RuPaul hit it out of the park during his hosting duties on Saturday Night Live on Saturday, February 8. His much anticipated episode (which included musical guest Justin Bieber) featured a great opening monologue and several hysterical sketches throughout the night.
One of the best and most well-received from the evening focused on something that many RuPaul’s Drag Race fans are already familiar with – reading. Ru played himself in one of the sketches where he arrived at a San Diego Public Library to teach a group of children and their parents about the art of reading with SNL cast members Aidy Bryant and Mikey Day introducing him to the group.
This is where the laughs truly began as Ru grabbed hold of several classic children’s literary books and read each of the covers to filth. He also brought “reading glasses” for everyone there just like he does during the infamous reading challenge on each RPDR season. Here’s a sampling of some of the digs he got in:
Eloise by Kay Thompson: “Ooh, Eloise! You need to call the front desk and get a hot oil treatment for that broom on your head. And girl, Victoria’s Secret called, they want they wallpaper back. And what is she doing? Popping a fart? Got that leg all dragged out, all nasty. Girl please!”
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (or as Ru says, Ludwig Beethoven): “Miss Madeline, I have bad news, child! The Eiffel Tower is not in the woods! Girl you better draw France right, b**ch! Somebody trying to act like they been to Paris, child you ain’t never been there! Girl, ut uh.”
Ru then has to explain what he’s doing where he brings up the whole “Reading is fundamental” concept that many of us know by now. He then continues to read two more books before some of the group gets really into it, in particular Kate McKinnon‘s character. “Absolutely not,” she said after another person asked if they should leave. “This is the most fun I’ve had since this girl blasted out of me.”
Ru’s monologue was also very clever as he talked about his experiences of being a drag queen in the East Village that needed to be edited due to the level of its content. “Yonkers, corrections officer, House of Pancakes, feet,” were all the producers let him say about his crazy nights out from back in the day.
How did you think Ru did and what was your favorite sketch of his?