By now you’re probably aware the RuPaul’s Drag Race host RuPaul did not show up to the Met Gala in drag. The Emmy winner instead opted to wear a zebra print pink-and-black-and-blue suit, which left more than a few people at home scratching their heads. Yes, while we know that RuPaul does not dress in drag unless he’s being paid to do so, many thought he’d bring it to the runway for the Met Gala, which had the theme “Camp: Notes on Fashion.”

In an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, RuPaul told everyone exactly why he chose not to go in drag: he thought everyone else would be doing the same.

“I didn’t want to go in drag, because I thought it was going to be a sea of drag queens,” RuPaul said. “I thought all the guys were going to be dressed up like Divine — Divine from the John Waters films — but not one person was dressed up as Divine.”

He continued, “People don’t really understand camp. It’s abstract to most people.”

Earlier in the interview, RuPaul offered a not-at-all-convoluted definition of camp.

“Most people don’t understand it,” RuPaul said. “You have to be able to see the facade of life. You have to be able to see the absurdity of life from outside of yourself. So the idea of drag is camp because we’re saying, ‘I’m not this body. I’m actually God in drag playing humanity.’ When you are in that place you can laugh at absurdity. … It’s about seeing the absurdity of this crazy life.”

RuPaul also judged some attendees’ looks on whether or not they qualified as camp. He said Celine Dion’s Bob Mackie look was “borderline camp,” while his suit was “pure camp.”

OK, but what are his thoughts on the flamingo emoji?

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