RuPaul's Drag U

RuPaul's Drag U

Title card
Format Reality
Created by RuPaul Charles
Directed by Craig Spirko
Presented by RuPaul
Judges Lady Bunny
Frank Gatson Jr. (season 1)
Opening theme "RuPaul's Drag U Theme" by RuPaul
Ending theme "RuPaul's Drag U Theme" by RuPaul (season 1), "Superstar" by RuPaul (season 2)
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of series 2
No. of episodes 18
Production
Executive producer(s) Fenton Bailey
Randy Barbato
Tom Campbell
RuPaul
Producer(s) World of Wonder
Running time 43 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel Logo
Original run July 19, 2010 (2010-07-19) – present
Chronology
Preceded by RuPaul's Drag Race
External links
Website

RuPaul's Drag U is an American reality television series. Hosted by RuPaul and a team of drag queen "professors," Drag U is a spin-off of the series RuPaul's Drag Race. RuPaul's Drag U is produced by World of Wonder, which has created a number of hit series including Tori & Dean: Inn Love, Million Dollar Listing, and Fantasia for Real.[1]

Contents

Format

In each episode of RuPaul's Drag U three women are given drag makeovers and taught to access their "inner divas".[2] Each are judged and evaluated on her "Drag Point Average", or "DPA":[3] Drag transformation, Performance and Attitude adjustment. The contestant with the highest DPA wins. RuPaul is the "President" of Drag U. Unlike in RuPaul's Drag Race, he does not appear in drag. Regular judges in season one were "Dean of Drag" Lady Bunny and "Dean of Dance" Frank Gatson, Jr.. For season two, Lady Bunny returned as "Dean of Drag", and various choreographers rotated throughout the season as "Deans of Dance". Each episode features one celebrity guest judge, who is usually female.

The theme song, "RuPaul's Drag U Theme", is scheduled for release in the summer of 2011. Two remixes have been released on RuPaul's remix album SuperGlam DQ(EP).

Cast

Contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race appear on RuPaul's Drag U as "professors".

The professors are:[4]

Professor RuPaul's Drag Race Season Real Name Hometown Seasons Appearances
Jujubee Season 2, 3rd Place Airline Inthyrath Boston, MA 1 - present 8
Morgan McMichaels Season 2, 8th place Thomas Hawkins Mira Loma, CA 1 - present 5
Ongina Season 1, 5th Place Ryan Ong Palao[5] Los Angeles, CA 1 - present 5
Pandora Boxx Season 2, 5th Place & Miss Congeniality Michael Steck Rochester, NY 1 - present 6
Raven Season 2, Runner-Up David Petruschin Riverside, CA 1 - present 9
Shannel Season 1, 4th Place Bryan Watkins Seattle, WA 1 - present 8
Tammie Brown Season 1, 8th Place Keith Glen Schubert[6] Los Angeles, CA 1 1
Nina Flowers Season 1, Runner-Up & Miss Congeniality Jorge Flores Bayamón, PR 1 1
BeBe Zahara Benet Season 1, Winner Nea Marshall Kudi Minneapolis, MN 2 - present 2
Carmen Carrera Season 3, 5th Place Christopher Roman Elmwood Park, NJ 2 - present 2
Manila Luzon Season 3, Runner-Up Karl Westerberg New York, NY 2 - present 3
Mariah Season 3, 9th Place Elijah Kelly Atlanta, GA 2 - present 3
Tyra Sanchez Season 2, Winner James Ross Orlando, FL 2 - present 1

Episodes

Season 1

The episodes start with RuPaul introducing three "students" to their assigned drag professors for each episode. The students meet RuPaul, who explains the competition, and then asks them to "walk this way" to the Drag Lab. The students then meet their professors, who ask them some intimate questions and try to find out what has brought them to Drag U. RuPaul presents each student with their "Dragulator" image and name, and lets the students and professors start working on their images. Each episode includes an "extra credit" game in which students can earn a special prize. They then take part in a dance lesson with the Dean Of Drag to learn the choreography for their performance. On "Draguation Day", the women strut their stuff on the runway, perform their designated song and dance routine, and get graded by the judges on the DPA. The student with the highest DPA wins and is presented with a diploma and feather boa from her drag professor, performing the show's theme song. Shannel was the professor with the number of most wins this season.

Episode 1: Tomboy Meets Girl

First aired July 19, 2010

Episode 2: Dateless Divas

First aired July 26, 2010

Episode 3: Blue Collar, Pink Pumps

First aired August 2, 2010

Episode 4: Super Sisters

First aired August 9, 2010

Episode 5: Plump & Circumstance

First aired August 23, 2010

Episode 6: Moms on the Verge

First aired August 30, 2010

Episode 7: Mother vs. Daughters

First aired September 13, 2010

Episode 8: A Star Is Born Again

Season Finale

First aired September 20, 2010

Season 2

When season 2 was green lit, an open casting call for women in the southern California area was announced through Facebook. Filming began in January 2011 and changes were made for the new season. The "top draguates" now win prizes, which includes a cash prize of around $3,166.17 USD. The former extra credit has been eliminated and have been replaced with "Lady Lessons", taught personally by Lady Bunny. The ladies attend a dance class taught by new Deans of Dance and then proceed to the newly renovated drag lab, where the women work with their drag professors on their new image. A new segment, called "Drag Tips" presented by a Drag professor revealing a few drag queen secrets. Another segment, "A Word from RuPaul", shows RuPaul at his desk giving a deadpan delivery of a single amusing word. The next day, "Draguation Day", has each professor introducing their student to friends and family. The ladies strut on the runway and perform for the audience. Students no longer receive letter grades but instead are sent backstage to the green room as the judges deliberate and decide on a winner. RuPaul is present, but does not influence the vote nor take part in it. RuPaul announces the winner and the winner's professor gives her her diploma and a feather boa in the university's colors of purple and orange. Raven broke Shannel's record as professor with the most wins by scoring three wins.

Episode 1: Bringing Sexy Back

First aired June 20, 2011

Episode 2: Suddenly Single

First aired June 27, 2011

Episode 3: Lesbians Gone Wild

First aired July 11, 2011

Episode 4: Like a Virgin

First aired July 18, 2011

Episode 5: Naughty Nurses

First aired July 25, 2011

Episode 6: Nominated by Loved Ones

First aired August 1, 2011

Episode 7: Mama Mia, I Need Help!

First aired August 8, 2011

Episode 8: A Family That Drags Together

First aired August 15, 2011

Episode 9: Looking For A New Job

First aired August 22, 2011

Episode 10: 80's Ladies

Season Finale

First aired August 29, 2011

References

  1. ^ "Logo Greenlights Four New Series for 2010 Including 'The Robert Verdi Show Starring Robert Verdi,' 'RuPaul's Drag U,' 'The Arrangement' and the Already Notorious Project 'Kept'". PRNewswire. 12 Jan 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/logo-greenlights-four-new-series-for-2010-including-the-robert-verdi-show-starring-robert-verdi-rupauls-drag-u-the-arrangement-and-the-already-notorious-project-kept-81221652.html. Retrieved 18 Match 2010. 
  2. ^ "Facebook Rupaul's Drag U". 12 Apr 2010. http://www.facebook.com/RuPaulsDragU?v=info. Retrieved 12 Apr 2010. 
  3. ^ Fernandez, Maria Elena (26 Feb 2010). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' spinoff: Class is in session". Los Angeles Times. Eddy W. Hartenstein. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/02/rupauls-drag-race-spinoff-class-is-in-session.html. Retrieved 27 Apr 2010. 
  4. ^ Polly, John. "Drag Race Daily: Start Studying! RuPaul's Drag U Will be in Session this Summer. Watch a Preview". NewNowNext on Logo. http://www.newnownext.com/2010/04/26/drag-race-daily-start-studying-rupauls-drag-u-will-be-in-session-this-summer-watch-a-preview/. Retrieved 23 May 2010. 
  5. ^ "Ryan aka Ongina". Logo Online. http://www.logoonline.com/video/misc/335504/ryan-aka-ongina.jhtml?id=1603481. Retrieved 2009-03-18. 
  6. ^ "Keith aka Tammie Brown". Logo Online. http://www.logoonline.com/video/misc/335507/keith-aka-tammie-brown.jhtml?id=1603481. Retrieved 2009-03-18. 

External links

Seasons
One · Two · Three · Four
Judges
Current: RuPaul · Santino Rice · Michelle Visage
Former: Merle Ginsberg
Pit crew
Current: Jason Carter · Shawn Morales
Former: Max "The Body" Philisaire · Emanuel Palmer
Winners
Runners-up
Miss Congeniality Award
Related articles
RuPaul's Drag U · Drag Race · Champion · Glamazon
A complete list of contestants can be found here.
RuPaul
Studio albums
Remix albums
Compilation albums
RuPaul's Go Go Box Classics
Extended plays
Singles
Soundtracks
Filmography
Television
The RuPaul Show · RuPaul's Drag Race (1 · 2 · 3 · 4) · RuPaul's Drag U
Books
Lettin' It All Hang Out · Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style
Related articles
Discography · List of RuPaul songs · List of RuPaul albums · List of RuPaul's Drag Race contestants