After decades of show stopping glamour as the world’s favorite pop culture drag icon RuPaul shows no signs of stopping, or even slowing down, anytime soon. We were able to snag a few minutes with the busy diva and catch up on her many projects.
WHO STYLES YOUR WIGS?
Mathu Anderson.
DO YOU HAVE A STYLE IN MIND, OR DO YOU COLLABORATE? AND DO YOU COLLABORATE ON THE OUTFITS YOU WEAR?
Zaldi does the outfits and Mathu does the hair and makeup. And I do whatever he wants. He knows my face; he knows what I can do and what my face can handle. There’s a small collaboration, but I trust him after 20 years of him doing it.
WHAT’S YOUR SHOE SIZE?
I’m a 12 in men’s.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR SHOES?
Over the years I have collected lots and lots of shoes. I end up not having to buy a lot because I wear them for about 10 minutes (laughs) and then they go off. But I also designed a line of shoes for Iron Fist called the RuPaul’s Drag Race shoe. They go up to a size 14 and are for sale now. So I have a lot of shoes that I’ve designed myself.
YOU’RE THE INSPIRATION FOR MANY DRAG QUEENS. WHO WERE YOUR DRAG INSPIRATIONS?
It’s been documented that I grew up idolizing David Bowie, Cher and Diana Ross. I love the visual artists. I love a beautiful silhouette. My drag inspirations are the designer Valentino, Grace Jones and the films from the 30s and 40s.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL ARTIST OF ALL TIME?
Barry Gibb. I was listening to Barry Gibb yesterday and it just brings tears to my eyes. Oh my God, his musicality, and the choices he makes. I could cry thinking about him. I love him so much.
WHAT’S ON YOUR iPOD RIGHT NOW?
It’s an Olivia Newton John song called ‘Carried Away.’ It’s on the Physical album. Barry Gibb actually wrote it for Barbara Streisand’s album, Guilty, but she passed and it ended up on the 1981 album, Physical instead. I am obsessed with that song; I am absolutely obsessed. I wish I weren’t. I wish I could get it out of my head.
WHY DON’T YOU DO A COVER OF IT?
I wish I could. But I will only cover asong if it speaks to the image I have of the musical artist. This song doesn’t speak to my musical image.
WHO ARE YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSHES?
I can’t remember his name… but he’s the black guy from Lost. I think he’s got three names and each name starts with an ‘A,’ or something like that (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). He was on Lost and Oz. I don’t know who his agent or manager is, but I don’t know why they didn’t tell him, “Change your fucking name because no one can pronounce it.”
THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR TOMBSTONE TO SAY?
You’re born naked and the rest is drag.
By Boy Mike
Read all of this interview in Transformation 78 February 2012
Catch up with RuPaul at www.rupaul.com