Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

2013 Video Of RuPaul Predicting Our Current Political Shift Resurfaces—And Fans Are Nodding Hard

RuPaul
JC Olivera/WireImage

The drag superstar opened up to late comedian Joan Rivers back in 2013 about how there are "pockets" of time when people are "open"—and predicted a pendulum swing back to the right.

Drag superstar RuPaul has struck a nerve with people after a viral video reminded them of comments he made to the late comedian Joan Rivers in 2013 about the nature of political shifts.

At the time, much of the Western world seemed to be entering a new, enduring liberal era. Barack Obama’s presidency was seen as a turning point that would shape a more inclusive future.


But RuPaul wasn’t convinced and questioned whether the mainstream embrace of inclusion and diversity would truly last:

“Throughout our culture, there are little windows and pockets of time when people are open. After 9/11, there was a hostility and fear that was just in the air."
"After that died down, and Obama got into office—it’s not because of Obama—but Obama is a result of this openness that happened. I think the success of our show is a part of that openness.”

It's worth noting that RuPaul's discussion with Rivers came as Drag Race was growing into a cultural force within the LGBTQ+ community, rising at the same time and contributing to a dramatic shift in LGBTQ+ acceptance throughout the 2010s.

RuPaul recognized that Drag Race wasn’t just reflecting this cultural moment—it was actively shaping it:

“Obviously, in the late ‘70s there was an openness with dancing, and people were moving below the waist. Obviously, in the ‘60s. There have been little pockets. Actually, when I first hit the big time in ’93, there was a small window."
"Those windows open, they close. They open, they close. I think we’re experiencing that right now, and I think that’s why our show is successful. But it will close again. It’s not always that way."

When Rivers—who was an ally to the LGBTQ+ community during her lifetime—asked RuPaul if he thinks the "window" in question will close again, he acknowledged that the pendulum would swing rightward eventually, referencing the conservatism of the Reagan era:

“Absolutely. That’s the history of mankind. During the ‘80s, I couldn’t believe, even gay people became very conservative.”

You can hear his remarks in the video below.

Many concurred.



RuPaul's comments resurfaced at the same time that New York Magazine published a now-viral piece titled "The Cruel Kids' Table" that assesses this rightward shift.

The MAGA faithful's celebration of President Donald Trump's election victory, according to one conservative influencer who spoke to writer Brock Coylar, is "Republican Coachella, and Donald Trump is our Beyoncé.”

At one point, Coylar observes:

"It’s easy to see the festivities as an obnoxious victory lap of the MAGA coalition, and of course they are. Conservatism — as a cultural force, not just a political condition — is back in a real way for the first time since the 1980s."

Somewhere out there, RuPaul is nodding his head.

More from Entertainment/celebrities

Ted Cruz; Kelvin Sampson
Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images; Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Houston Fans Livid After Ted Cruz 'Curse' Strikes Again At NCAA Basketball Championship

In 2013, 2016 and 2021, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz was labeled the most hated man in Congress—by members of his own party. In 2023, Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz replaced him as the "most hated."

In a 2016 CNN interview, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said:

Keep ReadingShow less
Harriet Tubman
Library of Congress/Getty Images

National Parks Website Restores Harriet Tubman Photo To 'Underground Railroad' Page After Backlash

Following significant backlash, the National Park Service restored a previously-erased photo of Harriet Tubman from a webpage dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad, in which she led 13 missions to rescue enslaved people.

A spokesperson said the changes were not authorized by the agency's leadership.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot from Fox News of Jackie DeAngelis and Tommy Tuberville
Fox News

Tuberville Now Claims 'Entire Men's Teams' Are 'Turning Trans' To Play Against Women

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy "Coach" Tuberville appeared on Fox News Sunday to again spread unhinged misinformation about transgender athletes.

Speaking with guest host Jackie DeAngelis, Tuberville stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver/YouTube

John Oliver Epically Calls Out Awkward Truth Behind Former NCAA Swimmer's Anti-Trans Tirades

On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the outspoken host devoted the entire program to the attack on trans girls and women who play sports by the GOP.

Oliver began the program saying:

Keep ReadingShow less
man in front of computer code
Chris Yang on Unsplash

Conspiracy Theories That Seem Believable The More You Look Into Them

We tend to think of conspiracy theories as a phenomenon of the digital age. But the internet and mobile devices only allow them to be created and spread faster.

Conspiracy theories have likely been around as long as human civilization has. They are, at their root, just another form of rumors and gossip.

Keep ReadingShow less