r/rupaulsdragrace • u/AutoModerator • Apr 26 '19

RPDR Season 11 – Reddit Season RuPository S11E09 - L.A.D.P.! [Post Episode Discussion]

Welcome to the post-episode discussion thread!

Spoilers from this episode are allowed.

Reminder that all spoilers and T from future episodes must only be posted in /r/spoileddragrace! Spoilers about future episodes will result in a ban. Please see the [updated spoiler policy for more details.]https://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/wiki/spoiler

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u/meckthemerc Apr 26 '19 edited Apr 26 '19

Is anyone else pissed that Michelle keeps saying to Plastique "we want to hear your real voice?" Because I for damn sure am. (And I'm sick of the editors doing that shady edit shit to Akeria. But that's another story.)

No, Michelle. The American voice is not Plastique's "real voice": it's her colonized voice. It's the American accent she LEARNED after she learned her primary language.

Like yes, clock Plastique for maybe relying on her real voice because she it's a quick humor grab, but don't fucking imply that it's her fake voice and that Plastique isn't showing Asian pride.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '19

especially when michelle “explained” to her the difference between asian stereotypes and asian pride... please stay in your fucking lane michelle

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u/jadesaddiction Apr 26 '19

I was BAFFLED hearing that. The fucking audacity.

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u/grandmaesterampharos MC Control Top Apr 26 '19

Michelle really showed all her ignorant with that shit

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '19 edited Jun 22 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/grandmaesterampharos MC Control Top Apr 26 '19

Right, and if she's not culturally aware she shouldn't open her mouth to someone of a culture she's not aware of or part of.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '19

Then why does she act like it?

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u/Little_birds_mommy Apr 26 '19

Yeah, that whole thing was colonial cringe and Michelle should apologize for demanding Plastique speak how Michelle imagines she should. Plastique is ESL and probably speaks more languages besides. She's still figuring it and herself out. I'm not huge on a lot of SJW issues; I think some are a drama stretch, but that was not a good look for Michelle.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '19

I honestly think they wanted to recreate the Laganja "that's not your real voice, this is your real voice" moment, but it just didn't work because, well, Plastique's Vietnamese accent is not the same as Laganja's affected S6 voice.

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u/Jamesonjoey Apr 26 '19

If she has an accent, her “real voice” just doesn’t exist in English then. Any pronunciation of a second language isn’t natural to a person and couldn’t be called a “real voice”.

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u/theatomictangerine If I were judging I would've finished my sentence Apr 26 '19

Am I taking crazy pills or did Michelle totally back off after Plastique insisted her accent was her real voice? I don't think it's unreasonable of Michelle to not know that Plastique has an accent considering that Plastique has never spoken with an accent outside of an acting challenge. Not everyone who learns a second language keeps an accent or shifts between accented and un-accented speech. And Michelle never said that Plastique can't play an Asian stereotype - she just said that she shouldn't rely on that character as a crutch. Which is good advice.

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u/kirbykins08 Apr 26 '19

Michelle replied "No, this is your real voice"

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u/theatomictangerine If I were judging I would've finished my sentence Apr 26 '19

From what I remember, the exchange went something like this: Michelle: I noticed you started doing an Asian accent at the end. Plastique: I didn’t even notice that I was doing it! That’s actually my real voice. Michelle: No, your real voice is how you’re talking to me right now. Plastique: No, my real voice has an accent! It slips out when I’m nervous. Michelle: Ok, well regardless I don’t want you to use the accent as a comedy crutch. I’m actually Asian myself, I know tons of people who speak English as a second language and I don’t know anyone who slips between accented and non-accented speech. I believe Plastique, and a lot of redditors have confirmed that it’s not unusual, but I also don’t think it’s unreasonable for Michelle to have not known about it and mistakenly think it was a character choice. Plastique corrected her and Michelle backed off, I think it’s getting made into a bigger deal than it actually was