How to change a flat tire is something you may learn from a frustrated parent during a road trip gone awry or, I don’t know, YouTube. But from a drag queen icon? Can’t say that was on my 2024 Bingo card, yet here I am, watching RuPaul change a tire via a step-by-step video.
First things first: RuPaul is a car guy. From “borrowing” his dad’s car for a joyride at age 11 to the RuPaul Drives web series, the pop culture multi-hyphenate is likely a fan of more than one type of drag race. In the archived car show, RuPaul plays chauffeur, driving special guests around Los Angeles in his red Volvo 240. As for dream cars, a 1976 Cadillac Seville is on his list. However, for the tire-changing tutorial, the car star is a Mercedes-Benz W113 SL.
In a recent Instagram Reel, RuPaul prefaces with: “Now, most of you will never have to do this in your lifetime because you’re smart and you have a membership to roadside assistance. But if you need to change a tire, I’m going to show you how to do it.” And in 90 seconds, he proceeded with a 15-step how-to on changing a flat.
There is some humor thanks to the occasional sound effect and suggestive sayings like, “Stick it in, baby.” He was referring to inserting the car jack into the jacking port, but he is also RuPaul. Nevertheless, the quick vid is clear, concise, and pretty straightforward. He does fail to mention that not all vehicles will have a notch as a jacking port, like his SL, and that owners should refer to the manual for the proper place to set up the jack. But it’s also a short social media post, which, if the intent was to educate via a fun, short video, I think he nailed it.
Since being uploaded, the Reel has been viewed more than 5 million times, has nearly 400,000 likes, and has almost 6,800 comments. So far. The best part is that the tutorial doesn’t appear to be a sponsored post or an ad. Just a personal PSA from RuPaul to his “sexy drivers.”
The sentiment has been overwhelmingly positive, with calls for a How To With Ru show. Probably not a bad idea. Maybe he can teach us how to fold a fitted sheet, but definitely with more sass than Martha Stewart.