‘Drag Race’ S10 Queens On Behind-The-Scenes Origins of Their Vanjie Obsession

Adam Salandra
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Once every few seasons a Drag Race moment comes along that creates new lingo, generates countless memes, and unites the entire fandom. And on Season 10, the legendary moment came in the form of Miss Vanjie.

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo may have been the first queen voted off this year, but her name was mentioned in every episode of the season. Which means long before the fans realized that Vanjie was the iconic viral sensation of Season 10, the queens already started the trend amongst themselves in the workroom.

It’s easy to see after watching the edited show why the moment became so memorable, but how did the Vanjie chants get started during the actual filming? And what did the queens think when they saw Mateo’s infamous backward walk off the stage?

Miss Vanjie on Drag Race
Vanessa Vanjie Mateo on 'Drag Race'

We caught up with the contestants on the red carpet of the Season 10 finale to get all the tea on what it was like actually being there.

“It was like one of those out-of-body experiences where you’re like, ‘What just happened?'” finalist Asia O’Hara said about Vanjie’s infamous exit.

The Vixen added that the other girls saw RuPaul and Michelle Visage laughing about it at the judges’ panel and that made the Miss Vanjie craze catch on even more.

Check out the video above to hear what the rest of the queens think about the breakout star of the season.

Adam Salandra
Adam Salandra is an Entertainment Editor for FANDOM. When he's not covering the latest in pop culture, you can find him playing with his French Bulldog pup or hovering over the table of food at any social gathering.