Actor, singer and entertainer RuPaul Charles will visit the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum on Tuesday, Sept. 29. His address, "Observations from the Inside," begins at 6:45 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Because of the expected turnout for this event, students from The Claremont Colleges will need to show their IDS in order to be seated inside the Athenaeum; all others will be directed to McKenna Auditorium for overflow seating on a first-come basis.
In 1993 RuPaul skyrocketed to international fame with the release of the breakthrough house/dance album Supermodel of the World (1993) which was followed by a beauty contract endorsing M.A.C Cosmetics, roles in several movies, and The RuPaul Show, a variety program on VH1 with celebrity guest interviews hosted by RuPaul. Since then, RuPaul has released a total of four studio albums, written an autobiography Lettin' It All Hang Out (1995), and written, produced, and starred in the movie Starrbooty (2007).
RuPaul, whose portrait appears as a wax model showcased at Madame Tussauds in Times Square, also has raised millions of dollars worldwide for people living with HIV/AIDS.
In February 2009, RuPaul released Champion, which was the No. 1 downloaded dance album on iTunes, and includes songs performed in his legendary nightclub act. He is also the host, mentor, and judge of RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality show on LOGO. Season 2 is expected to premiere in early 2010.
RuPaul's lecture, "Observations from the Inside," will consider the notions of gender stereotypes, sexuality and self-expression.