Brooke Lynn Hytes is the Cersei Lannister of Drag Race Season 11

Arts

May 24

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Confession: I don’t want Brooke Lynn Hytes to win RuPaul’s Drag Race.

I know, I know. She’s beautiful, she’s talented, she’s won the most challenges, she’s given great lip syncs, yadda yadda yadda. I won’t deny she’s an amazing queen or that I’ve been entertained watching her on the show (or that I openly declared Yvie Oddly the clear winner of Season 11 on episode 4). Brooke Lynn is professional, athletically gifted, graceful, confident, versatile and polished. She comes across as the complete package - so why don’t I want her to win?

It’s because the queen has a personality problem. It’s not to say that she has NO personality. It’s that I don’t think she’s willing to share it on television. We got a taste of it this last episode with her shadiness, but after 12 episodes, I barely know anything about her other than a capital YT white girl who’s good at ballet.

The show already crowned someone who was more looks than personality last season, but at least Aquaria was raw and relatable in her awkwardness, like a cute little broken robot. Brooke Lynn is sleek AI perfection. It’s like she’s pretending to be human while she gives out camera ready pieces of herself. There’s occasional glimpses behind the mask that betray a keen intelligence, and I’m betting money she deliberately tries to keep it that way.

But if I had to guess what’s back there—she’s cold, calculating, withdrawn, poised, controlling, shady...she’s the Cersei Lannister of drag, y’all.

*BOTH HAVE ALSO SPENT THE LAST DECADE THINKING THEY WERE QUEEN OF THE NORTH.*

To her credit, she’s good at it, which is why all I have to offer is circumstantial evidence. Exhibit A: 33 year old man has never been in a relationship but finds love for the first time on international television with the most well known, beloved returning queen Vanessa Vanjie Mateo? And she’s still teasing the rabid, ship-obsessed fandom with Branjie “are they/aren’t they” record-breaking Instagram posts? I smell a stunt.

*IT’S FINE THOUGH BECAUSE BRAN WENT ON TO WIN ALL-STARS.*

I also think Nina West was correct to question her intentions in their team challenge because Brooke Lynn straight up manipulated her friend Nina into giving up the better role. Then she leans on her for support yet claims success on her own? Maybe it’s nothing, but it seems pretty self-centered.

But the real giveaway was learning in Untucked about Brooke Lynn fucking with Silky’s head. It reeks of a specific kind of cruelty, one Silky’s probably felt before, and was done when she knew no cameras would record her. That sealed the Cersei comparison for me.

*SOMEBODY JUST TOOK YVIE’S PLACE ON SILKY’S LIST.*

And it’s a shame, really. Not because she’s a villain but because she doesn’t revel in it. Nothing’s more entertaining to the gays than a villain who has the resume to back it up. Brooke Lynn would have had a much more compelling story as the Big Bad of the season. It’s a shame the Silky parade is loud as fuck and distracting as hell because Drag Race producers will go for the low hanging fruit every time. Imagine if instead we had gotten to see the evil Canadian ice queen invade the country only to shred and slice the girls at every turn. Gagworthy.

*HERE WE LEARN ALL CANADIANS ARE A KIND OF SCORPION-RAPTOR-NATALIE-PORTMAN HYBRID.*

I know all this may seem like I don’t like Brooke Lynn, and I’m making things up. Au contraire, mon French-Canadian frère. Aside from obnoxiously spelling her name as “Brooke Lynn” instead of “Brooklyn” and forcing me to re-edit this entire post, I think she is an amazing queen and a clear frontrunner for a reason. She’s killed most of the challenges and I struggle to remember if she had a runway that was actually bad (except that afro wig needs to go). She gave us runway stunts, a lip-sync to die for, and more Canadian flair than a poorly tucked moose knuckle.

And I’ll be quick to admit that maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t really there. But if I’m making things up, it’s because the story we got for her is non-existent.

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