A New Jersey drag queen is addressing her unexpected exit from RuPaul’s Drag Race after being eliminated from the competition on Friday night’s episode.
Crystal Envy, a fan-favorite performer from Asbury Park, was sent home by host RuPaul after losing a lip-sync battle against Lana Ja’Rae of Dallas.
The elimination surprised many viewers, as Envy had been one of Season 17’s more well-rounded competitors. It was her first time in the bottom two, whereas Ja’Rae had already been up for elimination once before.
For their “Lip Sync For Your Life” showdown, the queens performed to Selena Gomez’s song “Hands to Myself”. The battle included a few controversial moments—most notably, the two queens bumping into each other and Envy crawling between Ja’Rae’s legs in an attempt to reposition herself on stage.
Once the performance concluded, RuPaul chose to eliminate Envy, 27 (born Christopher Cianci), while Ja’Rae remained in the competition.
Envy Calls Elimination Unfair: “I Had a Lot More to Show”
Following her departure, Envy voiced her frustration, arguing that her elimination was not “justifiable.”
“I don’t even remember bumping into her. I turned, and she was right next to me,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “I crawled through her legs because she was blocking me. If you’re going to block me, I’m going to find my light—even if I look like a werewolf.” (The week’s challenge had the queens in werewolf-inspired looks.)
Envy also took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that she did not intentionally get physical with Ja’Rae during the performance, calling it a “playful moment.”
“I’m sorry, but anyone saying I got ‘handsy’ with Lana in our lipsync is delusional. Lana stood in front of ME first, so I found my light by crawling through her legs. The second time, I accidentally bumped her not knowing she was right next to me. Thank u, NEXT.”
— Crystal Envy (@thecrystalenvy) February 17, 2025
A Short-Lived Run With More to Prove
Envy believes she could have excelled in future challenges had she advanced beyond Friday’s episode, which featured the fan-favorite “Snatch Game” challenge, where queens impersonate celebrities. Envy had prepared an impression of Nicole Richie.
“I don’t think my elimination was particularly justifiable,” she said. “I had a lot more to give and show. If I had continued, there were a lot of challenges I would have excelled at.”
While she admits “Snatch Game” was a difficult challenge, Envy remains proud of her time on the show, though she feels her run was cut short.
“One little mishap and you’re sent packing out the door,” she reflected.
What’s Next for Crystal Envy?
Despite her elimination, Envy isn’t slowing down anytime soon. She has a busy tour schedule, with upcoming performances in London, Washington, D.C., California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida between Feb. 20 and April 5.
