News : 5 Celebrity Guest Judges We Want to See on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

A new year means a new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race — and on Friday (Jan. 6), fans won’t have to wait anymore as the reality TV phenomenon returns for its 14th season. 

Every new season brings, along with a brand new batch of queens to the work room and the main stage of the show, a new set of celebrity guest judges, ready to dish out their high praise and constructive criticisms to the drag superstars as they vie for the crown and $100,000. Season 14 certainly has its fair share of guest judges, with the two-part season premiere alone featuring appearances from both Lizzo and Alicia Keys. 

Past seasons of the franchise have seen superstar guests come join the  judges to critique  the queens, with notable names like Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Leslie Jones and many more offering their expertise in seasons past.

But who are the stars we’ve yet to see behind the panel that we would love to see appear on a future season? Billboard made a wishlist, choosing 5 stars we think would be perfect additions to the show. Check out our picks below:

Dolly Parton

Just the thought of the Backwoods Barbie herself strolling out onto the main stage is enough to make your heart quiver. Dolly Parton already has a connection to the franchise — she’s been impersonated twice (by Trixie Mattel and Kylie Sonique Love) on the show — and has a massive LGBTQ following. Were she included for a season premiere where the queens were tasked with a songwriting challenge, we think she would be a near-perfect choice to let them know who’s got the stuff, and who still needs some work.

Lil Nas X

Looking at Lil Nas X’s visual artistry over the last few years, you can clearly see the influence of drag — and that’s not including his top-tier Halloween costume from 2021. Along with being one of the biggest LGBTQ names in the entertainment industry, Lil Nas’s eye for fashion would make him a fabulous guest judge for a ball challenge where he gets to appraise the contestants’ couture, while also trolling those who maybe didn’t quite nail the challenge. 

Elton John

While there were rumors that Sir Elton John would be joining RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in season 3 as a guest judge, the “Rocket Man” singer never made his Drag Race debut on the international season. We’d like to see that get fixed — John is a living LGBTQ legend and would have plenty of advice for the fierce and fabulous queens that appear on the show. Plus, he’s got a resumé long enough to warrant him judging almost any challenge; whether it’s acting, singing, dancing, or fashion, John would be a perfect fit for letting the girls have it. 

Madonna

Somehow, we have had two separate “Night of a Thousand Madonnas” runway categories and a Rusical in her honor on Drag Race, without the Material Girl actually showing up in person. She’s a lifelong ally to the community, a gay icon, and she would be one of, if not the biggest guest star to join the panel. While we’d love to see Madge join for a songwriting challenge, at this point, we’d be happy to see her in almost any capacity on the show — just let the Queen of Pop show the queens how it’s done!

Cher

With every new season, a throng of fans ask a question that has been asked since the show began back in 2009; “When is Cher going to be a guest judge?” The pop superstar certainly has a storied history on the show — along with being given the Rusical treatment, Cher’s mother Georgia Holt and son Chaz Bono both appeared on the show in season 6, while All Stars 1 winner and season 4 runner-up Chad Michaels has repeatedly honored her on the show, especially with a stunning Snatch Game impression. The Goddess of Pop has made it clear that she’s open to the idea — so we “Believe” that she’s coming to a Drag Race season sometime within the foreseeable future!