This Grand Rapids Queen Is the First Michigan Drag Artist to Appear on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

Unfortunate, Orion Story was eliminated in Episode 1

Published: January 13, 2022 | Last Updated: July 14, 2023

Grand Rapids-based drag queen Orion Story, aka Chance Lambert, became the first queen from Michigan to appear on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” with her brief appearance on Episode 1 of Season 14, which aired on VH1 Friday night. In the episode, the main stage challenge was a talent show, for which Story improvised a comedy routine that received poor reviews from the judges. Story then lost her “Lip Sync for Your Life," guest judge Lizzo’s “Water Me,” to contestant June Jambalaya and was eliminated.

According to rupaulsdragrace.fandom.com, Story describes herself as a “retro sex kitten with a campy edge.”

"The best way I can describe Orion Story is if you took Barbarella and put her on a runway in the middle of Sesame Street,” Story, 25, shared on the show.

Story, who took her last name from her mother’s maiden name, only had to audition once to earn her spot on the show. She was awarded Michigan Drag Queen of the Year 2019/2020 at Rumors Nightclub.

But while taping “Drag Race,” Story admits she was not at her best.

“I had a lot going on when I got on the show,” Story told Nylon. “I was dealing with substance abuse issues and homelessness. It was all this stuff. So I came into the competition already hyper-focused on things that were going on outside of it. I really had a guard up, but I was trying to put up this confident front that was like, ‘I'm good.’ I didn't want anyone to see me sweat.”