RuPaul made Emmy herstory during Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmys — with a fifth consecutive win for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program — and dedicated the award to the late RuPaul’s Drag Race queen, Chi Chi Devayne.
“I’d like to dedicate this Emmy to one of girls, Chi Chi Devayne,” RuPaul said during his virtual acceptance speech. “May you rest in power and perfection.”
Chi Chi — the stage name of Zavion Davenport — originally appeared on season 8 of Drag Race season 8, before returning to compete on All Stars 3. He died last month at age 34, with RuPaul saying in a statement to ET, “She will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all.”
Ru also used his Emmys speech to urge viewers to register and vote in the upcoming presidential election.
“I’ve always said, every time I bat my false eyelashes, I’m making a political statement. Well, tonight, the only political statement I want to make is this: Love,” he said. “Love for our LGBT brothers and sisters, love for Black queens and brown queens, and love for the United States of America, where a little gay boy with nothing more than a pussycat wig and a dream can build an international platform that celebrates sweet, sensitive souls everywhere.”
“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” RuPaul concluded, “on November 3rd, make this your ringtone: ‘The time has come for you to vote for your life!'”
The Outstanding Reality or Competition Host record was previously held by Survivor’s Jeff Probst. This year’s race also included Nicole Byer (Nailed It!), Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (Making It) and the casts of Shark Tank and Queer Eye.
