Sharon Needles knocks 'em dead!

Monday was the live finale for RuPaul's Drag Race, with a special live event at XL in NYC (a fun place I recommend) that included one-on-one interviews with most of the queens.

Got there on time just as they were running out of VIP wristbands, which all of the press had been promised. I didn't get mine, but it wound up not mattering—everyone there received VIP treatment.

First up were the interviews. After keeping journalists shooed away from some velvet curtains, the PRs finally opened wide and let us descend on the queens, who were seated at various stations in the club area.

Willam serves it sickening

I made a beeline for Willam, one of the most interesting and controversial characters from this season. Willam was barely dressed and could barely suppress her self-satisfaction at having managed to be kicked off in a way that raised awareness of herself and set her free for a big gig happening two days later.

Bitch knows how to command attention

Best answer came when I asked what she looks for in a man besides a big dick: "Big balls." (Her 6'6" husband has the biggest dick she's ever seen on a white guy.)

Killed a lot of time in line for Chad Michaels, who wound up having the longest line of the night, partly because of her popularity and partly because she has the gift of gab. In line, I met up with an adorable intern for Out (can't fire an intern!) named Evan who I would later tutor on all things editorial and pop cultural. I'm old, see, so I know stuff.

Phi Phi watches a master in action

We had to peel off to get shots of all the queens in front of the step-and-repeat before I finally got Chad, who I loved.

While they posed, I shouted out, "Now Charlie's Angels!" and they did it

Sadly, a LOGO crew cut in-between me and Evan, so he had to wait a bit longer.

I then went for Latrice Royale, who had a fabulous Della Reese vibe. She was extremely warm and gracious, but also didn't hesitate to express at least some discomfort with Sharon Needles's recent racist Facebook post, the one question I asked everyone that got the widest variety of responses.

Latrice had a tropical jailbird look going—I'd (incarce)rate her a 10/10

I heard a rumor that Latrice might have propositioned one of the journalists!

Sharon had a rather simple look—a pink-haired witch in black-and-white stripes—and seemed a bit exhausted, but was nice for someone who probably drinks human blood. She was fine talking about her racism scandal, if not exactly contrite. I think she thinks of herself as a shock jock and doesn't identify as a racist, so feels she can say whatever she likes and people shouldn't be so sensitive. I think the anti-PC thing only goes so far.

Meet the Needles

But still, it was clear to me that she was the one to beat this season—and I'm glad no one did that.

Phi Phi O'Hara, my least favorite from the show, must have some redeeming qualities; one of her pals was this sweet queen with a wild '40s hat and lipstick that had even the hardcore drag queens asking, "What the fuck is that?" But Phi Phi was polite if clearly over the interview thang.

The semi-girl you love to totally hate

I liked her look for the Q&As more than her later performance looks—she had this fantastic spiked dress that should have made it hard to sit. She also surprised me when I asked what she looks for in a guy: "First, he has to be a bottom."

Let that one sink in.

I loved Milan! I interviewed her against some low-hanging (disco) balls and found her to be exceptionally poised.

"London, Paris" Milan in New York & the new Madame LaQueer

I almost didn't recognize Madame LaQueer. She had these demonic eyes and was 10 times more glam than she ever looked on the show. Big flirt.

DiDa Ritz looked the best she's ever looked and was sporting true banjee girl realness. She was the most uncomfy of everyone discussing the show's racist scandals (not only Sharon's Facebook KKK valentine but Phi Phi's overblown Help ha-ha), but refused to answer with a classy smile.

Hanging with a queen and a Princess

I don't remember The Princess from the show at all, but her interview look resembled a cross between Chicago's legendary Memory Lane and RuPaul's former winner Raja, so I won't forget her again. Sweet.

Jiggly Caliente was a hoot. She was much quicker in person and looked fabulous, even if her eyes looked glued shut by her liner and lashes. I think she was the contestant who read most thoroughly as a woman this year. She couldn't resist dogging Phi Phi for her shady behavior.

Blowing Caliente & cold with Jiggly & Mlle. Beyond—ciao, LaBelle-a!

Lashauwn Beyond had been somewhat overshadowed in the "WTF" category by Sharon, but she was fun to talk to and reminded me she is a unique presence among unique presences.

I had had to drag the last couple of chicks out of retirement for the night in order to have interviewed everyone (too bad Kenya was MIA), but it was only 6:30 so I spent the next couple of hours chatting with Evan in the bar while watching sexy shirtless bartenders serve drinks while sporting elaborate glittery body paint. Ran into my buddy Andrew Glaszek of Broadway Bares fame, who was helping out. Loving his long, luxurious locks and am wishing him all the best at this year's casting—be sure you don't miss Bares if you've never seen it. Drag queens are one thing, but nearly naked menz are another.

Guy candy

Around 8, the club's regular patrons were allowed in and XL turned into XXL. It was a healthy kind of congestion, the kind littered with pecs and baskets and lubricated by booze. (I don't drink, so I get to watch everyone else...make mistakes.)

Bar backs

Some of the queens were milling around, if you can call it that when your fans are howling and demanding pic-withs. In particular, Latrice was utterly mobbed! It's a wonder how she missed the Top 3; most of the queens I talked to said the same thing. Willam was also quite popular, and not averse to milking it.

The top three (well, at least Phi Phi's a top)

Finally, at 9, they turned on LOGO's broadcast and we stood around watching it. In place of the commercials, the show was punctuated by some occasionally painful standup by emcee Shangela, the Jennifer Hudson of RuPaul's Drag Race—not a winner, but one of the most successful veterans. At one point, Shangela miscalculated and stopped her act early, leading to a long sequence of commercials being shown. The DJ playfully cranked Madonna's "I Fucked Up".

At the last crowning Sharon witnessed, a goat was giving birth to that kid from The Omen

Shangela had already introduced the Top 3, so we all knew Sharon Needles would win—she got deafening cheers compared to Chad and Phi Phi got straight up booed, pretending to eat it up. When Sharon was announced as the winner, XL went ballistic. It was like Adam & New Year's Steve in there, and things only kept going as we watched Sharon receive a massive crown from Raja right around her witch hat. "Happy Halloween!" she kept saying, her (new?) catchphrase.

When she cried, I half-expected it to be blood. Somewhere, Lady Gaga is smiling.

Sharon didn't smile, but only due to rigor mortis

Right after Sharon received her $100,000 check, every one of the queens present performed, one after another. The most impressive ones were Milan (a dead ringer for Donna Summer and with energy to spare), Latrice Royale (I was reminded of Divine watching her epic trance dance) and—perhaps most surprisingly—Jiggly Caliente, whose act was the freshest and edgiest without being silly.

Gettin' Jiggly with it

I have to give credit to Madame La Queer for a Lypsinka-esque set punctuated by surprisingly high high-kicks.

Cher perfection?

Chad Michaels, the oldest queen by far, had the most of-the-moment look, dressing up as Katniss from The Hunger Games. But he really just moved around and posed; it wasn't mind-blowing for me. Phi Phi was downright embarrassing, a weird hip-hop act that didn't match her white bouffant. I totally don't get her. Willam recreated her fun Chik-fil-A Wilson Phillips number, but it was just okay live as opposed to painfully brilliant on YouTube. Kudos to her for working a completely quirky new look for it, though, kind of like Pucci meets Aleister Crowley by way of Joyce Bulifant.

If Carrie had taken the pig's blood as a compliment

Sharon Needles went last, of course, and didn't disappoint her fans, coming out on stage in a coffin surrounded by illustrious mourners including Amanda Lepore ("My hero!" she sobbed) and Susanne Bartsch as Marilyn Manson wailed all around them. "Hail Satan!" she got us all to shout. How long before that turns up in a Focus on the Family fundraising viral video?

Sharon's inspiration room is a haunted house, but Amanda Lepore is her undying idol

As soon as it ended, I couldn't get home fast enough, especially considering the fact that I live across the street. But it was another fun finale for a show that has become one of my guiltiest pleasures, and whose finales are anything but a drag.