Historical Figure
RuPaul
b. 1960
American drag queen, actor and musician (born 1960)
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Biography
RuPaul Andre Charles is an American drag queen, television host, singer, producer, writer, and actor. He produces, hosts, and judges the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race and has received several accolades, including 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, three GLAAD Media Awards, a Critics' Choice Television Award, two Billboard Music Awards, a Tony Award, and a Guinness World Records title. He has been dubbed the "Queen of Drag" and is considered the most commercially successful drag queen in the United States, with Fortune saying that he is "easily the world's most famous drag queen." In 2017, RuPaul was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
Timeline
The story of RuPaul, told in moments.
Born RuPaul Andre Charles in San Diego, California. His mother named him RuPaul because "ain't another motherfucker alive with that name." She wasn't wrong.
Released "Supermodel (You Better Work)," which became a club anthem and crossed over to mainstream radio. At 6'4" (over 6'7" in heels), RuPaul became the most visible drag queen in America overnight.
Signed as a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics. First drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign. The money raised went to the MAC AIDS Fund.
Created RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality competition show. It started small on Logo TV. Within a decade it had moved to VH1, won 14 Emmys, spawned international versions, and turned drag culture into mainstream entertainment.
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Named to Time's 100 most influential people list. Fortune called him "easily the world's most famous drag queen." His catchphrase: "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"
In Their Own Words (3)
What other people think of me is not my business. What I do is what I do. How people see me doesn’t change what I decide to do. I don’t choose projects so people don’t see me as one thing or another. I choose projects that excite me.
Interview with David Shankbone (2007), 2007
I will not be ignored. I am here to stay.
Quoted in Queer Quotes: On Coming Out and Culture, Love and Lust, Politics and Pride, and Much More, Teresa Theophano, ed. (2004), 2004
People ask, "Why do you dress like a woman?" I don't dress like a woman. I dress like a drag queen.
Quoted in Let's Talk about Sex: More Than 600 Quotes on the World's Oldest Obsession, Felicia Zopol, ed. (2002), 2002
Artifacts (15)
That musical is what started all of this
e was six years old. Archuleta began singing at the age of six, inspired by a Les Misérables video. "That musical is what started all of this", he said. He started performing publicly at the age of 10
As a Mormon, he's unlikely to espouse the song's agnostic ideal
mnist Ann Powers speculated that he wanted to avoid singing "no religion too" because of his faith. "As a Mormon, he's unlikely to espouse the song's agnostic ideal", she wrote. However, he did sing...
his son after a recording session the previous night. Jeff Archuleta, in an inte...
ss", Entertainment Tonight reported that Archuleta was feeling pressure from his father, Jeff, who "reportedly yelled at" his son after a recording session the previous night. Jeff Archuleta, in an...
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