This is Jimmy Kimmel’s final week off during his summer hiatus, and none other than Mama RuPaul Charles is at the helm as guest host (in what must have been his only week off from hosting Drag Race, Drag Race All Stars, and Lingo). Ru kicked things off clad in a spectacular pink-and-red gingham suit paired with a white and red polka-dotted shirt underneath, no doubt from his go-to designer Zaldy (looks, check). He also nailed the opening (zingers, check), building up to a segment called “Gayer News.” It was simple, Ru read the news straight in dim lighting, then offered a gay version of the same events while lit in technicolor. Well, the final item Ru reported was the news that Jimmy Kimmel has declined to host the 2025 Oscars. So of course in the Gayer News version Mama said, “I’m right here, bitch!” Are you listening, bitch I mean Academy?

RuPaul is the latest celebrity to guest host Jimmy Kimmel Live amid the late night host’s summer-long hiatus, and he kicked his stint off by taking a crack at Jimmy Kimmel.

“Now, I am the last guest host before Jimmy comes back from vacation,” RuPaul announced to the audience. “You know, in the drag world, when your jimmy goes on vacation that’s called tucking.”

As the audience laughed, he continued, “And boy, oh boy, we have plenty to tuck about tonight.”

RuPaul took a moment to share the recent good news about RuPaul’s Drag Race. The long-running reality competition series has officially been renewed for a 17th season and received 10 Emmy nominations this year.

“Drag is an unbelievable form of self expression. It says, ‘I am who I am,’” he proudly told the crowd. “It also says, ‘I’m a fully realized whore named Cupcake.’”

While Ru is set to end Kimmel’s star-studded summer hiatus, it looks like the Drag Race host is also going after another one of Kimmel’s gigs: Hosting the Oscars.

In a segment called “Gayer News,” RuPaul offered a new take on leading headlines, including the recent news that Kimmel recently turned down the opportunity to host the 2025 Oscars.

“Jimmy Kimmel has announced he will not host next year’s Oscars,” RuPaul explained. “The Academy is still looking for an MC with hosting experience, pop culture knowledge, and the love of entertainment. In gayer news…”

Disco music began to play as he announced to ABC and the world, “I’m right here, bitch!”

This might be RuPaul’s way of shooting his shot with ABC, the network that also hosts the Oscars.

It was recently reported that Kimmel turned down the opportunity to host the ceremony a fifth time in recent years. This would have put him among the most frequent Oscars hosts of all time, a list which currently included Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson.

[From Decider]

Your move, Academy! Like Mama said, Ru’s resume more than covers hosting, pop culture, and entertainment. In fact, as of last year’s Emmys RuPaul Charles is the most decorated host in Emmys herstory. RuPaul has the qualifications. And to all the naysayers who think ABC will never hire a drag queen to host the Oscars: first of all, Ru is not “a” drag queen, she is “the” drag queen, respect; and second, why not?! I think it’d be fabulous to have Mother host what will be the first Oscars under the country’s first woman presidency! (I’m boasting here, but it’s really nowhere near a done deal yet, VOTE Harris-Walz!) We’re about six months out from the next Oscars; I hope Zaldy is already planning for the task that may be before him.

Oscars hosting pitch aside, RuPaul was simply a delight. One of the bits CB and I really enjoyed was Ru bringing on TikToker Jools Lebron, the “very demure, very mindful” lady. Ru volleyed and Jools returned every serve (hope I got that right, I don’t play a lot of sportsball), staying funny and on brand in each response. I can totally get behind a TikToker who promotes etiquette and vocabulary.

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