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1960 births

RuPaul

Ch. 1 of 8
— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

Contents

RuPaul

8 sections

  • RuPaul is, in the words of Fortune, "easily the world's most famous drag queen." He has also been dubbed the "Queen of Drag," a title that fits a performer who works as a singer, television host, producer, writer and actor. Fame on that scale rarely arrives quickly or cleanly. How does a performer who spent years on the margins of nightclub life become the face of a television franchise that now spans several countries? What did that visibility cost, and who pushed back along the way? And what does it mean when one person comes to stand for an entire art form? The answers begin with a name, and the name came from a kitchen.

  • RuPaul was born in San Diego on the 17th of November 1960 to Ernestine, known as Toni, and Irving Andrew Charles. Both of his parents came from Louisiana. His mother chose his name, and "Ru" came from roux, the French word for the base of gumbo and other creole stews and soups. DNA analysis by the staff of Finding Your Roots later put his ancestry at 70% African and 30% European.

    The household was Catholic and poor, and he has described it as a broken home with an absent father and a volatile mother. After she learned that her husband was having an affair, she poured gasoline on his car and tried to set the house on fire. RuPaul calls that night a pivotal moment, one that made him dissociate from his body. His parents divorced in 1967, and he and his three sisters stayed with their mother. He attended Patrick Henry High School but dropped out in the 10th grade.

    At 15, RuPaul moved to Atlanta with his sister Renetta, and the two studied performing arts there. Through the 1980s he struggled as a musician and filmmaker while working at the city's Plaza Theatre. In 1982 he debuted on The American Music Show, an Atlanta public access variety show, and kept coming back to it. He also helped make the low-budget underground film Star Booty, along with an album of the same name. At the Celebrity Club, managed by Larry Tee, he performed as a bar dancer or with his band, Wee Wee Pole. He also sang backup for Glen Meadmore alongside the drag queen Vaginal Davis. His first prominent national exposure came in 1989, when he danced as an extra in The B-52's video for "Love Shack." He also appeared in Tom Rubnitz's video "Pickle Surprise."

    In the early 1990s he worked the Georgia club scene under his full birth name, doing gender bender-style performances. In New York City he played solo and alongside other bands at several nightclubs, most notably the Pyramid Club. Jon Michael Johnson wrote and directed a one-act science-fiction parody called "My Pet Homo" for Cooper Square Productions, and RuPaul starred opposite the drag performer Mona Foot, whose real name is Nashom Benjamin. He performed for many years at the annual Wigstock drag festival and appeared in the documentary Wigstock: The Movie. Britain's Channel 4 also featured him on Manhattan Cable, a weekly series about New York's public-access television, presented by Laurie Pike. The company behind that series, World of Wonder, would later help launch his own conventions.

  • In 1993, RuPaul recorded the dance and house album Supermodel of the World, released through the rap label Tommy Boy. Its single "Supermodel (You Better Work)" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 39 on the UK Singles Chart. On the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart it climbed to number 2. Radio airplay, heavy rotation of the video on MTV and appearances on The Arsenio Hall Show spread the song far beyond the clubs.

    The follow-ups did even better on the dance floor. "Back to My Roots" and "A Shade Shady (Now Prance)" both reached the top spot on the same dance chart. Then came "House of Love," which missed every American chart but reached number 68 in the United Kingdom. In 1994 he released "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a duet with Elton John.

    That duet took the pair to the Sanremo Festival in Italy, where they appeared as superguests at one of the main festivals in the world. The performance drew positive reactions from the public and concerned ones as well.

    Also in 1994, MAC Cosmetics signed RuPaul as a spokesperson. Billboards showed him in full drag, often with the line "I am the MAC girl." The campaign raised money for the Mac AIDS Fund and made him the first drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign.

    His autobiography, Lettin' It All Hang Out, followed in 1995. He promoted it with a guest spot on ABC's All My Children, in a storyline set on Erica Kane's talk show, "The Cutting Edge." That same year he played Jan's female guidance counselor in The Brady Bunch Movie, the first of two appearances in the Brady Bunch films.

  • In 1996, VH1 gave RuPaul a talk show of his own, The RuPaul Show, built around celebrity guests and musical acts. Cher, Diana Ross, Nirvana, Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Mary J. Blige and Bea Arthur all sat down with him. So did Dionne Warwick, Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Newton-John, Beenie Man, Pete Burns, Bow Wow Wow and the Backstreet Boys. His co-host was Michelle Visage, who also joined him on WKTU radio. One episode brought on Chi Chi LaRue and Tom Chase to discuss the gay porn industry.

    Later in 1996 he released his second album, Foxy Lady, this time on the Los Angeles label Rhino Records. The album never appeared on the Billboard 200. Its first single, "Snapshot," reached number four on the dance chart and number 95 on the Hot 100, his second and last solo Hot 100 entry to date. The follow-up, "A Little Bit of Love," peaked at 28 on the dance chart. Meanwhile he hosted a morning radio show at WKTU in New York until 1998.

    The Christmas-themed Ho Ho Ho arrived in 1997 as his third album. That year he teamed with Martha Wash on a remake of the disco anthem "It's Raining Men," which landed on the 1998 compilation RuPaul's Go Go Box Classics. He also appeared in Webex TV commercials and magazine ads. In 2002 he sang on the Eurodance track "You're No Lady" with Brigitte Nielsen.

    In 2004 he put out his fourth album, Red Hot, on his own label, RuCo Inc. It got dance radio and club play but very little press, and RuPaul had a theory about why. He said, "I don't know what happened. It seemed I couldn't get press on my album unless I was willing to play into the role that the mainstream press has assigned to gay people, which is as servants of straight ideals." The lead single, "Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous," peaked at number two on the dance chart. "WorkOut" reached five, and "People Are People," a duet with Tom Trujillo, reached ten. The album itself charted only on the Top Electronic Albums list, at number nine. That September, WNEW hired him.

    On the 13th of June 2006 he released ReWorked, his first remix album. Its only single, a re-recording of "Supermodel (You Better Work)," reached number 21 on the U.S. dance chart. The Starrbooty soundtrack followed on the 20th of June 2007, mixing new tracks with interludes of dialogue from the movie. The film itself reached DVD in October 2007.

  • In mid-2008, RuPaul began producing RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality competition that aired on Logo in February 2009. Drag queens compete to be chosen by RuPaul and a panel of judges as "America's next drag superstar." The first winner was BeBe Zahara Benet. Fans voted on the show's website to name the first runner-up, Nina Flowers, "Miss Congeniality." To promote the show, RuPaul appeared in 2008 as a guest judge on Project Runway and as a guest "chef" on Paula's Party.

    He timed his music to the show's calendar. His album Champion arrived in March 2009, and Glamazon came out in April 2011 alongside the season three finale. Born Naked landed on the 24th of February 2014, the week of the season six premiere. Realness followed on the 2nd of March 2015 for season seven, and Butch Queen came out in March 2016, just before season eight. On the 24th of March 2017, the album American appeared on the same day the ninth regular season debuted on VH1, after earlier seasons aired on Logo. Singer Lady Gaga was the guest judge, and the premiere drew nearly 1,000,000 viewers, the most of any episode in the series.

    Spin-offs multiplied. RuPaul's Drag U ran from 2010 to 2012, with RuPaul as host, judge and producer. Season four premiered on the 30th of January 2012, and in the fall of that year All Stars brought back contestants from the first four seasons. The American original has since produced eighteen seasons. RuPaul's Drag Race UK reached BBC3 in late 2019, and Canada's Drag Race began in 2020 with a video message from RuPaul in every episode. RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race also began in 2020.

    In fall 2013, RuPaul joined the manufacturer Colorevolution to launch his first make-up line and a unisex perfume called "Glamazon." He told World of Wonder, "Glamazon is for women and men of all ages and preferences who share one thing in common: They are not afraid to be fierce. For me, glamour should be accessible to all, and I am committed to helping the world look and smell more beautiful." The collection was sold only on the Colorevolution website, in gift sets.

  • In April 2014, RuPaul and Michelle Visage launched the weekly podcast RuPaul: What's the Tee? with Michelle Visage. It covers behind-the-scenes talk from Drag Race, life advice, beauty tips and conversations with guests from the entertainment world. In 2015 the production company World of Wonder helped start RuPaul's DragCon LA, an annual drag-themed convention in Los Angeles. A New York edition began in 2017. Visitors can meet RuPaul, former contestants and other drag queens, and the events offer performances, merchandise booths and panel discussions.

    Television work piled up as well. In August 2014 he became a judge on the competition show Skin Wars. In April 2015 he began hosting Good Work, a plastic surgery-themed talk show on E!. On the 11th of April 2016, Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul premiered on Logo after Drag Race. That September he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program, his first Emmy for the show. A year later Drag Race earned eight nominations, including its first for Outstanding Reality Competition Program, and RuPaul won the hosting category again.

    On the 16th of March 2018, RuPaul received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first drag queen to be given the honor. In 2019 he became the first drag queen inducted into the California Hall of Fame. That summer his daytime talk show RuPaul premiered and was cancelled after a three-week test run. He also appeared in Taylor Swift's video for "You Need to Calm Down." Netflix released AJ and the Queen, which he created and starred in, on the 10th of January 2020, and cancelled it on the 6th of March 2020. On the 8th of February 2020 he hosted Saturday Night Live. In 2022 he won a Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer of the Broadway show A Strange Loop. In 2023 he began hosting a revival of the game show Lingo for CBS. HarperCollins published his memoir The House of Hidden Meanings in March 2024.

    The totals are large. RuPaul has won 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, eight of them for Outstanding Host. That makes him the most awarded person in the category and the most-awarded person of color in Emmy history. He has also collected two Billboard Music Awards, four Canadian Screen Awards, five Producers Guild of America Awards and a Guinness World Records title. In 2017 he was named to the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

    Commentators have tried to explain the scale. Lauren Herold of Mic.com called him arguably the most commercially successful drag queen in America. Sami Main of Adweek credited his early chart success, and later the climb in Drag Race viewership, with carrying drag from LGBTQ culture into mainstream society. His 1996 show was the first national talk show hosted by a drag queen and ran for 100 episodes. It tackled black empowerment, female empowerment, misogyny and liberal politics, topics rarely heard on 1990s television. In 1999 he received the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for promoting equality. In 2020 a species of Australian soldier fly was named Opaluma rupaul, after its costume of shiny metallic rainbow colours.

  • Vox has described RuPaul's relationship with the transgender community as complicated, partly because of differing philosophies. Through drag he seeks to mock stereotypes about gender and identity. In his view, the trans community takes identity seriously. The friction has produced several public controversies over his comments and his show.

    In 2014, trans activists and former contestants Carmen Carrera and Monica Beverly Hillz criticized language the show used. They objected to the challenge announcement "You've got she-mail," which ran through season six, and called it transphobic. That season also included a "Female or She-male" segment in which contestants guessed whether photographs showed cisgender women or drag queens, drawing more criticism. RuPaul and the producers issued a statement promising "to help spread love, acceptance and understanding." Logo TV dropped the phrase from later broadcasts and substituted "She done already done had herses." RuPaul criticized people who policed his language in bad faith, and he argued that one of the disputed words referred to transvestites and drag queens, not just trans women.

    In 2018, an interview with The Guardian reopened the argument. He said a trans woman who had completed her transition would "probably not" be accepted onto the show, noting that Peppermint had not yet had breast implants when she competed. Social media and former contestants pushed back. He compared trans drag queens who had transitioned to athletes who had taken performance-enhancing drugs. He later expressed regret for the hurt his remarks caused and said the only screening criteria were "charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent."

    The cast itself tells a wider story. Kylie "Sonique" Love, Carmen Carrera, Jiggly Caliente, Monica Beverly Hillz, Kenya Michaels and Gia Gunn are trans women who competed, and some made their identity public during the show. In 2017, Peppermint became the first contestant to compete through a whole season as an openly trans woman. In 2021, Gottmik became the first to compete as an openly trans man. Jinkx Monsoon, Aja, Valentina, Divina de Campo, Ginny Lemon, Violet Chachki and Sasha Velour are non-binary, while Courtney Act and Kelly Mantle are genderfluid. Since his 2018 remarks, multiple transgender contestants have competed and won on the show.

  • After Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump, RuPaul, who had endorsed her, said, "The America that we have all fought so hard for, the narrative of love and peace and liberty and equality, it feels like it is dead." He calls drag a "very, very political" act because it "challenges the status quo" by rejecting fixed identities. In his words, "Drag says 'I'm a shapeshifter, I do whatever the hell I want at any given time'."

    His activism has centered on voting. For National Voter Registration Day he produced a public service announcement urging everyone to register. He noted that voter ID rules vary by state and pointed viewers to HeadCount and VoteRiders for details. One in five LGBTQ adults is not registered to vote, and several Drag Race stars serve as ambassadors for Drag Out the Vote.

    In March 2023, after Tennessee passed its Adult Entertainment Act, RuPaul joined World of Wonder producers Randy Barbarto and Fenton Bailey and MTV to start a fund against anti-drag initiatives. The ACLU maintains it. Money came from DragCon LA 2023, the "Drag Isn't Dangerous" livestream telethon, "Can't Hold us Down," "Born This Way," and "God Save the Queens." The Manhattan Association of Cabarets also gave a small donation. In an Instagram post before the fund began, he urged followers to "Register to vote so we can get those stunt queens out of office." The video closed with, "By the way, a social media post has never been as powerful as a registered vote."

    RuPaul met the painter Georges LeBar in 1994 at the Limelight nightclub in New York City, and they married in January 2017. Theirs is an open marriage, and RuPaul has said he would not want to "put restraints" on the person he loves. They divide their time between Los Angeles and a 60000 acre ranch in Wyoming. In 2020, environmentalists criticized them after RuPaul revealed that they lease mineral rights, sell water to oil companies and allow fracking on the land. Public maps show at least 35 active wells. Because he had once held a climate-themed ball on his show, critics also accused him of hypocrisy.

    In 1999, after nearly 30 years of struggling with substance abuse, RuPaul decided to get sober. He has not had alcohol, drugs or tobacco since. In a 2013 interview he said he is not religious but has spiritual practices, including yoga and meditation, and that he does pray. In 2020, an appearance on Finding Your Roots revealed that he and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are DNA cousins.

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Updated

Common questions

Who is RuPaul?

RuPaul is an American drag queen, television host, singer, producer, writer and actor who was born in San Diego on the 17th of November 1960. He produces, hosts and judges the reality competition RuPaul's Drag Race and has been dubbed the Queen of Drag.

How did RuPaul get his name?

RuPaul's mother named him, and the "Ru" came from roux, the French term for the base of gumbo and other creole stews and soups. Both of his parents were from Louisiana.

When did RuPaul's Drag Race start and how many seasons has it had?

RuPaul began producing RuPaul's Drag Race in mid-2008, and it aired on Logo in February 2009. The American version has produced eighteen seasons, and international versions include RuPaul's Drag Race UK and Canada's Drag Race.

What was RuPaul's first hit song?

RuPaul's first hit was "Supermodel (You Better Work)," from the 1993 album Supermodel of the World on Tommy Boy. It reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

How many Emmy Awards has RuPaul won?

RuPaul has won 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, including eight for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition program. That makes him the most awarded person in the category and the most-awarded person of color in Emmy history.

Was RuPaul the first drag queen to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Yes, RuPaul received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the 16th of March 2018 for his contributions to television. He was the first drag queen to be given the award.

Why was RuPaul criticized over comments about transgender contestants?

In 2018, RuPaul told The Guardian that a post-transition trans woman would probably not be accepted onto Drag Race. After criticism, he expressed regret for the hurt caused and said the only criteria were charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.

What is the RuPaul fund against anti-drag initiatives?

In March 2023, RuPaul, World of Wonder producers Randy Barbarto and Fenton Bailey, and MTV began a fund to fight anti-drag initiatives after the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act. The ACLU maintains the fund.

All sources

146 references cited across the entry

  1. 1NewsRuPaul's Drag Race Australia: TV phenomenon coming to say 'shantay, g'day'Alyx Gorman — August 26, 2019
  2. 2RuPaul says his 10th grade teacher taught him 'the most valuable lesson I ever learned'Nicolas Vega — CNBC — July 23, 2024
  3. 3"You can call me he. You can call me she. You can call me Regis & Cathy Lee; I don't care! Just as long as you call me" – @RuPaul #RuFerenceRuPaul's Drag Race
  4. 4BookLettin' It All Hang Out: An AutobiographyRuPaul — Hyperion Books — 1995
  5. 5As 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Expands to the U.K., DragCon Shines Light on Its Mainstream SuccessJessica Klein — September 24, 2019
  6. 6RuPaulNaomi Campbell
  7. 7RuPaul's Net Worth: How Music and Television Made Him an IconPrecious Gibson — MSN
  8. 8San Diego natives Rupaul Charles, Tony Hawk among 2019 California Hall of Fame inducteesNovember 13, 2019
  9. 9RuPaul becomes first drag icon to get a star on the Hollywood Walk Of FameLuke Morgan Britton — March 19, 2018
  10. 10RuPaul (RuPaul Andre Charles)Tina Gianoulis — GLBTQ, Inc. — August 16, 2005
  11. 11Watch RuPaul Learn His Ancestors Were Also Marriage PioneersDaniel Reynolds — October 9, 2020
  12. 12The Bonnie Hunt Show: Interview with RuPaul, Part 2Bonnie Hunt — The Bonnie Hunt Show — February 22, 2010
  13. 13Finding Your Roots: Slave TradeJennifer Robinson — February 10, 2020
  14. 14Andy Cohen with RuPaul at Live Talks Los AngelesAndy Cohen — LiveTalksLA — December 9, 2016
  15. 15An Emotional RuPaul Announces Memoir Titled House of Hidden MeaningsOctober 4, 2023
  16. 16RuPaul Recalls the Terrifying Day His Mom Almost Burned Down Their Home: 'It Was a Pivotal Moment'March 10, 2024
  17. 17BookLettin it all hang outRuPaul Andre Charles — Hyperion — 1995
  18. 18RuPaul Runs The WorldJulianne Escobedo Shepherd — April 1, 2013
  19. 19RuPaul reflects on growing up poor, Black and queer — and forging his own pathNPR — March 4, 2024
  20. 20NewsHow the World Fell Head Over Heels for RuPaulAbby Aguirre — April 15, 2019
  21. 21American Music Show (Television show) video recordings, 1981–2005May 17, 2013
  22. 22Rupaul 1960–Ellen Dennis French — Encyclopedia.com (Thomson Gale) — 2005
  23. 23Southern Belles, Latchkey Kids and Thrift-Store CrossdressersRobert Burke Warren — The Bitter Southerner
  24. 24Going to Red ZoneSullivan Nelson — September 13, 2011
  25. 25What a DragGreg Kot — September 1, 1995
  26. 26The B-52's' Fred Schneider on RuPaul's Pre-Fame 'Love Shack' Cameo: 'He Got the Line-Dance Going!'March 31, 2017
  27. 27When They Go Low, We Go Sideways: Finding Queer Light in Dark TimesJune 13, 2023
  28. 28Brian Butterick, Susan Martin, Kestutis Nakas (eds.) "We Started a Nightclub": The Birth of the Pyramid Cocktail Lounge as Told by Those Who Lived It, Damiani Books, p. 59, 152 & 175
  29. 29Elton John – DuetsStephen Thomas Erlewine
  30. 30Sanremo: 30 anni fa il duetto Elton John e RuPaul Video iO Donna
  31. 31MagazineBlue Back in The Mix at 'NEWOctober 9, 2004
  32. 34Project Runway Season 5 Good Queen Fun | Bravo TV Official SiteBravo TV
  33. 35Diva Party : Paula's Party
  34. 36Apple Music Preview: Drag RaceRuPaul Andre Charles — March 30, 2010
  35. 37RuPaul's "Glamazon" Limited Edition Makeup and Fragrance Available Now!World of Wonder — November 12, 2013
  36. 38Colorevolution Mineral Makeup — Ru PaulColorevolution.com
  37. 39MagazineRuPaul — Chart history
  38. 40Logo Greenlights Two New Series Including RuPaul Game Show, Following Year-Over-Year GrowthWagmeister — January 21, 2016
  39. 41Rupaul Announces New Album, "Butch Queen," Dropping March 7!Avery — February 20, 2016
  40. 42Read U Wrote U (Ellis Miah Mix) feat. The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 2 – Single by RuPauliTunes Store — October 12, 2016
  41. 43RuPaul Chats About Reinventing His Back Catalog For A New AudienceHugh McIntyre
  42. 44RuPaul Reclaims Core 'American' Values With Political New AlbumMarch 22, 2017
  43. 45'RuPaul's Drag Race' Draws Nearly 1M Viewers In VH1 DebutDenise Petski — March 27, 2017
  44. 46NewsHollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2018 revealedLisa Respers France — CNN — June 23, 2017
  45. 47RuPaul Is the First Drag Queen to Get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of FameMarch 17, 2018
  46. 48Ho Ho Ho: RuPaul is Releasing a New Christmas AlbumAugust 29, 2018
  47. 49RuPaul Gets His Oprah On in First Clip From His New Daytime Talk ShowChristopher Rudolph — April 2, 2019
  48. 50RuPaul Daytime Talk Show Not Moving Ahead at Fox StationsRick Porter — January 2, 2020
  49. 51Taylor Swift Parties With Katy Perry, RuPaul, More in New "You Need to Calm Down" Video: WatchNoah Yoo — June 17, 2019
  50. 52'Graham Norton and Alan Carr confirmed as celebrity judges for RuPaul's Drag Race UK – series to air on BBC Three in 2019BBC
  51. 53NewsFierce competition: how a Brit makeover saved RuPaul's Drag RaceKathryn Bromwich — November 22, 2019
  52. 54RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 2 audition, casting air date, trailer and everything you need to knowSam Ashurst — December 2, 2019
  53. 55NewsShows A-Z – AJ and the Queen on Netflix
  54. 56NewsAJ and the Queen Cancelled at NetflixAndy Swift — Yahoo — March 6, 2020
  55. 57MagazineRuPaul to host Saturday Night Live for the first timeJoey Nolfi — January 21, 2020
  56. 58NewsRuPaul Sashays Into 'The Price Is Right At Night' Primetime SpecialDino-Ray Ramos — May 4, 2020
  57. 59Watch RuPaul Guest Host 'Jimmy Kimmel,' Kiki With Symone Over WinMikelle Street — August 26, 2021
  58. 60NewsTony Awards 2022 Live Updates: 'A Strange Loop' Wins Best MusicalJulia Jacobs — June 12, 2022
  59. 61Press releaseNickelodeon's Brand-New Series, the Tiny Chef Show, Stocks ITS First Season with Celebrity Guests and Rupaul as Voice AnnouncerAugust 4, 2022
  60. 62RuPaul Charles To Host Word Quiz 'Lingo' Reboot For CBSPeter White — February 11, 2022
  61. 63RuPaul to host Celebrity Lingo for ITVLauren Morris — May 3, 2022
  62. 64MagazineRuPaul to Explore 'The House of Hidden Meanings' in 'Cathartic' New MemoirJon Blistein — October 4, 2023
  63. 65Listen: RuPaul Debuts Official Podcast 'What's the Tee?'Jase Peeples — April 9, 2014
  64. 66RuPaul: What's The Tee? With Michelle Visage website.
  65. 67NewsJohn Oliver hijacks homophobe Mike Pence's bunny book with a better one in A Day In The Life Of Marlon BundoDennis Perkins — March 19, 2018
  66. 68NewsRuPaul's DragCon Returns to Wow L.A.Lina Lecaro — May 3, 2018
  67. 69NewsRuPaul's DragCon LA returns for its fourth yearMarie E. Hobro — May 22, 2018
  68. 70RuPaul Made a PSA for National Voter Registration DaySeptember 27, 2016
  69. 71RuPaul Wants You to VoteJeff Taylor October 17, 2018
  70. 72Drag Ambassador Program
  71. 73RuPaul's Drag Race Finale Highlights ACLU's Defense of Trans RightsJohanna Silver — April 14, 2023
  72. 74LGBTQ: 'RuPaul's Drag Race', MTV & WOW Donate to 'Drag Defense Fund' –Ru Speaks Out –Watch – The WOW ReportTrey Speegle — March 9, 2023
  73. 75News'RuPaul's Drag Race' finale highlights ACLU's defense of trans rights Activating supporters to push back against anti-LGBTQ legislationJohanna Silver — April 27, 2023
  74. 76Support The Drag Defense Fund2023
  75. 77NewsDragCon LA 2023 Raises $40,000 for ACLU's Drag Defense Fund, Bringing Total to $1.4 MillionBlair Ingenthron — May 14, 2023
  76. 78MagazineDrag Isn't Dangerous Telethon Raises More Than $500,000 for LGBTQ CausesStephen Daw — May 8, 2023
  77. 79Can't Hold Us Down: A Benefit for the ACLU's Drag Defense Fund
  78. 80Born This Way: Benefit for the ACLU's Drag Defense Fund
  79. 81Grindr and MISTR Join Forces for 'God Save the Queens' Pride Fundraiser Series Benefiting Local Drag Artists and the ACLU Drag Defense FundJune 13, 2023
  80. 82NewsManhattan Association of Cabarets Donates to ACLU Drag Defense FundAndrew Gans — April 7, 2023
  81. 83NewsRuPaul slams those laws banning drag shows: 'Get these stunt queens out of office'Emily St. Martin — March 8, 2023
  82. 84NewsHow RuPaul Became a Leading Icon in the Gay CommunityLauren Herold — Mic.com — May 29, 2013
  83. 85RuPaul on Moving to Mainstream Television and the 'Political' Nature of Drag CultureSami Main — March 24, 2017
  84. 86Why RuPaul was a cultural icon long before Drag RaceJake Hall — October 25, 2016
  85. 87How 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Led a Gay Cultural Revolution – and Changed My LifeRyan Houlihan — June 15, 2016
  86. 88Straight Emmy Voters Finally Discover RuPaul's Drag RaceE. Alex Jung — July 13, 2017
  87. 89NewsHow RuPaul's comments on trans women led to a Drag Race revolt – and a rare apologyCaroline Framke — March 7, 2018
  88. 90NewsFormer 'Drag Race' Contestant Gia Gunn Comes Out As TransChristopher Rudolph — March 31, 2017
  89. 91News11 Times "RuPaul's Drag Race" Celebrated The Trans CommunityAdam Salandra — April 29, 2017
  90. 92NewsWas trans queen Peppermint told to dress 'as a man' on Drag Race?Joe Morgan — March 6, 2018
  91. 93Gottmik, the First Trans Man on Drag Race, Is Already a Winner, BabyChristian Allaire — March 3, 2021
  92. 94NewsValentina Identifies as Nonbinary: "I'm My Own Gender"Mathew Rodriguez — January 14, 2019
  93. 95Sasha Velour's New Solo Show Is an Homage to Her Gender FluidityFran Tirado — April 3, 2019
  94. 96NewsWhat does gender-fluid mean? Courtney Act explains how gender-fluidity set her freeAmy Ashenden — April 25, 2018
  95. 97NewsGender-fluid actor Kelly Mantle makes Oscars historyAlamin Yohannes — NBC News — December 12, 2016
  96. 98NewsCarmen Carrera Clashes w/ RuPaul In 'Tranny' ControversyNigel Campbell — May 27, 2014
  97. 99NewsRuPaul Responds To Controversy Over The Word 'Tranny'James Nichols — May 23, 2014
  98. 100NewsRuPaul's Drag Race Crosses the Line with 'Female or Shemale'Rafi D'Angelo — March 19, 2014
  99. 101News'RuPaul's Drag Race' Producers Respond To Claims Of TransphobiaJames Nichols — April 1, 2014
  100. 102NewsRuPaul Further Responds to Transphobic Accusations: 'I've Been a "Tranny" for 32 Years'Jase Peeples — May 26, 2014
  101. 103NewsRuPaul's aggressive tirade in defense of the term 'tranny'Daniel D'Addario — May 27, 2014
  102. 104NewsRuPaul: 'Drag is a big f-you to male-dominated culture'Decca Aitkenhead — March 3, 2018
  103. 105NewsThe Meaning of RuPaul's Apology: What Changed From 2014 to 2018?Daniel Reynolds — March 10, 2018
  104. 106NewsRuPaul compares transgender drag queens to Olympics drug cheats, doubles down on Drag Race 'ban'Nick Duffy — March 5, 2018
  105. 107NewsRuPaul Tweets 'Regret' for 'Hurt I Have Caused' to Trans Community for 'Drag Race' Eligibility RemarksAndy Towle — March 6, 2018
  106. 108RuPaul's Drag Race: All the Transgender Queens (Photos)Yee, Lawrence — January 27, 2023
  107. 109RuPaul Is Married to Partner of 23 Years, Georges LeBarLanford Beard
  108. 110NewsRuPaul reveals he married boyfriend in JanuaryMarch 16, 2017
  109. 111NewsRuPaul discusses his open marriage in rare, candid interviewJosh Milton — November 26, 2019
  110. 112NewsRuPaul's Recipe For Success? Love Yourself And Stay FlexibleTerry Gross — NPR — March 10, 2020
  111. 113Hydraulic Fracturing of Oil and Gas Wells in KansasMay 2012
  112. 114Questions and Answers about EPA's Hydraulic Fracturing Drinking Water AssessmentDecember 12, 2016
  113. 115NewsRuPaul: Environmental outcry after Drag Race star suggests he allows fracking on ranchLouise Boyle — March 17, 2020
  114. 116NewsRuPaul Has a Fracking Empire on His Wyoming RanchDharna Noor et al. — March 17, 2020
  115. 117NewsThe Most Unexpected Revelation From RuPaul's Recent NPR Interview? He Might Be FrackingAmal Ahmed — March 18, 2020
  116. 118News"Don't f*ck it up": RuPaul issues plea ahead of US presidential voteBen Dilks — November 7, 2016
  117. 119NewsRuPaul 'feels like death' about Donald Trump's electionBenjamin Butterworth — December 15, 2016
  118. 120News'RuPaul's Drag Race' Is Leaving TV's Biggest Gay Network – Now What?James Michael Nichols et al. — March 23, 2017
  119. 121RuPaul 'bought coke from the sleaziest dealer in New York' during addiction battleCharlie Duncan — 2024-02-28
  120. 122See RuPaul and Cory Booker react to finding out they're cousinsCNN — October 29, 2020
  121. 123RuPaul's Divine Mystical WisdomRev. Paul Brandeis Ruashenbush — January 28, 2013
  122. 124Peaches & Bianca: The Ultimate Old Lady Drag SmackdownJason LeRoy — September 12, 2015
  123. 125'Reno 911!' Lives on With Emmy-Nominated Television Movie 'The Hunt for QAnon'Tyler Coates — August 16, 2022
  124. 126MagazineRuPaul joins Disney's Zombie 3 movie as the mother of all alien spaceshipsJoey Nolfi — May 20, 2022
  125. 127Amandla Stenberg, Laura Dern And Donald Sutherland Among Those Joining Environmental Animated Pic 'Ozi'Justin Kroll — July 12, 2021
  126. 128'Hitpig': Peter Dinklage, Lilly Singh, Rainn Wilson, RuPaul, Hannah Gadsby & Dany Boon To Voice Animated MovieAndreas Wiseman — October 22, 2020
  127. 129MagazineKristen Stewart, Charlie's Angels fight evil with RuPaul's Drag Race queens in new short filmJoey Nolfi — November 8, 2019
  128. 130BookTop Chef: The Cookbook: Original Interviews and Recipes from Bravo's Hit ShowMartin Brett — Chronicle Books LLC — 2008
  129. 131RuPaul to Appear on Next Wednesday's Episode of 'The Face'.April 2, 2014
  130. 132'Bravest Knight' Gallops Back to Hulu with 8 New EpsMercedes Milligan — October 3, 2019
  131. 133'Grace And Frankie' Renewed For Season 5 On Netflix; RuPaul To Guest StarErik Pedersen — February 14, 2018
  132. 134MagazineRuPaul Comedy Series 'AJ And The Queen' Set On Netflix From Michael Patrick KingNellie Andreeva — May 11, 2018
  133. 135News'RuPaul's Drag Race' Goes Down Under For Australia And New Zealand EditionDino-Ray Ramos — January 18, 2021
  134. 136Michelle Visage reveals why RuPaul asked her to host Drag Race Down UnderBernardo Sim
  135. 137NewsDrag Race announces UK All Stars edition – with a gag-worthy twistMishti Ali — December 21, 2021
  136. 138Drag Queen Jubilee w/ RuPaul & Vanessa BayerCBS — June 17, 2022
  137. 139Viewers react to RuPaul's new game show Celebrity LingoCharlie Duncan — September 5, 2022
  138. 140RuPaul among latest inductees to California Hall of FameRyan Williams-Jent — December 20, 2019
  139. 141RuPaul makes Emmy historySandra Gonzalez — CNN — September 20, 2021
  140. 142RuPaul Is Now a Guinness World Records Title HolderDecember 10, 2020
  141. 143JournalOpaluma Lessard & Woodley, gen. nov: a new genus of iridescent soldier flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Australia, including seven new speciesBryan D. Lessard et al. — August 2020
  142. 144RuPaul has a new namesake – and it's a fabulous, rainbow-colored flyHannah Ryan — CNN — September 15, 2021
  143. 145BookLettin' It All Hang Out: An AutobiographyHyperion Books — June 1, 1995
  144. 146BookWorkin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of StyleIt Books — January 1, 2010
  145. 147BookGuRuDey Street Books — January 1, 2018
  146. 148BookThe House of Hidden Meanings: A MemoirDey St — March 5, 2024

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