Michelle Visage reveals her favourite Drag Race moments of all time

She’s a successful singer, actress, producer and TV personality, and now Michelle Visage can add Drag Race host to her already-impressive resumé.

It was announced on Tuesday that the multi-hyphenate will replace RuPaul as host for the upcoming fourth season of Drag Race Down Under, marking the first time she has taken on the role in the reality show’s 15-year history.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle following the announcement, Michelle admits there was “absolutely no hesitancy” when RuPaul asked her to host a couple months before filming began.

“Ru’s my best friend, I live for the show and I live for drag,” she says. “Ru’s got a brand new book, ‘The House of Hidden Meanings’, so Ru’s on a book tour and she couldn't be here, and I said, ‘Absolutely I'll step into that role’.

“It's big shoes to fill, figuratively and literally, and I said, ‘What do you want me to do?’. Ru said, ‘You be you, you do you’, and I was like, ‘Okay, I got this’.”

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Michelle asserts that the show’s format will stay the same - “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” - but viewers will likely see a different side to her on screen.

“I am a mother, first and foremost, so the nurturing aspect will probably be more prevalent,” she details. “I think it'll be more obvious because I can't hide it, especially when I'm trying to mentor and guide. I think that's different than the one way you're used to seeing me, more or less.”

She also teases that the upcoming season of Drag Race Down Under, which will see comedian Rhys Nicholson return to the judging panel, is “by far the strongest season we’ve had yet”.

“These contenders are amazing, they are shining stars,” she gushes. “Which is not good for me stepping in as the host, because it was tough decisions throughout the whole competition. You didn't watch it and go, ‘Oh that's a sacrificial lamb’, none of that.”

Having appeared as a judge on Drag Race since 2011, Michelle says there are far too many iconic moments to narrow down to one favourite - but here are some that stand out.

Favourite Snatch Game performances

“Jinx [Monsoon] just recently in All Stars All Winners, Jinx again as Little Edie, Kennedy Davenport as Little Richard, Pandora Boxx did a great Carol Channing, Chad Michaels as Cher - and that’s just talking America!” she says.

“The Vivienne as [Donald] Trump, Baga Chipz as Margaret Thatcher, Hannah Conda just recently as Shirley Temple, Jimbo! The list goes on and on.”

Favourite Lip Sync For Your Life

“Latrice [Royale] and little Kenya Michaels is one of my favourites, ‘Natural Woman’,” she details.

“DiDa Ritz [doing] Natalie Cole, Roxxxy Andrews, ‘Whip My Hair’ - that was the wig reveal. Anetra with Marcia Marcia Marcia with the Shamu. There are so many.”

Favourite guest judge

“One thing I can say about our guest judges is there's a very special anomaly with this show: every guest judge that comes on is a super fan. I don't know many shows that could say that,” she remarks. “You’re talking about Oscar winners, Olivier winners, Tony winners. They sit down and go, ‘Oh, I can't believe I'm here’. That's a gift.

“Joel McHale, that episode will go down in infamy forever and ever, but we actually have a really great relationship now, which is really fun.”

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Favourite Rusical

“That’s my favourite challenge. It’s not Madonna: The Rusical, although it is one of my favourites,” she shares.

“I thought Trump: The Rusical was genius, but the Sound of Rusic that we just did was unbelievable, and Wigloose was fantastic. I'm struggling because it's like the gay Sophie's Choice. Same thing with picking a favourite musical - I'm a Broadway baby, you can't pick a favourite. It's not possible.”

Favourite season to film

“The most personal season is season three because that was my first season of the US,” she reflects.

“And I fought really hard, I fought for five years to get the UK made, so series one of UK was really special to me too because it took a long time. They're all special to me, but those are just personal for me. And now, season four of Drag Race Down Under because it's the first one that I'm hosting.”

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