RuPaul Charles was a fixture on the New York City drag scene when he broke out with his hit dance single “Supermodel (You Better Work)” in 1993. Today, he’s also known as the super host of RuPaul’s Drag Race, having won eight Emmys for outstanding host of a reality competition series starting in 2016.
RuPaul had already hosted The RuPaul Show, a late night celebrity talk show on VH1, when Logo, MTV Networks’ LGBT-focused offshoot, greenlit RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2008. As the host and head judge of the reality competition, RuPaul mentors drag performers entering the Werk Room each season to tackle challenges that might involve designing outfits, makeovers, singing, dancing, lip-syncing and walking the runway as they try to avoid elimination.
RuPaul’s star power wooed Emmy voters by season eight, for which he earned his first statuette. His quintessentially campy character was on display as he accepted the award: Sporting a pink suit with white polka dots, he said: “Earlier this year, I was quoted as saying I’d rather have an enema than have an Emmy. But thanks to the Television Academy, I can have both!”
The series itself (which moved from Logo to VH1 to MTV) won back-to-back reality competition Emmys from 2018 to 2023.
