December 1992
PAGE 7 Q-Notes
SUPER
MODEL
OF THE
WORLD
by David Stout
Q-Notes Staff
In October, Q-Notes received a press re
lease from Tommy Boy Records heralding
RuPaul as “a fierce ruling drag queen who
made history earlier this year by signing a
major recording contract.” The release came
enclosed with a cassette of RuPaul’s first
single, “S upermodel” with a B-side cut “House
of Love” and a publicity photo.
Since record companies generally do not
aggressively solicit die gay media to break
their artists, our curiosity was piqued.
Then Tommy Boy sent another press re
lease. The video for “S upermodel” was en
closed.
After listening to the great retro-disco
single, featuring a spoken intro by LaWanda
Page, and seeing the perfectly campy video,
we thought an interview with RuPaul might
become a hot commodity.
After conducting the interview, we A:«otv it
will.
Q: First of all, explain the concept of
RuPaul. Is she a woman? Is she a drag queen?
Is she straight?
R: RuPaul is a universal concept. She’s
about self-love and self-acceptance, being
who you are and being proud of who you are.
RuPaul is everything. She’s a sponge absorb
ing something from everyone, from Diana
Ross to Louise Hay. She’s a mirror. When
people see RuPaul they are really only seeing
themselves reflected back. She’s everything
anybody ever wanted to be. Really, we’re all
RuPaul.
Q: Is RuPaul a political statement?
R: Honey, when I blink my eyes it’s a
political statement. And especially since we’re
now coming out of twelve years of bad times,
we need to turn things around.
Q: Your bio says you are 6’ 7”. How much
of your height is a part of RuPaul?
R: I’m really 6’ 4”, but with the hair, heels
and attitude, honey. I’m through the roof. But
I definitely believe that even if I were 4’ 3”,
I’d still be RuPaul.
Q: Are you gay?
R: I’m as queer as queer can get. But
RuPaul isn’treallyabouta sexual orientation,
she’s about just being what you are. I don’t
want straight people to be afraid of me be
cause I’m gay or because I’m a drag queen.
We need to learn that everybody is different.
If straight people, who all group themselves
under one category, really knew what each
others sexual fantasies were, they’d realize
just how diverse they are. And the same thing
is true for gays.
Q: What is your given name?
R: This is always so funny. First of all,
people don’t think I’ll tell them, and then
when I do, they don ’ t believe me.Mynameis
RuPaul...RuPaul Andre Charles. My mother
is Creole from Louisiana and she named me.
It was both wonderful and terrible to have
such a distinctive name. When I was in school,
of course, I always got teased about it. But no
one else was named RuPaul so I stood out. I
always tell people that with a name like
RuPaul I could have only been a hairdresser
or an entertainer.
Q; Tell me about your background.
R: I was bom in San Diego, but we moved
to Atlanta when I was 15.1 was really a shy
child, although no one ever believes it. I went
to the Northside School of the Performing
Arts and that’s where I started.
Q: Are your parents supportive, and were
they in the past?
R: I have been so lucky. My parents have
always supported me in everything I’ve done.
I mean, they would have preferred if I had
become a doctor or lawyer, but they were
proud of me for the things I did accomplish.
I think that one of the things I’m trying to do
is help redefine people’s perception of what
success really is.
Q: How did you begin your career?
R: I had been watching this local arts
program on TV for about six months when I
decided one day that I wanted to be on the
show. I wrote the producers a letter about
myself and they called and invited me on. I
had two female friends who weighed about
250 lbs. each, and I asked them to be on the
show with me. We worked up a routine and
went on the show as “RuPaul and the U-
Hauls.” We danced to a song by J unio'r Walker
and the All-Stars called “Shotgun” and were
a big hit. A little while later they asked us
back.
Q: Did you perform in the clubs like most
of the drag queens were doing?
R: No, I never really was in the drag scene
in Atlanta. Me and a few other girls were
tiding different things. We wanted to take
drag, which as you know has a strong tradi
tion in the South, in another direction. We
sort of crossed drag and punk and
created...grunge drag. [Laughs] I just made
that up. We intimidated a lot of the other
queens, but after a while they saw that we
weren’t a threat and everything was fine.
Q: Why did you move to New York?
R: Atlanta was done. I had turned it out
and there wasn’t anything left for me to
conquer. I set my sights on a new challenge
and the biggest thing around seemed to be
New York. I moved up here in ‘87 and the
club scene was just dead. The ‘80s had been
rough on the clubs and there wasn’t much
happening. So when me and several of my
friends from Atlanta moved up here, we started
to shake things up. I mean, at that time, the
Black attitude was hard and tough and then
here I come, “Hey y’all. Come on in.” It was
a turning point and the clubs started to get hot
again.
Q: Did you get involved in the under
ground drag balls in Harlem?
Continued on page 21
#
*
#
*
#
#
*
*%*»*»**
The ^
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY^
CHURCH
OF
CHARLOTTE
Join us in December for exciting times of Praise, Worship,
Family, Fellowship, Food, Celebration, Music and much,
much more! _ _
DECEMBER CALENDAR
Wed., 12/2: DELORES BERRY In Concert, 7:00 PM
Sun., 12/6: Morning & Evening Worship Services
Sun., 12/13: Morning & Evening Worship Services
Sun., 12/20: Morning Worship, 10:45 AM
Christmas "Covered Dish," 1:00 PM
MCCC Choir Celebration, 7:30 PM
Sun., 12/27: Morning & Evening Worship Services
All Morning Worship Services Interpreted For The Deaf
Give The Church Another Chance....
Try MCC Charlotte!
Sundays at 10:45 AM & 7:30 PM
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
The Church Where EVERYONE Is Welcome!!
MCC Charlotte
The Varnadore Building
4037 E. Independence Blvd.
Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
(704)563-5810
*
*
*
*
*
Fantastic
Fish & Pet Place
4555 Charlotte Highway
#20 Plantation Square
Lake Wylie, sc 29710
(803) 831-0405
Local from Charlotte & Gastonia
Flours:
8:00 A.M.-8:00 P.M. 8:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.
Monday-Friday Saturday
DOG and CAT GROOMING
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
GROOMING by REBA
Pet food • Pet supplies
Need A Date
For That Special Christmas Party?
See Page 29 For
Community Match Maker Personals