rupaul: out of body
Rupaul’s meteoric rise to fame has been decades in the making. Look up any major fashion show, music video, television show, or ad campaign from the 90s on, and chances are, you will spot Ru, such an Easter egg, showing us all how it’s really done… but we weren’t ready yet. When RuPaul’s Drag Race hit the airwaves, the world could not resist its camp overload and infectious self-derogatory humor. Two to three seasons in, the reality competition series became an international phenomenon and an emblem of queer inclusivity, cementing RuPaul as the most successful drag queen in history and a cultural icon.
You’re at the height of your career. Three drag race series, films, podcasts, talk shows, TV shows… how do you manage?
One day at a time.
What is the one thing that can distract you from your astronomical workload?
I have an inner saboteur just like everyone else. When I slow down, when I stop working for long periods of time, it can get the best of me. Usually, meditation can get me back on track, but that saboteur never goes away. The best I can do is counter balance it with joy, beauty, love, music, colors and laughter.
You were once quoted as saying “I don’t think drag will ever be mainstream because it’s counter to what the mainstream directive is”. Do you feel like you’ve proven yourself wrong?
No. Superficial aspects of drag have caught the attention of the mainstream, but the deeper message of drag will always elude the masses because it would require they deconstruct their belief system and rebuild another. The concept of “You're Born Naked and The Rest is Drag” is lost to most people who thoroughly believe they are the description on their driver’s license.
“We are living in the age of the ego, the age of us against them, and the ego’s goal is to separate us to the point where we are completely alone. Once the ego has you alone, it will kill you. The ego thinks we are separate, but the truth is we are all really one thing.”
You’ve been doing this for a long time. Has the concept of fame changed since the 90s?
Not for me, I’ve always seen my public persona as construct. Creating a drag persona or any public persona is performance art. I’ve never once taken my fame seriously because it’s a temporary illusion and the public is very fickle.
Everything seems so political nowadays. Why do you think that is?
We are living in the age of the ego, the age of us against them, and the ego’s goal is to separate us to the point of where we are completely alone. Once the ego has you alone it will kill you. The ego thinks we are separate, but the truth is, we are all really one thing.
You’re very inspirational, and your advice has consistently had a lasting impact on listening ears. What advice would you give the president?
Stop.
Would you run for president?
No, it’s a horrible thankless job.
“At the end of the day.
Drag Race is a competition, and I wouldn’t want to send any of the girls out into the world with a false sense of show.”
Speaking your mind seems more and more strenuous lately, anything you say could offend somebody somewhere. You’re known for not taking life seriously. Does anything offend you?
Yes. Ignorance, deliberate cruelty and extreme poverty.
Gender has become a hot topic in the media. You’re known for not taking gender seriously. In your opinion, is putting the spotlight on gender identity a good thing, a bad thing, or both?
Through my experience and studies, I have learned that I am not my body.
“I’ve always seen my public persona as a construct. Creating a drag persona or any public persona is performance art. I’ve never once taken my fame seriously because it’s a temporary illusion, and the public is very fickle.”
Out of all the reality competition show judges, there are more unrealistic expectations on you to remain close to your contestants than any other. Why do you think that is?
That is because of our shared experiences and the intimacy of the workroom. I love drag and I have a deep compassion for all drag queens. I think that is why they have dubbed me “Mama Ru”.
Is it important as a judge to maintain your distance? Why/not?
At the end of the day it is a competition and I wouldn’t want to send any of the girls out into the world with a false sense of show business.
You’ve just wrapped the taping of RDR UK. How will it be different from the US version?
Aside from a few cultural references it’s not very different at all. We had a blast filming it and were very surprised at how fast and efficient the production unfolded.
What can you tell us about your new Netflix series AJ and the Queen?
Michael Patrick King is so fucking smart, passionate, talented and nurturing. He created an atmosphere on set that made me feel comfortable revealing my inner most self. I am so proud of AJ and The Queen. It is a by far the most challenging work I have ever done.
This show is beautiful on every level, from script to cinematography to the musical numbers and all of the actor’s performances. On top of all of that, a star is born in the form of Izzy G, the brilliant kid who plays AJ. I am forever changed by the gift of working on this project.
We’re celebrating our first decade this year at Plastik, what advice would you give our ten-year-old self for the next decade?
Your gift to the world is beauty, color, magic and imagination. That gift is more important today than ever before. Never forget that!
photography by tony kelly
interviewed by ralph arida