Can’t drag him down
LIKE crab grass Ru
Paul’s all over. Whatever you turn on or look at, you get RuPaul. Now it’s an Emmy nomination.
“Please. I’ve had eight nominations. And won an Emmy last year. People are finally catching on to me. But wait,” he says. “Next is a TV movie about me. Not filmed yet. No title yet. Not cast yet. I won’t play me. It’s maybe Willow Smith.”
Me: She’s only a hot 16! And, excuuuuse me, you’re not.
“Please. I’m doing this a hundred years. At least she’s a biological female. And I don’t need someone bitchy. I’m not. I’m sassy. There’s a kindness in me. I’m really a sweetheart.
“This is about my New York life in the ’80s. Inter- view magazine in those days was my Bible. I grew up in San Diego wanting to be Andy Warhol. No grim storyline about white guys sniffing white powder. It’s the Yellow Brick Road.d. Wanting to go to six differ-rent clubs every night.
“Networks are biddingg on the project now. A one-e hour show is 42 minutes. A streaming service is an hour. Until we know which, we haven’t started shooting. J.J. Abrams iss behind it.
“Look, I just keep doingg my thing. Nothing new orr different. More people are discovering me. Maybe it’s social media. Maybe withh Netflix I’m now around the world. Maybe young kids look to express how they feel. It’s all make-believe.e Drag reminds us not too take identity too seriously.y.
“There’s a political as-s- pect to looking at Iwhat I do. My show represents the fair shake, the promise of America we all hopedd for. It’s all about identity.y. Every ones. can be famous. Thisurepresents that you can create your own per-rsona. Look, I never ex-xpected validation or somee form of status quo. There’ss no template for what I do.
“I heard of this new Emmy nomination in the dentist’s chair. Headphones on. Getting my teeth cleaned. The hygienist finished then I celebratedbrated with friends on ththe phone.”