Somebody always has to be the first to go, but for queens from RuPaul's Drag Race, going home first doesn't mean that they won't get a chance to return to the competition.
Some Drag Race queens who went home first have gone on to be fan favorites, others, not so much. Rumors have been swirling in the fandom that a first-eliminated season is on the horizon, so perhaps even more queens will get a second chance to make a lasting impact.
10. Kelly Mantle - Season 6 Premiere 1
Kelly Mantle is an actor, singer, and drag performer. She uses her given name as her drag name since she wants it to be easier for casting directors to look her up. Mantle was a part of the first group of queens introduced in Season 6. She was tasked with creating a Downton Abbey-themed outfit from a box of materials but was criticized for the material on her dress looking like bacon. She went home after losing a lip sync to Madonna’s “Express Yourself” against Vivacious.
In 2014, Mantle starred in the film Confessions of a Womanizer alongside Gary Busey. Mantle, who is gender fluid, made history by being the first person eligible for both male and female best-supporting actor. Currently, she is a part of the band the Rollz Royces with Michael Catti and Drag Race alumni, Tammie Brown.
9. June Jambalaya - Season 14
Although June was placed in the bottom in the first episode and beat Orion Story in the lip sync, she was the first queen to be sent home, and not return. The third episode was a ball challenge, and June found herself in the bottom again. She was sent home after a lip sync of “I Love It” by Kylie Minogue.
June is a queen from Flordia, who is known for her dancing skills, and her extravagant looks. Even though fans didn’t get to see too many of her outfits this season, she did get to show a few looks. She came back to the reunion wearing a stunning orange gown and was considered one of the best dressed at the finale.
8. Naysha Lopez - Season 8
Naysha Lopez is a former Miss Continental winner and is known for her "fishy" beauty, and curvaceous figure, which she admitted to having “enhanced” in a comedic moment during the Season 8 finale. Naysha is a Chicago queen, who lost her first lip sync to Lady Gaga’s “Applause” against Season 8 sister, Laila McQueen.
Naysha was the first queen to place last, then be brought back later in the season. RuPaul invited her back after Laila and Dax Exclamation Point's double elimination. She returned in episode 3 but was eliminated again in episode 4. Naysha is still competing in pageants and recently placed runner-up in 2021’s Mr.Continental.
7. Kahmora Hall - Season 13
Kahmora Hall was the first to sashay away after losing a lip sync to fellow Chicago queen, Denali. Elliott With 2 T’s was technically the first queen to be eliminated after losing her lip sync, and being voted out by the other queens in the “Porkchop Loading Zone”. However, she returned in the next episode, making Kahmora the official first eliminated queen from Season 13.
Kahmora calls herself the “Mackie Doll” and proves this by wearing stunning Bob Mackie numbers, including her iconic golden dragon dress that she donned during the episode. She returned in Season 14 for Episode 5, "Save a Queen", where the competitors had to create PSAs for some of the first eliminated queens.
6. Tempest DuJour - Season 7
Tempest is a Father from Arizona, who is the second-oldest queen to ever compete on the show, the first being Charlie Hides. She was eliminated first in Season 7, after the “Born Naked” challenge where she sported an unusual crab over her lose fitting nude illusion. Of course, the bottom two queens are the ones who had been feuding throughout the episode, and Tempest loses the lip sync of “Geronimo” by RuPaul to Kandy Ho.
She returns later in the season for the episode “Conjoined Queens”, where all the eliminated queens returned and were made over by the remaining queens, to see who gets to return to the competition. Tempest was paired up with Jaida Essence Hall, and they struggled to find a look that would work on their opposite physiques. Jaida was sent home, making Tempest the only queen to ever sashay away twice, without returning to the competition. She came back in Season 14 as well to participate in the "Save A Queen" PSAs.
5. Jaymes Mansfield - Season 9
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Jaymes Mansfield is a Wisconsin queen known for her iconic high-pitched drag voice and puppeteering talents. Much to the disappointment of her fans, she was the first queen eliminated from Season 9. The first episode of the season didn’t eliminate any queens, but Jaymes was told to sashay away after placing in the bottom with Kimora Blac after the cheer challenge in episode 2. The two queens performed a lip sync to the B52’s “Love Shack”.
Jaymes also returned to the Drag Race stage in Season 14’s “Save A Queen” episode. She uses her YouTube channel to style wigs, do makeovers, bake, and talk about Drag Race. She has her own beauty company and has styled many of the wigs that other Drag Race queens have worn.
4. Victoria "Porkchop" Parker - Season 1
Porkchop was on the inaugural season of Drag Race back in 2009. She is an accomplished pageant queen from North Carolina, being crowned Miss Continental in 2000. Porkchop found herself in the bottom with Akashia, and was sent home after losing to her in a lip sync of RuPaul’s “Supermodel”.
Porkchop holds the notable honor of being the first-ever eliminated queen on RuPaul’s Drag Race. She has become a legend in the Drag Race community, being referenced several times throughout the series, and making multiple cameos. Porkchop became a viral meme for her reactions during the All-Stars 2 comedy show.
3. Dahlia Sin - Season 12
Dahlia Sin may have been the first queen eliminated from Season 12, but they appeared in several episodes throughout the season in their “fierce broc-ally” costume from episode 1. After the first two premiere episodes were non-elimination rounds, Dahlia placed in the bottom in episode 3 after not shining during the group acting challenge. They competed against Nicky Doll and lost a lip sync of “Problem” by Ariana Grande and Iggy Azelia.
Dahlia was the most followed queen from Season 12 before the season aired, and they are now the third most followed first eliminated queen. They made six cameos throughout season 12 in the broc-ally costume and are one of the most anticipated queens to make a return to the series for All-Stars.
2. Shangela Laquifa Wadley - Season 2
Texan queen, Shangela was the first eliminated on Season 2 of Drag Race, going home after wearing corn on the runway during the episode's design challenge. She lost a lip sync of RuPaul’s “Cover Girl” against the late Sahara Davenport. Despite going home first, Shangela's second audition tape allowed her to return in Season 3, popping out of a box and shouting her famous line "Halleloo!" She placed in the bottom again in the first episode, but won the lip sync, placing 6th in the season overall.
Shangela popped out of the box again in Season 4 but didn’t compete again until All-Stars 3, making her the first queen to appear in three seasons. Many viewers were disappointed when she wasn’t chosen to compete in the final lip sync of All-Stars 3. She also competed in the Holi-Slay Spectacular and appeared in the 2018 film A Star Is Born alongside Lady Gaga. Shangela not only went to the Met Gala the next year but made history as the first queen to walk the Oscars red carpet in drag.
1. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo - Season 10
Vanjie earns the top spot on this list due to not only her iconic exit but her lovable personality. She is the #1 most followed first-eliminated queen on Instagram and has appeared in more Drag Race spinoffs than any other first eliminated queen. Vanjie went home in Season 10 during the challenge where the queens had to create a look from items from a dollar store. When Vanjie’s look wasn't received well by the judges, she lost a lip sync of “Aint No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera. As she exited, she walked backward chanting “Ms.Vanjieee, Ms.Vaaanjieee”. The moment became a viral meme and is still referenced by Drag Race fans.
Due to her viral exit, it was no surprise that Vanjie made a return to the competition on Season 11, where she placed 5th, almost making it to the finale. She had several memorable moments throughout her season, including her fight with the season's winner, Yvie Oddly. Vanjie went on to be cast in AJ and the Queen, Secret Celebrity Drag Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race Vegas Revue, and is currently on tour with "Werq the World". Vanjie is not only the favorite first eliminated queen but a fan-favorite overall.