Advertisement

RuPaul's Drag Race slays third consecutive Emmys win for Outstanding Competition Program

World of Wonder

Look over there! The Television Academy has recognized queer excellence for the third year in a row.

RuPaul's Drag Race has yet again won the Emmy for Outstanding Competition Program, marking a trio of consecutive victories for the VH1 and World of Wonder production that pits world-class drag queens against each other for the most prestigious global drag title.

"That's so very kind of you. Thank you to the Academy for this beautiful honor," RuPaul said during his virtual acceptance speech while wearing a colorful suit. "We love making television. It is an honor to make television, and all the kids get to tell their stories on our show and it's beautiful. A special thank you to the viewers and a special note to the viewer: I know how you feel right now. Just know that you are loved, and don't give up on love. Believe in love and the power of love, ok?"

A quick shot of season 12 queens Jaida Essence Hall, Heidi N Closet, and Widow Von'Du quickly flashed onscreen as RuPaul concluded his speech, which capped the show's six total victories this year. Drag Race season 12's big win comes one day after RuPaul shattered an Emmys record, with the 59-year-old LGBTQ trailblazer claiming his fifth statuette — the bracket's highest tally in history — for hosting the 11-year-old series. His powerful acceptance speech urged viewers to vote in the upcoming election and also featured a touching dedication to the late season 8 queen Chi Chi DeVayne.

In 2020 alone, the domestic version of RuPaul's Drag Race aired two well-received seasons, with season 12 premiering in February and All-Stars 5 following in June. For the first time since its 2009 inception, all three of the competition's prize-winning queens were Black: Season 12 champion Jaida Essence Hall, Miss Congeniality Heidi N Closet, and All-Stars 5 victor Shea Couleé. The first season of Canada's Drag Race also blazed a trail for representation in crowning fan-favorite queen Priyanka, the first Indo-Caribbean competitor to land a franchise title.

Speaking to EW immediately after she took the crown the same weekend that Black Lives Matter protests erupted around the country in the wake of George Floyd's death, Hall said: "I hope I can inspire so many young Black people like myself who never feel like they’re special or that what they offer the world isn’t important. Hopefully, they see this and realize, 'What I am and who I am is enough, I matter, and I have something special to offer to the world.'"

RuPaul's Drag Race has been renewed for season 13 and All-Stars 6, both of which are expected to premiere on VH1 at a future date.

See the full list of 2020 Emmy winners.

Related content: