Not every Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session can be great, but RuPaul — the fiercest and funniest queen in the game — just connected with fans in a major way during his candid chat.
The host of “RuPaul's Drag Race” answered questions about drag queen culture, style, self-motivation, and comedy icons. His answers were flawless. Here's the best bits of wisdom from the fab talk.
1. On how drag culture is everywhere
“You’re born naked, and the rest is drag! EVERYBODY is in drag. Whether you’re a man or a woman. It just depends on how extreme you wanna go.”
2. On the stuff that makes a gay icon
“What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously. Someone with the power of Judy Garland and the vulnerability of Judy Garland is a shoe-in. The world we live in is made up of polar opposites, black/white, male/female, night/day, and a human being who possesses both masculine and feminine – vulnerability and strength – is intriguing to us, whether they be a singer or actor or dancer, intrigues us, because THAT Is who we really are. We are this world, all of it, and when we recognize it in other people – that person gets our attention.”
3. On perseverance
“Quitting is not an option. The truth is – most things are probably gonna fail. But my failures bring me to the next thing. So in that regard, nothing's a failure, it's a continuation. So many times, people are afraid to start something because of fear of failing. But it can be fabulous – because it leads you to the next thing.”
4. On meeting — wait for it — Kurt Cobain!
“He was a real sweetheart. And he told me that he had come to see my nightclub act, in Seattle, but got there two hours too late! Haha! He had no idea that they put me on at the club so early. So he completely missed me. But he was a real sweetheart, a real kind soul. And he actually – we worked together again on SNL, you know, later on that same year. And he and the rest of the boys were absolutely fabulous, so lovely, and they really appreciated what I was doing, I think mainly because he thought outside the box and understood that, you know, what drag is at its core, totally punk-rock.”
5. On the essentials of style
“Be yourself. Know your proportions. And have a good tailor.”
6. On his favorite superhero
“I love Superman. Because he represents the hero with 1,000 faces. And the potential that lies in every human on this planet.”
7. On negotiating with one's ego
“I've been doing this for a long, long time. And I've seen people come and go. And usually, people go or drop off the scene because they are undermined by their ego. Keeping my ego at bay, and remembering that this is all about the laughter, and the joy, and the creativity, and the collaboration – it's not just about me.”
8. On moving forward after losing your parents
“It's important to stay in this moment right here, the now. This moment is the most important moment of your life. My parents are still with me. They're physically not here, but they live inside of me, in my heart.”
For extra goodness, check out Ru's interview with his comedy queen Joan Rivers.
Slay, queen.