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Vanessa Vanjie Mateo is a Puerto Rican drag queen, performer and a contestant on Season 10 and Season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race, where she placed 14th and 5th respectively.

Vanjie appeared in All Stars 5 as a Lip-Sync Assassin. She lost her lipsync to the eventual winner of the season, Shea Coulee.

Vanjie then appeared in RuPaul's Drag Race Vegas Revue where she was followed, alongside other Drag Race alumni, as she prepared to lead the "RuPaul's Drag Race Live!" show in Las Vegas.

Name Origin[]

"Vanessa" was the name given by Vanjie's drag mother, Alexis Mateo, because Alexis thinks she looks like "Vanessa", the human form of "Ursula" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" movie.

Because she has a "banjee attitude", Vanessa received "Banjee" as her middle name, but since Alexis couldn't pronounce it, this became "Vanjie". Also because of her drag mother, she got "Mateo" as her surname.

Drag Family[]

Vanessa is the drag daughter of Alexis Mateo and her husband Jeffrey Kelley. This makes Vanessa a member of the "Mateo Empire," alongside her drag sisters Jenavive and Victoria Mateo.

Track Record(s)[]

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Statistics USA Season 10 USA Season 11
Ranking: 14th Place 5th Place
Maxi Challenges Won: 0 0
Mini Challenges Won: 0 1 (Ep. 10)
Times as Team Captain: 0 0
Times in Bottom: 1 (Ep. 1) 3 (Eps. 9, 10, 12)
Episode Eliminated: Episode 1 Episode 12

Season 10[]

For the first maxi challenge, the contestants were tasked with creating a runway outfit from miscellaneous items found at a variety store (inspired by the first challenge on Season 1). On stage, Vanjie was criticized by the judges for her look. Although she was praised for her energy and charisma, she landed in the Bottom 2 with Kalorie Karbdashian-Williams. They lip-synced against each other to "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera, Kalorie won, and Vanessa was eliminated.

As Vanessa exited the stage, she backed away and said her name three times in different tempos: "Miss Vanjie... Miss Vanjie...Miss...Vaaanjie!". This clip from her elimination lead to the creation of a popular Internet meme.

Opinions were divided between whether Vanessa or Kalorie should have gone home first. While some fans claimed that Vanessa deserved to stay as she was a contestant of great charm, many others considered her performance less entertaining than her opponent during the lip-sync.

Season 11[]

"Miss Vanjie. Miss Vaanjie. Miss...Vaaanjie!". Never have more iconic words been uttered by a departing queen. Despite being 1st eliminated from Season 10, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo's mesmerizing backwards exit inspired memes, tweets and celebrity shout-outs, and an overwhelming demand to see more of this charismatic alumna.

Vanjie delivered an exceptionally strong start to the competition, in part due to her legendary charisma and sense of humor, but her limited wardrobe of 'swimsuits' soon became the subject of numerous critiques from Michelle Visage in particular. Despite delivering hilarious performances in Week 2 and Week 3's acting challenges, she soon started to place low in various performance challenges (including Snatch Game). She managed to stay out of the bottom 2 until Week 9, where she eliminated Plastique Tiara with her energetic lip-sync. The week after, she delivered an emotional lip-sync to 'No More Drama' by Mary J. Blige and eliminated Shuga Cain.

In Week 11, she finally redeemed herself in the makeover challenge, where she was challenged to make eliminated contestant Ariel Versace look like her drag sister. She received exceptional praise and was expected to win this challenge by her fellow contestants (which would have been her first win), but her boyfriend Brooke Lynn Hytes instead snatched her third challenge win; much to both Vanjie and Brooke's shock. Nevertheless, Vanjie made the final 5 of the season, but was sadly eliminated in the next episode - the week before the final - after a jaw-dropping lip-sync against Brooke.

AJ and the Queen Appearances (1/10)[]

She appeared in New York City , the series premiere of this Netflix Original in a cameo as an unnamed Queen working at The Box, a drag club in the city that never sleeps. Her memorable line being, "And that’s why she’s named Ruby Red, ‘Cause when she reads you, you've been read" after Ruby Red puts Tony in his place.

Entrance Quotes[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10[]

"10s. 10s. 10s. Across. The board!"

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11[]

"Bitch, I'm back."

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Season 1 (Episode 4)[]

"A ten, hut! Y'all bitches ready!?"

Memorable Quotes[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10[]

  • "Like a hooker on Rodeo Drive: she's kinda Ghetto but still like, you know, eloquent." (referring to herself)
  • "I got the call, bitch, I got the call!"
  • "Get these cookies, baby!"
  • "Bitch. RuPaul walks into the werkroom. I was gagged. It's like seeing the Loch Ness Monster. You hear a lot about it, but you never see it. So when you see it, bitch, you done."
  • "Bitch, are we on big brother."
  • "I'm not Project Runway ready, but I got my patterns in my clutch so if you want me to make you a swimsuit, holla at ya girl."
  • "Stop the press! Xtina is in the building, baby!"
  • "Miss Vanjie. Miss Vanjie. Miss... Vanjie." (upon being eliminated on Season 10)
  • "What, bitch?" (to Kalorie Karbdashian during Season 10's reunion)
  • "I'm glad I have a catchphrase. Who are you again?" (to Kalorie Karbdashian during Season 10's reunion)

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11[]

  • "I was humilita-humililated... I was embarrassed."
  • "Get those cookies, get those cookies."
  • "The circus is in town, Mary!" (to Yvie Oddly, during her entrance)
  • "Why's your earring coming off? You weren't doing the Electric Slide; you just did two steps, Mary..." (referring to Ra'Jah O'Hara's left earring coming off after hugging Silky Nutmeg Ganache when the former entered the Werk Room)
  • "Don’t tell me you're coming to fight!" (to Soju, during her entrance)
  • "Miss Scarlet is looking pressed like a panini."
  • "WORK BERTHA!"
  • "Kahanna's flipping and I'm ducking and diving. Bitch, don't hit me, whore!"
  • "BITCH, I'M NOT HIDING, HOE!" (during her fight on untucked against Yvie Oddly)
  • "Soficsta-, sofic-, solicam-, soficmicaleted."
  • "Thank you Miss Vanjie! I thank myself!" (on Episode 3's Diva Workship maxi challenge)
  • "Who dat? Oh, from Devil Wears Prada?"
  • "Don't get the divorce papers," (to Brooke Lynn Hytes)
  • "Burn the wigs! Burn those fucking wigs!" (During an Untucked! fight about the wigs Ariel left in the Werk Room)
  • "Miss Vanjie Vanjie Vanjie, bitch! Drop it down low to the floor and spin! Fish Latina, really nice to meet ya, cause I save the room, they give me 10's, they see her. I whip my hair side to side. Category closed, bitch I'm fly. Slip 'n slide, thigh highs, blah ga ga ga ga ga, buh-bye." (verse in Queens Everywhere)
  • “Now, I'm gonna go ahead and get my little stance. Miss Vanessa Vanjie Mother-fucking Mateo, thank you. Love ya. *comes back on stage* I might come back, don’t turn off the spotlight yet! I might come back baby… I could come back again, be like HEEEY, I’m at the finale, too!! Y’all never know bitch, they might spin the wheel, land on me again bitch! AaaAAaAAAAAAaAaaAAAaaaaA! See ya later! Miss Vanjie!! DEUCES!!” *comes back on stage again* That's how you go viral, take note, hollah! Cut the check, bitch!" *from backstage* Miss Vaanjie." (exit quote)

Farewell Message[]

Season 10[]

"Ladies I ♡ U The Vanjie way! xoxo Vanessa ♡!"

Season 11[]

"Bitches! I ♡ you all! Not just The Vanjie way! But the Vanessa Vanjie Mateo way! xoxo "Suck it" $ Cut the check!"

Trivia[]

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  • Vanessa Vanjie Mateo is a Christina Aguilera fan. Her favorite album is "Stripped".
  • Vanjie quickly became a fan favorite when Season 10's first episode aired. Viewers call her the most iconic first-to-be-eliminated contestant in RuPaul's Drag Race history.
  • Vanjie is the second most followed first-eliminated Drag Race contestant on Instagram. She surpassed Season 2 first-out Shangela in January 2020, but this was reversed late 2022.
  • According to her Season 10 castmates, Vanjie said "Miss Vanjie" exiting the stage more times than what was shown in the edit. On the beginning of Episode 2, you can hear a fourth "Miss Vanjie" in between the first and second.
  • Vanjie is the third Drag Race contestant to be eliminated on a "Drag on a Dime" challenge, after Victoria "Porkchop" Parker on Season 1 and Naysha Lopez on Season 8. She was followed by Vinegar Strokes on Series 1 of Drag Race UK.
  • RuPaul was spotted wearing a "Miss Vanjie" necklace in her honor.
  • Vanjie lip synced alongside Victoria "Porkchop" Parker during the Season 10 finale.
  • A leaked photo of her in Untucked confirmed her presence in Season 11.
  • Vanjie holds the record for the longest "Elimination Quote" in the franchise.
  • Vanjie is the second first-eliminated contestant to return in another regular season, after Shangela.
  • Vanjie is the second contestant from the Mateo Empire to appear on the show, after her drag mother Alexis Mateo.
  • Vanjie's favorite Drag Race contestant is Season 10 winner Aquaria.
  • Vanjie was paired with Farrah Moan for Season 11's first mini challenge, a photoshoot.
  • Vanjie and Brooke Lynn Hytes are the first ever contestants to have a romance, or "showmance" as referred to by some, during the show.
    • The pair were nicknamed Branjie by the other Season 11 queens.
    • Brooke Lynn revealed at the reunion that they dated for four months after the show, but broke up due to their conflicting schedules. However, they still remain friends.
  • On May 14th, Vanjie reached 1 million followers on Instagram, being the second season 11 queen to do so, after Plastique Tiara, also the second season 10 queen to do so, after Aquaria. She became the 22nd RuPaul's Drag Race queen in herstory to reach this milestone.
    • She is also the second queen from season 11 to reach a million followers while still being in the competition (after Plastique Tiara) and the second first eliminated queen to reach a million (after Shangela).
    • She is also the first queen to be the second queen from two regular seasons to hit one million followers.
  • Vanjie is the seventh contestant to reach fifth place without winning any Maxi Challenge, after Shannel, Pandora Boxx, Jujubee, Carmen Carrera, Dida Ritz, and Kenya Michaels. She was followed by Jackie Cox.
  • Vanjie, in the finale, was shown trying to get support for getting her into the final four, by asking random people on the street to help.
  • On January 5, 2021, Vanjie was seen in Puerto Vallarta dancing amongst an unmasked crowd[2] during the COVID-19 pandemic with Silky Nutmeg Ganache. Both queens were heavily criticized on social media by fans and fellow Drag Race queens, most notably Farrah Moan and Brita.
  • Vanjie is the lowest-placing queen to return in a future season, placing 14th in Season 10 and returning in Season 11.
  • Vanjie holds the biggest jump in placement by any returning queen, jumping nine spots from 14th in Season 10 to 5th in Season 11.
  • Vanjie was featured as a guest judge on Canada's Drag Race (Season 3) episode 3.
  • Vanjie was added to the Season Pass of RuPaul's Drag Race Superstar in January 2022, alongside the tag "Street".

Gallery[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Vegas Revue[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Vegas Revue Looks[]

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Season 1[]

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Season 1 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 5[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Looks[]

Werq The World Live[]

Videos[]

Lip Sync Battles[]

Discography[]

Singles[]

  • "I'm Vanjie" (2018)

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 [Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love]
  2. Twitter
  3. Entertainment Weekly

Navigation[]

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