Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical

"**Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical**"
"Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.	Season 18; Episode 9
Directed by	Nick Murray
Presented by	RuPaul
Original air date	February 27, 2025
Guest appearances
	Benny Blanco (guest judge); Leland; Gabe Lopez; Jamal Sims;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Snatch Game of Love: Island Edition"	Next →; "Drag In a Bag"
	RuPaul's Drag Race season 18
	List of episodes

"Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical" is the ninth episode of the eighteenth season of the American reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race,^[1] and the 247th episode overall. The episode first aired for the cable network MTV on February 27, 2026. Its main challenge tasks the contestants with performing in a Rusical (musical theatre production) inspired by Annie, influenced with the Ballroom scene and heavily incorporates voguing as their choreography. An episode was then followed from its companion series RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked.

Special guest appearances were made from Leland, songwriter Gabe Lopez, and Carlos Basquiat.^[2] American record producer Benny Blanco is the guest judge, who appears alongside the regular panelists RuPaul, Michelle Visage, and Jamal Sims. Jane Don't wins the main challenge. Athena Dion is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom and losing a lip-sync contest against Juicy Love Dion to Blanco's song "Call Me When You Break Up" (2025) with Selena Gomez and Gracie Abrams.

According to Nielsen Media Research (NMR), nearly 493,000 household viewers saw the episode, which gained a 0.19 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.

Episode

After the elimination of Mia Starr, the remaining contestants returns to the workroom and discussed their previous critiques from the guest judges based on the Snatch Game. Juicy Love Dion then opened up about her drug addiction and recovering from it.

Athena Dion and Juicy Love Dion were revealed to be in the bottom two and face-off in a lip-sync contest to Blanco's song "Call Me When You Break Up" (2025) with Selena Gomez and Gracie Abrams. Athena Dion is eliminated from the competition and returns to the workroom, leaving a mirror message using lipstick for the remaining contestants.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Production and broadcast

The episode originally aired on February 27, 2026.

Lopez died a month before the episode aired.^[2]

Reception

Jason P. Frank of Vulture rated the episode four out of five stars.^[6] Michael Cook of Werrrk described the lip-sync contest as "arguably one of the most emotional lip syncs of the Drag Race franchise".^[7]

References

↑ Kohfeld, Mike (March 3, 2026). "Drag Race Episode Nine: A Rusical with Voguing Orphans". The Stranger. Archived from the original on March 11, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
1 2 "'RuPaul's Drag Race' special guest died 1 month before episode aired". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 28, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
↑ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 18, Episode 9 recap: Bring it to the ball, Fannie". Xtra Magazine. March 2, 2026. Archived from the original on March 17, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
↑ "Drag Race star Athena Dion wanted to 'fall on the sword' for granddaughter in emotionally devastating lip-sync". Entertainment Weekly.
↑ DeLellis, Trae (February 28, 2026). "Two Miami Queens Lip-Synced for Their Lives on Drag Race. Who Went Home?". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on April 4, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
↑ Frank, Jason P. (February 28, 2026). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: On Weaponizing BFAs". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 8, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
↑ "Athena Dion Chats Her Drag Legacy & That Now Herstory-Making Lip Sync! -". Werrrk. April 1, 2026. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

External links

Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical at IMDb
IMDb entry for the corresponding episode of RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked
Drag Race RuCap: "Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical", The Film Experience

External media

[1] Kohfeld, Mike (March 3, 2026). "Drag Race Episode Nine: A Rusical with Voguing Orphans". The Stranger. Archived from the original on March 11, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

[:0-2] 1 2 "'RuPaul's Drag Race' special guest died 1 month before episode aired". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 28, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

[3] "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 18, Episode 9 recap: Bring it to the ball, Fannie". Xtra Magazine. March 2, 2026. Archived from the original on March 17, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

[4] "Drag Race star Athena Dion wanted to 'fall on the sword' for granddaughter in emotionally devastating lip-sync". Entertainment Weekly.

[5] DeLellis, Trae (February 28, 2026). "Two Miami Queens Lip-Synced for Their Lives on Drag Race. Who Went Home?". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on April 4, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

[6] Frank, Jason P. (February 28, 2026). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: On Weaponizing BFAs". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 8, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

[7] "Athena Dion Chats Her Drag Legacy & That Now Herstory-Making Lip Sync! -". Werrrk. April 1, 2026. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.

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v t e Annie
Comic strip	Little Orphan Annie (1924–2010) Dick Tracy (2013–present)
Radio	Little Orphan Annie (1930)
Musicals	Annie (1977) Annie Warbucks (1993)
Films	Little Orphan Annie (1932) Little Orphan Annie (1938) Annie (1982) Annie: A Royal Adventure! (1995) Annie (1999) Life After Tomorrow (2006) Annie (2014) Annie Live! (2021)
Albums	Annie (1977 original Broadway cast recording) Annie (1999 soundtrack) Annie (2014 soundtrack)
Songs	"It's the Hard Knock Life" "Tomorrow" "Little Girls" "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"
Related	Daddy Warbucks "Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical" Harold Gray The Complete Little Orphan Annie (2008–present) "Little Orphant Annie" (1885 poem)