RuPauldidf**k it up — but it was on purpose.
The drag superstar, who is currently filling in for Jimmy Kimmel on his US talk show – interviewed Maya Rudolph on Monday, and he had impressions on the mind.
Yet he didn’t ask Maya right off the bat about her highly anticipated Kamala Harris impression, which she’ll reprise on Saturday Night Live next month. Rather, the Drag Race host was more interested in sharing his own impression — of his guest’s late mother, Minnie Riperton.
Minnie Riperton was best known for her 1975 hit Lovin’ You, which she co-wrote with Maya’s father, songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph.
The song is notorious for having an impossibly high note at its conclusion.
“You know, everyone knows that song, and we try to sing it to that high note,” RuPaul said to Maya nearly five minutes into the interview.
Then, completely unprompted, he decided to do an impression of the song’s last few notes.
“Uh, I’m going to start low,” RuPaul said.
“Yeah, you better start low,” Maya suggested.
RuPaul then proceeded to sing the tail end of Lovin’ You and decided to let out an ear-splitting scream rather than attempting to sing the final note.
In response to the song, Maya lifted her hair up as if the strength of Ru’s scream had blown it back in a chaotic way.
“It’s the only way to hit the note,” she said as RuPaul enjoyed one of his signature fits of laughter.
“Now, what is your father doing today?” RuPaul then asked, with sudden and complete composure.
Social media users on X, formerly Twitter, loved the bit — but also joked about the strange energy shift when RuPaul asked Maya about her dad.
like the way he’s fully playing to an audience of himself i know the producers pitched like 30 different bits of questions to ask and Ru was like no i’m gonna scream the high note from Maya’s moms song while she watches in horror
— yolanda fister (@yolandafister) August 21, 2024
The transition to "what's your father doing" was crazy ????
— n a t a l i e (@nataliethehero) August 21, 2024
the immediate 180 to going back to asking questions ????
— bob duncan luvr (@bobduncanluvrrr) August 21, 2024
This is art
— Jorgie (@JorgieGoico) August 21, 2024
Why was he interviewing her like Jiminy Glick?!????
— We Good in the North (@WWFerguson2) August 21, 2024
"[Screaming for ten seconds straight]...Now, tell me about your father."
#france#fraaaannnnncepic.twitter.com/BcCLM0C5Ap
— Lucas Micros (@LukeMico) August 21, 2024
Minnie Ripeton died from breast cancer in 1979 at the age of 31, when Maya was only six — but the singer’s love for her daughter has certainly endured.
Lovin’ You was a reworked version of a lullaby that Rudolph’s parents sang to her when she was a toddler. In the recording, after Minnie hits the famous super-high note, you can hear her softly sing, “Maya, Maya” repeatedly in the song’s outro.
