Old video clips of RuPaul have gone viral online. They’re taken from his original VH1 show, which ran from 1996-1998.
Many of RuPaul’s younger fans, who only know the iconic drag superstar from RuPaul’s Drag Show, will be unfamiliar with his 1990s fame. They almost certainly have not seen these clips, which shows him welcoming his father onto his show.
RuPaul asks his dad if he has any advice for parents if their child comes out as a drag queen.
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“You just keep lovin’ them,” replies his father, Irving.
RuPaul asks him if he ever dated a drag queen or done drag. The answer is “not yet” on both occasions.
RuPaul says he got his charismatic side from his father and asks him where he got his own outgoing nature. His dad puts it down to his own mother’s friendly nature, although the closest she ever got to showbusiness was through attending “the Baptist church.”
Watch below.
Ru got it HONEST!!!! She’s her daddy’s child pic.twitter.com/wIBo9JPWEC
— Ra✨🦋 (@itssimplyangel) June 5, 2025
It also went viral on Threads yesterday, and includes the segment about advice for other parents.
Many were heartened to see RuPaul appear to have a good relationship with his dad.
Early life
RuPaul Andre Charles was born November 17, 1960, to Ernestine “Toni” Fontenette and Irving Charles in San Diego, California. His parents relocated from Louisiana during the Great Migration. RuPaul has twin sisters, seven years older than him, and a younger sister. His mom chose his unique name from fusing ‘roux’—the paste made from flour and fat common in Creole cooking—and Paul.
RuPaul’s parents divorced in 1967. He and his sisters lived with their mother. At 15, RuPaul and his sister Renetta moved to Atlanta, where they studied performing arts.
He began performing in the early 1980s and gained recognition within the Georgia club scene. His first mainstream attention came as an extra on the B-52s’ “Love Shack” video in 1989. In 1993, he enjoyed a worldwide hit with his track “Supermodel (You Better Work)”.
this photo of RuPaul and her dad? she looks stunning! pic.twitter.com/6YjM1FoRdG
— • (@lohaanda) January 4, 2024
For a more recent clip of RuPaul talking about his family, check out this interview from seven years ago. He says his dad worked as an electrician in the aircraft industry. After his parents’ divorce, his mom worked for many years with Planned Parenthood.
“My older sisters were my universe and I got all my knowledge … I had zero education from school. I learned everything from television and my older sisters.”
For a deep dive into RuPaul’s background, check out his book, The House of Hidden Meanings: A Memoir, published last year.
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