‘Assume the position: two queens stand before me’: RuPaul as ultimate queen

Abstract

Season 10 marked a decade of Drag Race, with RuPaul and other celebrities framing the show as a worldwide phenomenon promoting love, inclusivity, acceptance and Drag. This aspect of RuPaul's Drag Race is foregrounded in much of the existing scholarship on the reality show which considers the inclusivity and visibility that it offers (Edgar, 2011;Goldmark, 2015). Although Drag Race brings an area of gay culture and history into the mainstream (i.e. RuPaul seasons and Werk the World Tour), we argue that the only Queen and Herstory that is promoted and unquestionably validated is RuPaul Herself. Within the show, contestants often refer to RuPaul as 'Mama Ru', in direct reference to historical drag family relationships. In this article, we argue that RuPaul is positioned as the Ultimate Queen rather than Drag Mother, reflecting the more transactional relationship between head judge and contestants that we argue is constructed in the show. RuPaul as Ultimate Queen is achieved through strategically using the themes of history and authenticity to support a commodification of RuPaul which reinforces celebrity, cultural capital and authority. From Queens lip-syncing to RuPaul's back catalogue to the central place RuPaul places herself as drag pioneer; we explore 'RuPaul as commodity' and the possible implications on the presentation and marketability of gay / drag culture through the format of Drag Race and RuPaul as ultimate Queen. All queens assume the position behind her. The paper draws upon data collected through textual analysis of seasons 1 to 11, focusing primarily on themes that arose throughout the seasons, but particularly focusing on the following episodes: season opening, snatch game, makeover, finale. We will be exploring the themes history and selfcommemoration, and authenticity, and commodification.

Mainstream novelty: Examining the shifting visibility of drag performance

“…While Coco Peru's account is mostly positive (albeit ambivalent), she and others agree that, for better or worse, the world of drag is changing, and fast. Scholars have also echoed these concerns, beginning with Muñoz (1999), and continuing with other more recent works investigating RPDR specifically (Collie and Commane, 2020;Vesey, 2017). These critiques stem, in part, from capitalism's fundamental incompatibility with a queer, radical imaginary that frames drag as anti-establishment at its roots.…”

“…11, issue 4) devoted to RPDR . This collection considers the mainstream visibility of drag vis-à-vis RPDR against contemporary celebrity culture, furthering Muñoz’s discussion of drag’s fusion with mass “celebrified” (meaning “professionalized, commercially-viable, brand-oriented and mainstream.” (Feldman and Hakim, 2020: p. 386)) culture juxtaposed against its punk, camp, and anti-establishment history (Andrews, 2020; Collie and Commane, 2020; Feldman and Hakim, 2020; Ferreday, 2020; Mercer and Sarson, 2020; Mercer et al, 2020; Middlemost, 2020; O’Connell, 2020). Another pertinent volume is a collection of essays titled RuPaul’s Drag Race and the Shifting Visibility of Drag Culture (2017).…”

On RuPaul, drag race and mentalization

“…Some consider RuPaul’s interactions on the show as being more transactional than emotional, with a strategic use of onscreen authenticity to embellish the program. 8 Louis Theroux has similarly been accused of constructing a disingenuous interview style in his documentary series to obtain disclosures from vulnerable subjects and project an image of ‘assumed innocence’. 9 RuPaul’s style of onscreen mentalizing could be viewed as just another part of his wide performance repertoire and careful cultivation of his particular brand, which eulogizes the pursuit of authenticity and ‘realness’.…”

Супруги Губернаторов И Их Стратегии Саморепрезентации: Знаменитости Или Домохозяйки?

“…Ранее ученые часто обращались к феномену отдельной экстраординарной знаменитости, описывая причины возникновения ее известности, принципы работы с аудиторией, механизмы поддержания рейтингов и популярности (см., например, [McCann, 1988;Elliott, 1999]). Такой подход все еще зачастую применяется в качестве попытки описать на отдельном, показательном примере тот или иной аспект культуры славы (fame culture) (см., например, [Collie, Commane, 2020]). Иногда, изучая одну или несколько знаменитостей, исследователи рассматривают роль отдельных практик и процессов в пространстве celebrity studies.…”