On April 11, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 debuted a thrilling new episode titled Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown. This exciting installment saw the return of ten eliminated queens, all eager to reclaim their spot in the competition by engaging in intense head-to-head lip-sync battles. A whopping $50,000 and the coveted title of Queen of She Done Already Had Herses were up for grabs, motivating each contestant to showcase their best performance. Ultimately, it was Suzie Toot who triumphed in the climactic finale.
Suzie advanced through multiple rounds, culminating in an electrifying face-off against Kori King. The two queens competed to Rosé and Bruno Mars’ hit APT, striving to make a memorable impression on the judges. While both performers received acclaim for their artistry, RuPaul ultimately awarded the victory—and the substantial cash prize—to Suzie Toot.
Meanwhile, the four finalists of Season 17—Jewels Sparkles, Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, and Sam Star—watched from the Werk Room, cheering on their fellow contestants eagerly.
Suzie Toot Advances by Defeating Lucky Starzzz in LaLaPaRuza Smackdown
After the return of the ousted queens, Kori approached Suzie to discuss her recent elimination. Suzie expressed her surprise and disappointment at being sent home so close to the finale, admitting it felt “really shocking and hurtful.” However, she maintained a positive outlook, suggesting that her return to the Werk Room had a purpose in the grand scheme of it all.
Kori took this moment to apologize, acknowledging her previous behavior towards Suzie as “mean.” In a light-hearted twist, she mentioned her desire to channel Suzie by creating an alter ego, “Kori Toot,” humorously donning a wig to impersonate her.
“Lately, I’ve been obsessed with cameos, and I have been creating new characters every single week. I have done JoJo Siwa, Michael Jackson, and of course, Kori Toot,”
Kori shared in a confessional on RuPaul’s Drag Race. While she enjoyed fan support for her interpretation, Suzie jokingly remarked that she could never evade the shadow of the spoof, playfully challenging Kori by suggesting her channeling might help her finally win a challenge.
As the lip-sync battles kicked off, Suzie took on Joella in round one, performing to Training Season by Dua Lipa. Despite adopting a clownish appearance, Suzie’s performance wowed the judges, earning her a spot in the next phase of competition. Kori also excelled, besting competitor Arrietty with her rendition of Blow Me (One Last Kiss) by P!nk.
In the semifinals, Suzie faced off against Lucky, selecting Rihanna’s We Found Love for their performance. The panel anticipated a departure from their earlier displays, which proved pivotal. While Lucky repeated her first-round moves, Suzie focused on interpreting the song’s narrative, thus edging out Lucky to finalize her place in the showdown against Kori.
Kori continued her winning streak, overcoming both Lana and Lydia in a three-way battle to Charlie XCX’s 360, successfully captivating the judges with her dynamic performance. However, during the highly awaited final showdown against Suzie, Kori faced challenges with her outfit, which lost its grip, requiring her to adjust her breastplate mid-performance. Although both contestants impressed, RuPaul deemed Suzie the rightful champion for her poised execution, awarding her the grand prize.
Don’t miss new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17, airing every Friday at 8 PM ET exclusively on MTV.