The first ever RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars champion, Chad Michaels, has revealed whether she’d return for another edition of an all-winners season.
Ever since All Stars 7 – alsoknown as the ‘All Winners’ version of the Drag Race spinoff – fans have been casting their nets far and wide for which of their favourite champs might be back to succeed Jinkx Monsoon as the Queen of All Queens.
While some have given (albeit hesitant) affirmatives like Drag Race UK‘s Danny Beard and Ginger Johnson, and some have thrown a hard and fast ‘no’ into the arena like Drag Race France‘s Keiona or All Stars champ Trixie Mattel, there’s still plenty of winners to choose from.
Speaking to PinkNews with BetUs, Chad Michaels, who won the first ever All Stars in 2012 after reaching the finale of season four earlier that year, reveals whether or not she’d be back for round three – but it’s not great news for anyone hoping to see the number one Cher impersonator back in front of Ru.
“I’m at a point in my life – I just turned 53 – where I’m just generally really happy. I’ve got the most beautiful private life, which includes so many wonderful aspects that I can get into later,” she said.
Explaining why she’s no longer in the headspace to pull lipsticks or face lipsync assassins on the Main Stage, Michaels continued: “I don’t feel, at this point, competitive at all. I love to support the girls and to support the show, but I just don’t see myself back there.
“I feel like I’ve created my legacy, I don’t need to be greedy.
She adds, rightly so, that she’s not “willing” to take the time out to film and do all the press that All Stars X would require, saying: “I’m working the way I want to, and I’m doing the things that make my heart happy. So I really just don’t want to f**k that up.”
As ever, with queens who say ‘no’ to a Drag Race or All Stars return, there’s a shred of ‘but maybe…’ from Chad.
“I have to be completely honest, when I watched the All Stars, All Winners, there was a little twinge in my heart of like: ‘It would be fun.’
“It would be fun to be there with the girls and share this experience. I’ll be honest with you, but yeah, at the end of the day I’ve got to look at what’s best for me.”
But there’s a practical element holding Chad back too – and we have to admire the pragmatism.
“It’s been a long time, and I’m older now,” she laughs. “I don’t know if I would have the stamina to stand on the runway for you know, three hours in heels! Just stuff like that. Those are the things that I remember being painful, that I go look back and go: ‘Could you handle that now? Do you want to destroy your feet?’”