"RuPaul's Drag Race" Unveils Trailer and Guest Judges for Splashy New Season Premiering on Friday, January 3rd at 8:00 PM ET/PT on MTV

Katy Perry, Doechii, Sandra Bernhard, Julia Schlaepfer, Paul W. Downs, Hunter Schafer, Quinta Brunson, Jamal Sims, Law Roach, Adam Lambert, Betsey Johnson, Whitney Cummings, Sam Smith, Jerrod Carmichael, June Diane Raphael and Tracee Ellis Ross to serve as guest judges

New twist revealed this season offering queens immunity from elimination

(NEW YORK, NY - December 12, 2024) - MTV today announced the star-studded lineup of guest judges who will join Emmy(R) Award-winning host RuPaul and mainstay judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews and Ts Madison for the 17th season of RuPaul's Drag Race. The network also released the jaw-dropping trailer for the upcoming season, featuring global pop star Katy Perry as the premiere guest judge airing on Friday, January 3rd. Episodes will follow the 90-minute format and air Fridays at 8:00 PM ET/PT on MTV.

The star studded line up of guest judges include Doechii, Sandra Bernhard, Julia Schlaepfer, Paul W. Downs, Hunter Schafer, Quinta Brunson, Jamal Sims, Law Roach, Adam Lambert, Betsey Johnson, Whitney Cummings, Sam Smith, Jerrod Carmichael, June Diane Raphael, and Tracee Ellis Ross.

This season ushers in a new twist that only RuPaul's Drag Race can deliver - The Badonka Dunk Tank. Following the lipsync, each eliminated queen has a chance to receive immunity and save themselves from having to sashay away. Queens will choose from 10 levers and if they pick one of the two levers that dunks Michelle, they get to remain in the competition. If not, they will be eliminated.

Season 17 of Drag Race will feature 14 queens vying for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar" and a cash prize of $200,000, served by TodayTix. The previously announced cast include Acacia Forgot (Los Angeles, CA), Arrietty (Seattle, WA), Crystal Envy (Asbury Park, NJ), Hormona Lisa (Chattanooga, TN), Jewels Sparkles (Tampa, FL), Joella (Los Angeles, CA), Kori King (Boston, MA), Lana Ja'Rae (New York, NY), Lexi Love (Louisville, KY), Lucky Starzzz (Miami, FL), Lydia B Kollins (Pittsburgh, PA), Onya Nurve (Cleveland, OH), Sam Star (Leeds, AL), and Suzie Toot (Fort Lauderdale, FL).

RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked, the Emmy(R) award-winning aftershow, will premiere immediately following at 9:30PM ET/PT on MTV. Untucked gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the backstage drama as the queens anxiously await their fate in the competition.

Fans can also relive the sickening season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race, currently streaming on Paramount+, with a special marathon on MTV on Friday, January 3rd.

For more information on RuPaul's Drag Race and up-to-date news, go to pressexpress.com/mtv and follow RuPaul's Drag Race on X, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook for all the latest tea. Join the conversation using #DragRace.

RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked are produced by World of Wonder Productions with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Steven Corfe, Mandy Salangsang, Michele Mills and RuPaul Charles serving as Executive Producers. Daniel Blau Rogge serves as Executive Producer for MTV and Julie Ha serves as Supervising Producer.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" sponsors include ViiV Healthcare.

About World of Wonder:

World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 30 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul's Drag Race and DragCon. WOW's pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye. WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety's Reality TV Impact Report. Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen's Global 100 list, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies.

About SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks is a global network of media assets that reaches over one billion people in more than 180 countries featuring some of the most iconic brands in entertainment including SHOWTIME, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network among others - and, its Studios arm which produces 120+ series annually, including some of today's biggest hits such as Yellowstone, Yellowjackets, Emily in Paris, 1883, 1923, George & Tammy, South Park, Tulsa King, RuPaul's Drag Race, The Challenge and Jersey Shore, to name a few.