To say Crystal Envy was a Top 4 material in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 would be an understatement. The pageant queen from New Jersey has been consistently doing well since she landed in the top two for her talent number and has been killing most of the challenges. Crystal has also been serving good looks on the runway and was even at the top in a recent design challenge. She obviously had all the goods to make it in the finale (or even far in the competition, at least), but one stumble immediately sent her packing. In a recent interview, Crystal stated that her elimination was not “particularly justifiable” and apologized to Nicole Richie for bombing her Snatch Game performance.
The Snatch Game episode saw Crystal failing her Richie impersonation alongside Lana Ja’Rae (who opted to impersonate Rosa Parks). The two then fight it out to Selena Gomez’s “Hand to Myself” lip sync performance, which made Crystal’s time in the competition “extremely cut short.” Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the drag performer — whose recent elimination was a cause of debate among Drag Race fans online — revealed that she doesn’t think it was her time to go home yet. She told EW:
“It was very much those emotions when I was there as well. At the end of the day, I’m so happy for my experience because I did really well. I was in the top almost every week I was there. I can’t be mad at that; however, I think my time was extremely cut short. One little mishap and you’re sent packing out the door. I’m doing better now. I’ve had time to process, some good therapy was helpful.”
Crystal Envy Was Right, Her Elimination Was Unjustifiable
Her elimination was the most shocking elimination in Season 17 so far. It’s all the more frustrating that Crystal, who never placed lower than safe up until the seventh episode, was the fourth eliminated queen due to the Badonka Dunk Tank immunity, which saved Hormona Lisa and Arriety from their supposed elimination placements. Lana arguably won the lip sync for your life showdown against Crystal (despite her wig falling off), but Drag Race also has had some history of taking into consideration a contestant’s track record.
“Immediately I wanted to be like, “Are you sure?” It didn’t feel like my time to go home. I did well every week, didn’t land low once, and as soon as I’m in the bottom two: eliminated. I had a steady trajectory up the cliff and then I just fell right off. It was shocking and heartbreaking. It’s also heartbreaking to see your heart break on television. For it to not end the way you envision it, and also unexpectedly… I’m a self-aware person. If I was doing bad, I’d be like, okay, this is my time. It’s hard to accept the fate when you’re kind of killing it,” Crystal added.
Crystal then apologized to Richie for her Snatch Game performance, saying “Don’t hate me, Nicole. I do love you. I do RuPaulogize to Nicole Richie. I’m so sorry. I love you, respect you, and admire you. I was just so nerve-racked in the moment.” The Season 17 cast also includes Lucky Starzzz, Joella, Suzie Toot, Sam Star, Onya Nurve, Lydia B Kollins, Lexi Love, Kori King, Jewels Sparkles, and Acacia Forgot. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Previous episodes are also available to stream on WOW Presents Plus.