And Don’t F&%k It Up! An Oral History of RuPaul’s Drag Race (the First Ten Years)

Journalist Fernandez’s fabulous debut serves the tea on RuPaul’s Drag Race, chronicling how the reality TV show went from “classic counterculture” to the mainstream in its first 10 seasons and offering gossipy stories from judges, contestants, producers, and RuPaul himself. In 2006, television producer Tom Campbell, inspired by the success of America’s Next Top Model, encouraged RuPaul to help him develop a drag competition show; three years later, RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered on Logo TV, and later moved to VH1 in 2017. Contestants provide juicy reflections on the show’s biggest moments, including the controversial decision to crown Tyra Sanchez over fan favorite Raven in season two, the rivalry between the Heathers and Boogers cliques in season three, and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo’s viral exit from season 10, when she continuously repeated “Miss Vanjie” to the bewilderment of everyone on set (“Even watching it, I’m like what was goin’ on?” she says of rewatching the scene). The behind-the-scenes stories feel as if readers are eavesdropping on the show’s “werkroom,” but this oral history really shines in its willingness to tackle weightier issues, as when RuPaul opines on the importance of queer representation and when performer Asia O’Hara reflects on dealing with racism from the show’s fandom. Hilarious and affecting, it’s an uproarious celebration of what has become a television institution. (June)