Boston Drag Gauntlet Cycle 8

Boston Drag Gauntlet Cycle 8 ran from September 20th, 2023 to December 13th, 2023 at Jacques Cabaret. The winner was Maxine Harrison.

Cycle 8 was non-elimination, meaning that there was no bottom lip sync or bottom scoring after the first week.

## Challenges

#### Challenge 1: Glow Up

Contestants were instructed to recreate their neon looks from their promo photos into blacklight reactive looks and numbers. The top 2 were Maxxine Harrison and Marilyn Malibu, with Maxxine winning the top lip sync.

Initially contestants believed there would be eliminations this cycle. Jamie Zolanski and Bossí Boots were named bottom 2 and lip synced, but after the lip sync it was announced that neither would be sent home and there would be no eliminations.

This challenge was on the 5 year anniversary of the first challenge of Boston Cycle 1.

#### Challenge 2: Barbie Makeovers

Contestants had to make over another person and perform Barbie inspired numbers. The top 2 were Maxxine Harrison and Marilyn Malibu again, with Maxxine winning a second time.

Duet partners were:

* Maxxine Harrison and Mz Diamond Wigfall
* Marilyn Malibu and Jean Sequins
* Starri Knights and Aeryn Smoke
* Ladyboy George and Zeizar Zalad
* Hazel Afrodite and Izzy Ready
* Jamie Zolanski and Wilhelmina
* Lexi Baby and Brooke Poole
* Zoe Dela Lu-ho and Dush
* Bossí Boots and Audrey Hartburn

La Paloma dropped from the competition due to injury.

#### Challenge 3: Celebrity Family Feud

Contestants had to impersonate a celebrity for a game of Family Feud, then perform a number as that celebrity. The top 2 were Marilyn Malibu and Lexi Baby, with Marilyn winning the challenge.

Celebrities were:

* Marilyn Malibu as Big Ang (Angela Raiola)
* Lexi Baby as Little Debbie (from the snack cakes)
* Jamie Zolanski as Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove
* Maxxine Harrison as Lola from Big Mouth
* Starri Knights as Lizzie Borden
* Bossí Boots as Cher AND Joan Rivers
* Hazel Afrodite as Theresa Caputo from Long Island Medium
* Ladyboy George as Uncle Sam
* Zoe De La Luho as Brenda Meeks from the Scary Movie franchise

#### Challenge 4: Planets

Contestants created a runway look and number based on an assigned planet. The top 2 were Hazel Afrodite and Starri Knights, with Hazel winning the challenge.

Planets were:

* Jamie Zolanski as Mercury
* Hazel Afrodite as Venus
* Lexi Baby! as the Moon
* Zoe De La Luho as Mars
* Ladyboy George as Jupiter
* Starri Knights as Saturn
* Bossí Boots as Neptune
* Maxxine Harrison as Uranus
* Marilyn Malibu as Pluto

This challenge was 4 weeks after the previous one, to allow time for Halloween shows and as a favor to Niki Luparelli whose birthday tends to fall on Gauntlet show days.

#### Challenge 5: The Roast of MT Hart

Contestants prepared a 2 minute roast of host MT Hart, created a runway look based on an iconic MT look, and prepared a number in his style. Top 3 were Zoe De la Luho, Starri Knights and Hazel Afrodite, and Zoe was the winner this week!

Travis Tí and Mike Hawk also performed MT Hart inspired numbers, and MT roasted the cast in response.

**Challenge 6: Toddlers and Tiaras/The Finale**

For the final challenge, contestants created a runway look and number inspired by toddler beauty pageants. The top 2 for the challenge were Hazel Afrodite and Starri Knights, with Hazel Afrodite winning.

After the challenge, the top 3 highest scores for the whole cycle were announced: Maxxine Harrison, Starri Knights, and Hazel Afrodite. Bossí Boots was awarded Mx. Congeniality. Hazel was awarded third place, and Maxxine and Starri lip synced for the gauntlet. Maxxine was declared the winner for Cycle 8.

## Other Cast

**Host:** MT Hart

**Cohost:** Linda Marie Possa (premiere and finale)

**Judges:**

* Teasha Boo
* Violencia!
* Binx
* Zon Legacy Phoenix
* Arabella LaDesse
* JP (challenge 5)
* Annie Sokae (finale)

**Pit Crew:**

* Mike Hawk
* Nyx Phoenix
* Alexis Is

**Showrunner:** Mark