| "The Ball Ball" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RuPaul's Drag Race episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 12 Episode 4 | ||
| Presented by | RuPaul | ||
| Featured music | "S&M" (2011) by Rihanna | ||
| Original air date | March 20, 2020 (2020-03-20) | ||
| Guest appearance | |||
| Leslie Jones | |||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| List of episodes | |||
"The Ball Ball" is the fourth episode of the twelfth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race.[1][2][3] It originally aired on March 20, 2020. The episode's main challenge tasks the contestants with presenting three looks in a fashion show. Leslie Jones is a guest judge.
Gigi Goode wins the main challenge. Rock M. Sakura is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom and losing a lip-sync contest against Brita to "S&M" by Rihanna. The corresponding episode of RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked earned a nomination in the Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program category at the 72nd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
Episode
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For the episode's mini-challenge, the contestants compete in "The Beehive Jive" dance competition.[4] Gigi Goode wins the mini-challenge.[5]
For the main challenge, the contestants are tasked with presenting three looks for the Ball Ball. The runway categories are "Lady Baller", "Basketball Wife Realness", and "Balls to the Wall Eleganza".[6][7] The first two categories are sports-related and the third category requires the contestants to create original outfits from ball-shaped materials.
On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow judges as well as guest judge Leslie Jones. Gigi Goode, Jaida Essence Hall, and Nicky Doll receive positive critiques, and Gigi Goode wins the challenge.[8] Aiden Zhane, Brita, and Rock M. Sakura receive negative critiques, and Aiden Zhane is deemed safe. Brita and Rock M. Sakura place in the bottom and face off in a lip-sync contest to "S&M" (2011) by Rihanna. Brita is declared the winner of the lip-sync and Rock M. Sakura is eliminated from the competition.[9]
Production and broadcast
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The episode originally aired on March 20, 2020.
Michael Cuby of Nylon said of the lip-sync contest: "after spending a large chunk of the song struggling to rip the bottom off of her very restricting gown, Rock lost her edge and, ultimately, was sent packing, struggling to hold back her tears as she was dismissed.[10]
Fashion
[edit]Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly described one of Rock M. Sakura's looks as a "genius tetherball-inspired wig that literally swung around her head on a chain".[11]
Reception
[edit]Kate Kulzick of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B'.[12] Sam Damshenas of Gay Times said of the lip-sync contest: "It was one of the most controversial eliminations in Drag Race HERstory, and in our opinion, the least well-deserved since Naomi Smalls shockingly chopped All Stars 4 frontrunner Manila Luzon (we're still not over it)."[13][14] Stephen Daw of Billboard described the contest as "ferocious".[15] Anja Grčar of Screen Rant wrote: "Post-episode discussions revealed that fans thought that Aiden would have gone home, but the judges eliminated Rock M. Sakura instead."[16] Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle said Rock M. Sakura "created an instantly iconic runway moment ... when she swung a ball over her wig".[17]
The corresponding episode of RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked earned lead editor Kendra Pasker, as well as editors Yali Sharon and Kate Smith, a nomination in the Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program category at the 72nd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ McCallion, Paul (March 20, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: It DO Take Balls!". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Dylan B. (March 23, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race recap: season 12, episode four". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ Guzzo, Bianca (March 21, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Episode 4 Recap: The Ball Ball". IN Magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ Street, Mikelle. "Watch RuPaul Twerk In This Week's 'Drag Race' Season 12 Clip | Out.com". Out. Archived from the original on May 13, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Richards, Jared (March 22, 2020). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Recap: What The Frack, Are The Judges In-Zhane?". Junkee. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Swift, Andy (March 21, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Which Queen Fouled Out At The Ball?". TVLine. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Every 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 12 runway look, ranked". Entertainment Weekly. People Inc. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Holland, Scott (March 25, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12, Episode 4: Rock M Sakura". Hotspots Magazine. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Episode 4: complete recap". Xtra Magazine. Pink Triangle Press. ISSN 0829-3384. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Exit Interview: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queen Rock M. Sakura On Going Home". Nylon. Bustle Digital Group. March 24, 2020. ISSN 1524-1750. Archived from the original on October 20, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Justice for Rock M. Sakura, robbed queen of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race levels the playing field with "The Ball Ball"". The A.V. Club. Paste Media Group. March 21, 2020. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (March 25, 2020). "The queens are devastated over Rock M. Sakura in Drag Race preview". Gay Times. ISSN 0950-6101. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Moore, Matt (March 21, 2020). "This was the most controversial Drag Race elimination since Manila Luzon". Gay Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Daw, Stephen (March 23, 2020). "'Drag Race' Star Rock M. Sakura Goes to Her Happy Place with Anime-Inspired Playlist: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Grčar, Anja (September 19, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race: Every Ball Challenge, Ranked". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Guerra, Joey (March 23, 2020). "Rock M. Sakura is still having a ball, despite 'Drag Race' elimination". Houston Chronicle. Hearst Communications. ISSN 1074-7109. OCLC 30348909.
- ^ "Emmys 2020: List of Nominations". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. July 28, 2020. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
External links
[edit]| External media | |
|---|---|
| 👁 video icon FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: Balls to the Wall Eleganza on YouTube, WOW Presents Plus | |
| 👁 video icon Jan’s Lady Baller Look | Makeup Tutorial | RuPaul’s Drag Race on YouTube |
- The Ball Ball at IMDb
- IMDb entry for the corresponding Untucked episode
- RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE (S12E4) “The Ball Ball”: Ru’s Choices Deflate The Competition, Film Inquiry
- RuPaul’s Drag Race season 12 queens ranked from meh to yaaas after The Ball Ball, Metro
- RuPaul's Drag Race - Episode 4 Review, Spill the Tea
- RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 Episode 4 Recap: The Ball Ball, TV Fanatic
- RuPaul’s Drag Race: The Ball Ball, Werrrk
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