Drag Race queen denies she dropped out of All Stars, stole stipend
Fans thought a certain queen was cast on All Stars 8, but dropped out – and she’s now denied it (World of Wonder)
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Ariel Versace has denied a rumour that she was cast on All Stars 8, but dropped out and stole a cash stipend to help fund her looks on the show.
Though All Stars 8 may not be near the top of many people’s All Stars rankings, it sure did provide some drama – and is still doing so to this day.
Aside from Heidi N Closet quitting and Alexis Michelle committing backstabbery and treachery on Lala Ri and Jimbo’s breasts, a new source of conflict has come to light courtesy of cast member Naysha Lopez.
While hosting an All Stars 9 viewing party at Roscoe’s Tavern in Chicago, Naysha claimed that an All Stars 8 queen cashed in their stipend – a chunk of money given to help contestants subsidise the cost of their runway looks – and did a runner instead of turning up to film.
Naysha said: “I’m not gonna say who. [But] somebody got cast. They gave [her] the stipend. They called her and were like, ‘How’s everything going? We haven’t heard from you in a while.’ And [production] were like, ‘Well, they stole the stipend. I don’t have it anymore.’ And then [they] stole the stipend.”
The rumour mill run by rabid Drag Race fans somehow ended up implicating season 11’s Ariel Versace, but in a statement shared to her Instagram Story on July 1, Ariel denied the claims, and said that she earns her own money – so would have no need to steal World of Wonder’s doll-hairs (dollars).
“Twitter is wild you guys,” Ariel wrote.
“That’s why I barely use it anymore; it’s a cesspool for rumours and random drama. I just caught wind that there is some rumor I was cast on All Stars 8 (I wasn’t) and then dropped out and stole the stipend for costumes? HUH!?!?”
Continuing, Ariel added that she has her own business – and don’t need nobody’s money, honey.
“That would one, never be able to happen; and two, I work my ass off daily doing gigs and running my hair business for my own money honey. Why do people believe everything they read on the internet? It’s mind boggling. Anyway…”
The current batch of All Stars 9 queens did also allegedly receive a cash stipend for their looks – though some have gone even further than that, spending a truly staggering amount on costumes.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9 airs on Fridays on Paramount+ in the US and WOW Presents Plus internationally.
