The first season of RuPaul's Drag Race premiered in the United States on February 2, 2009, on Logo, and ended on March 23 of the same year. Nine contestants were selected to compete in the running of becoming "America's Next Drag Superstar." The first season was filmed during the summer of 2008. The winner of the first season won a cash prize of $20,000, $5,000 worth of MAC Cosmetics, was featured in an LA Eyeworks campaign, and joined the Logo Drag Race tour. One of the nine contestants to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race, Nina Flowers was determined by an audience vote via the show's official website.
The theme song playing during the runway every episode was "Cover Girl" from RuPaul's album Champion. This season, and seasons one and eleven of All Stars, are the only seasons to not feature a "Snatch Game" challenge episode, in which the contestants must impersonate a celebrity of their choosing while improvising witty responses to nonsensical riddles, in a format similar to vintage game shows such as Hollywood Squares or Match Game.
The winner of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race was BeBe Zahara Benet, with DJ Nina Flowers as the runner-up.
In late 2013, Logo re-aired the first season, which was titled RuPaul's Drag Race: The Lost Season, with featured commentary from RuPaul.
Contestants
Ages, names, and cities stated are at time of filming.
+Contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race season 1 and their backgrounds Contestant Age Hometown Outcome BeBe Zahara Benet 27 Minneapolis, Minnesota Nina Flowers 34 Denver, Colorado Rebecca Glasscock 26 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 3rd place Shannel 29 Las Vegas, Nevada 4th place Ongina 25 Los Angeles, California 5th place Jade 25 Chicago, Illinois 6th place Akashia 23 Cleveland, Ohio 7th place Tammie Brown 28 Long Beach, California 8th place Victoria "Porkchop" Parker 39 Raleigh, North Carolina 9th place
Notes:
Future appearances
Shannel, Nina Flowers and Tammie Brown returned again to compete on Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars season 1, where Shannel placed 3rd/4th alongside Jujubee, while Nina Flowers and Tammie Brown placed 9th/10th as a pair.
Bebe Zahara Benet returned again to compete on Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3 where she placed 3rd/4th alongside Shangela.
Ongina returned again to compete on Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars season 5 where she placed 9th.
Shannel returned again a second time on Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars season 9 where she placed 4th-8th.
Contestant progress
Lip syncs Legend:
Episode Contestants Song Eliminated 1 Akashia vs. Victoria "Porkchop" Parker "Supermodel (You Better Work)"(RuPaul) Victoria "Porkchop" Parker 2 Akashia vs. Tammie Brown "We Break the Dawn"(Michelle Williams) Tammie Brown 3 Akashia vs. Shannel "The Greatest Love of All"(Whitney Houston) Akashia 4 Jade vs. Rebecca Glasscock "Would I Lie to You?"(Eurythmics) Jade 5 BeBe Zahara Benet vs. Ongina "Stronger"(Britney Spears) Ongina 6 Rebecca Glasscock vs. Shannel "Shackles (Praise You)"(Mary Mary) Shannel Episode Final contestants Song Winner 8 BeBe Zahara Benet vs. Nina Flowers "Cover Girl (Put the Bass in Your Walk)"(RuPaul) BeBe Zahara Benet
Guest judges Listed in chronological order: Bob Mackie, fashion designer Mike Ruiz, photographer Frank Gatson, director and choreographer Michelle Williams, singer and actress Howard Bragman, writer and lecturer Debra Wilson, actress and comedian Gordon Espinet, make-up artist Jenny Shimizu, model and actress Lucy Lawless, actress and singer Robin Antin, dancer, choreographer, and actress Jeffrey Moran, Absolut Vodka marketing/branding executive María Conchita Alonso, singer-songwriter and actress
Episodes
References
External links
(U.S.)