Drag personality RuPaul Charles keeps busy constantly working on projects from books, music, to a makeup line.
Charles is currently reigning on television over at the Logo channel as well as now judging Skin Wars on GSN. RuPaul's Drag Race just received it's first Emmy nomination ever for Outstanding Makeup and Season 4 RuVealed premieres July 31. It was also just announced that RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race returns for a second season on Logo.
Skin Wars is a reality competition show where artists body paint in various challenges, now celebrating a second season. Recently Skin Wars and RuPaul's drag race crossed paths when several of the queens volunteered to be painted as their favorite iconic music artist from Madonna to Beyonce. RuPaul called to talk about it.
Windy City Times: How was the Skin Wars episode crossing over with Drag Race experience?
RuPaul Charles: People can see a lot of queens in that episode. I think 12 queens, I'm not good with numbers, get body painted on Skin Wars. They brought the sass, the ass and the class to Skin Wars. It's hilarious—almost like a family reunion.
WCT: It reminds me of the old crossover shows with Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley.
RC: Yes, like Magnum P.I. and Murder She Wrote.
WCT: How was working with Rebecca Romijn again?
RC: I love her. She's so smart and fun. She's my Scorpio sister. We crack up the whole time. In fact in this episode, I don't know if they left it in but when Laganja Estranja does her death drop, she and I both fucking lose it. She didn't know what to expect. She literally loses her cookies on television. It is hilarious. She's a San Francisco girl so she has always been around queens, gay people, and artists. She's a good time girl and just lovely to be around.
WCT: How did you spend Pride this year?
RC: I have lived Pride my whole life. You are talking to RuPaul here. My life is a Pride parade. Pride is not just one day. My whole life trajectory has been Pride, you know what I am saying? I am just keeping it real, Jerry. The Pride parade is for young people that want to get fucked up on booze and take their shirts off. For me, Pride is following my heart, loving love, music, dancing and filling my life with joy and laughter. That is what Pride is.
WCT: Drag Race judge Ross Mathews came in town and performed a ceremony in the Chicago Pride Parade.
RC: A satanic ceremony?
WCT: He married two lesbians on a float.
RC: I see. Did he keep marrying them block after block or was it just a one-time deal?
WCT: I did wonder that. Why not just get a conga wedding line going of different couples? [RuPaul laughs.] What do you think of some of the contestants on Skin Wars?
RC: Being a judge on the show I don't want to give anything away—the same as Drag Race. I think they are all fabulous. Anybody who has the gall to get up and follow their heart, paint and be an artist, which doesn't pay much money by the way is aces in my book. I love people who in spite of what family and society says has an artistic expression and follows their dreams. Especially in this world where everything is based on how much money you have and status, for someone to that. It takes real gumption. Artists have always been my heroes.
WCT: What did you think of Little Mix covering several of your songs recently?
RC: I love it. You know, Lucian Piane and I had a great time making them so when other people are on Twitter and social media covering our songs it is so beautiful to hear someone else's take on it. I love Little Mix and the acoustic versions of the songs. Lucian and I sit in a room for months and months. We spend time together, talking, laughing, dancing and crying so the lyrics and music reflects that experience. When we are slowed down and played with a guitar and can hear the lyrics they resonate in a different way. It's beautiful. I relive all of the experiences I have with Lucian during that time when I hear it, especially on the acoustic versions that people will do. "Sissy That Walk" is one of my favorite songs that I have done with Lucian.
WCT: When do you start filming the next season of RuPaul's Drag Race?
RC: We start filming [this] week.
WCT: Do you ever get a break?
RC: No. There's no time for that. You want to make the most out of this life. The whole idea of people taking breaks and vacation, fuck that shit. I will do that what I am dead. In show business, it is a very tricky number. You really can't breathe because there is always some bitch that landed at the bus depot who is willing to do anything to take your job. I try to tell that to the young girls on our show that they don't have a lot of time. I've been lucky that I've been able to do this for a long, long time but that is not true with most people. If you hit it big you usually have about five to seven years before it peters out. In that seven years you better get as much done as possible.
WCT: When are you coming back to Chicago?
RC: I don't know. I used to come there all the time but now I work in Los Angeles with a full time job here. I'm not there very often. I used to come to Chicago when I did my nightclub act all the time. In my whole career Chicago has been one of the most important cities for me. Chicago has always supported me.
Watch Skin Wars Wednesdays on the Game Show Network with more information at www.gsntv.com/show/skin-wars.
