RuPaul reveals history of the term 'drag' proving every day is a school day (2024)

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RuPaul Charles, the host of RuPaul’s Drag Race, revealed the etymology of the word drag on The Graham Norton Show and proved that every day is a school day.

The word has long had several meanings attached to it but RuPaul has now shared that ‘in folklore, the term drag they say, is from Shakespeare’.

Speaking on Graham Norton’s BBC One chat show on Friday, the Emmy winner added: ‘In stage directions, it would say “dressed as girl”, and the term drag is an acronym for stage direction “dressed as girl”.’

‘Wow @RuPaul on @grahnort tonight.. drag = dressed as girl, from the Shakespeare stage directions, who knew?!’ tweeted one viewers whose mind was blown.

‘DRAG = DRessed As Girl. Taken from Shakespeare’s stage directions. Education right here on #TheGrahamNortonShow,’ added another.

Wow @RuPaul on @grahnort tonight.. drag = dressed as girl, from the Shakespeare stage directions, who knew?! Mind blown! #RuPaul #GrahamNortonShow #rupaulsdragraceuk

— Callum 🏳️‍🌈 (@callum_gx) September 27, 2019

Love @TheGNShow and all the guests. Especially @RuPaul’s explanation of the meaning of drag from Shakespeare… DRessed As Girl! #FridayNight #GrahamNortonShow #HelenMirren #RuPaul #JackWhitehall #SimonReeve

— Ann-Marie (@IamColdBear) September 27, 2019

DRAG = DRessed As Girl
Taken from Shakespeare’s stage directions.
Education right here on #TheGrahamNortonShow #RuPaulsDragRace

— Jo Payne (@MrsPTeach) September 27, 2019

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Ru is a pillar of the drag community, and on the show, ahead of the launch of Drag Race UK on BBC Three on 3 October, he decided to give Helen Mirren and Jack Whitehall their own drag names.

Explaining how he’s ‘named several queens over the years’, RuPaul gives Helen and Jack their own drag personas in ‘Sir Lady Cheek Bones’ and ‘Jackie Black Ball’ which are kind of perfect.

‘England has a long history of queens and I thought everyone would be quite acidic like Danny La Rue, but because the US show had such a global awareness, the UK has taken on the same feel,’ he said of the UK version.

‘It is definitely English, but the two shows are more similar than they are different.’

The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday on BBC One at 10.35pm.

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