Fete for a queen

     
A "Drag Race" to the end. Photo: LOGO

Hundreds of Hollywood stars, drag queens, and party desperates packed the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery on Hollywood Blvd. Thurs. night for "RuPaul’s Drag Race Art Show" Opening Gala, celebrating the premiere of perhaps Logo’s fiercest, new reality show "RuPaul’s Drag Race," which culminates with the crowning of America’s next superstar drag queen.

Molding and judging the nine top drag contenders on the series will be no other than singer, actor, model and drag legend RuPaul, who will work these performers like they’ve never been worked before in challenges ranging from photo shoots to fashion design to makeovers to performances – until only one is left standing.

 
May the best queen win: "Drag Race" contestants Ongina (left) and Victoria Parker (right). Photo: Josh Rotter

The winner is set to receive a cash prize, a nationally-sponsored tour, a "Paper" magazine spread, an l.a. Eyewear campaign, and a year’s supply of MAC cosmetics.

Gay.com was on the red carpet to catch every minute of this good-till-the-last-drag dropping event and spoke to some of the celebs including RuPaul; celebrity publicist, author of "Where’s My Fifteen Minutes?" and guest "Drag Race" judge Howard Bragman, comedienne Judy Tenuta, and faux queen extraordinaire, Charo.

 
RuPaul servin' "realness" -- even out of drag. Photo: Josh Rotter

When asked how the show brings "realness back to reality TV," RuPaul said: "It’s really just a term we use in drag, like ‘Oh, she’s so real, this girl’s so real. It’s a fun word. It’s a fun play on reality... which has really never been a friend of mine."

On how the show differs from other reality TV competitions, he responded: "The most obvious is that these queens are already professionals. These are showgirls who are professionals. These are all working girls, so I don’t really have to develop them." 

On what makes a drag superstar, Ru explained: "She’s gotta be able to do it all: speak, perform, write, create an image, and bring it to fruition. She’s gotta be able to know what’s going on in the world. And most importantly, she’s gotta know herself."

 
RuPaul chattin' it up with publicist Howard Bragman (right). Photo: Josh Rotter 

"When you talk about drag queens and you talk about the most famous drag queen in the history of the world, it’s RuPaul, which adds a level to it that nobody else approaches," Bragman said. "RuPaul is a force of nature."

 
Judy Tenuta (right) with drag queen. Photo: Josh Rotter

"Of course I have to come to see the number one queen of drag, RuPaul," Tenuta said. "I thought he’d be in a bustier, but he’s not. So now I’m wearing drag. I love drag. It’s very important to be able to dress up and accessorize, and no one can do that better than a drag queen. I learned all about lashes from drag queens."

 
Charo (right) brings the Coochie Coochie to Tenuta. Photo: Josh Rotter

"RuPaul is fantastic, a genius, and an escape from reality," Charo said. "Drag is super important ‘cause with the economy, people want to fly, and by fly I mean in heels. So the show’s gonna be a huge success that people are gonna remember forever and ever."

Other notables in attendance included "Drag Race" drag-castic-members, actor Guillermo Diaz, best-selling author Merle Ginsberg, and former "Project Runway" contestant and fashion designer Santino Rice.

But for others, arriving fashionably late to this fete caused more embarrassment than rocking an ill-applied wig on the red carpet, since rumor has it that as guest numbers surpassed the gallery's maximum occupancy, latecomers such as Perez Hilton, model Rachel Hunter and the Madden brothers couldn’t even get into the drag-inspired art show.

"RuPaul’s Drag Race," premieres Monday, Feb. 2 at 10p.m. ET/PT on LOGO and online at rupaulsdragrace.com. To get a sneak peak of the show, click here.