RuPaul: I wouldn’t have dropped ‘she-mail’ joke
Drag artist RuPaul has spoken out about the decision to remove catch-phrase “You’ve got she-mail” from reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The drag competition reality showĀ last yearĀ attracted criticism for a segment in which contestants were asked to guess from a photo whether someone was a āfemale or she-maleā.
Following the intervention of Logo TV, the showĀ put an end to theĀ drag starās catchphrase āOoh, girl, youāve got she-mailā ā which played near the start of each episode when the contestants received a challenge.
In its place for season seven, RuPaul hadĀ a new catchphrase,Ā āShe done already done had hersesā.
However, the drag star – who has previouslyĀ vented about being banned from using the word ātrannyāĀ – spoke out against the decision.
Speaking to the Guardian, RuPaul said: “I would not have changed it, but thatās their choice.
“Our intention was always coming from a place of love. On paper, you cannot read intention, so it was actually hurtful.
“First of all, drag is dangerous. We are making fun of everything. But when someone doesn’t get the joke or feels offended by it, itās a lose-lose situation, because you can’t explain a joke.
“It isn’t funny if you explain it.”
Speaking alongside RuPaulās Drag Race judge Michelle Visage on their podcast recently, RuPaul said: āDid you call me granny girl? That is your new thing, because we canāt say it with a T anymore.”
Michelle Visage said: “Weāre just going to say it for everything thatās T-related. I checked the granny in my car.”
The seventh season of RuPaulās Drag Race recently concluded in the US, while the fourth season is this week airing on truTV in the UK.
