The Emmy-winning host of RuPaul's Drag Race describes himself as "an introvert masquerading as an extrovert." In a new memoir, he writes about growing up Black and queer in San Diego. And how he forged a new and glamorous identity in the punk rock and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York City. The memoir is titled The House of Hidden Meanings. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews a new oral history of the Village Voice. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the TEd Radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people.
Where they will say to me, but.
It can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is the history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Tanya Moseley.
In 1992, a new anthem hit the dance club scene, propelling a young man dressed in drag into the consciousness of the mainstream.
The song was supermodel, you better work.
And the name of the singer was RuPaul, you better work.
Have a girl, work it girl, give a twirl, do your thing on the Runway work.
You got a working girl of the world.
Wet your lips and make a love to the camera world.
Turn to the left, turn to the.
Right accession the song Supermodel became an MTV staple in RuPaul's most successful commercial song to date.
And as we learn from his new memoir, the House of hidden meanings, the success of the song presented the fulfillment of a prophecy he was told growing up decades earlier.
RuPaul's mother, when she was pregnant with him, was told by a psychic that she'd give birth to a son who would be famous.
RuPaul's new book takes us through the years leading up to fame, growing up in San Diego and coming of age in the punk and drag scenes in Atlanta and New York.
He would go on to appear in film and television, hosting several iterations of the RuPaul show and RuPaul's Drag Race.