Drag Race UK’s Choriza May was ‘angry’ at Ru for not getting her drag

Words: Alastair James; pictures: BBC

Drag Race UK‘s Choriza May says she was “angry at Ru” for not liking her drag but that she can’t be angry at other queens for being more to Mama Ru’s liking.

Choriza sashayed away from the competition alongside fellow fan-favourite River Medway after both failed to impress Ru in the lip-sync in this week’s episode. This week the queens took part in the iconic Snatch Game challenge, as well as the reading mini-challenge (which Choriza won)

As she joined Attitude and Tia Kofi for Tea Time, in association with TAIMI, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ social and dating app, Choriza also said she did not agree with the judges’ critiques of her drag. 

This week’s episode saw Choriza take on Cuban performer Margarita Pracatan in the Drag Race mainstay challenge before walking the runway (category is: ‘Feeling Fruity’) in a peachy Carmen Miranda inspired outfit. 

Despite her look being moderately well received (Michelle Visage saying she “enjoyed” it, a comment not to be ignored so easily) the consensus among the judges was Choriza’s Pracatan ran out of steam. 

Asked by Drag Race UK series 2 star Tia Kofi if she felt she deserved to be in the bottom two Choriza said: “No! Mama Ru is crazy!” and that she disagrees with the judges “100 percent” in regards to their comments on her look.

“Couldn’t disagree more,” she continues. “I looked the best out of everyone, even the judges. I was the most stunning queen in that episode and no one can tell me otherwise.” 

Having been read the week before over her gold lamé cowboy outfit Choriza says she was excited for this week’s category because it was one of her strongest looks. “It was very disheartening when they told me I looked ok, it’s not the best, it’s not the worst.”

She says it left her feeling unsure what she could do to impress the judges: “At that point I was, like, well, I don’t think I can win this because you are really not feeling it for me and RuPaul was so into some of the other queens.

“It does not matter how well or badly I do in a challenge. It doesn’t matter how well or bad I look on the runway, you are just not feeling me. That’s fine. It’s unfortunate – she’s [RuPaul] the one that makes the decisions but I felt I looked great.”

And while other queens, such as Krystal Versace, were getting glowing critiques regularly, Choriza says she couldn’t be angry at Krystal as they both doing their best at their drag.

“I was angry at Ru,” Choriza reveals. “It is what it is. I do drag for myself, if other people enjoy it, which people have, I’m very lucky and good for them. It’s their loss really.”

Choriza maintains she did not feel defeated as she prepared to lip-sync against River Medway. “I still felt I had a chance. I felt disheartened. I had put so much work up until that point, I felt I did great. I don’t think Ru saw me as a winner and that moment was really heartbreaking for me, because I see myself as a winner.”

On discussing some of the xenophobic comments, which she’s written about previously, directed at her following the announcement she was in Drag Race UK series 3 Choriza says she knew it was coming but that she had received a lot of love and support from her drag community in Newcastle. 

“My drag community has been amazing. There have been a few comments in Newcastle about me not representing Newcastle drag, and funnily enough, it’s come from people who don’t do drag. It was all the kings and queens that got my back and went for them.”

Subscribe to Attitude on YouTube now to ensure you catch every weekly episode of Tea Time in association with TAIMI.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK continues on Thursday nights on BBC iPlayer from 7pm in the UK.