"Be on at all times"— House of Villains' Kandy Muse compares the show to RuPaul's Drag Race

House of Villains is a reality competition show that challenges contestants to navigate a complex web of alliances, betrayals, and deception. In a conversation with Parade on December 12, 2024, after she departed from Season 2 of the show, Kandy Muse, a former contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, reflected on her experiences during the reality series and drew comparisons to her time on Drag Race.

Reflecting on the nature of both competitions, Kandy said:

"Oh, God! Drag Race is hard for a lot of reasons, but House of Villains is hard because you never know who is being truthful or not, so you have to be on at all times."

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Kandy Muse compares the cutthroat nature of House of Villains to RuPaul’s Drag Race

The deceptive nature of the show

In House of Villains, a show where personalities from various reality TV franchises come together to compete for a $200,000 prize, deception and betrayal are common. Kandy Muse, who made her name on RuPaul's Drag Race, found herself navigating a different type of cutthroat environment.

While the Drag Race competition is known for its demanding performances and fierce challenges, House of Villains places its participants in situations where trust is scarce, and everyone is constantly questioning the motives of others.

Kandy's experience highlights the complexities of the show, especially when it comes to understanding the intentions of fellow competitors. This requires players, like Kandy, to be constantly alert and prepared for any surprise twists or betrayals.

For Kandy, the strategic aspect of the game meant balancing her alliances, while always keeping an eye on the unpredictable actions of her fellow contestants.

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Comparisons between the two shows

Both RuPaul's Drag Race and House of Villains demand resilience, quick thinking, and adaptability. However, Kandy Muse’s insights suggest that House of Villains might bring a unique level of complexity in terms of interpersonal dynamics.

On Drag Race, the contestants are challenged on their artistic abilities, with challenges focusing on performance, design, and presentation. While the competitive environment is intense, contestants can rely on their talents and their understanding of the show's structure.

In contrast, House of Villains involves a greater focus on social strategy and manipulation, where alliances shift frequently, and players must constantly assess their position within the group. The game’s format allows for betrayals that can happen at any moment, a factor that Kandy found particularly challenging.

She underlined the continuous vigilance needed while playing on both public and private planes of interaction on the show. Kandy also explained how unpredictability in human behavior turns the game more into psychological endurance than mere competition.

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The unpredictability of the show

This unpredictable nature of the show is further illustrated in the experience of Kandy, whose elimination was precipitated by her betrayal at the hands of an ally, Jessie Godderz.

"I can't be mad about it. It's a game. Everybody wants to win, and they knew going up against me, they were not going to win in the finale," Kandy said.

Kandy highlighted her understanding of the game's mechanics— regardless of the intense emotions involved, the primary goal is to outlast the competition. After her elimination, Kandy was surprised to find out that she and other eliminated contestants would return to the lair, a development that added another layer of tension to the game.

The sudden re-entry of the eliminated players brought new opportunities for drama and strategic play. Kandy was excited about the return.

“We were kind of like, ‘We’re gonna get them, we’re gonna be a**holes to them, they eliminated us’,” she said.

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House of Villains airs every Thursday at 9 pm ET on E!, and episodes are available to stream on Peacock.