RuPaul tells Ellen DeGeneres the ‘naughty’ way he got out of paying a $9 cab fare

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RuPaul has opened up about the “naughty” way he got out of paying cab fare in the 80s during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The drag icon and reality TV star answered all of Elle DeGeneres’ “burning questions” during an interview premiering on Monday (3 January). During the game, RuPaul was asked to share something “naughty” that he did in the 80s, which had the Drag Race host break out in laughter.

RuPaul then teased that the show would cut his answer should it be “too naughty”.

The Emmy-winning host recalled one night when he caught a cab after he finished his shift at one club and was on his way to another club in New York City’s East Village. RuPaul estimated the journey was “about a $9 cab ride”, and he managed to get out of paying the fare after the cab driver made a unique request.

“[The cab driver] said, ‘Listen, hey if you put your foot over the front seat, he will give me the fare for free,” RuPaul said.

He continued: “Ellen, it was a $9 fare, so I just put my front over the front seat, he did what he needed to do and I got out of the cab without having to pay.”

The response utterly shocked the audience, Ellen and her co-host DJ tWitch. But RuPaul simply argued that “$9 was a lot in the 80s”.

RuPaul added he was wearing “some gorgeous high heels” at the time and “a lot of people are into that thing”.

var unruly = window.unruly || {}; unruly.native = unruly.native || {}; unruly.native.siteId = 1068722; RuPaul and Ellen DeGeneres play the “Burning Questions” game on the Ellen DeGeneres show. (Michael Rozman/Warner Bros)

The Drag Race icon was also quizzed about who he would want to play him in a movie, and he replied “the Olsen twins” without hesitation. He added he wanted Macaulay Culkin, who he described as “little baby Home Alone”, to play his love interest in the theoretical movie.

Elsewhere in the interview, RuPaul opened up about how he was “completely outraged” after a knockoff holiday ornament of the Drag Race host went viral on social media.

He explained it was an “unauthorised” rendition of the star that “sold out” despite a “cease and desist that followed” its online fame.

“But it’s like where in the world do you think that looks like me?” RuPaul questioned as images of the horrific bauble appeared on-screen.