For example, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mickey Rooney plays I.Y. She manifests the stereotypes that dwell in this dominant space and, her reclamation instead re-emphasizes that these prejudicial and derogatory portrayals of Asian-Americans exist as seen by guest judge Gigi Hadid’s laughter. Kim Chi ultimately leaves the sphere that the queens have created on the show and enters the Western, hegemonic discourse that the queens originally attempt to stray away from. As previously stated, drag queens defy normative art. Kim Chi amplifies Asian stereotypes to not only stand out in the challenge, but also to create the illusion of original humor in the Snatch Game challenge. Lastly and most apparently, she applies heavy, brown eyeliner above her eyelids to exaggerate her eyes. She places-what may or may not be-Korean characters above her English name and on her breast. For her garb, she wears what appears to be a jeonbok, a sleeveless long vest typically worn by the military. She sports a jet-black wig that is parted in the middle to create a physical resemblance between her and her supposed brother. In the Snatch Game, she exploits those Asian attributes in every way. Her typical, drag style does not highlight her Asian-American facial features. As seen below, Kim Chi is known for her over-the-top make-up. Kim Chi inhabits this arena by bringing to life Kimmy Jong-un. The “Orient” represents a fictional space where Westerners gaze at Asian populations as exotic or other. In other words, she places herself back in the center of the hegemonic lens that the show tries to elude through the adoption of “Oriental” behavior, dress, music, etc. However, Kim Chi only accomplishes this through self-orientalization. And so, it appears Kimmy Jong-un showcases agency: the free choice for a subordinate group (in this case, Kim Chi as an Asian-American queen on Drag Race) to combat the primarily white and black humor with her experience as an Asian immigrant. The combination of the cast and host creates a predominant narrative and source for humor in the confines of the show. Bob the Drag Queen, for example, plays a black Carol Channing. The drag queens collectively defy different focal points of hegemony, especially those concerning gender, sexuality, and race. Most of the cast in Kim Chi’s season is white, and RuPaul, who identifies as African-American, serves as the host. Proving difficult for Kim Chi, she creates her own character: Kimmy Jong-un, the fictional sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (seen above at 00:40). Snatch Game, which satirizes the fill-in-the-blank variety show Match Game from the 1980’s, requires that each drag queen impersonates his or her favorite celebrity. Although Kim Chi, as a drag queen, represents a deviation from the hegemonic structure, her portrayal of Kimmy Jong-un exploits stereotypical comedic tropes regarding Asian-Americans that ultimately reinforces the dominant narrative. She annihilated her competitors in the design challenges yet struggled to equip the same ingenuity in her performances, namely, as Kimmy Jong-un in the Snatch Game. Known for her haute couture style and gawky persona, Kim Chi made it to the top three of season 8. One of the most famous of these Asian-American contestants is Kim Chi. Of the series’ 113 contestants, only 7 identify as Asian-American, proving this demographic to be a minority in the world of Drag Race. Consequentially, the show and its contestants generate an artistic sphere outside of the aforementioned hegemonic structure. They do so by deconstructing the dominant narrative through parody, fashion, and gender expression. Drag queens challenge the cis-gendered, white, heterosexual men that have defined the conventions of both art and the entertainment industry. It combines the exhibition of gender, race, class, ability, and sexuality in such a way that its provocative and creative nature is accessible to everyone. So, what is it about Drag Race that compels us to holler, “Yas, queen”? Drag culture embodies intersectional art. RuPaul’s Drag Race has quickly entered mainstream media, as evident by the booming popularity of her annual drag convention, the propulsion of contestants like Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova into celebrity status, and the integration of certain phrases into our modern lexicon- “Sashay away,” “sickening,” etc.
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