<img src="https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/664/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg" srcset=" https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/556/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg 556w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/600/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg 600w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/664/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg 664w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/700/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg 700w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/5472/3648/800/0/75/0/6b23df7_1693031598566-psx-20230826-070256.jpg 800w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 556px, 100vw" alt="At Food Society during the final of " drag="" race="" france"="" season="" 2,="" in="" paris="" on="" august="" 25,="" 2023."="" width="100%" height="auto">
It was 11 minutes past midnight on Saturday, August 26, when roars of joy resounded in many bars across France, at Boum in Marseille, Blue Zinc in Le Mans, Les Brassés in Nantes and Yoyo and Who's in Paris. Everywhere, the same jubilation ensued when drag queen and host of Drag Race France, Nicky Doll, finally announced the winner's name: Keiona.
At the Food Society, a large food court near the Montparnasse train station in Paris, around 500 people came to watch the end of season 2 of the French version of the successful "RuPaul's Drag Race" franchise, broadcast this summer on French public television.
Every Friday for the past two months, viewers have been closely watching the challenges that pit the queens against each other, in the realms of fashion, comedy and dance. In the run-up to the final episode and its explosive conclusion, the bar's decibel counters had all been pushing their limits. Everyone had a strong opinion on the burning question: "And who are you supporting?"
"Team Keiona without hesitation," said Charlotte. Having come to watch the final with six of her friends, the young woman explained why she prefers the queen of the ballroom scene to her competitors, Sara Forever, Punani and Mami Watta. "Keiona has been at the top of the leaderboard all the time. She's a queen who's both excellent and humble." Beside her, Rachel agreed: "Yes, she's been consistent, always in the top 2." The young woman went on to list her favorite's "track record," like the results of a football team's season.
<img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 664 443'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-srcset=" https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/4588/3059/556/0/75/0/1e3e37b_1693023003876-2023-08-25-cha-gonzalez-5693.jpg 556w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/4588/3059/600/0/75/0/1e3e37b_1693023003876-2023-08-25-cha-gonzalez-5693.jpg 600w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/4588/3059/664/0/75/0/1e3e37b_1693023003876-2023-08-25-cha-gonzalez-5693.jpg 664w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/4588/3059/700/0/75/0/1e3e37b_1693023003876-2023-08-25-cha-gonzalez-5693.jpg 700w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/08/26/0/0/4588/3059/800/0/75/0/1e3e37b_1693023003876-2023-08-25-cha-gonzalez-5693.jpg 800w" data-sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 556px, 100vw" alt="At Food Society during the final of " drag="" race="" france"="" season="" 2,="" in="" paris="" on="" august="" 25,="" 2023."="" width="100%" height="auto">
This table of friends between the ages of 25 and 30, the competition was compared to sports a good 10 times over the course of the evening. "It's clearly the final of the LGBT Football World Cup, it's the same energy. A few weeks ago, straight people who heard us shouting from the street came to see what match it was," Corentin said. And indeed, judging by all the bars packed to the brim with fans chanting the name of their favorite queen and biting their fingers at a lipsync as decisive as a penalty kick, the analogy is obvious.
For season 2, viewing parties hosted by drag queens sprouted up all over France. Drag performer Coco Ricard, Nicolas in civilian life, has been organizing Food Society's viewing party since this summer. After warming up the room with drag king Juda La Vidange and queen Leonie Styx, she told us about the genesis of the event backstage, while changing wigs and outfits. "It really filled up more and more as the summer went on," explains this southern French cagole character – a female stereotype associated with an outgoing, provocative personality, typically from Marseille.
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