The Truth About RuPaul Charles' New Game Show
Just as "RuPaul's Drag Race" sees stunning transformations from its queens, RuPaul Charles' own evolution is reaching new heights. Like the saying everything old is new again, "Lingo" is a game show that originally aired in the U.S. in the '80s and early 2000s on the Game Show Network. The 1987 version was hosted by Ronald Reagan, son of the American president of the same name, while the 2002 to 2007 reprise was hosted by Chuck Woolery (via IMDb). A version of the show also premiered in the U.K. in 2021, and its launch reached record numbers (via TVLine). This is another good sign for this new U.S. rendition.
The show consists of teams of two that compete with each other by trying to guess letters in common words during a fast round (via Deadline). The top two teams go to a final round where they battle each other for a grand prize. Now, as reported by Variety, a reboot of "Lingo" is in the works, and it's set to star RuPaul as its host. It will premiere later in 2022.
Here's how Lingo works
Wordle may be all the rage online, but pretty soon, the new hot term may be "Lingo" if CBS has anything to do with it. According to Variety, "Lingo" will be an hour-long primetime show, quite an ideal spot for Charles. Likewise, CBS closed a nice deal in procuring the host of "RuPaul's Drag Race," a show that has received 48 Emmy nominations and 24 Emmy wins (via the Television Academy). "RuPaul's Drag Race" isn't only popular; it's a record-breaker, landing in the Guinness World Records for the most award wins by a reality competition show. Charles himself has won 11 Emmys, per the Television Academy.
Between the recent popularity in word games combined with Charles' experience and talent as a host and TV personality, the "Lingo" reprise comes at a good time — and undoubtedly stands to be a high rating contender.
The show's setup allows for family fun, and given the right time slot, "Lingo" and Charles could give "Jeopardy," and its run of revolving hosts, a run for their money. Ultimately, it appears that there's nothing RuPaul can't do. The host even has a surprising connection with Senator Cory Booker, proving that he will always leave us on our toes.