RuPaul at Outwrite: The Definition of a Diva

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By Summer Stanley.

It’s been eons since RuPaul dominated the A-town underground club scene, plastering the city with his own posters adhered with wallpaper and wheat paste, frustrating any would-be hoodlums’ attempts to tear down his image. As he advertised himself in 1983, RuPaul is still “Red Hot.”

At Outwrite Books, Atlanta’s foremost queer bookstore on the corner of 10^th and Piedmont, RuPaul is not in drag. Still, down to the orange silk kerchief peeking out of his crisp black suit over his purple and pink ribbon-striped collar, he is flawless. Of course, I am straining to see all of this through the bookstore window. My friends and I are numbers 225-228 in line to have our books, “Workin’ It: RuPaul’s Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style,” signed by the author himself.

Due to what feels to this Georgia Peach like the bitter cold, I have, along with my crew, eschewed the line in favor of drinks at Gilbert’s Mediterranean Cafe a few doors down from Outwrite. Not that I wouldn’t suffer alongside fellow fans and shiver away the hours if absolutely necessary, but for my money I’d sooner suffer a cocktail. However, having settled inside a warm booth for a comfortable wait, I slip outside again just in time to hear Rupaul accepting a plaque from some lackey on behalf of Mayor Kasim Reed over Outwrite’s loudspeaker.

Though a California native, Rupaul claims Atlanta as the place he came up, tirelessly traipsing over his competition, working nights at clubs like the now-defunct Club Weekends on Peachtree Street. Long-time fans will recall RuPaul’s towering high-heeled presence, made all the more transcendent with a red mohawk, his hairstyle at the time.

Now filming the second season of his hit reality series, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” on Logo, RuPaul, having held onto his star with those gorgeous acrylic nails, has traveled a long way from Peachtree Street. Upon receiving his gift from the Mayor, RuPaul betrays just how long of an absence when he inquires about former Mayor Shirley Franklin. Apparently no one had told him about the recent election of Kasim Reed but the crowd’s laughter at the mention of former Mayor Franklin tips him off and without missing a beat he says, “Oh, did you vote her out of office?” Certainly the Mayor will always have his or her perks, but RuPaul will always be the reigning Queen of Atlanta.

Though by no means out of touch with politics, (He purposefully chose the spotlight over retirement to be an example of freedom during the Bush administration), RuPaul is more concerned with being himself and pioneering a way for others to do the same. His book is in part a revelatory autobiography of how he became successful, complete with how-to tips on putting together the perfect wig down to what he eats for breakfast, as well as a testament to how far diligence and hard work can take you.

If RuPaul’s utilization of drag propelling him to succeed as a frontman, movie star, face of M.A.C. cosmetics, reality show power-diva, and now author is any example, then the limits to success exist only as ideas in the mind. Whether or not he has a double-wig and a manicure, RuPaul always dons that fierce attitude, commanding all those who strive for stardom, “Girl, you betta work!”

Selected quotes from RuPaul’s new book, Workin’ It! RuPaul’s Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (available at Outwrite Books in midtown):

“When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent.” – pg. 12

“What other people think of me is none of my business.” – pg. 22

“The Saboteur has been practicing a strenuous workout regimen your whole life, but it’s never too late to counterbalance it with positive musculature.” – pg. 21

“My guess is people want to put you in a box with a pretty little bow because reality is far more complex than they’re willing to comprehend.” – pg. 61

“To me, the whole concept of being able to transform your identity with a mop of synthetic hair represented the totality of advancements made in the industrial age: a cheap, non-biodegradable tool of vanity. It made me feel proud to be an American.” –pg. 83

And my personal favorite:

“Hell, I even think a unibrow is sexy.” – pg. 103

Me too, Ru!

(TheRealAtlanta.com brief photo review of the event and the venue:)