RuPaul Doesn't Think He'll Win an Emmy for ‘Drag Race’

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Despite being nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award this year, RuPaul believes he’s coming home from the event empty-handed. The hilarious presenter and executive producer of Logo’s RuPaul’s Drag Race is competing for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program against such heavy-hitters as Project Runway‘s Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Little Big Shots‘s Steve Harvey, and American Idol‘s Ryan Seacrest.

Related: Yahoo TV’s Complete Emmy Coverage

Although he’s honored by the nomination, RuPaul sees it as a “gesture” by the Television Academy to be “a part of a forward movement, but they’re still the establishment.” This recognition is a step in the right direction, he says, but it isn’t necessarily an endorsement of his series that displays the talents of gay, transgender and drag performers.

“We’ve seen this time and time again, great shows never get awards!” RuPaul says, using Murder, She Wrote as an example. Star Angela Lansbury was nominated for twelve Emmys for the detective series, but never won a single award. “That’s a travesty,” RuPaul exclaims.

If he does come home with his first Emmy Award, RuPaul believes that the honor will validate fans of his show, as though the TV industry is saying, “We see you.”

For more Emmy nominee interviews, check out Tony Hale on his Scene to Remember from this season of Veep