‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’: Alaska Admits What RuPaul Is Really Like Off-Camera
RuPaul’s Drag Race skyrocketed host RuPaul’s career in every regard. He officially brought drag into the mainstream. However, many people have asked: is RuPaul nice in real life? Audiences and other drag queens have criticized him for fracking, his supposed etiquette with contestants, and his views on transgender drag art. RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Alaska recently spoke up about her experiences with RuPaul off-camera.
Alaska has remained close to the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ brand
The drag queen Alaska competed on season 5 and All Stars 2. She earned her spot in the finale in her original season but ultimately took home the crown on the spinoff series. Alaska is one of the most iconic queens to ever appear on the franchise. She has a signature style that fans instantly recognize.
Alaska has built up a very successful career. She continues to perform and makes event appearances. But, she hasn’t entirely ditched RuPaul’s Drag Race. Alaska co-hosts the Race Chaser podcast with season 4 contestant Willam. They discuss the reality competition television show. She has also worked on a couple of web series with RuPaul’s Drag Race production company World of Wonder.
Alaska says what RuPaul is like off-camera
Alaska opened up in a memoir she wrote called My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska?: A Memoir. She wrote about her experiences on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Alaska explained what RuPaul is really like off-camera. She addresses the drag queens who previously described the host as “cold” with her own experience.
“There are people who talk about Ru and say she doesn’t care about the contestants or that she’s cold,” Alaska wrote. “My experience with her was never like that. Even when the cameras were down, she was chatting with the girls and making jokes.”
Alaska starred on the show two separate times but she specifically points to her first time on the show in season 5. She had a very different experience than some other drag queen contestants. She doubled down on this statement as she wrote about RuPaul’s level of respect for the show’s queens.
“Especially during season five, I got the feeling she was just as excited to be there as we were. There was definitely a mutual respect between the contestants and the host. The respect went both ways.”
RuPaul has had drama with previous ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestants
RuPaul’s Drag Race fans might remember Pearl from season 7. She had an incredibly tense moment with the show’s host and later explained that RuPaul told her to not speak unless the cameras are rolling. He admitted that he was close to kicking Pearl out of the competition, but knew that the fans would like her. As a result, she didn’t get eliminated.
Additionally, RuPaul has blocked some RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants on social media, which has drawn more attention to the matter. However, some queens highly benefit from remaining in RuPaul’s good favor with media appearances and other job opportunities.
RuPaul continues to draw some controversy, but he’s still very highly respected. RuPaul’s Drag Race is continuing to grow with franchise spinoffs in different countries around the world. Drag Race Italia is the most recently announced iteration. However, RuPaul doesn’t always appear in every international version of the show.
