Ongina
Ongina in 2009
Born
Ryan Ong Palao

(1982-01-06) January 6, 1982[1]
Siasi, Sulu, Philippines
Other namesPeck-Peck Galore
OccupationDrag performer
Years active2001–present
Known for
Websitewww.onginaofficial.com

Ongina is the stage name of Ryan Ong Palao (born January 6, 1982),[2] a Filipino-American drag performer and HIV activist who came to international attention on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.[3] Since appearing on the show, Ongina has been featured in a number of web series produced by World of Wonder, including Wait, What?, Ring My Bell, and Fashion Photo RuView. Ongina was one of the first reality TV stars to come out as HIV-positive.[2]

Early life

Palao was born in the Philippines in 1982.[4] He and his family relocated to Seattle, Washington, in 1994. His original drag name, before Ongina, was Peck-Peck Galore.[5] He started performing in drag in 2003[6] at an Asian restaurant called Lucky Cheng's, where he worked alongside Laverne Cox.[7]

Drag Race and career

Ongina was selected as one of nine contestants for the inaugural season of RuPaul's Drag Race and was officially announced on February 2, 2009. She revealed her HIV status in the fourth episode, where she won her second challenge.[8] She was eliminated in the next episode after losing a lip sync to "Stronger", by Britney Spears, against eventual winner BeBe Zahara Benet, placing her in fifth.[9]

Outside of season 1, she made a cameo appearance on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. She also made five appearances in the first and second seasons of RuPaul's Drag U. In November 2017, Ongina was a featured performer in Queens United, a benefit show created by Jaremi Carey in an effort to raise money to people affected by Hurricane Maria.[10]

Ongina at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023

Ongina appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere of season 11 of Drag Race.[11]

Ongina was in the 2009 music video for "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas.[12] An animated version of her appeared in the RuPaul's Drag Race: Dragopolis 2.0 mobile app.[13] She appeared in three episodes of the WOW Presents web series Fashion Photo RuView with Mayhem Miller, filling in for Raja and Raven in September and October 2018.[14][15][16] She was a backup dancer for Nico Tortorella on an episode of Lip Sync Battle in 2019.[17]

In June 2019, Ongina performed at Motor City Pride.[18] Later that year, she performed at Virginia Pridefest, headlined by Betty Who.[19] Later that year, she starred in Tammie Brown Walking Ongina in Nature!, a "two-woman show", alongside fellow Drag Race alum Tammie Brown, in reference to Tammie's quote: “I don’t see you walking children in nature” from the Drag Race Season 1 reunion.[20][21]

On May 8, 2020, Ongina was announced as one of the ten queens competing on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.[3] She was the second queen eliminated from the show, ultimately placing 9th.[22][23]

In November 2020, Ongina hosted "Constellations of Change", a live-streamed cabaret show produced by ViiV Healthcare as a part of its annual Community Summit.[24]

Ongina at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023

In 2020, she was featured in Magnus Hastings' Rainbow Revolution photography book.[25] She hosted the 2021 Los Angeles AIDS Walk, and was featured in an accompanied televised special, Localish LA AIDS Walk Special.[26] In July 2022, Ongina headlined the 10th year of Hagerstown Hopes and Hagerstown Pride festival.[27]

Ongina frequently streams on Twitch.[28]

Activism

Since coming out as HIV-positive, Ongina has become an HIV activist. He was the host for the online web show HIV and Me, a talk show featuring interviews with different individuals on how they live with HIV/AIDS.[2] Ongina also was a spokesperson for OraQuick, one of the first at-home HIV testing kits, in 2013.[29] He won the NewNowNext Award for Most Addictive Reality Star in 2009.[30]

RuPaul's 2009 song "LadyBoy" was inspired by Ongina.[31]

In an interview with amFAR, Ongina said he used his drag persona to advocate for HIV, trans equality, and basic human rights awareness.[32]

Personal life

Palao is openly gay.[33] He was diagnosed as HIV-positive on April 13, 2006.[4] He married his husband, Ryan, in 2010.[34] He currently lives in Los Angeles.[32] Palao is involved in an amFAR campaign called Epic Voices, whose mission is to find a cure for AIDS by 2030 and to reengage the conversation about the virus.[18]

Discography

As Featured Artist

Title Year Album
"I'm in Love"[35]
(with the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 5)		 2020 Non-album single

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2009 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 1) Herself Contestant (5th place) [8]
2010–11 RuPaul's Drag U Guest [36]
2010 One Night Stand Up Episode: "Dragtastic"
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 4) Zombie Episode: "RuPocalypse Now!" [37]
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 1) Herself Guest - Episode 6 [38]
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 10) Guest - Episode 1 [39]
2019 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 11) [40]
2019 Lip Sync Battle Backup dancer Guest appearance [17]
2020 AJ and the Queen Ongina Guest appearance [41]
2020 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 5) Herself Contestant (9th Place) [3]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (season 5) [42]

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role
2009 "I Gotta Feeling"[43] The Black Eyed Peas Party-goer
2015 ”Not a Pearl” Willam Belli Herself

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2014 HIV and Me Herself Host [2]
Ring My Bell Guest [44]
Wow Shopping Network Guest; one episode [45]
2016 Bestie$ For Ca$h Guest, with Thed Jewel [46]
2017 The Pit Stop Special Guest [47]
Epic Voices amFAR mini-series [32]
Hey Qween Guest [48]
2018 Drag Queens React Guest, Episode: "Drag Queens React to Mamma Mia!" [49]
Fashion Photo Ruview Special Guest [50]
Cosmo Queens Guest [51]
Wait, What? Guest, Hosted by Kimora Blac [52]
2019 Tails of the City: Pets 4 Pets Quest, Episode 2 [53]
Follow Me Episode: "Mariah Balenciaga" [54]
2020 The Vivienne Takes On Hollywood Guest appearance
The X Change Rate Guest [55]
Whatcha Packin' Guest [56]
Binge Podcast by Entertainment Weekly [57]
2022 Poz Vibe Podcast [58]
Tongue Thai'd Guest [59]
2023 Kerri Kares Special guest; Episode: "Being a Driven Diva" [60]

References

  1. ↑ "ONGINA on Instagram: "The opposite of how I feel turning 38 today. 🤣😔😁"".
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rodriguez-Jimenez, Jorge (2014-09-10). "Amazing HIV+ Gay Men: Ongina". HIV Plus Magazine. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  3. 1 2 3 Adam B. Vary (May 8, 2020). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Moves Back to VH1 From Showtime, Reveals Cast". Variety. Archived from the original on May 8, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Ongina: Queen for a Day". Brandon Voss. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  5. ↑ "Last Night's RuPaul's Drag Race: Ongina & Jade & Rebecca, Oh Hell!". LOGO News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  6. ↑ Cameron, Keady (June 18, 2018). "Hot Tea with Ongina". Standard Hotels. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  7. ↑ Qween, Hey (2017-07-12). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Ongina Talks All Things Drag". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  8. 1 2 "RuPaul's Drag Race Contestant Ongina is the Challenge Winner!". Zimbio. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
  9. ↑ "12 Lip Sync Battles that Define 'RuPaul's Drag Race's' Queer Canon". 2018-06-07. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
  10. ↑ Armbruster, Jessica (October 5, 2017). "Flip Phone and Phi Phi O'Hara team up for a Puerto Rico benefit loaded with 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alumni". City Pages. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  11. ↑ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' 11 episode 1 recap: Which queen was sent packing on 'Whatcha Unpackin'? [UPDATING LIVE BLOG]". Goldderby. 2019-02-28. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  12. ↑ BlackEyedPeasVEVO (2009-12-23), The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling, retrieved 2018-03-02
  13. ↑ "Dragopolis 2.0 Has Arrived! | NewNowNext". www.newnownext.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  14. ↑ WOW Presents (2018-09-29), FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: Madonna with Mayhem and Ongina!, retrieved 2018-10-14
  15. ↑ WOW Presents (2018-10-06), FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: Lady Gaga's 'A Star is Born' with Mayhem and Ongina!, archived from the original on January 7, 2021, retrieved 2018-10-14
  16. ↑ WOW Presents (2018-10-12), FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: Kelly Clarkson with Mayhem and Ongina!, archived from the original on February 2, 2021, retrieved 2018-10-14
  17. 1 2 "WATCH: 'Younger' Star Nico Tortorella Stunned as Ariana Grande on 'Lip Sync Battle' • Instinct Magazine". Instinct Magazine. 2019-06-07. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  18. 1 2 Michael, Jason (2019-06-05). "Motor City Pride 2019". Pride Source. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  19. ↑ "VA Pridefest coming to Brown's Island". Instinct Magazine. 2019-09-20. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  20. ↑ Frye, Javay (January 24, 2019). "Let's Take a Walk in Nature! Get Ready for the Tammie Brown and Ongina Show". World of Wonder. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  21. ↑ Cook, Michael (June 18, 2020). "The Trailblazing Ongina Talks Returning To 'RuPaul's Drag Race' for 'All-Stars', Becoming An Activist, & Possible Upcoming Career Pivot". Instinct Magazine. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  22. ↑ Fitzgerald, Christine (June 13, 2020). "Let's Kiki About RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 5: Episode 2, 'I'm In Love!'". Socialite Life. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  23. ↑ Damshenas, Sam. "Ongina issues statement following the events of Drag Race All Stars 5". GayTimes. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  24. ↑ Sharon Klahr Coey (November 13, 2020). "GSK's ViiV Healthcare caps virtual HIV summit with a Facebook Live cabaret". FiercePharma. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  25. ↑ Rudolph, Christopher (September 25, 2020). ""Drag Race" Queens Make Love to the Camera in "Rainbow Revolution"". NewNowNext. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  26. ↑ APLA Health (July 7, 2021). "APLA Health Launches AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2021 Hosted by Ongina of RuPaul's Drag Race". APLA Health. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  27. ↑ Key, Michael (July 9, 2022). "PHOTOS: Hagerstown Pride". Washington Blade. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  28. ↑ ED Nightingale (April 16, 2021). "From Crystal Methyd to Sum Ting Wong, here are 8 Drag Race queens you didn't know were on Twitch". Pink News. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Ongina for OraQuick: Newest Drag Spokesmodel". Drag Official. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  30. ↑ ""RuPaul's Drag Race" Season One, Meet The Queens: Ongina". LOGO News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  31. ↑ RuPaul's Drag Race [@rupaulsdragrace] (November 12, 2013). "'My song #LadyBoy was inspired by @Ongina.' - @RuPaul" (Tweet). Retrieved 2018-02-25 – via Twitter.
  32. 1 2 3 "Living Out Loud: An Interview With Drag Performer Ongina". amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. 2017-09-28. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  33. ↑ "Living Out Loud: An Interview with Drag Performer Ongina". amfAR. Archived from the original on May 17, 2019. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  34. ↑ @ongina (August 24, 2011). "Happy One Year Anniversary to my husband @RyanWPresents! I'm the luckiest man in the world! I love you very much!!!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. ↑ "I'm In Love - Single". iTunes. 13 June 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.
  36. ↑ Stransky, Tanner (August 3, 2020). "'RuPaul's Drag U' series premiere recap: To judge or not to judge such tragic figures?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  37. ↑ Polly, John (October 31, 2011). "Drag Race Zombies? Happy Halloween from RuPaul!". NewNowNext. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018.
  38. ↑ Stransky, Tanner (November 27, 2012). "'RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race' season finale recap". EW.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  39. ↑ Damshenas, Sam (22 March 2018). "Watch Drag Race fan favourites return for the season 10 premiere". Gay Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  40. ↑ O’Keeffe, Kevin (28 February 2019). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 11 premiere recap: Queens here, queens there, queens everywhere". Xtra. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021.
  41. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (2019-12-03). "RuPaul brings 22 Drag Race queens to costar on AJ and the Queen". EW.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  42. ↑ Dino-Ray Ramos (June 8, 2020). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Brings Back 'Untucked' Aftershow For Season 5". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  43. ↑ Munzenrieder, Kyle (2019-05-03). "How RuPaul's Drag Race Queens Became the Hottest Music Video Accessory". WMagazine.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  44. ↑ Ongina on Ring My Bell. YouTube. May 24, 2014. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  45. ↑ Ongina on WOW Shopping Network. YouTube. May 23, 2014. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  46. ↑ BESTIE$ FOR CA$H: Ongina & Thed Jewel. YouTube. September 23, 2016. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  47. ↑ The Pit Stop w/ Raja & Ongina | RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 9 Ep 11) | Now on VH1. YouTube. June 5, 2017. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  48. ↑ RuPaul's Drag Race Star ONGINA on HEY QWEEN with Jonny McGovern Part 1 | Hey Qween. YouTube. July 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  49. ↑ Drag Queens React Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again w/ Aja Chad Jaidynn Jinkx Kimora Ongina Raja & Raven. WOW Presents. May 17, 2018. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  50. ↑ FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: Madonna with Mayhem and Ongina!. YouTube. September 29, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  51. ↑ Ongina | Cosmo Queens | Cosmopolitan. YouTube. October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  52. ↑ Entomology with Ongina and Kimora Blac: WAIT, WHAT?. YouTube. December 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  53. ↑ Ongina - Tails of the City: Pets 4 Pets Episode 2. YouTube. January 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  54. ↑ FOLLOW ME: Mariah Balenciaga. YouTube. May 6, 2019. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  55. ↑ The X Change Rate: "All Stars" Season 5 Queens (Part 3). YouTube. June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  56. ↑ Whatcha Packin': SPOILER ALERT! | S5 E2 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. YouTube. June 12, 2020. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  57. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (July 2, 2020). "Drag Race's BeBe and Ongina reveal the truth behind season 1's infamous filter". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  58. ↑ Rooke, Chris (May 27, 2022). "Drag Race star Ongina opens up on feeling free after sharing her HIV status". GCN. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  59. ↑ Damshenas, Sam (August 31, 2022). "WOW Presents Plus are 'saving the world from straight people' with their fall previews trailer". Gay Times. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  60. ↑ "Being a Driven Diva". www.wowpresentsplus.com. January 25, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
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