Forget The View, it’s time for The Ru. America’s favorite drag queen is expanding his rapidly growing empire and giving us all a reason to call in sick for work.
Variety reports that the 57-year-old entertainer is filming a pilot for a new talk show with World of Wonder (which produces Drag Race) and Telepictures (which produces Ellen). The show will be filmed in front of a live studio audience and will feature Ru doling out gems of inspiration as well as “interviewing celebrities, giving beauty and glam tips, playing games, and dishing on pop culture.” Ru’s eternal sidekick, Michelle Visage, is also expected to appear on the show, which will debut in 2019. Ru and Michelle already have a successful podcast, What’s the Tee, so making the move to TV is kind of a no-brainer.
This isn’t Ru’s first talk show either. Back in the 90s, Ru had a talk show that aired on VH1. The RuPaul Show which featured Ru and Michelle (because of course it did) interviewing some big stars, including Diana Ross, Mary Tyler Moore and CHER, and sketches as cringeworthy as the acting challenges on Drag Race. If you’ve got some time to spare, check out the clips posted below. You’re welcome.
This talk show is the latest addition to Ru’s growing slate of television projects. In addition to the upcoming eleventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, there’s also the Netflix comedy AJ and the Queen, in which he will star, write and executive produce with Michael Patrick King and the Hulu drama based on his early life in New York with J.J. Abrams serving as executive producer. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for RuTV.
Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com
Please Lord, we need RuPaul to get through these bad years. My husband told me that there’s an app that changes Elon Musk’s name to “Grimes’s boyfriend” so you never need to read his name again. Can’t we just replace Trump with Rupaul in all media so I never have to see him or hear his voice again?
Hardest working man in show business. I’m a forever fan. Also, to a lesbian like me coming up in the 80s and 90s, he was a godsend. He never backed down.
I love Drag Race but am not a fan of Ru’s psychobabble. If you’ve ever listened to he & Michelle’s podcast, it’s exhausting.
I was thinking the same thing. Could anyone handle RuPaul EVERYDAY for an hour? I don’t know. Plus, are talk shows even popular anymore? None seem to do well now a days.
I am admittedly not a fan of Dragrace. It always rings hollow and generic for me. That said, I love RuPaul. My only worry is that he will find it difficult to find an audience between the spectrum of Wendy Williams and Ellen. They might try to make him too toned down. If he hosted it as RuPaul in drag and in character, now THAT I would watch.
My college dorm room featured Ru’s gorgeous face at front and center (a page torn from Interview magazine – RIP- of Ru’s LA Eyeworks ad) back in the 80’s. So, yeah, long time big fan. Ru is the welcome guardian/spokesperson of what America can be.