malicious strategy.
Yeah, and like I said, that day, [Kasha and Darienne Lake] both did good. So I was like, “OK, who had the worst critiques?” And in that case, it was Kasha. But when me and Kasha had our one-on-one conversation, I felt that she was kind of telling me, “Save my friend.” They’re both best friends. I don’t know, she confused me. And you know, I was already thinking I’m saving Darienne, but when you have that one-on-one, it’s your opportunity to change minds. And to me, she was happy [to go home]. She was happy with everything, and she was ready to be with her family. I don’t know. I made that decision based on those emotions. To me, I was like, “OK, you’re fine. Let me save your friend because she did great. Let’s do this.”
That’s interesting to hear that emotional backstory. So, self-elimination came up multiple times this season. First with Heidi N Closet when she chose to leave, and then when Kahanna almost left before RuPaul intervened. The vote in Episode 10 was between you and Jimbo. I feel like the answer is no, but was there any part of you that considered choosing your own lipstick?
One hundred percent no. Especially in the top three after I went through all of that, it wasn’t an option. No matter that I love Jimbo with all my heart, I know she’s not going to send herself home. And I was the same. No, that wasn’t an option at all. Not even for a second.
Yeah, when it’s the final elimination, it would just be illogical. Unless you really were spent and wanted to go home.
Yeah, I think [the hardest] competition is when your emotions go through a lot. All those feelings, we go through them. But at the end? No, baby. I need to be in the finale. I have to. That’s the feeling. I [had] more fire than ever.
World of Wonder/Paramount+
You won the Episode 10 mini-challenge, and you delivered a strong performance with your guest-star scene partner, Lisa Changadveja. Your elimination was another example of eliminations being hard choices. Do you think Kandy was being strategic by voting for you?
Kandy was in a very difficult decision because she loved both of us. I think me and Jimbo did well, but I think Kandy voted more on the track record. Jimbo had four wins. Maybe if I had the same amount of winnings, she would’ve saved me. We’re never going to know that, but I had a feeling. I had a feeling she was trying to be fair [about] the track record, plus she had an alliance with Jimbo, so I don’t know. She made her decision. I wanted to stay so bad, but it’s not that I’m angry. Jimbo’s an amazing competitor. When you go home next to a competitor like Jimbo, you don’t feel bad. You feel like, “Good for her.” She’s an amazing performer, and she did a great season, so, OK, sister. I support you. You better win, bitch. [Laughs]
But that challenge was one of the difficult ones for me. Because you can go prepared to dress them up like family, family resemblance. But I was like, “This girl is so tiny, so different from me. What am I going to do?” So again, I have to prove to myself that I can do anything. And I have a beautiful connection with her. At the end, I went home, but with a lot of satisfaction, and I’m proud of myself, very proud of myself.
As you well should be. I thought your looks in the episode were very similar. You were like fraternal twin Lady Gagas.
Yeah, it’s like we were family, like we were from the same [drag] house. I remember my idea was to be like two girls from the ’80s because I love the ’80s, to bring that and to bring fun. But in the competition, sometimes things don’t happen in the way that you want them to happen. So you need to create, you need to think about another idea, and that pressure will make you grow. At the end when I saw her and when I saw myself, I was like, “Whatever happened, you look good, girl. We are Lady Gaga’s daughters.”
Lisa Changadveja and Jessica Wild perform during ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 8 Episode 10 (Credit: World of Wonder/Paramount+)
I want to talk about your “Coconuts” lip-sync to wrap things up, which was just so iconic from the first couple of seconds. You do your reveal, you whip those “coconuts” out, JoJo Siwa screams at the top of her lungs. Did you know immediately that you won when you heard that scream?
To be honest, I don’t remember the scream because I was so focused on the lip-sync. When I saw it on TV, I was like, “Oh my god, I was so good.” But I knew that as soon as I revealed those coconuts, baby, this lip-sync was mine. Because the song is about jumping coconuts. So I remember when I won the challenge, and they gave us the song, I was like, “Oh my god, I have the perfect outfit!” Because it’s a tribute to the trans superstar from Spain, La Veneno. La Veneno was one of my Snatch Game options, but I said, “You know what? La Veneno’s coming out tonight. She’s going to help me win. This outfit is the right one.” And I made the right choice.
You absolutely did. That’s one of the best lip-syncs of the season hands down.
People are still talking about it. I’m on tour with the coconuts, baby. I’m going to Chicago tomorrow, and one of the petitions is like, “Bring the coconuts.” And everywhere I go, people take pictures, and they tag me and say, “Oh my god, I cannot believe I was next to the coconuts.”
This is your legacy.
They love it. The coconuts themselves are icons. It was an iconic moment not just for me, but for the season. Kim Petras, call me. Because I’m sure she’s doing a lot of sales for that song. [Laughs]
You need to be on the remix. Lastly, I feel like everyone just really liked you this season. You seemed to get along with everyone, and you gave a great performance overall.
I’m feeling full. My heart is full with all this love and all this new opportunity. The validation, it’s not that you need it but you also do need it. Especially after so many years doing drag, I felt like I was losing the energy a little bit. This has given me more. I’m feeling brand new because of all the love I’m getting from all of you.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Fridays, Paramount+
