RuPaul Called Cory Booker His "Cousin" on an Episode of 'Drag Race' — Are They Actually Related?

Over the last few decades, DNA tests have become popular for more than just solving murder mysteries and questions of paternity. Companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe have allowed customers to take a deeper dive into their lineage and learn the truth behind their origins. 

Even celebrities have used the technology to learn more about their genealogy, and on an episode of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, RuPaul and former presidential candidate Cory Booker found out some things about their family tree that left them both in awe. 

Cory also recently appeared on an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race and referred to the host as his “cousin,” which has led fans to wonder: Are the two actually related? Here’s what we know. 

Last year, a DNA test revealed that Cory Booker and RuPaul are, in fact, related by a long stretch of DNA. 

After learning the news, RuPaul said on an episode of Finding Your Roots, “He looks like my kin. There’s a sweetness about him that I’ve always loved and an intellect that’s undeniable. But every time I’ve ever seen him, he reminds me of my cousin Yula.”

Cory was also elated to learn they were related, noting that he is a huge fan of the Emmy Award-winning personality. 

He told Wendy Williams, “So yeah, my mom knows, I just, I love RuPaul, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to him since the news was revealed but I was very happy about that news and I hope that he and I can have a family reunion sometime.”

While Cory and RuPaul only recently learned that they are cousins, they seem to have a close-knit bond already. Not long ago, Cory appeared virtually alongside his newfound family member as a guest on RuPaul’s Drag Race, where he was supposed to announce the rules of the "Lip Sync Smackdown" but instead, shared a sweet message. 

Cory told RuPaul, "Thank you cousin RuPaul. You all already know the rules so I just want to say thank you. In life, we were not born to fit in, we were born to stand out, to make the most out of ourselves and always elevate and enrich the lives of others."

He added, "[Rep.] John Lewis, one of my heroes, said it best: 'Never let anyone, any person or any force, dampen, dim, or diminish your light.' Thank god for you, thank god for America, and thank god for my cousin RuPaul.”

Along with appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Cory also appeared on an episode of RuPaul’s talk show before they had even learned they were related. Cory tweeted about his experience on the show, “All tea, no shade, @RuPaul stole my look. (Wait, did I do that right?)”

Cory continued, “Anyway, honored to be one of the first guests on RuPaul's newest show — the #RuPaulShow — today!”  

You can watch new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Fridays at 8 p.m. EST on VH1.