Design & Style, Wellness
Cultivating Your Tribe
Lesson time 09:20 min
How do you find the right people to support you on your journey? RuPaul discusses the importance of finding your “tribe,” identifying mentors, and paying it forward while he walks you through some pivotal early moments in his career.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: The Importance of Mentors
Preview
[00:00:00.00] [MUSIC PLAYING] [00:00:15.55] - The Tribe, they consisted of lots of different people. The one thing-- and it wasn't just all gay people. The one thing that was the common denominator was we all thought outside the box. We were all bohemians. This is 1982. And I spent a lot of my 20s in Atlanta in midtown sort of honing my craft, you know? [00:00:41.08] I worked as a go-go dancer. I started writing these books and selling them at clubs. I would sell postcard pictures of myself, really all of the things I do today but on a much smaller level. And it was then and I started making these movies. My brother-in-law had a camcorder with this huge battery attached to it. And so, my friend Lahoma and I decided to make these parody films, kind of like John Waters but stupid three-minute movies, 10-minute movies, and then show them at the disco at the club. [00:01:18.40] And we just bounce ideas off of one another. And I think that's still possible today. And I know kids do that on social media. But it's different, because you never really meet people in person. I think being face to face with someone really does help conjure up the creativity. And let me tell you, in the brainstorming bouncing ideas creative world, there are no bad ideas. [00:01:48.15] Don't judge them. Don't say, oh, no. No. No. That's stupid. Oh, I could never do that. Open yourself up to the possibilities. Open yourself up to ideas and thoughts that on your own, you may have never thought of. Find your tribe members. Find the people who love you and who share your values, the Bohemian values of love, beauty, music, and dancing, and colors and love. [00:02:18.06] [MUSIC PLAYING] [00:02:24.06] [BABY CRYING] [00:02:25.56] - And the rough towels! Show it to the mother. That's enough. [00:02:32.22] - Show's over. [00:02:33.17] - Is it a boy or a girl? [00:02:34.60] - Now, I think it's a little early to start imposing roles on it, don't you? [00:02:38.73] - I knew what my tribe would look like after I saw "Monty Python's Flying Circus." Cannot tell you how important seeing them was to me because they were irreverent. They didn't take anything seriously. They talked politics. They mocked politics. [00:02:56.61] They mocked identity. They mocked every single thing. And that is where I began. So fast forward to high school, when I got into the school performing arts in Atlanta, Georgia. That was my first foray into people who thought like I think, artistic people, people who were challenging the status quo. [00:03:24.37] We sort of tested, where we stood on every issue, sexuality, politics, everything. Then, in '81, I happened upon a public access television show in Atlanta, Georgia. It was called "The American Music Show." And it was like Monty Python. But it was in a talk show format, quirky, weird, timing all wrong, very John Waters avant garde Fellini-esque. [00:03:59.97] But it was a great opportunity for avant garde artists, bohemians, to have a platform. It's k...
About the Instructor
RuPaul has transformed drag subculture into a mainstream phenomenon with devoted fans across the world. Now the Emmy-winning host, performer, and drag icon is sharing an intimate look at his personal journey to self-realization. From finding your inner truth to owning the room, RuPaul teaches you how to present your best self to the world. It’s your life’s work to shine—RuPaul shows you how.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
RuPaul
RuPaul teaches you how to find your inner truth to overcome hardship, gain confidence, and live your best life.
Explore the Class