RuPaul

“When you become the image of your own imagination, it's the most powerful thing you could ever do.”

“If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”

“Honestly, it's important to not take this whole process of life on this planet too seriously. And you need games to remind you that every aspect of your experience on this planet is a game. And you have to be a good sport. You have to strategize, and you have to have fun.”

“From childhood, we're trained to be a certain way, to behave a certain way - so that the power base can control us, really. And punk and drag are completely outside of that.”

“With hair, heels, and attitude, honey, I am through the roof.”

“In my life, I've been able to really examine society in a way most people who aren't outsiders don't get a chance to do.”

“Look at me--a big old black man under all of this makeup, and if I can look beautiful, so can you.”

“Ego loves identity. Drag mocks identity. Ego hates drag.”

“The only person I look up to - and not just in show business but also in the world - is a little lady named Judge Judy! Honestly.”

“Life is dangerous. There are no guarantees.”

“Drag is there to remind culture not to take itself too seriously. All of this is illusion.”

“I've always been drawn to people who dance to the beat of a different drum; it didn't matter if they were in film or music or fashion.”

“I've always been interested in what else is here, what lies beneath.”

“Everybody is in drag.”

“I'm ambitious. I work hard.”

“I've been on both sides; I've interviewed people, and I do an okay job, I guess. But it's awful. Because you feel like you have to defend your life, which is such an interesting concept. It's not an easy process to sit down and talk about, 'What's your motivation?' Because as I'm answering, I'm working it out for myself at the same time.”

“Usually, people who don't have a broad perspective see gay people as servants - as people who are there to make them look good.”

“Don't believe the hype; don't believe what it tells you on your driver's license. You are an extension of the power that created this whole universe.”

“When I go out, I'm always dressed up. Not in drag but always prepared to be 'on.' Just in case somebody's going to take a picture. Everyone has a Facebook page, so no matter what, I'm prepared to service the public.”

“I've cried my eyes out and wanted to end it all before. I hope everybody's gone that far, because it makes life rich.”