History of RuPaul in Timeline
RuPaul Andre Charles, widely recognized as "RuPaul," is a prominent American figure in entertainment. He is a multifaceted artist known for his work as a drag queen, singer, producer, and writer. His claim to fame is "RuPaul's Drag Race," a reality competition series that he hosts and produces. The show has garnered significant success, earning RuPaul numerous accolades, including Primetime Emmy Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and a Tony Award. He is a highly influential figure, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community, and his contributions to entertainment have solidified his status as a cultural icon.
November 17, 1960: RuPaul Andre Charles is Born
RuPaul Andre Charles was born on November 17, 1960.
1982: The American Music Show Debut
RuPaul debuted on an Atlanta public access variety show called The American Music Show in 1982.
1989: The B-52s' "Love Shack" Music Video Appearance
RuPaul's first prominent national exposure came in 1989 when he danced as an extra in the video for The B-52s' "Love Shack".
1993: Release of "Supermodel (You Better Work)" and Debut Album
RuPaul achieved international fame with the release of his debut single, "Supermodel (You Better Work)", included on his debut studio album, Supermodel of the World, in 1993.
1993: Supermodel of the World Released
RuPaul recorded and released the dance/house album Supermodel of the World in 1993.
1994: MAC Cosmetics Spokesperson
In 1994, RuPaul became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics, becoming the first drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign and raising money for the Mac AIDS Fund.
1994: RuPaul Meets Georges LeBar
RuPaul met his future husband, Georges LeBar, at the Limelight nightclub in New York City in 1994.
1995: The Brady Bunch Movie and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Released
RuPaul appeared in the films The Brady Bunch Movie and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar in 1995.
1995: MAC Cosmetics Contract, Lettin' It All Hang Out Published, and All My Children Appearance
RuPaul was signed to a modeling contract for MAC Cosmetics, released his autobiography, Lettin' It All Hang Out, and appeared on ABC's All My Children in 1995.
1996: The RuPaul Show Premieres
RuPaul's own television talk show, The RuPaul Show, premiered on VH1 in 1996.
1997: Ho Ho Ho Released
RuPaul released his third album, Ho Ho Ho, in 1997.
1998: "It's Raining Men" with Martha Wash Released
RuPaul and Martha Wash released their remake of "It's Raining Men" in 1998.
1998: Foxy Lady Released and WKTU Radio Host Concludes
RuPaul released his second album, Foxy Lady, and concluded his role as host of WKTU radio's morning show in 1998.
1999: But I'm a Cheerleader Film Appearance
RuPaul appeared in the film But I'm a Cheerleader in 1999.
1999: RuPaul Achieves Sobriety
RuPaul has maintained sobriety from alcohol, drugs, and tobacco since 1999.
1999: RuPaul Wins GLAAD Vito Russo Award
RuPaul was honored with the GLAAD Vito Russo Award in 1999.
1999: GLAAD Media Award
RuPaul was honored with the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards in 1999 for his significant contributions to promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
2002: "You're No Lady" with Brigitte Nielsen Released
RuPaul was featured on the Eurodance track "You're No Lady" alongside Brigitte Nielsen in 2002.
2004: Red Hot Released and Entertainment Weekly Controversy
RuPaul released his fourth album, Red Hot, but felt betrayed by the entertainment industry's lack of press coverage, particularly when Entertainment Weekly refused to review the album in 2004.
June 13, 2006: ReWorked Album Release
On June 13, 2006, RuPaul released his fifth album and first remix album, "ReWorked", featuring reworked songs from previous albums and new recordings.
June 20, 2007: Starrbooty: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Release
RuPaul released "Starrbooty: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" on June 20, 2007, in the United States. The album includes new tracks and dialogue from the movie.
October 2007: Starrbooty DVD Release
RuPaul's film, "Starrbooty", was released on DVD in October 2007.
2007: RuPaul's DragCon NYC Launch
The inaugural RuPaul's DragCon, a drag-themed convention, took place in New York City in 2007.
2008: RuPaul's Drag Race Promotion
To promote the upcoming premiere of "RuPaul's Drag Race", RuPaul made several television appearances in 2008, including guest judging on "Project Runway" and appearing as a guest "chef" on "Paula's Party."
February 2009: RuPaul's Drag Race Premiere
RuPaul's reality television game show, "RuPaul's Drag Race," premiered on Logo in February 2009, featuring drag queens competing to be named "America's next drag superstar."
March 2009: Champion Album Release
RuPaul released his album "Champion" in March 2009, which included singles like "Cover Girl," "Jealous of My Boogie," "Devil Made Me Do It," and "Tranny Chaser."
2009: Start of Featured Songs on Cover Album
RuPaul's songs from 2009 were featured on the cover album "RuPaul Presents The CoverGurlz."
March 2010: Drag Race Album Release
In March 2010, RuPaul released his second remix album, "Drag Race," featuring remixes of songs from his 2009 album "Champion."
2010: Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style Published
RuPaul published his second book, Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style, in 2010.
April 2011: Glamazon Album Release
RuPaul released his sixth studio album, "Glamazon," in April 2011, coinciding with the season 3 finale of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
June 2011: RuPaul's Drag U Season 2 Premiere
The second season of "RuPaul's Drag U" premiered in June 2011.
July 2011: SuperGlam DQ EP Release
In July 2011, RuPaul released a remix EP titled "SuperGlam DQ", featuring remixes of tracks from "Glamazon," "Drag U Theme Song," and a new song, "Sexy Drag Queen."
January 30, 2012: RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 Premiere
Season 4 of "RuPaul's Drag Race" premiered on Logo on January 30, 2012, with RuPaul returning as the main host and judge.
2012: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Premiere
Due to fan demand, the spin-off series "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" premiered in the fall of 2012, featuring past contestants from the previous four seasons.
January 28, 2013: RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Premiere
Season 5 of "RuPaul's Drag Race" premiered on January 28, 2013, with a 90-minute special, featuring RuPaul as the main host and judge.
April 30, 2013: Lick It Lollipop Single Release
RuPaul released the single "Lick It Lollipop," featuring Lady Bunny, on April 30, 2013.
October 25, 2013: New Album Announcement
On October 25, 2013, RuPaul announced on Twitter that a new album would be released in January 2014.
2013: RuPaul Discusses Spirituality
In a 2013 interview, RuPaul shared that while not religious, he engages in spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation, and prayer.
2013: Launch of Glamazon Makeup and Perfume Line
In the fall of 2013, RuPaul collaborated with Colorevolution to launch his debut makeup line, featuring highly pigmented cosmetics and a unisex perfume called "Glamazon."
2013: End of Featured Songs on Cover Album
RuPaul's songs up to 2013 were featured on the cover album "RuPaul Presents The CoverGurlz."
January 2014: New Album Release
RuPaul's new album, as announced, was released in January 2014.
January 28, 2014: RuPaul Presents The CoverGurlz Album Release
An album of RuPaul cover songs performed by the season 6 cast of "RuPaul's Drag Race" was released on January 28, 2014, titled "RuPaul Presents The CoverGurlz", featuring his songs from 2009 to 2013.
February 24, 2014: Born Naked Album Release & NASDAQ Closing Bell Ceremony
RuPaul's seventh studio album, "Born Naked," was released on February 24, 2014, coinciding with the premiere of "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 6. To promote the premiere, RuPaul, representing Logo TV and Viacom, rang the NASDAQ closing bell.
April 6, 2014: Podcast Debut
The podcast "RuPaul: What's the Tee? With Michelle Visage" debuted on April 6, 2014, co-hosted by RuPaul and Michelle Visage.
April 9, 2014: RuPaul: What's the Tee? Podcast Premiere
The first episode of the podcast "RuPaul: What's the Tee? with Michelle Visage" was released on April 9, 2014, hosted by RuPaul and Michelle Visage.
2014: RuPaul's Drag Race Faces Criticism for Transphobic Language
In 2014, RuPaul's Drag Race faced criticism from trans activists and former contestants Carmen Carrera and Monica Beverly Hillz for using transphobic language such as "tranny" and "shemale." The show also received backlash for a segment that required contestants to guess whether photos featured cisgender women or drag queens. In response, the producers promised to promote acceptance and understanding, and removed the phrase "You've got she-mail" from future broadcasts.
2014: Skin Wars Premieres
Skin Wars, hosted by RuPaul, premiered in 2014.
March 2, 2015: Realness Album Release
RuPaul's eighth studio album, "Realness," was released on March 2, 2015, coinciding with the premiere of the seventh season of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
2015: Good Work Premieres
Good Work, featuring RuPaul, premiered in 2015.
2015: RuPaul's DragCon LA Launch
RuPaul's DragCon LA, an annual drag convention, debuted in Los Angeles in 2015.
January 2016: Butch Queen Album Announcement
RuPaul announced his tenth studio album, "Butch Queen," in January 2016.
February 2016: "U Wear It Well" Single Release
The song "U Wear It Well" from RuPaul's album "Butch Queen" was released as a single on iTunes in February 2016 after being featured in the teaser campaigns for the eighth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
March 2016: Butch Queen Album Release
RuPaul released his tenth studio album, "Butch Queen," in March 2016, just before the premiere of the eighth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
April 11, 2016: Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul Premiere
RuPaul's new game show for Logo TV, "Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul," premiered on April 11, 2016, following "RuPaul's Drag Race."
July 2016: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination
RuPaul was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program in July 2016.
2016: Good Work and Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul Premiere
Good Work and Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul premiered in 2016.
2016: First Emmy Win
RuPaul achieved a significant milestone in 2016 by winning his first Emmy Award for his work on "RuPaul's Drag Race."
2016: RuPaul Publicly Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
RuPaul publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in the 2016 U.S. election. He expressed disappointment at her loss to Donald Trump, stating that it felt like the fight for love, peace, liberty, and equality in America was over.
January 2017: RuPaul Marries Georges LeBar
RuPaul married his long-time partner, painter Georges LeBar, in January 2017.
January 27, 2017: Album Announcement
On January 27, 2017, RuPaul announced the upcoming release of a new album, "Remember Me: Essential, Vol. 1," a compilation of new tracks and revamped classics featuring collaborations with other artists.
March 24, 2017: Album Release and Drag Race Season 9 Premiere
March 24, 2017, marked the release of RuPaul's eleventh studio album, "American," coinciding with the debut of RuPaul's Drag Race season nine on VH1. This marked the show's move from Logo TV, its previous home.
June 2, 2017: Pre-order for Essential, Vol. 2
RuPaul's "Essential, Vol. 2," became available for pre-order on iTunes on June 2, 2017.
June 22, 2017: Hollywood Walk of Fame Announcement
On June 22, 2017, it was announced that RuPaul would be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of his contributions to television.
2017: Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul Concludes
Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul concluded in 2017.
2017: Peppermint Makes History on RuPaul's Drag Race
In 2017, Peppermint made history by becoming the first contestant to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race as an openly transgender woman throughout her entire season.
2017: Time 100 Most Influential People
In 2017, RuPaul was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
2017: Time 100 Recognition
In 2017, RuPaul's influence was recognized globally when he was included in Time magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people.
2017: Girlboss and Broad City Appearances
RuPaul appeared in the television series Girlboss and Broad City in 2017.
March 16, 2018: Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony
RuPaul was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 16, 2018, becoming the first drag queen to receive this honor.
August 2018: Christmas Album Announcement
In August 2018, RuPaul announced the forthcoming release of his third Christmas album, scheduled for October 2018.
2018: RuPaul Sparks Controversy with Comments on Transgender Contestants
In 2018, RuPaul drew criticism for stating that a post-transition transgender woman would "probably not" be accepted onto RuPaul's Drag Race. His comparison of transgender drag queens to athletes using performance-enhancing drugs further fueled the controversy. He later apologized for the harm caused by his remarks and reiterated that the only criteria for contestants were "charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent." Notably, multiple transgender contestants have competed on the show since then.
2018: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 2018, RuPaul received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television industry, making him the first drag queen to be given such an award.
2018: Audiobook Voice Acting
RuPaul lent his voice to the audiobook "A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo" in 2018.
2018: RuPaul Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
RuPaul was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
June 2019: Talk Show Premiere and Music Video Appearance
RuPaul's daytime talk show, titled "RuPaul," premiered in June 2019 but was canceled after a brief three-week trial run. That same year, RuPaul made an appearance in Taylor Swift's music video for "You Need to Calm Down."
2019: Grace and Frankie Appearance
RuPaul appeared in the television series Grace and Frankie in 2019.
2019: RuPaul's Drag Race UK Premieres
RuPaul's Drag Race UK premiered in 2019.
January 10, 2020: "AJ and the Queen" Release
RuPaul's Netflix drama-comedy series, "AJ and the Queen," in which he starred as a drag queen on a cross-country tour with a young sidekick, premiered on January 10, 2020.
January 2020: Hosting Announcement
In January 2020, it was announced that RuPaul would be hosting "Saturday Night Live."
February 8, 2020: Saturday Night Live Hosting Gig
RuPaul took on the role of host for "Saturday Night Live" on February 8, 2020, with Justin Bieber as the musical guest.
2020: New Species of Fly Named After RuPaul
A newly discovered species of Australian soldier fly was named Opaluma rupaul in 2020. The name was inspired by the fly's iridescent, colorful appearance, which scientists likened to a drag queen's costume.
2020: Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Premiere
Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race premiered in 2020.
2020: RuPaul Faces Criticism for Environmental Practices on Wyoming Ranch
In 2020, RuPaul and his husband faced criticism from environmentalists for leasing mineral rights and selling water to oil companies on their Wyoming ranch, as well as allowing fracking on the property. This revelation sparked accusations of hypocrisy, given RuPaul's previous advocacy for environmental awareness, including a climate-themed ball on his show.
2020: RuPaul Discovers Family Connection to Cory Booker
In 2020, while appearing on the TV show Finding Your Roots, RuPaul discovered that he is cousins with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.
2020: AJ and the Queen Premieres
The Netflix original series AJ and the Queen, created by and starring RuPaul, premiered in 2020.
August 2021: Guest Hosting and Voice Acting
RuPaul guest hosted two episodes of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in August 2021, where he also interviewed Symone, the winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 13. He also lent his voice to the animated series "Amphibia."
2021: Gottmik Becomes First Openly Trans Man on RuPaul's Drag Race
In 2021, Gottmik made history as the first openly transgender man to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race.
2022: Tony Award Win and Voice Acting
RuPaul won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2022 as a producer of the Broadway show "A Strange Loop." Additionally, he provided voice work for "The Tiny Chef Show."
2022: RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Concludes
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race concluded in 2022.
March 2023: Fund to Fight Anti-Drag Initiatives
In response to the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act, RuPaul, World of Wonder producers, and MTV established a fund in March 2023 to combat anti-drag legislation.
2023: Game Show Hosting
RuPaul began hosting a revival of the game show "Lingo" for CBS in 2023. He also hosted the celebrity spinoff of the British version, "Celebrity Lingo," on ITV.
March 2024: Memoir Publication
HarperCollins published RuPaul's memoir, "The House of Hidden Meanings," in March 2024.
2024: The House of Hidden Meanings Published
RuPaul published his fourth book, The House of Hidden Meanings, in 2024.
