# RDR Live! (RuPaul's Drag Race season 17)

"RDR Live!" is the fifth episode of the seventeenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on January 31, 2025. The episode's main challenge has contestants perform in the sketch comedy show RDR Live! Ross Mathews and Michelle Visage join RuPaul on the judging panel and Paul W. Downs is a guest judge. Suzie Toot wins the episode's main challenge. Arrietty and Lydia B Kollins placed in the bottom two and face-off in a lip-sync contest to "Boogie Wonderland" (1979) by Earth, Wind & Fire. Lydia B Kollins wins the lip-sync, but Arrietty is saved from elimination after successfully choosing a correct lever to drop Visage into a dunk tank.

## Episode

The contestants re-enter the Werk Room following Joella's elimination from the competition on the previous episode. On a new day, RuPaul reveals the main challenge: to perform in the sketch comedy show RDR Live! The contestants read the script together and choose the following roles:
* Acacia Forgot as an emergency room visitor
* Arrietty as a Neanderthal
* Crystal Envy as a news presenter
* Hormona Lisa as a podcaster
* Kori King as a Neanderthal
* Jewels Sparkles as a podcaster
* Lana Ja'Rae as a "homo"-sapien
* Lydia B Kollins as Gert
* Onya Nurve as the show's host and a Neanderthal
* Lexi Love as a news presenter
* Sam Star as Ellen the lesbian podcaster
* Suzie Toot as Rhonda
The contestants get into groups and begin collaborating. Crystal Envy, Lexi Love, and Suzie Toot have the Weekend Update-inspired Queen News Network (QNN) sketch. Hormona Lisa, Jewels Sparkles, and Sam Star have the Beaverologst sketch. Arrietty, Kori King, Lana Ja'Rae, and Onya Nurve have the Neanderthal sketch. Acacia Forgot and Lydia B Kollins have the Emergency Room sketch. The latter's character is inspired by Sophia Petrillo of The Golden Girls.
After the Neanderthal sketch, Onya Nurve welcomes viewers as host. After the Beaverologst sketch, RuPaul performs a song on the main stage. The QNN and Emergency Room sketches follow, with Paul W. Downs appearing in the latter. The contestants appear on the stage together and Onya Nurve closes the show.
Back in the Werk Room, the contestants discuss their sketches and prepare for the runway. Lexi Love discusses her work life and experience as a trans woman. On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow panelists Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews, as well as guest judge Downs. For the runway, the category is "Tickled Pink". Following the runway show, RuPaul dismisses the safe contestants and the judges share their critiques to the top and bottom contestants. The contestants return to the Werk Room and the judges deliberate. Suzie Toot is declared the winner of the main challenge, earning her $5,000. Arrietty and Lydia B Kollins placed in the bottom two and face-off in a lip-sync contest to "Boogie Wonderland" (1979) by Earth, Wind & Fire. Lydia B Kollins is declared the winner of the lip-sync. Arrietty selects a correct lever to drop Visage into a dunk tank, sparing Arrietty from elimination from the competition and earning a trip to Las Vegas.

## Production

The episode originally aired on January 31, 2025.

### Fashion

The contestants wear pink outfits for the runway. Onya Nurve's outfit is made of sneakers. Kori King has a Barbie-inspired dress and a blonde wig. Arrietty's outfit is made of vinyl. Lana Ja'Rae has a Little Bo-Peep-inspired look. Hormona Lisa wears a full-length gown and Sam Star resembles a showgirl. Jewels Sparkles wears a large hat and bell-bottoms. Crystal Envy's silicon outfit resembles bubble gum. Lexi Love wears animal print. Suzie Toot's outfit is inspired by clowns and Harlequin. Lydia B Kollins's outfit resembles a penis. Acacia Forgot has a 1980s-inspired executive look.