The gayverse is all of a buzz after sources said that RuPaul’s drag race could be coming to Channel 5 later this year.
Last year it was reported that Jonathan Ross had obtained the rights to develop a UK version of the hit drag show in the US. Jonathan previously said, “I’ve been working with Jodie on a UK version [of the show]… Unfortunately, we have had to take a break because of some family issues. But we’re hoping to pick it up again in the near future.”
Last month we spoke to La Voix who said that she’d jump at the chance to star in the UK series. La Voix became one of the UK’s most famous drag queens after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2014.
Michelle Visage, who is a judge on Drag Race is currently starring in Celebrity Big Brother which is being aired on Channel 5.
The Race Family page said that they were expecting to reveal more information within the next two weeks. We reached out to Channel 5 for comment on the show, a spokesperson for the channel said, “There are no discussions around a UK version of the show”.
RuPaul picks up Michelle Visage in this episode of RuPaul Drives…
Old friends RuPaul and Michelle Visage take to the road in this episode of RuPaul Drives. The two friends talk about parenting, adoption and the origins of Michelle’s name in this 7-minute video.
In the video Ru asks Michelle, what would she say to an 18-year-old Michelle she answers “Focus”, “I’m a closer not a finisher.”
“I would also say stop worrying so much, what people think about you, I know that I’m chubby and older, but I’m okay… I’m happy with who I am.”
Talking about her real name (which is Michelle Lynn Shupack), she mentions about her introduction to the gay scene saying, “When I first moved to New York I got involved with the gay scene immediately, I went to the American Musical Dramatic Academy. If I wasn’t at school I was at clubs… and growing up in the 80s, teen clubs were very very big in the suburbs.”
In the story, Michelle admits that her mother actually supplied her with a fake ID so that she could go to the clubs in New York. During that time, whilst hanging out with the gays, the name Visage happened because people were calling her “Gara, Gara”, which meant face in Spanish. Michelle studied French at school and came up with the name Visage, which means Face in French.
RuPaul appears to have been at the centre of a storm in a big gay teacup lately.
With her show ‘Drag Race’ no longer having the term “She-Mail” included in it and the annoyance of some within the LGBT community at her casual use of the word ‘tranny’, RuPaul has been biting back. I have to say that I agree with her.
I’ve never seen RuPaul’s Drag Race, but I am aware of the show and its content. I wonder how many people getting annoyed at the use of the term ‘She-Mail’ and the word ‘tranny’ have actually watched it and seen the context in which those words are used. The word tranny has long been used to describe transvestites and Drag Queens; it is not a word that is exclusive to transgender people or even used by transgender people. This is something that those getting annoyed at its use in RuPaul’s show should keep in mind. RuPaul describes herself as a tranny and it is quite apparent that her use of that word and of the term ‘She-Mail’ relates to herself and other Drag Queens, rather than being a slur towards to the transgender community.
Something that has been bothering me for some time is the way the LGBT community are so quick to turn on each other. Whether it’s the above issue of getting precious over certain words and terms or gay men criticising other gays for the way they look, it’s clear to me that the gay movement is becoming its own worst enemy.
There are so many horrific things happening around the world, such as the anti-gay regimes in Russia, the new laws in Brunei, and the ongoing persecution of LGBT people in some African countries. Even in our own country there’s still great injustices and the threat from the outside still exists. Rather than infighting we should be focused on what we can achieve together to eliminate that threat.
Coming back to the policing of words (and it is policing), I really believe that some LGBT people need to lighten up and consider the context that words are used in. I’ll give you an example…
I was once called a “f**king disgusting queer” by a homophobic man who wanted to beat me up just for being gay. Those words used in that context are offensive and completely unacceptable. However, I have also been called a “queer dear” by one of my friends. The word ‘queer’ is used in both of those examples, but only one is offensive and that is because of the context it is used in.
I’ve spoken to transgender friends of mine about this and the feeling among them is that the word tranny doesn’t apply to them and they are not offended when somebody uses the word in reference to Drag Queens or transvestites. It is only when they are called trannies that it becomes offensive. Again it comes back to the context in which words are used.
I truly believe in people being able to identify in any way they want and use any words they choose as long as it’s in a positive and empowering context. Just because some in the transgender community don’t like the word ‘tranny’ or the term ‘She-Mail’ being used towards them it shouldn’t mean that RuPaul or anyone else isn’t allowed to apply those words to themselves or others who identify with it.
There are more shocking and pressing matters in the world that we should be focusing on instead of policing the words that others in our LGBT community use. Otherwise there is a real risk of the ‘gay movement’ eating itself from the inside. RuPaul, I salute you for speaking the truth.
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Original Drag Superstar RuPaul releases her strongest body of work so far.
Hot on the heels of another RuPaul’s Drag Race juggernaut, the multi-talented Drag Queen releases ‘Born Naked’, a fresh, modern and young sounding 6th studio album.
Ten tracks of perfectly crafted pop songs, filled to the rafters of positive messages and a light smattering of RuPaul’s very own catch phrases, with a heady mix of star guests including: Martha Wash (Original Weathergirl), Frankmusik and Michelle Visage.
Although mostly upbeat pop songs, Can I Get An Amen, with Martha Wash, provides an astonishing intimate moment with the larger than life Drag superstar and the powerhouse vocals of the It’s Raining Men singer.
So far, this is RuPaul’s most commercially successful album and it deserves to be. Gone are the mostly campy irreverent tunes (we loved those too), only to replaced with a thoughtful mix of songs and bang-up-to-date production, each standing strongly on their own merits.
All the way from LA we speak to the gorgeous RuPaul about the best way to deal with young drag queen tantrums, living the bohemian lifestyle, Britney’s ‘bitch track’, and men in dark rooms where it doesn’t matter what they f**k!
CREDIT: Photography Mathu Andersen
How does it feel to be a national treasure?
Who have you been talking to? (Laughter) I didn’t know I was. The best anyone can do is to be themselves to the fullest and to not really compromise your own lovely beautiful spirit. I think if other people get something out of that, that’s great, but that’s never been my reason for doing what I do, to give other people something. It’s really a selfish reason, it’s really to have fun whilst I’m here on this planet. I mean it all starts with you. Self preservation is love and nature. Even as a performer on stage if you have fun the audience will have fun.
A lot of people looked up to you and appreciated your advice on Drag U. Do you have any advice for our readers who want to become drag queens?
Well I think it’s probably important for anybody who’s going to get into show business to get your real estate licence, (laughter), because you probably won’t be making enough for your rent money. Show business is a hard business. Most people see all the glamour and their names in the paper but that’s just such a small part of what it takes to maintain a career. You have to be very resilient, you have to know thyself and you have to have an understanding of what is being asked of you by the public. What is it they get from you? What your value is?
What do you think Drag Race has done for you personally in your life?
You know, in terms of my legacy as a performer on this planet in the past 32 years of me working in show business it has been my crowning glory, honestly, because I’ve been able to create something that other performers can use as a launching pad and through them my legacy will live forever, because I was able to introduce the world to them.
Who was your drag mother. Did you have one?
I actually did not. I had several mentors throughout my life who guided me and who’s advice I trusted. When I was 9 years old my sister married a guy who was very influential in guiding me. When I was 21 I met an older gay man named Dick Merchant who looked after me and taught me about Tennessee Williams and Tallulah Bankhead and social politics. You know drag wasn’t really about the drag it was more about being bohemian and drag just happened to be a tool to sort of ride the bohemian train. Drag calls out, its always been there to remind us not to take life so seriously.
How does it feel to be the drag version of Tara Banks?
(Laughs) I’m not going to answer that. I’m Ru and I mean honestly when you compare yourself to other people you really do yourself a dis-service.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
The best advice I’ve ever been given was from my 10th grade acting teacher Mr Purnell, who I’m still friends with. He said ‘RuPaul, do not take life too f**king seriously.’ And that really is the best advice I’ve ever gotten. You know when you’re young it doesn’t really resonate as much, so the older you get the more important that message becomes.
What’s the best way to deal with upstarting drag queen tantrums?
Well, we are doing a reality show so we do like a bit of drama, but if they’re becoming violent or something then we would have to threaten their ass with being kicked off the show and they don’t want that. We do encourage, actually we don’t even have to encourage drama. Drama is inherently there with drag queens. Usually the kids understand what they’re there for. They know this is their launch pad and they know there’re gonna be watched and there’s cameras on them at all times. I think the worst thing a girl could do really is just sabotage her own chances. There’s nothing really she could do to the other girls, the world is watching, the world will see how you behave and decide whether or not they want to follow you or support you.
I know you’ve had many camp moments in your life, but was there a campest moment?
You know I think all life is irreverent and campy and part of the bohemian lifestyle that I grew up with was to make fun of everything. Nothing is off limits except unkindness. Deliberate cruelty is not fun. I think of everything as camp. I think this life is all a dream, it’s all a funny fuzzed up illusion so I have to laugh at everything, I think it’s all camp.
You decided to get clean and sober. How does that improve your outlook on work and do you have any advice for readers struggling with that right now?
Well you know I’ve been sober for 14 years. I feel incredible. If you wanna lead a life on this planet there’s an evolution a story line, somethings get left behind. It’s like a rocket and a fuselage. To launch a rocket into space you need to use the fuselage but at some point you leave Earth’s atmosphere and you don’t need that fuselage anymore and you realise its important to break it off, if you want to move further. My point is you have to be present enough to understand when it’s time to give certain things up, but you also need tools to know how to deal with being present, because sometimes being present is really f**ked up. Sometimes you get really bored, sometimes you have a lot of pain, a lot of loneliness, but you need the tools to deal with that otherwise you’re gonna be in a lot of pain.
What do you think it takes to have longevity in this business?
I think a sense of humour. I think it takes an open perspective because for me I have to see outside of what I think I am, because there’s more to me than even I can see. Throughout the years I challenge myself to do different things which is a multi diversity of writing books, scripts, designing clothes, designing shows and contests, so there’s lots of different things you can do. You can’t just lock into ‘oh I’m and actor, oh I’m just a singer’ you have to go across the board and this is not just show business this is with everybody on this planet. We all live much longer than we did 100 years ago so in one lifetime you can have several different careers like Jane Fonda or Quincy Jones who have just done so many things with one lifetime.
What’s your favourite way to be entertained?
I love to laugh. I love to dance. I love beauty and art and colour and I love being present and clear enough to see the beauty in some of the smallest things which otherwise would not be given a second thought.
What’s going to be big in fashion this winter?
Fashion has been around for a long time. I’ve always followed fashion and the truth is there’s nothing good out. It’s really all the same. You have two legs, two arms and a torso. For young people a lot of things they’ve never seen before so it seems like it’s new but it’s not new. There’s a new way people can interpret something that’s old, but there’s nothing new. I love fashion, I just cant stand the pretentious people. same with art. I love art, can’t stand the pretentiousness around it.
What do you think of Britney’s version of ‘Work Bitch’?
I wish there was more to it. I wish there was more melody. I loved that bridge but the rest of it is what we called in the 90s a ‘bitch track’, where you talk over a track and there’s no melody to it.
We now have some readers questions for you.
Christmas or Halloween?
Oh definitely Christmas I can’t stand Halloween. (They’re going to love that for TheGayUK Halloween edition) Christmas is a renewal of and the ability to give thanks and appreciation to all the people around you. I’ve always resented Halloween because I think it should be Halloween every day. I like to dress up every f**king day. I hate the fact they sanction it to one f**king day a year. That’s the day I would NOT dress up.
Shocking Pink or Emerald Green Nail Varnish?
Oh Shocking Pink. It looks so good with brown skin.
What’s the best way to convert a straight guy?
He’s gotta forget about converting anybody. He’s gotta just focus on himself. The truth is as a drag queen you get any man in a dark room with a couple of beers and they will stick their thing in any hole and you realise what a big hoax our culture is, as men like to f**k and it doesn’t matter what it is they f**k. Honestly, everybody’s really a big big lier when it comes to that stuff, but converting someone, you don’t wanna be with someone who needs to be converted it takes too much time and life is too short.
What’s next for Ru?
Well I’m making a record right now and writing another book and I’m redoing my house. I like to take it one day at a time. I do have long term plans but mainly I like to focus on what’s happening right now.
