Interview: RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars – Ginger Minj
4 min read
Following on from last week’s Snatch Game, the queens found themselves facing a Lip Sync Extravaganza based around the Baddest Women in Herstory as their third challenge. From the first woman Eve to Marie Antoinette and Princess Diana, the queens had to channel their character for the judges and pay homage to some of the greatest women of history that shaped the world we live in today.
Unfortunately, Katya’s rendition of Princess Diana and Ginger Minj’s take on Catherine the Great forced them into the bottom two for this week, while Detox’s Marie Antoinette and Alyssa Edwards’ Annie Oakley catapulted them to the top. After a tense moment of deliberation backstage and a stellar lip sync from the top two queens, Alyssa Edwards was declared the winner, and she chose to send Ginger Minj home this week.
With another cryptic message from Ru following her elimination, Ginger Minj’s time on All Stars might not be over yet, but whether she does or not we can all rest assured that this strong queen earned her place in the All Stars family. After her elimination, we spoke to Ginger Minj about her All Stars experience.
Michael Smith: How did it feel to be called on for All Stars season 2? Did you expect to be given this second chance at the crown?
Ginger Minj: It felt crazy! At first I was like, no, but then realized it would be silly to not take this opportunity. I wanted to show people that I am continuing to change and grow.
MS: Along with Katya, you’re one of the newest queens to appear in All Stars season 2. What was it like competing against all these other well-known faces, rather than a group of new girls?
GM: It’s definitely a different kind of competition. For season seven, I had no idea what to expect or who I would face in competition. This time I knew how fierce the competition would be and knew I would be friends with whoever walked through that door.
MS: The challenge for this week was to perform in a musical number based on history’s greatest women. How far in advance did you have to prepare for your given role?
GM: I think it was the day before? That’s when we got the script and started practicing.
MS: Was there another role in the musical you would have preferred to do? If you could have chosen one of the others or even a completely different woman, who would you have impersonated?
GM: If I had to choose one who was already there, I would have chosen Eve because that outfit looked fun to wear! If I could choose anyone, I would have honestly chosen Harriet Tubman. I don’t know if it would have gone over well! But ever since I was little I had such a respect for her, and have always been infatuated by her story. When I was little I went on a field trip and saw the railroad, and I was so claustrophobic I thought I was going to die down there. And she led how many people to their freedom down there? That is crazy. I have so much respect for her.
MS: You mentioned early in the episode that you were finding it hard to get any recognition from the judges for your performances. Did you expect to come out as safe during the first two challenges of the competition, or was it a surprise to you as well?
GM: It’s hard to say because in the moment it seems different. During my song, Ru got teary eyed and said it was an important song, and Raven loved it. My snatch game was good, but I don’t know if I was expecting to be safe.
MS: You were offered another shot at redemption by RuPaul at the end of the episode, however. What was it like to be thrown this extra curve-ball on top of all the other surprises All Stars has to offer?
GM: It’s scary because you don’t know what that entails, and all you can think is “I just want to go home and eat”! But, you’re also intrigued that you might have to unpack your stuff again and come barreling back into it – Ru is tricky! Lots of tricks up her sleeve.
MS: Since all of us viewers are unaware of what this twist really is, who would be your choice to win the competition, assuming you aren’t given a chance to enter the race again?
GM: Katya. She’s been one of my best friends for years.
MS: What are your plans for the future now that filming is over and the season is well underway?
GM: I’m coming out with an album that I’ve been working really hard on for about a year and a half. I also just finished a pilot for a TV show that looks like it could get the greenlight, so that’d be great.
Tune into RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars this Thursday at 8/7c on Logo and VH1 to see what Ru has in store!
