The Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race

'The Cultural Impact of RuPaul's Drag Race turns a fierce lewk without overriding any of the iconic moments served by its predecessors. [...] Condragulations, Cameron Crookston—you're safe! And lest we forget: such safety constitutes a strong recommendation to buy this book, because the true tea is that the mere existence of an increasing number of scholarly treatments of Drag Race is the most gag-worthy thing of all.' -- Megan Volpert, PopMatters I'm gagged and you will be too! You'll never watch RuPaul's Drag Race the same again after reading this insightful and provocative book. * Joe E. Jeffreys, drag historian * RuPaul’s Drag Race has been captivating scholars, along with the general public, since its first season 12 years ago. If the West was offered glimpses of drag culture in Jenny Livingston’s documentary Paris is Burning in 1990 and Madonna’s video for “Vogue” that same year, RuPaul made it gaze wide-eyed at the spectacle of a drag-based reality competition beginning that began in 2008 and has no end in sight. Examinations of the phenomenon, its impact on the visibility and commercial potential of drag performance, and criticism of its appropriation of the lexicon and traditions of the artistic form have appeared in a number of journals in various corners of cultural studies. With Cameron Crookston’s anthology The Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race there is finally, in one place, a collection of essays with both chronological perspective and diversity of approach, from consumerism and political economy to aesthetics and origins to activism and identity. Between its covers lies a richness and passion for the subject worthy of the Drag Race itself. * Bruce E. Drushel, chair and professor of media and culture, Miami University *