RuPaul Reveals What ‘Naughty’ Thing He Did in the 80s
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In the lead up to the premiere of Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race this Saturday, the reality TV personality and drag superstar appeared on Ellen earlier this week.
During the Burning Questions segment, Ellen asked RuPaul to share something “naughty” he’d done in the 80s.
‘Put Your Foot Over the Front Seat’
After giggling in that classic RuPaul way, he shared a story about the time he got a free cab ride.
“I was working up on 55th Street at a club called Redzone. I finished my shift and was going down to a club in the East Village called The World.
“[The cab driver] said, ‘Listen, hey, if you put your foot over the front seat’, he will give me the fare for free. Ellen, it was a $9 fare. So, I just put my front over the front seat, he did what he needed to do, and I got out of the cab without having to pay.
“$9 was a lot in the 80s. I was wearing some gorgeous high heels – they were beautiful, and a lot of people are into that kinda thing.”
‘You Got Off Easy’
RuPaul and Ellen also spoke about the time they did drag together in the 90s after meeting when Ellen had her own sitcom.
“They put you up in drag for that,” RuPaul said. “They didn’t go all the way. You got off easy there.”
“Well, a dress is enough for me,” Ellen responded. “That is drag for me.”
RuPaul also reminisced about how he would arrive at school late because he’d be busy at night watching Johnny Carson’s talk show and joked about how he would like the Olsen twins to play him in a biopic and “little baby Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin” to play his love interest.
‘Opaluma RuPaul’
Ellen also pointed out that last year a fly was named after him. It’s the Opaluma RuPaul.
Guardian Australia reported on its discovery in September 2021. It’s native to Australia and was discovered by CSIRO entomologist, Bryan Lessard.
“Thanks a lot, science,” RuPaul said playfully.
Tying it into Drag Race, RuPaul talked about the metamorphosis that cast members go through over the course of the show. “Watching these kids come into their own, you know, we challenge them to leave behind their old self and become reborn into their new self – which is just like nature, Ellen.”
