We love some educational content, Mera and Scarlett are out here walking the children in nature and making sure they know their references.

Congrats, you've reached the Drag King Checkpoint! Here are some important drag kings! Hetty King, Gladys Bentley, Marlene Dietrich, Storme Delvarie & the Jewel Box Revue, Murray Hill, Adam All, Vesta Tilley, Hugo Grrrl, Wang Newton, Hercusleaze, Toddy (Masc Drag Artist), Rusty Hammer, Mo B. Dick, K. James, and Damien D'Luxe! And here are some smaller drag kings that you should follow!: Xavier Chaos, Kreme Inakuchi, Zad Gravebone, Beta Max, Quinn Tessential, Rhett Scare, Beyonda Babe, Drake Bogart, Sir Dan Manhattan, Baby Butcher, Frogb0i, Alice Ghoul, Mike Hawk, Jhonny C*ckring, Devery Bess, Pyx Elated, Liam Laughin, Nicola Nyx, Arthur Itis, Dr Cox The Genital Pox, Barrie Outragous, Flex, Show Ponii, Oma Phobe, Sean King, Travis Ti, King Baba Moon, MT Hart, and D. Sasstrus Doe! There are so many more I could put on here but I don't want to keep you here all day! BOOK AND TIP YOUR KINGS!!

Thank you for making this video. While Drag Race opened the world to drag, it is important to know the people who came before all that who instituted the elements we know about drag today. BTW, in Maryland, Divine is an icon.

Now THIS is necessary Herstory - school the children!!

Love that you remembered Conchita but sad that you forgot Pabllo. But great video anyways

Nice you included Conchita. She won Eurovision back in 2014. One of my favorite winners of the contest.

Great video. Jackie Beat also used to write jokes for Joan Rivers. 2 other names that should be on this list are Jim Bailey who was a famous Judy Garland impersonator even singing the songs and Charles Pierce who also did celebrity impersonation especially Bette Davis and was on late night alot

You talked about the newer queens that have a big impact and didn’t say anything about Pabllo Vittar… most followed queen on Instagram above Rupaul, serious singing career and songs featured with major names of the music industry. Love you!

I missed the Brazilian queens Pabblo Vittar and Glória Groove! Huge names in social media and Music streaming! PLEASE TALK ABOUT THEM IN PART 2!

Love this list ❤️❤️❤️❤️ amazing video, love you mera and scarlett We also have our legends here in Brazil as Pabllo Vittar, Silvetty Montilla, Glória Groove, Nany People, Alexia Twister, Márcia Pantera, Lia Clark, Thalia Bombinha, Michelly Summer, Dimmy Kieer, Ikaro Kadoshi, Vera Verão and many others ❤️❤️❤️

I hope you mention Pabllo Vittar, she's amazing. Another very famous drag performer from Mexico is Francis Garcia, or simply Francis. She was an incredible actress, comedienne and vedette who sadly passed away in 2007

The channel Ask A Mortician does a great video about Dorian Corey & the corpse in her closet.

No shade, but Scarlet was seriously stuck on saying "absolutely" in this video. It's great for a drinking game.

Would be great to see your take on Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket. They were huge in the UK from the mid 70s. They performed for royalty. They had their own sitcom 'Dear Ladies' which ran for a few seasons and many long running radio comedy series. They performed in West End plays and musicals - arriving at the theatre as Dame Hilda and Dr Evadne, changing into their characters for the play and then getting back into their Hilda and Evadne looks to leave the theatre and greet fans at the stage door. Two of the best musicians you will see on stage and absolutely filthy when you saw them live. Sadly Dame Hilda died many years ago but Dr Evadne is still alive, living in France and occasionally performing. Two real greats of the drag world who had a unique approach - portraying two classical musicians (one an operatic diva the other a pianist/conductor) in the autumn of their lives looking back at their careers and celebrating the music whilst bickering and throwing shade at one another. Amazing old school entertainers who were always immaculate and in character.

What a wonderful video! Thank you for this! BUT... 1) Conchita Wurst won Eurovision in 2014 2) You didn't mention Charles Pierce, Charles Busch, Jim Baily, Craig Russel, Lahoma Van Zant, Flotilla DeBarge, Joey Arias, Frank Marino, Charlie Brown, The Lady Chablis , Julian Eltinge and so many others... But that's ok. Just have another list some other time :) 3) How about a global review of drag legends in non-drag-race territories?

That's a great list, but I wish you had included more queens outside of the English-speaking world. In Brazil we had legends in the 90s such as Vera Verão and Isabelita dos Patins. And, of course, Pabllo Vittar is nowadays the most followed queen in the world.

This a great video! A few more that I think the children should know: Charles Pierce, Charles Busch, Jim Bailey, The Lady Chablis, Miss Richfield 1981.

I love this list. I recognize so many icons in the drag community. Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine are also legendary in their own right.

Loved the video so much! In my opinion you forgot Olivia Jones, Germanys best known drag queen, Hungry (also a german queen haha) her mug is something very outstanding and Pabllo Vittar (self explanatory)

Oh, yes Danny La Rue was a huge main stream TV, film and stage star here in the UK. I remember watching her on family entertainment shows and I recall that she was always revered and adored as an " entertainment star". She would be on family shows all the time and even performed to royalty ! As far as I recall she was totally accepted as a all round entertainer, who told jokes, told stories, sang & danced ( a little). Danny was totally accepted for who she/he was and had a long career in drag. I specifically remember her often being in a TV series called "The Good All Days" which was based on the old music hall entertainment, where the live audience also came dressed up in Victorian, Edwardian, , twenties, etc, style dress and watched a whole host of entertainers in a theatre style setting. Danny was so good and I am so glad you mentioned her. Thanks from the UK 🇬🇧 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Great video! If you do another one, Hungry from Germany is an amazing queen and conceptual artist who's collaborated with Bjork on some of her recent looks. Doubt she'll ever be on a DR franchise and the art is next-universe good, so I think Hungry deserves a shoutout! Also some history for Dragula fans, Bitter Betty was formerly known as Sara Andrews and was an absolute legend here in Nashville and regionally as well for a loooong time. Some of her old videos are hysterical.

My first contacts with drag where Hairspray (1988), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994) and To Wong Foo... (1995), none of them actual drag queens other than Divine. But maaaaam, for a chubby awkward tween, it was so refreshing to have such references.

An iconic drag queen here in Portland is Darcelle! I believe she recently was listed in Guinness as the oldest working drag queen not too long ago. And Darcelle's (the venue) was listed as a historic location in Portland too.

When I was little I was obsessed with Paul O’Grady and one day my mum showed me Blankety Blank and I saw Lily Savage and I also loved her and then my mum told me that Lily Savage was Paul O’Grady and I thought it was the best thing ever! Probably my first introduction to drag other than the pantomime, very surprised that nobody has done Lily Savage on U.K. Snatch Game I’m also surprised that Paul O’Grady hasn’t been a guest judge Edit: you guys mentioned her! Excellent she is an icon

lots of famous club kids too, particularly Leigh Bowery and Amanda Lepore! also I believe Imp Queen is from the US

Thank you for making this list! I also love Panti Bliss. Such an icon in the UK. I'd love to see her as a guest judge on Drag Race UK.

You should make a video talking about the drag scene in Brazil and all the legends we have here. Vera Verão, Pablo Vittar, Ikaro, Gloria Groove, Silvety... The list goes on and on. We'd love to see this. ♥️

As a UK follower, I was hoping that you would talk about Dame Edna and Lily Savage as they were so prevalent on British television.

Very good idea for a video! I feel like the younger generation needs to know that drag existed long before Drag Race and that other legendary drag queens paved the way for Ru girls. And I never really thought of Elvira as a drag queen, although I was obsessed with her movie as a kid, but you are absolutely correct, she's 100% a drag queen.

If there’s a follow up, would love to see Lana Pellay, Divine David, Jayne County, Leigh Bowery, Joey Arias, Girlina, Tina C, Chiyo and Cristeeen Vale included but I loved this list of drag and trans icons.

Im really missing la veneno, for the spanish speaking folks is the most iconic drag activist and we all have Cristina really nearest to our heart

How could you forget Pabllo Vittar? She's the biggest social media queen ever + the most successful drag queen in music.

Great video! If you are interested in the pageant system Willam and Alaska did a great 8-episode mini series called Pag-pod looking at the history and different systems and interviewing some pageant legends.

THANK you for doing this! I feel like I learned a lot as well as had some moments of nostalgia with some perfomers I hadnt even thought about for a while! There were a few I was waiting for that you didnt mention, but thats obviously going to happen when theres so many. I was thinking of Vicky Vox, Jazelle Barbie Royale, Leigh Bowery, Pablo Vittar and Le Gateau Chocolat. Based on the positive reaction to this video I think more sorts of videos on drag history would be a brilliant way forward for the channel :)

I'm young so I didn't grow up with a drag scene pre Drag Race. I know that it's hardly representative of what the scene is actually like so this video is really useful!

Great to see so many drag legends mentioned, in particular a look at the phenomenal sisters we have in the UK. Just was surprised there was no mention for the icon which is Alexis Stone ❤❤❤

1:07 "maybe we're good background noise for doing something creative" I don't know if that was a self-read but I do put you on for drawing and it is pretty relaxing. Thanks for helping me get through my commissions! Love you!

drag history would be a great series!!! you kinda do a modern history of drag but omg make it segment

I think with CONCHITA (won in 2014) Dana international and Verka Veruschka should also be mentioned (ESC legends). And for the pageant world, maybe Queen bee ho could have been mentioned, being such a recurring contestant that is sooo iconic. But thank you for this video, I knew many of them but not all of them.

One of my Favorite non Drag Race queens is Juno Birch. She is stunning, hillarious and she just makes me happy whenever I watch her videos. An absolute ICON

I was so proud of myself for knowing a lot of these because I read the book "Legendary Children" (Fitzgerald & Marquez) which was so worth it and I can't recommend it enough for those who love DR!!!!. It's structured like an episode of Drag Race but goes into the history of why certain challenges are on the show and who the queens/gay icons/etc. were who originated said genre of performance. Huge chapter on Leigh Bowery too! Also, as a trans guy, I've always been pretty interested in drag kings and the first one that always comes to mind for me is Murray Hill!

I looooved this! If you do a part 2 I’d love to see Tandi andrews, Sierrah fox, Cezanne or the moms of some dragrace queens like Angelica Sanchez, Tajma Hall or Chevelle Brooks 💖

This was a great episode. I would include Francis García, she was the most famous Mexican female impersonator and she would frequently tour the USA. She sadly passed away in 2007.

You are one of the few things I look for everyday, always entertaining and informative that's why I am a Patreon, (Dakota St James) because you and your friends are honest and fun in everything you do. I think you missed an important queen/activist from Nashville in this video. Bianca Paige, was a big pageant girl (never won a National but was 1st runner up several times top 5 all the time, Miss Gay USA, Entertainer of the Year, etc but more important to her she raised over a million dollars on her own for AIDS research, She was open about being positive and brought it to mic as she hosted shows/pageants/ fundraisers and let people know that you can live with HIV...and live well, before PREP, before it was talked about...She is also the first drag entertainer to have a street named after her drag persona...Bianca Paige Way is now officially a street in Nashville. There are videos out there of her but she passed about 10 years ago. Look for her and her famous voice.

Great to see Chi Chi LaRue on this initial list. Her career stretches back to 1986 and she's still hustling. She never directed in drag but she is notable for having become perhaps the first A-list pron director whose name was a real selling point. Chi Chi discovered many, many pron legends but she'll be known for her activism, particularly 20-ish years ago in getting safer-s3x messaging in adult films when it wasn't available anywhere else (literally). Also a big DJ now, too.

Great video! I was happy to see several Chicago queens, but don't forget the legendary Lucy Stoole! Love y'all!

Lily Savage is the funniest stand up I’ve ever seen!! Up there with Joan Rivers

Great video Mera! Would love a version about drag legends outside the US-UK. Glad to help you with the Brazilian ones

I would like to give an honourable mention to Hinge and Bracket who were a drag duo in the UK they had their own TV series in the 1970s and were in advertisements, talk shows.

Some names I think of when it comes to this topic: Dreuxilla Divine who's a big name in Puerto Rico and hilarious to boot. And then talking about modern pageant legends, Jazelle Barbie Royale to me is up there cuz she is the definition of stunning.

I loved the video, very amazing, the only queen I felt was missing was Pabllo Vittar.

I’d love to add Leigh Bowery who is a constant reference to this day! Pete Burns too. Some club kid icons like Kabuki, Starshine, Waltpaper, Angel Menendez, Amanda Lepore, James St James, Richie Rich and Susanne Bartsch. Another eurovision icon would be Verka Serduchka. Some more modern artists who are huge outside of the show could be Hungry, Samantha Hudson, Alexis Stone and Devon Pelletier (archived vanity). Also in the uk there’s Maisie Trollette who is 89 and still working!

I love how you two are educating the children. There are some very important people on this list that I knew nothing about. Thank you

They did a Divine acting challenge during season 7. Ginger and Trixie did the eggs scene, Kennedy and Katya did Cha Cha heels, Pearl, Fame, and Violet did the eating poo scene. It has been a long time though, that is true.

One of my favourite drag queens is Mrs. Browns Boys from Ireland. She is massively successful with her shows and movies. She definitely could be on this list for sure

I would have loved to see William Dorsey Swann on this list as one of the first drag queens EVER he is a legend

My first memory of a drag performer was seeing the Cher impersonator Marvin Nathan on Sally and The Nanny. That episode of The Nanny always cracked me up.

I am extremely happy that this much overdue video was made. Thank you, Mera, for putting it out for the world to see...educating the children.

Worth adding to the list is Israeli singer, Dana International, she was the first trans woman Eurovision winner in 1998...she started her career as a drag queen.

Lady Chablis from Savannah Georgia was a central character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and evil. And a major force onthat trans scene.

Perhaps not internationally known but Panti Bliss is a legendary queen from Ireland. She was a huge part of getting marriage equality in Ireland (look up her Nobel Call speech), HIV Rights Advocate, Business Owner, Author, Radio Presenter, Actor, has her own film "Queen of Ireland" and was once named as a Times 100 Most Influential People!

I'd add Michelle DuBarry, out of Toronto, to this list as the oldest performing drag queen in the world at 90. Legend.

In Denmark on kids television we had a character named "Vera" Conchita won in 2014 Eurovision in Denmark

I believe Imp is from Chicago and no longer does drag. Amazing list though! I’m so glad you guys covered this.

would love a video like this of the drag icons who’ve competed on drag race but are icons outside of the show (and in the show too) like raja, chad michaels, bianca del rio, kim chi etc etc

miss coco peru is literally the reason i got into drag race, i saw a meme of hers on twt then i checked out her yt channel and found drag race through the reccomended section, she is a legend.

I love how you still mentioned some controversial queens, because they are important.

Dame Edna Everage is the most famous drag star that my family in the US knew prior to ru paul in the 90s.

I just love that you made this video! So important! I was aware of many of these performers, but not all, so I am glad to be educated! For people interested in the history of drag and how the competition shows use that history as a basis for challenges, I would suggest reading Tom and Lorenzo's book Legendary Children. It is really great and informative!

R.I.P. Heklina; I'm glad we can view her in one last show with Peaches Christ.

Dame Edna is actually only just a single character for Barry Humphries. In the UK Dame Edna is the only one known. In Australia Barry is known just as much for his other characters. Les Patterson is considered just as iconic here as Edna Everage

Varla Jean was on an episode of Project Runway where they designed outfits for drag queens, along with Hedda Lettuce and Acid Betty!

Sometimes when I’m bored I’ll just watch a bunch of Miss Continental videos especially the opening runways, the girls were definitely the blueprint for what they’re doing now. Just the artistry and creativity and beauty omg…I learned about so many amazing queens including some mentioned in this video from just watching old pageants

I’d put pabllo vittar in there too

Lily Savage hosted Blankety Blank on prime time television (BBC One) in the 90’s. Fun fact Mera, Blankety Blank is the UK version of The Match Game.

Dame Edna was the first drag queen I ever saw and i didn't even process that they were a drag queen when I started seeing RPDR. Like Dame Edna seems so seperate to drag race that it is today

such a nice overview of Drag Herstory! With us here in Germany there is one very important Drag Legend for us: Olivia Jones. She was my first contact to Drag and I suppose to many other germans as well. She is active since the 90s and a huge TV personality over here. I really adore her and she is worth looking into for the way she paved for Dragqueens here in Germany.

Craig Russell,Candy Darling,Jackie Curtis,Holly Woodlawn. Charles Pierce. Jim Bailey. There are lots I would have liked to see on the list

Even though one may want to see them on drag race, I feel that it's possible that WOW could tarnish their image. They need to make a separate platform to display of these great talents.

I discovered that Dena Cass number when Willam covered it on Beatdown, it always amazes me.

I feel like you can tell Scarlett isn't a gay man because they don't know who Chi Chi LaRue is *embarrassed smile^

Please, do more content like this

I'm a drag queen in San Antonio, and I've had the pleaser working with Dena Cass with talent nights and all that jazz, she is a absolute HOOT and such a sweetheart

the brazillian music queens are slaying the game. pabllo vittar, lia clark, gloria groove all are some of the best brazilian pop artists, not just drag queens

Although he wasn't a drag queen per se, I have to mention the incredibly talented and amazing Kenny Everett. A comedian and host who played some incredible drag characters during his career. The most famous being 'Cupid Stunt'! Hilarious at the time and pretty groundbreaking in the UK. He was the person who influenced Matt Lucas & David Walliams careers who went on to create the show 'Little Britain' & 'Come Fly With Me'. RIP Kenny.... a long time gone, but never forgotten! ❤

Dame Edna had comedy specials that would air on tv here in Canada in the 90's/00's. I still remember my dad pointing to the tv with a look of disgust on his face saying " y'know that's a man". Now he shows his friends at the local Tim Hortens my drag pictures and is so proud loool.

Congrats on all of the names that you did know, one queen that I was expecting that you missed was Sylvester.

Not necessarily a drag icon but I can't believe you didn't at least mention Willie Ninja. The dude revolutionized the art of vogue in the pageant scene

You didn't mention Cris Miró, who was a HUGE influence in the drag community South America, back in the 90's. A full activist who sadly passed in '97

Love the king and queen content from outside of drag race 💖 love learning more about the names ive heard and the ones i havent, thanks yall 💖✨

Paul O Grady has a farm in UK and is a massive animal lover - he has did documentaries on animal rescue centres in London and has a radio show

Let's not forget fellow Canadian Craig Russell who made Outrageous back in the late 70s. The film had garnered some popularity back then.

Irelands two older Drag Legends, Panti Bliss and Shirley Temple Bar, Shirley famously hosted Telly Bingo through the 2000's, also Danny LaRue is irish! But her career was UK based

I am surprised that Heada Lettuce was not mentioned. I know she is big in the east coast scene, but even I know about her here in California

one queen ig yall could have added is hungry/isshehungry since there creative makeup and drag is just sensational

I met Cheddar Gorgeous at Sasha Velour's show. She took a photo with me. I told her that me and my assistant tell the children in class that their work was Cheddar Gorgeous when we liked it

Loved seeing Varla Jean Merman on Project Runway, along with other NYC queens.

Thanks for mentioning drag artists that aren't just Queens. There are so many great performers and artists that are often missed just because they haven't been on a show. But I gotta say, when it comes to shows, Dragula gets mentioned, but I had a lot of fun watching Camp Wannakiki. They've had some less traditional drag styles, all based around the idea of camp (in both meanings), and Boris Tudeth was such a funny King on there!

I don't know if you mentioned these, but my college between the years had Gina Tonic, Mis Ma'amshe, and Sasha Vanguard

Lilly Savage also used to host the game show Blankety Blank ( the match game in the UK)