Getty RuPaul rocks a white wig.
RuPaul is hosting the February 8th edition of Saturday Night Live, with Justin Bieber serving as show’s musical guest. It’s the first time RuPaul is hosting the NBC comedy sketch series.
In a promo for Saturday’s episode, SNL regular Cecily Strong welcomes Rupaul. She’s putting on her best performance as a damsel in waiting as she anticipates his arrival at the SNL studio. RuPaul promptly notices her over-the-top “writing dress,” but Strong acts nonchalant. As they get ready to walk to the writer’s room, the drag queen suggests they “Sissy That Walk,” which is the original music videos that premiered on RuPaul’s Drag Race in Season 6.
While RuPaul has never served as the host of the series, she has appeared on SNL before. She briefly appeared in one of the sketches when Charles Barkley hosted the series in 1993, Billboard noted.
Throughout his career, which spans three decades, RuPaul helped make drag mainstream. It was previously an underground community that was brought to the public eye and helped bring positive attention to the LGBTQ community.
RuPaul Connects With The Character From His Netflix Series
In his latest effort, RuPaul—who uses female and male pronouns interchangeably—RuPaul stars in AJ and the Queen, a Netflix series about an embattled drag queen who makes an unlikely friend. RuPaul created and stars in the series.
“After we finished filming, I could still feel her right here,” RuPaul told CBS in a January 8 interview about AJ. The character is a 10-year-old runaway played by Izzy G. “I use that as a way to re-parent the 10-year-old in me. … Sometimes, you know, I may get down on myself, and I’ll think, ‘You’re taking care of Izzy G. You’re taking care of little Ru right now.”
When asked about drag queens being accepted in today’s society, RuPaul wasn’t sure if there was more tolerance than there was in the past. “I don’t know how accepted it is,” the drag legend told CBS. “At our core, we’re all really still the same. … We’re more polarized in our country than I think I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime.”
RuPaul Is Much More Than A Drag Queen
While drag has been an important part of her career, it’s not the only thing that defines RuPaul. “The only one the world should know is, ‘I’m a hustler, baby,'” he said. “Drag is not my passion. My passion is being creative… TV is the place for me, darling.”
RuPaul—who is a drag queen, TV host, author, singer, and businessman—talked about all his various projects during a stint on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show Thursday. “I’m doing everything man. I’m doing a show in Vegas called, Drag Race Live, and I have a new album out called, You’re A Winner Baby, and I have something else,” RuPaul said, before Fallon reminded him about AJ and the Queen. “It’s amazing. Go see it,” the drag legend told the audience, adding that her co-star, Izzy G, looks like a young Madonna.
Don’t miss Saturday Night Live when it airs on NBC at 11:30 p.m. EST. Those on the West Coast can catch it at 8:30 p.m. PST.
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