After four years out of the public eye, RuPaul recently came back with a new album, Red Hot, his first full-length effort since 1997’s Ho Ho Ho. But while he may look just as glamorous and fierce as he did during the Supermodel of the World breakout heyday, there’s a big difference between today and yesterday’s RuPaul.

“The RuPaul you see today is not pulling any punches with mothafuckas,” he insists. “At the end of the ‘Supermodel’ video I laughed and [sort of] say ‘Ha ha, I’m just joking. Ha ha ha, love me.’ Now I don’t give a fuck if anybody loves me. I really don’t – or even if they like me. I do my thing. I love me.”

Born RuPaul Andre Charles right here in San Diego, the burgeoning performer spent his teen years in Atlanta, Georgia. Going back and forth between Atlanta and New York and developing his drag persona, RuPaul finally settled in NYC by 1987 and two years later was crowned “Queen of Manhattan.” By 1992, RuPaul had become one of America’s most prolific queens, striking mainstream success with the singles “Supermodel (You Better Work)”, “House of Love” and a duet of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Elton John. RuPaul extended his presence – both in and out of drag – as MAC Cosmetics’ first spokesmodel, host of VH-1’s “The RuPaul Show”, host of a WKTU morning radio show and roles in films like But I’m a Cheerleader, Spike Lee’s Crooklyn, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (which he narrated) and Who Is Cletis Tout? As if that weren’t enough, ultimately RuPaul was immortalized in wax at the Times Square Madame Tussauds.

On RuPaul’s revealing website (link to it by visiting www.gaylesbiantimes.com) the reinvigorated singer lays out his life and times – good, bad, ugly and raunchy. In the weblog section you’ll find his favorite fan letter, emailed by someone signed “Billy The Beggar,” who, making good on his name, begs: “I want to dress in drag myself as sexy Lil Kim … as we suck the oozing pre-cum from one another.” House of Love, indeed.

RuPaul’s energetic new album boasts catchy dance tunes and sassy Beyonce-esque R&B numbers with titles like “My Love Sees No Color”, “Are You Man Enough?” “Hollywood U.S.A. ”, “Kinky/Freaky”, a cover of Depeche Mode’s “People Are People” and appearances by infamous blackface-wearing drag personality Shirley Q. Liquor, seemingly stepping in for the late LaWanda Page. The Gay & Lesbian Times found his fabulousness recently in Los Angeles, in a philosophical mood, and ready to chat about his return to the scene, Starr Jones and the plight of the world.

RuPaul: I think so. With everything so homogenized and corporate, two companies own the whole world and the communications and everything, I, RuPaul, represent a true underdog. I chose years ago to take the last taboo as the palette I do my art with – the most judged thing you can do is for a man to use femininity or manufactured femininity as a palette. I love the danger of it. I love being an outsider. It’s the ultimate in punk rock to do what I’m doing. I understand nothing is punk rock, every star has his style, every story has a spin on it, everything is so polished and done. There’s nothing raw anymore. As a fan of pop culture I’m excited to see RuPaul out there again.

RP: I do shows, I sing songs. That’s what I do. Plus I can’t change the world. I think the world’s perfect as it is. The only thing that’s fucked up about the world is my perception of it and I can change my perception. I’m here like everybody else. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience. That’s it.

RP: Absolutely. That’s for myself. To make myself feel better. Not to change the world’s mind but to make it interesting for me.

same-sex marriage. …

RP: I think just putting an album out and being who I am is the most political thing I can do. Following your heart is the most rebellious thing any human can do. Even the more frivolous stuff like “Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous”. For somebody to be – for me specifically – to sing I’m looking good and feeling gorgeous, I’m all that, is absolutely the most political thing. Because our culture would tell someone like me, “No, you’re not, you don’t have it together.” I was on “The View” once and Starr Jones said to me “You’re not sexy.” On the air she said it. Would she say that to anyone else? Our culture gives people carte blanche to treat someone in drag like less than a second-class citizen. Like on talk shows a drag queen comes out and the audience goes boo, boo.

RP: I’ve been on since then. And I’m not a hater. God bless her, poor thing. I understand where that comes from. Look at her, look at me, and you can understand why she would say to me, “You’re not sexy.’”

RP: Well, a lot of people haven’t.

“Coming Out of Hiding”.

RP: They did an A&E biography a few years ago and at the same time a Bravo one, and they were so hard for me to watch. [In them] I see this young kid who really wanted love from everybody and would do anything to get that love – short of loving himself. It’s like watching yourself in a blackout – holy god, what am I doing? I’m looking for all this approval from the outside world when that’s not going to do it. The approval has to come from the inside out.

GLT: How much of your life and experience went into the song “Hollywood USA”? It begins with the lines “Stone cold city took a bite out of me … said I love you but I hate it, it’s not for me, I’d rather take my chances back in Tennessee.”

RP: Well, there’s a lot of my real life experience there. On this album I was able to do a lot of the things people expect from me, the positivity and optimism, but I was also able to sneak in a little bit of my own personal life and what my experience has been this past four years I’ve been away from the public eye.

RP: I’m married to Satan actually.

RP: Oh, the best.

RP: Well, I’ve got to keep some things secret in my relationship. I’m not going to kiss and tell about everything.