The first season of ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'' premiered in the United States on February 2, 2009, on Logo. Nine contestants were selected to compete in the running of becoming "America's Next Drag Superstar." The first season was filmed during the summer of 2008. The winner of the first season won a cash prize of $20,000, $5,000 worth of
MAC Cosmetics
MAC Cosmetics, stylized as M·A·C, is a Canadian cosmetics manufacturer founded in Toronto, Canada in 1984 by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo. The company is headquartered in New York City after becoming a subsidiary of Estée Lauder Companies i ...
, was featured in an LA Eyeworks campaign, and joined the Logo Drag Race tour. One of the nine contestants to compete on ''RuPaul's Drag Race'',
Nina Flowers was determined by an audience vote via the show's official website to be the season's Miss Congeniality. The results were announced in early September 2008.
The theme song playing during the runway every episode was "
Cover Girl
A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a maga ...
" from RuPaul's album ''
Champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, ...
''. This season and season one of ''
All Stars'' are the only seasons to not feature the "
Snatch Game
Snatch Game is a challenge on the ''Drag Race'' reality competition television franchise. Beginning with the second season of the original American series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', the challenge has taken place on every season since. It has also o ...
".
The winner of the first season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' was
BeBe Zahara Benet, with Nina Flowers as the runner-up.
In late 2013, Logo re-aired the first season, which was titled ''RuPaul's Drag Race: The Lost Season'', and featured commentary from RuPaul.
Tammie Brown, Shannel and Nina Flowers later on competed in the
first season of
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
''RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'' is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, be ...
, placing 8th/9th, 3rd/4th, 8th/9th, respectively.
BeBe Zahara Benet later on competed in the
third season of
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
''RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'' is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, be ...
, placing 3rd/4th.
Ongina later on competed in the
fifth season of
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
''RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'' is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, be ...
, placing 9th.
Contestants
''Ages, names, and cities stated are at time of filming.''
Contestant progress
Lip syncs
Legend:
Guest judges
Listed in chronological order:
*
Bob Mackie
Robert Gordon "Bob" Mackie (born March 24, 1939) is an American fashion designer and costumier, best known for his dressing of entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Diahann Carroll, Carol Channing, Cher, Doris Day, Marl ...
, fashion designer
*
Mike Ruiz, photographer
*
Frank Gatson, director and choreographer
*
Michelle Williams, singer and actress
*
Howard Bragman, writer and lecturer
*
Debra Wilson
Debra Wilson, also known as Debra Wilson Skelton or Debra Skelton, is an American actress and comedian. She is known for being the longest-serving original cast member on the sketch comedy series '' Mad TV'', having appeared on the show's fir ...
, actress and comedian
*Gordon Espinet, make-up artist
*
Jenny Shimizu, model and actress
*
Lucy Lawless, actress and singer
*
Robin Antin, dancer, choreographer, and actress
*Jeffrey Moran,
Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, in southern Sweden. Absolut is a part of the French group Pernod Ricard. Pernod Ricard bought Absolut for €5.63 billion in 2008 from the Swedish state. Absolut is one of the largest brand ...
marketing/branding executive
*
María Conchita Alonso
María Concepción Alonso Bustillo (born June 29, 1957), better known as María Conchita Alonso, is a singer, actress and former beauty queen.
She has participated in film and television productions, and was nominated for the Independent Spiri ...
, singer-songwriter and actress
Episodes
References
External links
* (U.S.)
*
{{RuPaul's Drag Race
2009 American television seasons
RuPaul's Drag Race seasons
2009 in LGBT history