RuPaul, multi-media supermodel, is back with a new album and some X-rated plans. He spoke with Peter Hackney.
With the possible exception of Dame Edna Everage, RuPaul is the most famous drag queen in the world.
A fixture on the US gay circuit through the 1980s, RuPaul achieved international success in 1993 with the release of his debut album, Supermodel of the World, featuring global smash hit ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’. He’s since recorded a further five albums; released a duet with Elton John; secured a contract as the face of MAC Cosmetics; hosted a popular US talk show, The RuPaul Show; and made his mark on Hollywood, filming several mainstream roles (most famously Jan Brady’s guidance counsellor in the Brady Bunch movies) and a slew of independent parts.
But if he was trying to “make it” in 2006 instead of the early ’90s, RuPaul, who’s just released a new album, ReWorked, reckons he wouldn’t stand a chance.
“When I released Supermodel of the World, there was a window of opportunity in this country that allowed that to happen. And it’s definitely closed at this point,” the performer tells SX from his East Village, Manhattan apartment.
“There’s this new spirit towards men who use femininity as a palette and it’s really, unfortunately, the strongest in the gay community. The gay community today is obsessed with ‘straight acting’, with appearing to be, quote-unquote, ‘normal’. I guess they’re thinking that conservative, right-wing religious people will think, ‘Oh, they’re fine – they’re just like us! Give them the right to marry!’ I think that’s the wrong approach. I think we have to embrace everything about ourselves: femme, butch, whatever.”
Partly to blame, says RuPaul, is yours truly. Well, not me personally, but gay journalists and the gay media as a whole, who the performer says are generally shirking community responsibilities.
“There are several amazing, wonderful queer artists right now – Lady Bunny, Ari Gold, Adam Joseph – but they don’t get the exposure they should get. I believe the gay news media should foster and encourage gay culture, but gay magazines around the world, especially here in the United States, usually put straight people on the cover. You know, Essence magazine, which is a black women’s magazine over here, would never have Britney Spears on the cover, because there’d be an outcry. But gay culture chases after straight people.”
RuPaul opines that a collective “self-loathing” is at the core of the problem and, somewhat surprisingly for a drag performer, he points to the gay community’s “diva worship” as an example.
“The gay community’s worship of female pop stars ... well, I love it, and I’ve been a part of it. My generation, we loved Diana Ross and Cher, and I’m a big fan of Kylie. But I think there’s also an aspect of self-loathing in there. I haven’t quite figured out how it angles in there, but I definitely get a sense of it. I think that it’s tied into the gay obsession with straight culture, because in this country at least, it’s very rare for the gay community to really go gung-ho and support our own.”
This isn’t something I expected to hear from a man who has ‘glamorous pop diva’ down pat, but anyone fearing that the drag star has become serious and staid, fear not. A few minutes later, speaking about Australia, Ru (as he likes to be called) launches into an Aussie accent, raucously quoting his favourite lines from the Stephan Elliot comedy Welcome to Woop Woop, his “very favourite” film.
As we all know, Americans just can’t do Australian accents; even that queen of accents, Meryl Streep, didn’t quite get there as Lindy Chamberlain in Evil Angels. But RuPaul as an Aussie sounds 100 per cent, dead-set dinky-di; completely indistinguishable from someone born and bred here.
“I’m a huge Aussie-phile,” he explains, laughing at my incredulity. “I’m obsessed with your country. In fact, I was in a relationship with an Aussie for six years. We’re not together anymore, but we speak on the phone every day and we’re still family. We often talk about packing up and going there.
“Mathu Anderson, who’s always done my hair and make-up, is also Australian,” he continues. (Anderson took the photo that graces this week’s cover.) “And I’ve just always had Australians in my life. I’d really love to go back soon, because it’s been a few years now.”
Before that happens, RuPaul has a few other projects to complete: US promotion for his new album ReWorked (a collection of his singles, remixed); completing Starbooty: Reloaded, a movie he wrote, produced and stars in; and adding a new bow to his list of achievements – porn movie director.
“You’re going to be the new Chi-Chi LaRue?” I ask.
“Sure am, honey,” he replies. “Actually, I’ve been a friend of Chi-Chi’s for about 17 years and I just called her yesterday to ask what kind of deal I should ask for from this company. I can’t say anything more about it, but I can’t wait to direct my first full-length porn feature. You know, it’s so hot that in my lifetime I’ve been able to do all of these different things, and now adding ‘porn director’ to my résumé is just, well, I think it’s just fabulous!”
RuPaul’s new album ReWorked is out now.
www.rupaul.com
With the possible exception of Dame Edna Everage, RuPaul is the most famous drag queen in the world.
A fixture on the US gay circuit through the 1980s, RuPaul achieved international success in 1993 with the release of his debut album, Supermodel of the World, featuring global smash hit ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’. He’s since recorded a further five albums; released a duet with Elton John; secured a contract as the face of MAC Cosmetics; hosted a popular US talk show, The RuPaul Show; and made his mark on Hollywood, filming several mainstream roles (most famously Jan Brady’s guidance counsellor in the Brady Bunch movies) and a slew of independent parts.
But if he was trying to “make it” in 2006 instead of the early ’90s, RuPaul, who’s just released a new album, ReWorked, reckons he wouldn’t stand a chance.
“When I released Supermodel of the World, there was a window of opportunity in this country that allowed that to happen. And it’s definitely closed at this point,” the performer tells SX from his East Village, Manhattan apartment.
“There’s this new spirit towards men who use femininity as a palette and it’s really, unfortunately, the strongest in the gay community. The gay community today is obsessed with ‘straight acting’, with appearing to be, quote-unquote, ‘normal’. I guess they’re thinking that conservative, right-wing religious people will think, ‘Oh, they’re fine – they’re just like us! Give them the right to marry!’ I think that’s the wrong approach. I think we have to embrace everything about ourselves: femme, butch, whatever.”
Partly to blame, says RuPaul, is yours truly. Well, not me personally, but gay journalists and the gay media as a whole, who the performer says are generally shirking community responsibilities.
“There are several amazing, wonderful queer artists right now – Lady Bunny, Ari Gold, Adam Joseph – but they don’t get the exposure they should get. I believe the gay news media should foster and encourage gay culture, but gay magazines around the world, especially here in the United States, usually put straight people on the cover. You know, Essence magazine, which is a black women’s magazine over here, would never have Britney Spears on the cover, because there’d be an outcry. But gay culture chases after straight people.”
RuPaul opines that a collective “self-loathing” is at the core of the problem and, somewhat surprisingly for a drag performer, he points to the gay community’s “diva worship” as an example.
“The gay community’s worship of female pop stars ... well, I love it, and I’ve been a part of it. My generation, we loved Diana Ross and Cher, and I’m a big fan of Kylie. But I think there’s also an aspect of self-loathing in there. I haven’t quite figured out how it angles in there, but I definitely get a sense of it. I think that it’s tied into the gay obsession with straight culture, because in this country at least, it’s very rare for the gay community to really go gung-ho and support our own.”
This isn’t something I expected to hear from a man who has ‘glamorous pop diva’ down pat, but anyone fearing that the drag star has become serious and staid, fear not. A few minutes later, speaking about Australia, Ru (as he likes to be called) launches into an Aussie accent, raucously quoting his favourite lines from the Stephan Elliot comedy Welcome to Woop Woop, his “very favourite” film.
As we all know, Americans just can’t do Australian accents; even that queen of accents, Meryl Streep, didn’t quite get there as Lindy Chamberlain in Evil Angels. But RuPaul as an Aussie sounds 100 per cent, dead-set dinky-di; completely indistinguishable from someone born and bred here.
“I’m a huge Aussie-phile,” he explains, laughing at my incredulity. “I’m obsessed with your country. In fact, I was in a relationship with an Aussie for six years. We’re not together anymore, but we speak on the phone every day and we’re still family. We often talk about packing up and going there.
“Mathu Anderson, who’s always done my hair and make-up, is also Australian,” he continues. (Anderson took the photo that graces this week’s cover.) “And I’ve just always had Australians in my life. I’d really love to go back soon, because it’s been a few years now.”
Before that happens, RuPaul has a few other projects to complete: US promotion for his new album ReWorked (a collection of his singles, remixed); completing Starbooty: Reloaded, a movie he wrote, produced and stars in; and adding a new bow to his list of achievements – porn movie director.
“You’re going to be the new Chi-Chi LaRue?” I ask.
“Sure am, honey,” he replies. “Actually, I’ve been a friend of Chi-Chi’s for about 17 years and I just called her yesterday to ask what kind of deal I should ask for from this company. I can’t say anything more about it, but I can’t wait to direct my first full-length porn feature. You know, it’s so hot that in my lifetime I’ve been able to do all of these different things, and now adding ‘porn director’ to my résumé is just, well, I think it’s just fabulous!”
RuPaul’s new album ReWorked is out now.
www.rupaul.com
