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News RuPaul's Drag Race

All the most explosive Werk Room meltdowns on RuPaul’s Drag Race that left us in total shock

Some of these are wild

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ByHelen Williams

3rd September 2025, 11:46

If there’s one thing RuPaul’s Drag Race guarantees (aside from sickening looks and lip-sync assassinations), it’s drama in the Werk Room. Over 15 years, queens have clashed over wigs, sewing machines, and even who’s hogging the mirror space. And while the runway may be where legends are made, the Werk Room is where iconic meltdowns are born. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane at some of the most unforgettable blowups in Drag Race herstory!

“Back Rolls?!” moment was unforgettable

Season five was stacked with drama, and one of its earliest iconic moments came when Jade Jolie decided to poke fun at Alyssa Edwards’ figure. Jade asked if Alyssa had “back rolls,” which sent the Texas queen spiralling into an instantly quotable, wide-eyed shriek: “BACK ROLLS?!” It was chaotic and pure Drag Race gold. Alyssa’s meltdown went viral, proving that sometimes, the loudest werkroom explosions can also be the funniest.

Mimi Imfurst v Everyone

If you’ve watched Drag Race since the early days, you’ll remember Mimi Imfurst’s dramatic clash in season three. While tensions were already running high, Mimi’s feud with Shangela, Delta Work, and the rest of the cast boiled over when she shouted: “This is not RuPaul’s Best Friend Race!” The line became immortalised in Drag Race lore, and ironically, it kind of has been the Best Friend Race ever since.

Laganja Estranja’s breakdown

Few werkroom meltdowns were as raw and vulnerable as Laganja Estranja’s in season six. Feeling isolated and misunderstood by her fellow queens, Laganja tearfully proclaimed: “I feel very attacked!” Her dramatic exit and plea for support made headlines and sparked a wider conversation about mental health in drag. While it was heartbreaking in the moment, Laganja has since reflected on it with humour and growth, cementing the moment as one of the show’s most memorable emotional eruptions.

Untucked Chaos, Phi Phi O’Hara v Sharon Needles

Technically more Untucked than Werk Room, this blowup deserves a mention. Phi Phi O’Hara and Sharon Needles went head-to-head in one of the nastiest Drag Race arguments ever. Phi Phi told Sharon to “go back to Party City where you belong,” while Sharon coolly fired back with biting comebacks. The screaming match was so intense it felt like the werkroom walls were shaking. This feud defined season four’s drama and solidified Phi Phi as one of Drag Race’s most infamous villains.

Yvie Oddly v Silky Nutmeg Ganache

Season 11 gave us a clash of titans when Yvie Oddly and Silky Nutmeg Ganache squared off. Yvie, never one to bite her tongue, called out her castmates for playing it safe, and insinuated Silky “wasn’t talented.” Silky clapped back with equal fire. Their screaming match lit up the werkroom, with queens caught in the middle looking like deer in headlights. It was a battle of personalities that people still debate about today.

Vixen and Eureka’s Untucked argument

Who could forget The Vixen and Eureka’s heated argument in Untucked during season 10? Though it spilt over from the main stage, the Werk Room atmosphere carried the tension. The Vixen stood her ground in one of the show’s most important confrontations, addressing double standards and race in drag culture. Explosive? Absolutely. But also one of Drag Race’s most significant reality TV moments.

Bosco and Lady Camden’s showdown

Season 14 served up plenty of werkroom tension, but few clashes were as sharp as Bosco and Lady Camden’s spat over the role of Saltine in the Rusical Challenge. Both queens had their eyes on the starring role, and when Camden snagged it, Bosco wasn’t shy about voicing her frustration. What started as shady banter quickly escalated into a heated back-and-forth, with Bosco declaring she’d been “robbed” and Camden standing her ground.

The fallout carried into Untucked, where Bosco doubled down, and the tension lingered even after the challenge. What made this showdown so memorable wasn’t just the drama itself, but the way it highlighted the competitive edge beneath Camden’s usually sunny persona and Bosco’s fierce determination to prove herself. It was messy, it was dramatic, and it reminded us all that even in a season packed with lovable personalities, the werkroom can still erupt.

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