Summary

• All Stars season 9 is revamping with a $200,000 charity prize for queens, a change from previous seasons.
• The new season aims to redeem after a lackluster All Stars 8, offering a non-elimination format for queens.
• Competitors were enticed with a $50,000 appearance bonus and a $25,000 stipend for fashions on the show.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is back for its ninth season, and eight queens are competing for a $200,000 prize for the charity of their choice. Each year, RuPaul Charles invites a slate of legendary drag queens who have previously competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race to compete for another chance at the crown. RPDR All Stars season 1 premiered in 2012 and fell flat. However, the franchise took another shot at the spin-off four years later, in 2016, and struck gold. RPDR All Stars season 2 is regarded as one of the most popular seasons of Drag Race yet.

Since 2016, there has been a new season of RPDR All Stars each year. Now, RuPaul is ushering in a new era of all-star queens with the cast of RPDR All Stars season 9. The season comes on the heels of Nymphia Wind’s win in RPDR season 16. The forthcoming installment of RPDR All Stars has a lot to makeup for after a lackluster eighth season. The season is sure to be unlike any other All Stars season as the production team is taking some big risks with a major format change.

The Queens Of RPDR All Stars Season 9 Are Competing To Win $200,000 For Charity

In The Past, The Queens Have Won The Cash Prize For Themselves

For the first time in Drag Race herstory, the queens of RPDR All-Stars season 9 are competing for charity (via Paramount Plus.) Each season, competitors battle it out to become the winning queen and take home a cash prize. In recent seasons, the cash prize has risen to a whopping $200,000, the amount the cast of RPDR All Stars season 9 is competing for as a donation to charity. Previously, queens have competed in challenges where their monetary winnings were donated to charity. However, a sum of $200,000 has never been granted from a queen during a season of RPDR.

RPDR All Stars Season 9 Needed A Format Change After All Stars Season 8

RPDR All-Stars Season 8 Fell Short

RPDR All Stars season 9 was in dire need of a revamp after season 8. While its winner, Jimbo, and other queens, including Kandy Muse, Jessica Wild, and Alexis Michelle, did great in the season, it wasn't memorable. The queens had a lot to live up to after RPDR All Stars season 7, which sported a cast full of previous winners from the franchise. Sadly, the season fell flat. With that, the RPDR team has reverted to the non-elimination format used during the all-winners season.

Many franchise alums have complained about the structure of All Stars seasons. From RPDR All Stars season 2-6 and 8, the competitors were tasked with eliminating each other instead of RuPaul deciding who goes home. All Stars season 2 winner Alaska and RPDR season 4 contestant Willam spoke about the format on their podcast, Race Chaser. Alaska said eliminating queens was “horrible” and “emotionally taxing” during All Stars season 2. Willam confirmed that the format would be shifting for All Stars season 9.

“Season 9 of All-Stars, they do change it. You get your wish.”

Queens Were Given A Sign On Bonus To Join The Cast Of All Stars Season 9

They Received $50,000 To Do RPDR All Stars 9

While the queens of RPDR All Stars season 9 are not competing for a cash prize for themselves, they were rumored to be compensated for the season. When the forthcoming season began production in the summer of 2023, it was all but confirmed that the contestants were offered a sign-on bonus to join the cast of RPDR All Stars season 9, per Reality Blurred. A $50,000 appearance bonus was allegedly given to all eight of the queens cast in the season, which is a quarter of what they would have made for winning the season.

RPDR All Stars season 8 queen Heidi N Closet affirmed the queens were paid an “appearance fee” on X/Twitter. The production team behind RPDR All Stars needed some form of incentive for the queens to want to join the season. RPDR All Stars season 8 was a rather boring season for the franchise, and many queens who were set to appear pulled out at the last minute. The cast of RPDR All Stars season 8 was notably full of early eliminated queens and lesser-known personalities from the franchise, which made for a less-than-great season.

“They got paid a lovely appearance fee and stipend.”

Heidi quit mid-way during All Stars season 8 and Kahanna Montrese threatened to leave, tainting the season and raising questions about the queen's treatment. This pushed the show to bring back the non-elimination format used during All Stars season 7, the all-winners season. Promising the queens that they would be able to stick around for the entire competition was a major incentive for them to join the cast. The new benefits interested the cast of All Stars season 9, which is made up of a great group of performers.

Queens Were Offered A Stipend For Their Runway Looks & Package

They Got $25,000 To Get Ready For The Season

RPDR All Stars season 9 competitors were also offered a stipend to spend on their runway looks and greater package for the show. Following Reality Blurred’s reports, queens were given $25,000 to spend on their fashions. This was another motive that the RPDR team included to entice queens to sign on for RPDR All Stars season 9. Many former competitors have opened up about how much it costs to prepare looks for a season of Drag Race. On Twitter, Heidi N Closet revealed she spent $40,000 on clothing for RPDR All Stars season 8.

The combination of a $50,000 appearance bonus, a $25,000 stipend for looks, and a non-elimination format tempted the batch of RPDR All Stars season 9 queens to say yes to the offer. It takes a lot of time, money, and preparation to compete on RPDR. The production team behind the show was willing to pull out all the stops to bring queens back for All Stars season 9 to make it one of the best reality TV shows right now, and it shows.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 9 premieres on Paramount+ on May 17.

Sources: Paramount Plus/YouTube, Race Chaser, Reality Blurred, Heidi N Closet/Twitter, Gottmik/Instagram, Heidi N Closet/Twitter