HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – With the assigned theme of Fascinating Fascinators, Winona County drag performer Utica Queen planted a picnic basket on her head, complete with buzzing flies, for the latest episode of the Ru Paul “Drag Show” on the VH-1 television network. Did it work? Utica was close to eliminated, seventh out of eight, in the countdown that’s heading for a season finale and the draggiest queen of them all. Perhaps the theme was obscure. “Fascinator” is a Britishism for a woman’s decorative headpiece, usually outlandish with feathers, flowers or beads. With a picnic basket, Utica hadn’t internalized the theme well, said critics. Even so, Utica Queen was hard to ignore on the runway in a blonde dutch-boy wig, a red polka-dot bodysuit, and outsize white garters — all topped b a tipsy picnic. basket.
Nathan Mundt. As mufti as Utica Queen gets.