You probably know World of Wonder’s name and logo from watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, or perhaps from the 2003 film Party Monster starring Macaulay Culkin as Michael Alig, or from real estate TV shows you didn’t realize were made by the same company.
Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, who later founded World of Wonder, met in the graduate film program at New York University. They formed a disco-pop duo, The Fabulous Pop Tarts; shot each other’s thesis films; and eventually dropped out to start careers in artist management and media production.
Bailey and Barbato entered show business while living through New York City’s 1980s East Village club scene. Yet it wasn’t until 1991 that they founded World of Wonder Productions — turning 35 this year.
“Randy and I called our company World of Wonder because we are living in a world of wonder,” Bailey writes in ScreenAge. “We found the icon that would become the logo for World of Wonder on a camping trip. It was a plain globe printed in black and white on the side of a box that contained a small wick for a portable gas lantern.”
Even though the logo “was dated,” Bailey observed that “its optimism, even if it was just a generic commercial illustration, still resonated.”
As World of Wonder kicks off its 35th anniversary and celebrates the success of a queer-owned, queer-led, and queer-focused production company for three and a half decades, this feels like the perfect time to launch something new within Queer.Media.
Queer.Media: The Queue is a series of stories highlighting LGBTQ+ content from production companies, streaming services, studios, publishers, TV networks, online channels, and entertainment hubs of varying sizes.
Priority boarding goes to queer-owned companies and projects that interest enough people in the LGBTQ+ community. Think of companies like World of Wonder, Revry, OUTtv, Tello Films, Peccadillo Pictures, Here TV, Dekkoo, and MENCRUSH, among others.
In a world where overviews squash online searches and algorithms dictate our feeds, I hope these queues help surface content you might be interested in but didn’t even know existed.
In this first installment of The Queue, I recommend over 35 projects produced by World of Wonder, just in time for its 35th anniversary. Of course there are entries for the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise — I’m a fan, OK?! — but there’s also a lot more for you to discover. I hope you enjoy it.
Died on the 4th of July: Nelson Sullivan’s World of Wonder
One of World of Wonder’s earliest works was the documentary Died on the 4th of July: Nelson Sullivan’s World of Wonder — which, notably, shares the name of the production company itself. Nelson Sullivan is best known for obsessively videotaping everything and everyone around him 24/7, which eventually became rare and cherished footage of New York City in the 1980s.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes shows journalist Ronan Farrow’s intimate interviews speaking with sources for the book Catch & Kill. This six-part docuseries was another coproduction between World of Wonder and HBO Documentary Films.
Watch: HBO Max
Werq the World (Docuseries)
Werq the World is a fascinating peek into the lives of RuPaul’s Drag Race superstars as they travel around the globe and perform in bigger-than-life productions in the Werq the World Tour by Voss Events. For years, touring queens have teased that the real drag queen drama happens behind the scenes of world tours, and this is as close as you can get to seeing it all unfold.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Murder in Glitterball City
A coproduction between World of Wonder and HBO Documentary Films, Murder in Glitterball City investigates the toxic relationship between two men that ends in a horrifying and perplexing assassination of Jamie Carroll. A very solid recommendation for true-crime doc enthusiasts.
Watch: HBO Max
Dancing Queen
Trust the Duchess: Alyssa Edwards delivers an iconic season of Dancing Queen on Netflix, a lifestyle docuseries that follows her routine as a business owner, teacher, and choreographer at the Beyond Belief Dance Company in Mesquite, Texas… besides being a world-famous drag performer, obviously.
Watch: Netflix
House on Fire
House on Fire enters the world of ballroom by centering this series on the legendary House of Miyake-Mugler. As chosen family, they face the exact same challenges as blood relatives: careers, relationships, loyalty, and rivalries.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Stop! That! Train!
Directed by Adam Shankman (Hairspray, A Walk to Remember), RuPaul plays President Judy Gagwell in the disaster comedy movie Stop! That Train!, which assembles a top-tier cast of Hollywood comedians and beloved queens from the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise.
Watch: Netflix
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye became a high-profile project for World of Wonder when it was released in 2000. Besides following the rise, fall, reinvention, and redemption of Tammy Faye Messner, the documentary also positions her as an “icon” to many gay people at the time, beyond the caricature that she became through tabloids coverage. RuPaul Charles narrated the documentary.
☑️ Context:
In 2021, a biopic also titled The Eyes of Tammy Faye was released, starring Jessica Chastain as the titular character. This World of Wonder documentary, released in 2000, is unrelated to the recent film.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Million Dollar Listing
Million Dollar Listing premiered in 2006 as a Los Angeles-based TV show about real estate agents airing on Bravo. 15 seasons later, the original flagship series was renamed Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles to make way for spinoffs in New York, San Francisco, and Miami. In 2024, a Million Dollar Listing: India spinoff also aired on local network SonyLIV. World of Wonder produces this entire franchise.
Alyssa’s Secret
Before there was ever a Dancing Queen series for Netflix or a Global All Stars crown, Alyssa Edwards was already giving fans more memes than they could handle on the WOW Presents Plus show Alyssa’s Secret. The show originally ran for a handful of seasons, then had a ReBOOT in 2023.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Party Monster: The Shockumentary (1998)
Most people think of the 2003 film Party Monster, starring Macaulay Culkin, when they hear the infamous “party monster” nickname associated with Michael Alig. Before the fictionalized version, though, World of Wonder produced and released the 1998 documentary film Party Monster: The Shockumentary, which has footage of the real-life Michael Alig and the world he conquered.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Party Monster (2003 Film)
Starring Macaulay Culkin as Michael Alig, Seth Green as James St. James, Chloë Svigny as Gitsie, Natasha Lyonne as Brooke, and Wilson Cruz as Angel, Party Monster gained a cult following during its 2003 release — one that persists to this day.
Watch: Prime Video
UNHhhh
Trixie Mattel and Katya cohosted UNHhhh for eight seasons and more than 200 episodes. The loosely-themed talk show became one of the most popular original shows in WOW Presents Plus herstory, and it also serves as a timeline of Trixie and Katya becoming actual friends after meeting on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 7. The two drag superstars still work together, tour the world, and host a podcast aptly named The Bald and the Beautiful.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures
Robert Mapplethorpe’s life and work, which often focused on sexually explicit photos, became a documentary coproduced between World of Wonder and HBO. Overall, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures was nominated for two Emmy Awards: Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
Watch: HBO Max
Slaycation
Put a bunch of drag queens inside a house and call it a vacation. What could go wrong?! Though we’ve only gotten two seasons so far, Slaycation is becoming a fan-favorite show that the queens seem to love being a part of.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Owning Manhattan
Real estate mogul Ryan Serhant leads Netflix’s Owning Manhattan series set in the world of New York City luxury real estate. Produced by World of Wonder, the show has run for two seasons so far.
Watch: Netflix
Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love
The gays move fast. If The Bachelor and Love Is Blind can form lasting couples within a few weeks, surely queer men can figure it all out within 24 hours, right? Vanessa Vanjie Mateo’s dating show, Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love is as hilarious as the premise — and, no spoilers, but there’s actually a happy ending!
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking
Based on her autobiography and stage production of the same name, this documentary follows the late great Carrie Fisher, forever our Princess Leia in Star Wars, as she tells the wild, raw, and irresistible story of her life. Prior to her passing, Fisher was reportedly working on a sequel to the one-woman stage show. The sequel’s working title? Wishful Drinking Strikes Back: From Star Wars to, uh, Star Wars!.
Watch: HBO Max
Dear Viv
The Vivienne, OG winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, passed away in January 2025. In Dear Viv, friends, family, and fans honor this trailblazing queen. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt documentary that captures Viv’s essence (and isn’t just a full hour of pain, mourning, and trauma).
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Late to the Party: Coming Out Later in Life
Anchored by former The New York Times columnist Charles Blow, Late to the Party: Coming Out Later in Life was a TV docuspecial about LGBTQ+ individuals who come out later in life and don’t give up on living as their most authentic selves. The special is incredibly heartfelt and shows strong potential for a Queer Eye-style episodic adaptation. Even as a standalone project, it explores some great stories.
Watch: Hulu
Night Fever
James St. James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato co-host Night Fever. The web series is incredibly entertaining, but don’t get it twisted: the show often feels like a fun history lesson of New York City throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The series regularly features guests who share their own stories and experiences from that time and place.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Sketchy Queens
Jinkx Monsoon and Liam Krug are a comedic match made in heaven in the sketch comedy series Sketchy Queens, described as “Portlandia meets The Kids in the Hall.” From Jennifer Coolidge and Jennifer Tilly impersonations to a chaotic in-universe talk show named I See You and I Hear You, it’s a must-watch show from the Queen of All Queens herself.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Wojnarowicz (2021 commercial release)
Originally titled Wojnarowicz: F--k You F-ggot F--ker, Chris McKim directed this documentary feature about activist David Wojnarowicz’s life and work. The film establishes a through line between his journals, sexuality, and challenges amid censorship.
Watch: VOD (Apple TV)
Fashion Photo RuView
Primarily co-hosted by Raja (Drag Race season 3 winner) and Raven (Drag Race season 2 runner-up), Fashion Photo RuView is the original series from WOW Presents Plus with the most episodes — besides RuPaul's Drag Race itself, of course. Since 2014, sickening drag duos have sat in those chairs to toot or boot the runway looks from ongoing Drag Race seasons.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Becoming Chaz
Becoming Chaz, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, follows Chaz Bono’s transition, familial relationships, and career prospects. The doc was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary, and won a Dorian Film Award for LGBT-Themed Documentary of the Year.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025)
Directed by Linus O’Brien, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror dives deep into the odd origin story, subversive themes, and long-lasting impact of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The documentary shows how a London theater play became a cult classic, and the queer legacy of its plot and original songs.
Watch: VOD (Apple TV)
When the Beat Drops
Producer, choreographer, dancer, and overall Drag Race heartthrob Jamal Sims made his directorial debut on When the Beat Drops, a documentary that centers on the “bucking dance” movement in Atlanta. Since then, Sims has directed the TV special Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl, an episode of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, and executive-produced Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration for ABC and Disney+.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Bring Back My Girls
Penultimate episodes on flagship Drag Race seasons have recently become Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown challenges between eliminated queens, so Bring Back My Girls has essentially become the official reunion special for RuGirls to spill some tea and settle any unresolved feelings on television. Hosted by Ts Madison, Bring Back My Girls has featured reunion specials for U.S. and international seasons of the franchise.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Queen of the Universe
Queen of the Universe has run for two seasons on Paramount+ so far. The show has a fantastic premise: a singing competition, like American Idol, but make it drag!
Filmed in the United Kingdom, this reality competition series is also a lesson in culture and geography since each queen comes from a different country and brings her own references to the stage. The two winners of Queen of the Universe, Grag Queen and Taiga Brava, went on to host international Drag Race seasons: Drag Race Brasil and Drag Race México, respectively.
Watch: Currently unavailable (U.S.) — T.B.D.
Happy Endings with Bruno
Pit Crew member Bruno Alcantara has a WOW original series named Happy Endings with Bruno. In it, the Brazilian heartthrob shows his skills and training as a masseur. Each episode/massage features a new guest, and things get pretty intimate — sometimes even emotional. Season 1 guests include Kameron Michaels, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Nick Lemmer, and Sebastian ‘Dino’ Gonzalez.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
The B*tch Who Stole Christmas
Starring RuPaul as Hannah Contour, The B*tch Who Stole Christmas is a VH1 movie that features several Drag Race alumni: Peppermint (Bea Eeep), Jaymes Mansfield (Delia Von Whitewoman), Brooke Lynn Hytes (Kitty Myau), Ginger Minj (Hazel Delashes), and Jan (Jane McBeige), to name a few. A campy holiday classic!
Watch: VOD (Amazon)
Club Cumming
Alan Cumming’s New York City bar/nightclub received a docuseries treatment — Club Cumming — on WOW Presents Plus. In addition to appearances from the actor and host of The Traitors, viewers learn more about the performers, staff members, and visitors who share their life stories.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
Manhattan Cable
Love Connie leads Manhattan Cable — a World of Wonder series that invites fans to “take a bite out of the Big Apple” and explore the eccentric worlds of New York City. Namely, this clip-based show showcases wild footage, chaotic energy, and chaotic interviews.
To celebrate WOW’s 35th anniversary, the production company graced fans with free Manhattan Cable episodes on YouTube.
Watch: WOW Presents Plus
RuPaul’s Drag U
RuPaul’s Drag U is a (Pandora Boxx) Pandora’s box worth opening whether you are a new or existing fan of Drag Race. It ran on Logo TV for three seasons, with RuPaul and World of Wonder seemingly pursuing their own makeover TV show (think Queer Eye, but draggy, and even gayer) with an academic aesthetic akin to VH1’s Charm School hosted by Sharon Osbourne.
Lady Bunny is featured on this Drag Race-adjacent show as Drag University’s “Dean of Drag.” And, well, I promise you’ll never meet a funnier and more chaotic dean anywhere else.
Watch: VOD (Amazon)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked!
As the ancient drag proverb goes, “If you’re not watching Untucked, you’re only getting half the story.” While this companion series to RuPaul’s Drag Race didn’t exist in season 1 (instead, Logo TV aired a version of Untucked originally named Under the Hood), it quickly became a staple of the franchise. From international Drag Race seasons to All Stars and beyond, Untucked usually airs on the same network or streaming service as the season you’re watching.
Untucked has received 18 Emmy nominations but has only snatched one trophy so far: Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. The trophy was awarded for season 13 episode 5, “The Bag Ball,” which had the explosive fight between Kandy Muse and Tamisha Iman.
Watch: Paramount+ (U.S.); WOW Presents Plus (other territories)
RuPaul’s Drag Race
World of Wonder’s crown jewel is RuPaul’s Drag Race, obviously! As a global franchise, the Emmy Award-winning drag competition series has grown into spinoffs, original shows, and international seasons in more than 15 countries (more on that later!). To compete, Mama Ru says all you need is charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
Drag Race has a sickening track record at the Emmy Awards: 88 nominations and 30 wins as of this writing. Here’s a brief overview:
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program: RuPaul (8 wins; still the most-awarded show in this category)
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program (5 wins)
Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
Where can I watch RuPaul’s Drag Race online via streaming in the U.S.?
RuPaul’s Drag Race Streaming Options (U.S.)
U.S. viewers can only watch the flagship series via streaming on Paramount+.
Drag Race Seasons on TV (U.S.)
The flagship U.S. series RuPaul’s Drag Race first aired on Logo TV, then moved to VH1, and is now airing on MTV.
For the record, these are all sister networks, so it made sense to move regular Drag Race seasons to bigger networks over the years.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Streaming Options (Worldwide)
In most other parts of the world, U.S. seasons of Drag Race are on WOW Presents Plus alongside all other international shows in the franchise, making WOWPP a one-stop shop for all things Drag Race.
Watch: Paramount+ (U.S.); WOW Presents Plus (other territories)
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has become so successful that it feels less like a spinoff and more like a “returning queens” season that happens as frequently (every year) as new cycles from the flagship series.
The All Stars experience has adopted various formats throughout 11 seasons: queens paired up in competitive teams, Lip Sync For Your Legacy lipstick eliminations, Ru-mocracy voting, Lip Sync Assassins, and the current format known as the Tournament of All Stars.
Where can I watch RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars online via streaming in the U.S.?
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Streaming Options (U.S.)
U.S. seasons of All Stars no longer air on cable TV. Since All Stars 6, the series has been streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
The Challenge: All Stars and All Star Shore have also been Paramount+ exclusives, so this programming decision isn’t specific to Drag Race All Stars.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Streaming Options (Worldwide)
U.S. seasons of Drag Race All Stars are available for streaming on WOW Presents Plus in most parts of the world, much like the flagship seasons and other international All Stars-esque spinoffs.
Watch: Paramount+ (U.S.); WOW Presents Plus (other territories)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (Global Franchise)
RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the biggest reality shows on television, and its global expansion reflects that popularity. Between standard seasons of Drag Race around the world, recent All Stars cycles based in other countries, the first edition of Global All Stars, and the introduction of formats like Versus the World and Royale, RuPaul’s queendom is taking over the mother-tuckin’ world.
An overview of the shows within the Drag Race franchise as of this writing:
RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars — 1 season
The Switch Drag Race (Chile) — 2 seasons
Drag Race Thailand — 3 seasons
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK — 8 seasons
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. the World — 3 seasons
Flagship UK series canceled by the BBC
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK All Stars in development by World of Wonder
Canada’s Drag Race — 7 seasons
Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World — 2 seasons
Canada’s Drag Race All Stars — 1 season
Drag Race Down Under (Australia, New Zealand) — 4 seasons
Drag Race Down Under vs. the World — 1 season
Drag Race España — 6 seasons
Drag Race España All Stars — 1 season
Drag Race France — 4 seasons
Drag Race France All Stars — 1 season
Drag Race Philippines — 4 seasons
Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale — 1 season
Drag Race Italia — 3 seasons
Drag Race México — 2 seasons
Drag Race México: Latina Royale — 1 season
Drag Race Brasil — 2 seasons
Drag Race Holland — 2 seasons
Drag Race Belgique — 2 seasons
Drag Race Germany (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) — 1 season
Drag Race Sverige — 1 season