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Are Cory Booker and RuPaul Charles cousins? How NJ Senator and the drag queen found out about their family ties

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 13 proved to be the most unlikely place for a family reunion

Drag family legacies have always been a running theme on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'. It's not uncommon to find out that a certain contestant's drag mother was previously on the show, or that some queens are from the same drag family. Season 13 is all about keeping it in the family and this time we're referring to RuPaul's literal family, seeing that his cousin, Cory Booker made an appearance on the finale.

Before you do a double-take, yes, we are talking about the former presidential candidate and New Jersey Senator. And yes, RuPaul Charles and Senator Booker are in fact cousins! Curious to know how the two are related? Keep reading!

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How exactly are RuPaul Charles and Cory Booker related?

Back in 2020, RuPaul was a part of the PBS series, 'Finding Your Roots,' a show hosted by Henry Louis Gates that analyzes the ancestry, DNA codes and familial connections of celebrities. Booker was a part of the show back in 2012. It was soon revealed that Gates keeps records of data and pointed out that the pair had a very strong DNA chain and were in fact, closely related. Both of them were rather thrilled to know that they were related.

"He looks like my kin," RuPaul said while on the show. “There’s a sweetness about him that I’ve always loved and an intellect that is undeniable. But every time I’ve ever seen him, he reminds me of my cousin Yula," while pointing out that he's definitely seen a resemblance. 

Booker too, expressed his enthusiasm over the same, while on the Wendy Williams show. "I just, I love RuPaul, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to him since the news was revealed but I was very happy about that news and I hope that he and I can have a family reunion sometime," he said, mentioning that he, "told everybody that would listen in my [his] world."

 

Where were the two of them born?

Booker was born to Carolyn Rose and Cary Alfred Booker in Washington DC. His parents were known to be among the first Black IBM executives. Booker grew up in Harrington Park and was raised in a rather religious household, seeing that his family attended a small African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Jersey. When he was featured on 'Finding Your Roots', he discovered that he had Sierra Leonean ancestry.

RuPaul on the other hand was born in San Diego, to Ernestine "Toni" (Fontenette) and Irving Andrew Charles. Both of his parents were from Louisiana. When he was featured on 'Finding Your Roots,' he discovered that he was 70% African and 30% European. Raised Roman Catholic, he lived with his mother and his three sisters after his parents got divorced. He eventually moved to Atlanta along with his sister Renetta to study performing arts.

What was Booker's cameo on 'Drag Race' all about?

While the grand finale took place, the finale top four queens geared up to battle it out in Lip Sync Smackdown. It's here that Mama Ru had Booker make a cameo to explain what exactly would happen. "Now, to explain the rules of the Lip Sync Smackdown, please welcome United States Senator — and my cousin — Cory Booker," RuPaul announced on the show. "No, really, we are related," he added. 

"Thank you cousin RuPaul," Booker replied. "You all already know the rules so I just want to say thank you. In life we were not born to fit in, we were born to stand out, to make the most out of ourselves and always elevate and enrich the lives of others," he said while addressing the queens.

He also had some advice to give out. "John Lewis, one of my heroes, said it best: 'Never let anyone, any person or any force, dampen, dim or diminish your light,'" he added, encouraging the top 4. "Thank god for you, thank god for America and thank god for my cousin RuPaul," he concluded. 

Twitter was definitely amused on discovering the same. "So nobody was going to tell me Cory Booker and RuPaul are cousins?" tweeted a fan. "I did not have “Here is Cory Booker to explain the rules of the Britney Spears lip sync for the crown” on my 2021 bingo card #DragRace" said another. "Cory Booker's cousins with RuPaul and dating Rosario Dawson. How that man got so much spice in his life yet he stays corny as hell?" tweeted a user.

"LMAO CORY BOOKER AND RU PAUL BEING COUSINS IS STILL SO RANDOM TO ME KHJGXKHXJGXJG #DragRace" expressed another.