‘King of Drag’ Crowns First Ever Winner In Historic Season One Finale
King of Drag, the inaugural reality TV competition for drag kings, has crowned its winner in a historic season one finale.
Hosted by legendary king, comedian and actor, Murray Hill, King of Drag has been airing on LGBTQIA+ streaming service Revry, showcasing 10 incredible kings as they compete to become the world’s first King of Drag.
Finalists King Molasses, Dick Von Dyke, and Henlo Bullfrog took to the stage to perform for The Kings Court, a panel made up of regular king judges, Tenderoni and Wang Newton, alongside Drag Race’s Gottmik and Sasha Velour, and Revry CEO Damian Pelliccione.
With Henlo eliminated in the penultimate challenge, the kings’ final task was a lipsync of the show’s theme song, ‘KING’ by Frankie Simone. Although both kings gave it their all, King Molasses ultimately came out on top.
“This is the first drag king competition of its kind, and to have won it, it’s kind of out of this world,” they said in a confessional. “The type of recognition that is really just across the board, across the country, across the world, across drag at large. It’s also chill.”
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King Molasses has “everything we hoped to showcase” said show creators
King Molasses is no stranger to the spotlight. They consecutively reigned as DC’s Best Drag King from 2022 through 2025 and were also voted Best Gender Non-Conforming Artist 2024-2025 by the DC Drag Awards.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly after their win, King Molasses said he wanted to use his win to show that drag kings don’t deserve to forever be in the shadow of drag queens.
“I want my reign to establish our credibility as artists,” King Molasses said. “We’re always going to be compared to drag queens, but I want my reign to put to bed the ambiguity about what a drag king is.”
“There’s misogyny in every line of work. The notions around us are underlined because people assume us to be women, and [society doesn’t] respect women. It’s hatred of women that puts drag kings in a marginalized space within a marginalized space. I consider that exclusion.”
If the title alone wasn’t enough, King Molasses has also won $10,000, a one-year supply of e.l.f Cosmetics and e.l.f Skin, an ever-classic crown and sceptre from Fierce Drag Jewels, and headline spot at Seattle’s Emerald City Kings Ball, just to name a few.
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Revry co-founders Damian Pelliccione and Christopher J. Rodriguez said they were thrilled to crown King Molasses as their first ever King of Drag.
“King Molasses exemplifies everything we hoped to showcase,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “Their authenticity and artistry were undeniable.”
Drag kings are some of the hardest working, most under appreciated artists in the business, and King of Drag rightly put the focus on them for a change. There was a huge response to the show, with over 200 watch parties around the world for the premiere. Here’s hoping Hill will be back for season two with some fresh new kings to crown.
Drag is so much more than queens and corsets. If you’re only watching drag queens, you’re not even getting half the story.
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