Logo Picks Up Second Season Of RuPaul’s Drag Race

NEW YORK, NY, March 25, 2009 – RuPaul, the world’s most famous drag queen, has pushed the boundaries of popular culture on an international level and recently made history with “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the first-ever reality television show featuring drag queens. And on the heels of its most successful series launch yet, Logo, the leading ad-supported gay and lesbian-themed network from MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), has ordered a second season of this ground-breaking series. America’s guiltiest pleasure “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is slated for an early 2010 premiere.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” on its first season has garnered widespread popularity and critical acclaim:

Entertainment Weekly called it “ridiculously entertaining” and “incredibly addictive.”

People Magazine hailed “RuPaul is back! Long live the drag queen.”

The Los Angeles Times declared that “For all its crazy flamboyance, the big hair, the extreme makeup, the outrageous characters, the taping and tucking and stuffing and gluing, the cartwheels and the juggling — yes, there is juggling — this is an art whose true subject is dignity.”

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” also drove LOGOonline.com to its most trafficked levels ever. The premiere week of the show was the most trafficked week in LOGOonline.com’s three-and-half-year history.

On the first season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” thousands applied but only 9 of the nation’s hottest, most glamorous drag queens were chosen to fight for the title of America’s next drag queen superstar. Now a new batch of drag performers will have an opportunity to fill RuPaul’s high heels and compete for the grand prize.

The newly crowned queen of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 1, Bebe Zahara Benet sashayed away with a headlining tour, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” ABSOLUT® “Real Fruit” tour across the nation this summer, a feature photo spread in PAPER Magazine, a portrait by renowned photographer Greg Gorman for the l.a. Eyeworks legendary designer eyewear campaign and $20,000 cash prize courtesy of Absolut Vodka and M.A.C Cosmetics.

While “RuPaul’s Drag Race” took a look at the outrageous world of drag, it also revealed the courage, perseverance and humanity of 9 men who have overcome and endured the hardships of a masculine dominated society that mocks and makes fun of men who act like women. Not only did viewers get a bird’s eye view of what it takes for these chameleons to transform themselves but were also able take away the secrets of the artistry of drag. This second edition will reflect the same hallmarks. As well as the now classic “lip synch for your life” segment. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” also inspired RuPaul’s new album “Champion,” currently holding the #1 dance album spot and available for download on Itunes.

Drag performing hopefuls will get the opportunity to submit themselves for consideration online as casting for the new season begins on RuPaulCasting.com May 1. In RuPaul’s popular call to action in the series “Gentlemen, start your engines. May the best woman win!”

For more on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 1, including full episodes, photos and more, log on to RuPaulsDragRace.com.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is produced by World of Wonder Productions with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell and RuPaul Charles serving as Executive Producers and Chris McKim as Co-Executive Producer.