Today, RuPaul Andre Charles is a famous pop icon, particularly in the world of fashion, drag, and the LGBTQ+ community. However, the ultimate queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race didn’t become a star overnight. Back in the 90s, his career began with a talk show on VH1 called The RuPaul Show.
Currently, the 13th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race is in session. The popular competition reality show began in 2009 and has aired consistently since, with a minor blip due to the coronavirus pandemic. Today, RuPaul is widely recognized for how he empowered the drag and LGBTQ+ community. In fact, you can see how drag has evolved over the years simply by watching Drag Race. RuPaul has successfully created spin-off series too, including Untucked, RuPaul’s Drag U, and All-Stars. In addition, RuPaul has participated in various other projects, including making music, producing, and creating movies.
Before his drag empire, RuPaul had his own talk show. In 1996, RuPaul was the host of a talk show called The RuPaul Show. Michelle Visage, one of the main judges of RuPaul’s Drag Race, was also part of the talk show. Together, they would sing, dance, and perform skits. According to IMDb, Neil Patrick Harris, Olivia Newton-John and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) were once guests on the show. In addition, Lil' Kim, Pam Grier, Cher, and Millie Jackson were also guests at one point. The series ran for a few seasons and came to an end in 1998. Keep in mind that The RuPaul Show is not to be confused with his other talk show, RuPaul.
In 2019, RuPaul and Visage started another talk show, which was meant to be a “modern take on the talk format.” Unfortunately, the venture was short-lived, but quite successful considering Iggy Azalea, Adam Lambert, and Lisa Vanderpump were once guests on RuPaul. “In a rare setback, RuPaul hosted a daytime talk show in a three-week trial run last summer, but studio Warner Bros. will not be moving forward with the project,” read a statement released recently, confirming RuPaul had been discontinued.
RuPaul has tried several times to have his own talk show, but it appears Drag Race is his true calling, considering that his talk show attempts haven’t lasted long. However, this is not meant to be criticism. RuPaul has done so much in the world of showbiz. It’s impossible for everything to become the epitome of pop culture the way RuPaul’s Drag Race has. In fact, RuPaul’s story is a friendly reminder that we all start somewhere, and consistency is what gets you to the top.