Former ‘Drag Race’ Contestant, Tammie Brown, Comments on RuPaul Fracking Rumors

The host of RuPaul’s Drag Race may be involved in another controversy. Reportedly, the drag celebrity is involved with fracking on his Wyoming ranch, as some fans pointed out after an interview with NPR. Here’s what former contestant, Tammie Brown, and Drag Race fans had to say about RuPaul’s relationship with oil companies.

RuPaul revealed that he is involved with oil companies

The drag performer is often working on the Emmy award-winning reality series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, or one of its many spinoffs. When that isn’t the case, however, RuPaul often spends time with his partner on his Wyoming ranch.

During an interview with NPR’s Fresh Air on March 10, the host asked RuPaul about his Wyoming ranch. Primarily, he asked what he and his husband, Georges LeBar, does with it when RuPaul isn’t busy with his Drag Race empire. 

RuPaul Charles stated, according to The Daily Targum, that “running a ranch in the contemporary era essentially amounts to ‘land management,’ and that he and LeBar manage their land by ‘leas(ing) the mineral rights to oil companies’ and ‘sell(ing) water to oil companies.’” That means fracking, a form of extracting oil or gas.

The Daily Targum continues, writing, “Active wells on RuPaul’s ranch has been leased out to three oil companies under his husband’s company, LeBar Ranch: Anadarko E&P Onshore, Chesapeake Operating, and Anschutz Exploration Corporation.”

Tammie Brown commented on RuPaul fracking

Once news broke of RuPaul’s reported involvement with fracking, some Drag Race fans took to social media, poking fun at the drag performer with memes. One former contestant on the reality series even commented on the allegations — Tammie Brown of season 1 and RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars 1. 

“RuPaul Has a Fracking Empire on His Wyoming Ranch And there you have it but your cameo,” Tammie Brown tweeted. Within a matter of days, thousands of fans liked, retweeted, and responded to Tammie Brown’s tweet. 

“This whole RuPaul fracking thing really puts Tammie Brown’s ‘I don’t see you walking children in nature comment in a new perspective,” one Twitter user wrote.

RuPaul previously stirred up controversy with transphobic comments

This wouldn’t be the first time that RuPaul’s had some controversial moments in the media. A few months prior, RuPaul tweeted regarding the involvement of transgender women and biological women on the reality series. 

“Drag loses its sense of danger and its sense of irony once it’s not men doing it, because at its core it’s a social statement and a big f-you to male-dominated culture,” RuPaul said during an interview with The Guardian. “So for men to do it, it’s really punk rock, because it’s a real rejection of masculinity.”

There have been some transgender queens to pass through RuPaul’s Drag Race, including Peppermint and Gia Gunn. During the first episode of RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race, there was a nonbinary celebrity competition. Still, some fans argue that this is not nearly enough representation.

RuPaul has yet to respond to the fracking criticism from Drag Race fans. New episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race premiere on a weekly basis on VH1.