Kamala Harris to make history on 'AS9' finale as first sitting VP on 'Drag Race' (original) (raw)

Vice President Kamala Harris is turning the RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 9 finale into an important campaign stop with Mama RuPaul — and making her-story in the process.

The 59-year-old political figure — endorsed by President Joe Biden as his preferred successor on the Democratic ticket in the upcoming 2024 presidential election — will have a special guest appearance during Friday's All Stars 9 finale, making her the first-ever sitting V.P. to ever sashay into the RuPaul's Drag Race Werk Room_._

"Hi everyone, it's Kamala Harris. Each day, we're seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love — openly and with pride," Harris during the appearance, which is set to air Friday night and also features judge Michelle Visage, pop star Lance Bass, actor Cheyenne Jackson, Drag Race choreographer Jamal Sims, and actress Leslie Jones sitting alongside Harris.

Kamala Harris on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.

Courtesy World of Wonder

Harris continued: "So, as we fight back against these attacks, let's all remember, no one is alone. We're all in this together, and your vote is your power." She then urged Drag Race viewers to register to vote in the November election, before Jackson asked, "Can I get an Amen?" Jones then sent the segment off by turning to the camera and saying, "You betta vote!"

The final episode is set to cap a season featuring a new set of rules for returning contestants Angeria Paris VanMicheals, Gottmik, Jorgeous, Nina West, Plastique Tiara, Roxxxy Andrews, Shannel, and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, with each of the all-star queens competing to win money for charities of their choice across a non-elimination edition of the competition.

Harris has long expressed adoration for the LGBTQ+ community, and even welcomed Drag Race season 15 winner Sasha Colby to the White House to speak at a special Pride event in June 2023.

Though Harris' All Stars 9 finale appearance was filmed prior to Biden bowing out of the race, it still marks the latest in a growing line of global political guests who've guest-starred on Drag Race iterations around the world.

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In addition to Harris, Speaker Nancy Pelosi made two appearances on Drag Race, including once on All Stars 3 in 2018 and another on All Stars 7 in 2022.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also sat on the judges' panel on season 12 in 2020, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ushered in the first season of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World in his home country by joining head judge Brooke Lynn Hytes for a pep-talk with the cast.

Michelle Visage, Jamal Sims, Kamala Harris, Lance Bass, Leslie Jones, Cheyenne Jackson on 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 9' finale.

Courtesy World of Wonder

Harris' Drag Race gig comes amid a particularly tense period for queer rights in the United States, following a wave of proposed legislation targeting LGBTQ+ people in the country. In response, Drag Race production company World of Wonder and MTV partnered with the ACLU to establish the Drag Defense Fund, while RuPaul also spoke out in 2023 against conservative targeting of vulnerable individuals.

The RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 9 finale streams Friday on Paramount+. See a preview of Harris' appearance above.