RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17: Arrietty Responds to Fan Backlash Over Lipstick Message to Onya Nurve
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17: Arrietty Responds to Fan Backlash Over Lipstick Message to Onya Nurve
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 has seen its fair share of drama, but one recent moment has sent shockwaves through the fandom. Contestant Arrietty, who was eliminated in episode 10 following a failed performance in the “Villains Roast” challenge, has responded to major fan uproar over a message she left for fellow queen Onya Nurve.
The Drama Unfolds
Arrietty’s elimination was already mired in controversy. The Californian queen, desperate for an advantage in the challenge, secretly stole jokes from co-star Jewels Sparkles. However, her plan backfired, and both queens ended up in the bottom two. Their poor performance forced them into a lip-sync battle, which ultimately led to Arrietty’s elimination.
Behind the scenes in Untucked, tensions boiled over as Jewels confronted Arrietty about the stolen jokes. Onya Nurve, stepping in to defend Jewels, became an unexpected target of Arrietty’s frustration. But the real shock came when the remaining queens returned to the Werk Room after Arrietty’s departure and read her farewell message on the lipstick mirror.
“As one smelly b***h to another, Onya, please brush your teeth,” Arrietty had written.
The comment immediately struck a nerve. Onya, visibly upset and tearing up, revealed that she has a medical condition causing persistent bad breath—something she had only shared with a select few queens in confidence.
“I would never have said anything like that to any of y’all,” Onya wept. “For her to come for something that I’m super insecure about…”
Her fellow contestants were equally stunned. Lexi Love called the remark a “low dig,” while Onya herself condemned Arrietty, saying she “deserved to go home” for being a “hateful ass b***h.”
Fan Outrage Erupts
As soon as the teaser for episode 11 dropped, the Drag Race fandom exploded with outrage. Many viewers took to social media to express their disappointment in Arrietty’s actions.
“Arrietty’s exit has got to be one of the worst displays of sportsmanship this show has seen in a long time, if not ever. My God,” one fan tweeted.
“Never in 17 seasons of watching Drag Race have I ever been so appalled… Stealing jokes is one thing, but THIS. Not a fan anymore, very disappointed in Arrietty,” another wrote.
Others called the message “disgusting” and “nasty,” adding to the growing backlash against Arrietty.
Arrietty Breaks Her Silence
As the controversy escalated, Arrietty took to social media to defend herself. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she attempted to shut down the uproar:
“Onya and I are gucci. We’ve already had our talk in person and hashed it out. I love Onya. Period.”
In response to a fan accusing her of making fun of a medical condition, Arrietty insisted she had no prior knowledge:
“I genuinely never knew about her condition, she never told me. Whether y’all believe me or not, I wouldn’t write something like that if she opened up to me about it.”
During an Instagram Live session, fans flooded the comments demanding she apologize. Arrietty’s response was blunt:
“To who? I think y’all need to understand. My relationships have nothing to do with y’all. If I apologize to someone, it’s going to be to them. It’s not going to be online, because for me, that does not seem genuine. And I don’t give a f**k if y’all know if I’ve apologized or not. How about that?”
Despite her initial defiance, Arrietty later shared a written apology on Instagram:
“I love you @onyanurve. We’ve already had our talk in person. But I’ll say it again. I’m sorry.”
Onya responded with a simple “Love you sis,” confirming that the queens had resolved their differences.
What’s Next for Drag Race Season 17?
With the drama from episode 10 still fresh, fans eagerly await what’s next in episode 11, titled “Ross Mathews vs. The Ducks.” Will the tension continue, or will the queens move on from Arrietty’s controversial exit? One thing is certain—Drag Race season 17 is delivering high drama and unforgettable moments.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 continues every Friday on MTV in the U.S. and on WOW Presents Plus internationally. Stay tuned for more drama, shade, and fabulous performances!
