UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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UCLA UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Reading RuPaul's Drag Race: Queer Memory, Camp Capitalism, and RuPaul's Drag Empire Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0245q9h9 Author Schottmiller, Carl Publication Date 2017 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Reading RuPaul’s Drag Race: Queer Memory, Camp Capitalism, and RuPaul’s Drag Empire A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Culture and Performance by Carl Douglas Schottmiller 2017 © Copyright by Carl Douglas Schottmiller 2017 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Reading RuPaul’s Drag Race: Queer Memory, Camp Capitalism, and RuPaul’s Drag Empire by Carl Douglas Schottmiller Doctor of Philosophy in Culture and Performance University of California, Los Angeles, 2017 Professor David H Gere, Chair This dissertation undertakes an interdisciplinary study of the competitive reality television show RuPaul’s Drag Race, drawing upon approaches and perspectives from LGBT Studies, Media Studies, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, and Performance Studies. Hosted by veteran drag performer RuPaul, Drag Race features drag queen entertainers vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.” Since premiering in 2009, the show has become a queer cultural phenomenon that successfully commodifies and markets Camp and drag performance to television audiences at heretofore unprecedented levels. Over its nine seasons, the show has provided more than 100 drag queen artists with a platform to showcase their talents, and the Drag Race franchise has expanded to include multiple television series and interactive live events. The RuPaul’s Drag Race phenomenon provides researchers with invaluable opportunities not only to consider the function of drag in the 21st Century, but also to explore the cultural and economic ramifications of this reality television franchise. ii While most scholars analyze RuPaul’s Drag Race primarily through content analysis of the aired television episodes, this dissertation combines content analysis with ethnography in order to connect the television show to tangible practices among fans and effects within drag communities. Incorporating primarily content analysis methods, the first two chapters study the integral role that Camp plays on RuPaul’s Drag Race, as a form of queer social memory and a set of economic strategies. Chapter One analyzes how Drag Race uses encoded Camp references to activate audiences’ memories and confer queer cultural status onto the referenced materials. Chapter Two investigates how the show uses Camp to build a Drag Race-based economy, through a process that I call Camp Capitalism. Incorporating primarily ethnographic methods, the latter two chapters study how RuPaul’s expanding Drag Race economy impacts fan consumers and drag artists. Chapter Three draws upon participant observation data from three years of RuPaul’s DragCon, in order to analyze how Camp Capitalism operates in RuPaul’s expanding economy. Chapter Four presents interviews with three Los Angeles-based drag queens, who identify tangible impacts that Drag Race has on their lives and communities. Through this interdisciplinary study, I demonstrate how Camp theory and ethnographic methods provide invaluable research tools for reading RuPaul’s Drag Race. iii The dissertation of Carl Douglas Schottmiller is approved. Mary Nooter Roberts David Delgado Shorter Sharon J Traweek David H Gere, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2017 iv For Mamu v TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………………….vii Vita………………………………………………………………………………………………..xi INTRODUCTION “Laying the foundation” Developing a Critical Camp Analysis of RuPaul’s Drag Race………………...……..…..1 CHAPTER ONE “Excuse my beauty!” Camp Referencing and Memory Activation on RuPaul’s Drag Race…………………...54 CHAPTER TWO “Available on iTunes” Camp Capitalism and RuPaul’s Commercial Drag Economy……………………….…120 CHAPTER THREE “You have to buy stuff” Participant Observations from RuPaul’s DragCon…………………………………..…188 CHAPTER FOUR “Treat yourself as a business” Queens Discuss the RuPaul’s Drag Race Phenomenon………………………….…….241 CONCLUSION “This history matters” Implications for RuPaul’s Drag Race Studies………………………………………….291 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………...298 List of Informants………………………………………………………………………………316 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………320 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation, a labor of love, would not exist without the generous support and collaboration of numerous individuals. First and foremost, I must thank RuPaul Andre Charles and World of Wonder productions (in particular Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Tom Campbell) for creating a television phenomenon that celebrates Camp, LGBTQ history, and queer identities. RuPaul’s Drag Race provides a platform for showcasing the genius of drag artistry, and the franchise both inspires millions of fans around the world and presents one of the most historically significant television representations of queer culture. Without the creative genius and hard work of RuPaul and World of Wonder, my project could not exist. I also must thank the brilliant drag queens, kings, and “in-betweens” who constantly inspire me through their artistry and social-political activism. Drag performers and “screaming queens” have been at the forefront of LGBTQ rights movements, and their hard work and sacrifices have made drag what it is today. Over the past six years, I had the privilege to interview 89 informants during my fieldwork in Los Angeles. These individuals include Los Angeles-based drag performers, queer artists, RuPaul’s DragCon attendees, and RuPaul’s Drag Race superfans. My informants generously shared their experiences and perspectives with me, and this dissertation would not exist without their input. While I individually acknowledge all my informants on page 316, I want to thank Jasmine Masters, Cake Moss, and Dani T in particular for contributing lengthy interviews to this project. These brilliant drag queens provided invaluable insight into how the RuPaul’s Drag Race phenomenon impacts their lives and communities. My informants guided this project and challenged me to reflect on my own scholarly positionality and interpretation of RuPaul’s Drag Race. vii My brilliant committee members provided generous mentorship, guidance, feedback, and support throughout the dissertation process. Completing this project was immensely challenging, and I am very privileged to have worked with a group of such dedicated and thoughtful scholars. I am eternally grateful for the lessons they have taught me and the conversations we have shared. Professor David Gere expertly guided my Camp analysis and provided thorough feedback on my work, from largescale theoretical questions to the minutiae of writing style. His dedication, mentorship, and advocacy shaped every aspect of this dissertation. Professor David Delgado Shorter guided my thinking and research into drag scholarship and ethical ethnographic fieldwork. I am a better scholar and writer because of his generous feedback and mentorship. Professor Mary (Polly) Nooter Roberts introduced me to Memory theory and directly shaped my work on Camp memory. I am immensely privileged to have learned from and worked with such a brilliant, well-respected, and generous scholar. Professor Sharon Traweek grounded my research into queer oral history methods. Our conversations on conducting ethical queer ethnographic research encouraged me to envision the collaborative potentials of queer scholarship, and I am immensely grateful for her guidance. Many departments and programs at UCLA provided invaluable mentorship opportunities and financial support. The faculty and staff of the Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance taught me the interdisciplinary skills needed to conduct this project. Over the course of my Doctoral work, I had the privilege to learn from Professors Al Roberts, Janet O’Shea, and Susan Leigh Foster in various seminars. Their invaluable feedback helped to shape my project. I am indebted to the support, mentorship, and friendship from the faculty and staff of UCLA’s Disability Studies program. Victoria Marks, Kyle McJunkin, Brooke Wilkinson, Pia Palomo, Beth Goodhue, Doran George, Sara Wolf, Mana Hayakawa, Fred Ariel Hernandez, and Amanda viii Apgar taught me so much through our collaborations. Professor Alicia Gaspar de Alba and UCLA’s LGBTQ Studies program provided me with teaching opportunities to explore themes from this dissertation. The department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance also provided generous funding for my work through multiple Conference/Research Travel Grants, without which I could not have conducted my research. UCLA’s Graduate Division also provided generous funding through a Dissertation Year Fellowship, Research Travel Grant, and University Fellowships. My graduate cohort and colleagues provided generous feedback on my work throughout the dissertation process. Anna Brooks Creagh provided thorough feedback on my project at multiple conference presentations. Our many conversations about drag helped to shape and refine this project. Mana Hayakawa consistently provided brilliant insight and feedback on my research and writing. Her support and collaboration were integral to this project, am I am immensely privileged to work with such a rigorous and brilliant scholar. Throughout the dissertation process,