RuPaul talks hardships, road to fame and more in new memoir 'The House of Hidden Meanings'
RuPaul is opening up like never before in new memoir, "The House of Hidden Meanings," detailing his life journey from growing up in a tense household to his rocky and yet rewarding road to fame.
Speaking to "Good Morning America" in a sit-down interview with Robin Roberts which aired on Monday, the star and creator of 29-time Emmy-winning show "RuPaul’s Drag Race" reflected on how TV has played such a vital role in his life since childhood.
"Everything I learned was from television," he said. "Television is a community…it's a tribal community of laughter, and of shared experiences. And so, there's something about that flicker of the television set that we can all share."
From a young age, RuPaul, 63, had aspired to be famous but he said he had never imagined the level of stardom he’s now achieved.
"I knew that it was important for me to open myself up," he shared. "I always, always had protection from angels. I've always been protected. I knew that from an early, early age."
When his mom was pregnant with him, he said there was a psychic who predicted his mom would have a famous child which he said later became the inspiration behind his name.
"She was pregnant with me, and she [the psychic] said, 'You're gonna have a boy, and he's gonna be famous.' And my mother said, 'Well, I'm gonna name him RuPaul Andre Charles.'"
In his new memoir, RuPaul also discusses his challenging upbringing while living in San Diego in the 1960s and witnessing his parents’ troubled marriage that eventually led to their separation.
"My parents are actin' all crazy. And I describe it [in the book] as if I'm a camera on a dolly, moving around the scene and looking at what's happening," he explained.
Recounting an incident between his parents, he continued, "My mother got angry at my father for, you know, philandering around."
"And she poured gasoline all over his car as it was parked in the garage of our house and said, 'I will light this on fire,' because she was so angry at him."
'But the whole neighborhood, my sisters and I included, were across the street watching this scene unfold," he said.
Despite the events he experienced in those early years of his life, he told "GMA" he ultimately found peace as an adult through therapy.
"All roads in my therapeutic evolution led to that moment of me sitting on the porch waiting for my father to come and pick me up, because he had his weekends with the kids. He wouldn't show up," RuPaul said. "And through therapy and building trust with that child who still lives inside of me, I've been able to heal myself."
In his teens, RuPaul dropped out of school to pursue his passion in show business.
While picking up gigs from New York to Atlanta as an entertainer, he made frequent appearances on a TV show in Atlanta called "The American Music Show."
Noting that the show had "no budget," he explained how he got involved in the weekly public access variety TV program that featured drag and musical performances, sketch comedy and local reports among other segments.
"I saw it and I wrote in and said, 'I would love to be on it,'" he recalled. "They said, 'Yes. Come on.' So, I got my friends together and we put together a dance routine to JR Walker & The All Stars' 'Shotgun' and made some outfits. Went on the show. We were a hit."
He continued, "That's the beauty of life…I've done so many things where I thought I was awful, I was terrible, but I had to put myself out there."
His hard work and determination to pursue his dreams eventually paid off, but the prices of stardom came with its pitfalls.
In the early years while trying to make a living as an entertainer, RuPaul experienced some dark moments including living on the streets and being dependent on drugs.
Asked what it was like to dive back into those periods of times when writing the book, he replied, "Well, because I am still in a 12-step program, it prepares you and it has prepared me to accept life on life's terms."
"And so, all of that stuff led me to where I am today. I needed to go through that," he said.
12-step programs were created by Alcoholics Anonymous and "is a widely used treatment tool to help people understand the journey into, during, and after recovery," according to its website.
RuPaul explained how he was able to survive those tough moments in his life, saying, "I have always been protected, always been protected.'
"It was the '80s. I liked to have fun, you know," he added. "Could’ve gotten in a lotta trouble. Never been arrested."
Despite the setbacks, RuPaul persevered and continued to rise in building his own empire. He famously released the hit song "Supermodel" in 1993, becoming his highest charting pop hit in the U.S. to date.
Decades later, RuPaul became a sensational pop culture icon with his "RuPaul's Drag Race" TV franchise winning multiple Emmy awards and expanding into several spinoffs, leaving a huge impact across the globe.
Discussing the show's acclaim, RuPaul said he is thankful especially for the positive contribution it instilled in young people.
"I did not imagine that the show would be as popular and impactful as it has been," he said. "But I am so grateful that it is, because we get to hear these stories of these young people who are so courageous, and so brilliant."
"We produce the heck out of it every season," he continued. "We do what we do. But then when they come in, they infuse it with this energy that is now, and today, and right this very moment."
An advocate for his community, and good causes, RuPaul also recently launched an independent, 100% author-owned online book marketplace called Allstora.
The reading community is created to "protect, promote and empower all storytellers through an equitable compensation model and to uplift the voices of underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ people, women and communities of color," according to its press release.
When it comes to his decision to share his trials and tribulations of his life now in his new tell-all, he said, "I think it's an important story for young people to hear today."
"And to understand what the possibilities are here in America," he elaborated. "And I was able to forge a path for myself. And I wanted to let young people know that there is a way to navigate these difficult, difficult waters."
RuPaul, also told "GMA" he hopes his memoir will serve as a guidance for readers on "how to find your own truth."
"Learn how to know what it is you came here to do. What can you bring to the party? And if life is a party, then you'd better bring something, otherwise, you won't be invited back," he added with a laugh.
"The House of Hidden Meanings" will be available for purchase starting March 5, 2024.
