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RuPaul Charles, the Supermodel of the World, returned to Portland on Wednesday, March 12, at the Aladdin Theater promoting the paperback edition of his memoir The House of Hidden Meanings (HarperCollins, 256 pages, $17.99). Charles walked out in a black sequined suit, tastefully flashing his red bottom soles as a nearly sold-out crowd cheered for as long as he would allow before opening with his signature greeting “Everybody say love!” This version of RuPaul’s onscreen persona might not wear lady glam, but is no less drag or performance than Alan Cumming’s host character on the Peacock game show The Traitors. Charles is a notably private person offscreen, building a bunker on his husband’s fracking farm not just for his drag, but also for the inner child he protects above all else.
Charles’ talk landed between church sermon and motivational speech. He was fully alive in his body as he told stories from The House of Hidden Meanings about his admittedly traumatic childhood and the years leading up to RuPaul’s mainstream breakthrough. Those later stories coincide with Charles’ first Saturn return—the period around ages 27 and 30 when a person is considered by astrology to have transitioned from childhood to adulthood. Charles, 64, wrote the memoir on the other side of his second Saturn return, the one when he has likely reached his deepest maturity. His directive for Portland’s audience to stay or get in touch with their 7-year-old selves (even to the 8-year-old he saw in the crowd) is admirable, though as a reporter I obviously bristle at the idea of disconnecting from reading or watching the news entirely as responsible self-care. But RuPaul is done with hard questions, opting out of the college speaking circuit due to what he sees as overly sensitive student critics. He wants to keep things light and bubbly without giving a damn what anyone thinks of that choice.
With his admittedly heartwarming talk clocking in at a tight hour, Charles took audience questions. Local performer Violet Hex asked Charles to confirm if Aretha Franklin wrote him a check made out to “Ruth Paul” (she did). North Portland state Rep. Travis Nelson asked what motivates him to keep making new seasons and globe-trotting franchises of RuPaul’s Drag Race besides money. Charles says he loves making TV with his friends in production and on the judges’ dais, but admits that yes, the money is the motive, with his signature cackle to applause.