Winner of 14 Emmy Awards, the host of RuPaul’s Drag Race and symbol of the LGBTIQ+ community, experienced true torment before his joyful laughter resonated on American television
An imposing woman, two meters tall, with a gigantic blonde wig, and a glamorous tight dress. Her name is the “Monster”, the female alter ego of RuPaul Andre Charles. The eccentric character has earned him 13 studio albums, roles in television and film, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a showcase full of awards, from the Billboard Music Awards to the Emmys. Not to mention his personal net worth which was estimated at 60 million dollars.
What was the recipe for your success? “Two spoonfuls of Diana Ross, a dash of Cher, a shake of Dolly Parton and everything sealed with the family friendliness of Walt Disney”he revealed in his memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings. She discovered her artifice very young, but just in time for the world to meet her with “Supermodel”, one of the biggest anthems of the LGBTIQ + community.
Of course, shaping his character took a lot of practice, although RuPaul had been rehearsing for years before even his mind could remember it. “As soon as I started walking I tried wearing heels.. When you are a baby you are attracted to colorful and shiny things. However, that never stopped with me, I never stopped feeling summoned by things that were considered feminine,” she recalled.
Born in 1960, in the city of San Diego, California, he was named RuPaul after his mother, Ernestine, consulted with a psychic and she revealed that the little boy is destined to be a star. The prophecy weighed on him since his childhood, and in his childhood imagination, he dreamed that one day he would be able to sing and dance alongside the pop divas that he admired so much.
His innocence received the first big blow of reality when he was abandoned by his father at the age of 7. Some time later he would describe it as “a person damaged by society. Damaged by black rage.” Anger at his own life took him away from his family, although along with his sisters, RuPaul sat in the garage every day repeating to himself: “The next car will be dad. The next car will be dad”. But he never returned.
The second blow occurred in parallel. Being “sensitive and homosexual” caused him problems at school, and the bullying became uncontrollable. The feeling of abandonment and victimhood began his marijuana use. She was only 10 years old. “It was a different time. It’s not how people think about it today.”he justified in his memoirs.
Drugs were his survival mechanism. So when cannabis wasn’t enough, he started the “red devil,” a variant of ecstasy that started his own hell.
At the age of 15 he was kicked out of his home and moved to Atlanta with his older sister and her husband. There he began studying at an acting school and ironically, far from his home, he met his first family. “I met mine. The irreverent ones. So I made a pact with myself. If I was going to live this life, I was going to do it on my own terms, even if it would lead to me giving society the middle finger at every turn.”.
But being a nightlife celebrity came in handy when RuPaul decided to head into the music industry. In 1993, he released Supermodel of the World, their debut album. The pop-house, funk and R&B project made reference to the supermodels she had admired in recent years: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista.
In particular, the lead single, “Supermodel (You Better Work)”, was a success and reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. The commercial success made her the icon queer of the moment, and had several sporadic appearances on television as a guest artist. Until 1996, the VH1 channel gave her her own space called The RuPaul Showa forgotten variety and talk show that emulated Oprah Winfrey’s.
Copying his idol’s formula hadn’t worked the first time, but the second time would be different. In 2009, inspired by the great success of America’s Next Top Model, hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks; Rupaul aired RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Co-created with the duo Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, and under the World of Wonder label, the show’s format mixes fashion, challenges, a panel of judges and eliminations, just like Banks’ show. However, it’s the emotional undercurrent that really connects with audiences, from community members to straight people alike.
In each season, stories are revealed of contestants who faced adversity in their own homes, attacks on the street, substance abuse, and other experiences that, far from weakening them, have led them to find strength and self-love under their high-waisted alter egos. tight fit and big heels.
“They don’t shy away from serious topics. People there talk about being gay in Russia, or dealing with eating disorders, personal loss, or cancer. These are real things we have to deal with in our lives. Not only people queer but all people. But the program is also full of life and happinessso it’s a really safe space to have those conversations,” one of the show’s winners, Sasha Velour, reflected about the program.
The most prominent contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race They managed to build solid careers in various fields. Trixie Mattelfor example, has succeeded with his own YouTube program. Bianca Del Rio He is successful in film and stand-up. Jinkx Monsoon, Katya Zamolodchikova are other of the many names that manage to fill large venues and clubs in each country in which they land.
“In the United Kingdom there were queues around the block [para verme]. I asked myself, ‘How do these people know who I am?’ “People who have never met you, who otherwise would have no idea who you are, have this deep, personal connection with you,” Mattel said for Vanity Fair.
Del Rio, who has 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, also spoke about his experience after the show: “With my personal tour, I’ve been to Australia, to Hong Kong, and I was surprised that they cared about me. That’s when you realize how little power Drag Race”.
For his part, RuPaul achieved the status of “Mother” in the art of cross-dressing, taking drag away from clandestinity and including it in the culture. mainstream. Still, he knows that “true drag” is not really about this superficial world, but about “illusion.” “Everything you say you are and everything you say you are on your driver’s license, it’s all an illusion. Most people will never understand what that is in their lives. Because they do not have the operating system to understand that duality,” he explained to Vanity Fair.
He is sure that ultimately it was his drug use that made it possible for him to maintain his lifestyle. “I consumed them for 30 years. The first 20 were fantastic. I had a great time. “It was those last 10 that were hell.”
She considers that the substances “saved her life,” as they kept her unconscious of outside cruelty, until she finally had the courage to face it. “Luckily, I found a 12-step program that really helped me. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that, because gives you the tools to deal with all the traumas of life”, he assured.
Recently, World of Wonder confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race will be renewed for a 17th season. Unlike other programs, these long years have only served to solidify its audience, maintaining good ratings, and even achieving the highest IMDB score in the entire series in 2023.
His perennial success confirms the predictions of the psychic his mother consulted. Rupaul is a star, yes. But specifically she is a red dwarf, one of those stars that “live in the shadows,” and whose faint light may go unnoticed by some, but she manages to influence everyone who meets her.
