Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 14 March 2022. In the Drag Queen world of images, there’s no shortage of clichés or classic references. Some of these, from the last century, such as 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (Stephan Elliot, 1994), now occupy a place in the collective world of images. Others, however, are a current phenomenon, and have contributed to bringing the Drag Queen phenomenon into the mainstream. This is the case of RuPaul's Drag Race, which since 2009 has combined competition and reality television to become a point of reference on the small screen, on the Logo and VH1 channels. All of this, of course, in the hands of Ru Paul, the diva and star whose initiative has increased the impact on audiences even more.

The brainchild has grown and grown, with the extension of the franchise. In 2021, Drag Race España premiered on Atresplayer (with, by the way, a homegrown Drag Queen from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival: Drag Vulcano). It's a talent show with no apparent curbs. But, where was it dreamed up? Well, perhaps if we follow the trail of Ru Paul just before 2009, we might find some interesting information.

In 2008, one year before Drag Race’s explosion on the scene, Ru Paul was performing... in the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival Drag Queen Gala. Is there a possibility he found inspiration in this contest? Given the combination of the diva's commercial instinct, the impact on the star of facing Santa Catalina Park, and the emotion that the Gala usually causes in new visitors, it wouldn't be surprising. So, it's worth bearing that 2008 show in mind. 

For the time being, the connections continue to intertwine: Supremme De Luxe, Drag Race España's presenter, will also be one of the hosts of the 2022 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival Drag Queen Gala.  These are ties which seem to get tighter and tighter over time.

Photos of Ru Paul in the 2022 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Drag Queen Gala.