He became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics in 1994, raising money for the Mac AIDS Fund and becoming the first drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign. He achieved international fame as a drag queen with the release of his debut single, ' Supermodel (You Better Work)', which was included on his debut studio album Supermodel of the World (1993). He settled in New York City, where he became a popular fixture on the LGBT nightclub scene. Best known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, he has received several accolades, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, three GLAAD Media Awards, a Critics' Choice Television Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and a Tony Award.īorn and raised in San Diego, California, RuPaul later studied performing arts in Atlanta, Georgia. RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960), known mononymously as RuPaul, is an American drag queen, television judge, musician, and model.