How RuPaul's Drag Race changed the global drag economy

Entertainment Weekly

In RuPaul's Drag Race's early years, "there was no management, no talent agencies, and no representation," says Season 3 alum Mariah Balenciaga, adding that Drag Race performers were scammed "for so many deposits (by people) pretending to be agents or management, or who might've represented a couple of girls in the pageant circuit." But that has changed over the past 10 years, so much so that drag performers who weren't on Drag Race thrive. "It did create an economy of expectation," says Season 10 alum Miz Cracker, "so that girls could say, ‘Hey, I’m worth something as a drag queen. Whether or not I’ve been on a show, I deserve that X amount of money.' That wasn’t there before."