Do we have time for one more? In RuPaul’s Drag Race two-time winner Jinkx Monsoon’s world, there’s always time for another Judy Garland impression.
The All Stars 7 champion and new star of Broadway’s Chicago appeared on Thursday night’s episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers to promote her debut in the stage production, and wasted no time resurrecting her memorable Drag Race celebrity impressions from the show’s fan-favorite Snatch Game challenge.
“Oh, Seb. Seb, I’m so happy to be here, Seb. Seb, I love your show,” Jinkx told Meyers in a similar style to the version of Garland she popularized on the All Stars 7 Snatch Game in May 2022 — right down to mispronouncing the host’s name (she famously called RuPaul “Broom” on Drag Race).
“Are you familiar with Johnny Carson? I did the Carson show, I think. I’m sure I probably did,” Jinkx continued, before Meyers asked her to switch gears and embody Natasha Lyonne (whom she also performed as on All Stars 7): “Oh my gosh, Seth, I woke up late, I took a little washy-showey. Oh, New York, right, Seth? You know New York!”
And then Meyers joined the bit as the pair had a full conversation as dueling Jennifer Coolidges.
“You know something, Seth? The gays just love me. And, uh, thanks to the gays, the three of us have been in show business for 40 years, and going strong, yeah,” Jinkx said, to which Meyers responded, “Wow, it’s like looking in a mirror.”
Jinkx’s performance on the All Stars 7 Snatch Game is widely considered to be one of the best in the challenge’s history, thanks to the star’s comedic take on Garland’s mannerisms as well as her recurring schtick of breaking into random RuPaul songs throughout the set.
She also leaned into a bit of her own past on Drag Race, hilariously absolving her season 5 makeover subject, Dave, of any wrongdoing in the death of the Wizard of Oz actress nearly nine years after the Navy veteran first told RuPaul on camera that he felt he played a role in the entertainer’s 1969 passing after reportedly supplying her with barbiturates.
“I was seriously touched that she’d do that shout-out,” Dave told EW after the episode. “It has gotten the 100 or so people who remember me to talk about me and, to this old man, that’s trending, girl! I loved it. It was touching that she would do that… I don’t think drag queens impersonate. I actually think they channel some of these people they’re portraying or being. As gay people, that pain that we all have in us — we all have pain — I think that’s what the drag queens are doing. They’re channeling that pain and bringing it to us so that we can understand that life is that way, and sometimes you just have to go with it.”
Watch Jinkx do her Garland and Lyonne Snatch Game impressions — and channel Coolidge — on Late Night With Seth Meyers above.