RuPaul wins record fifth Emmy for hosting and dedicates victory to late drag queen Chi Chi DeVayne

RuPaul wins record fifth Emmy for hosting and dedicates victory to late drag queen Chi Chi DeVayne

RuPaul won the the Emmy Award for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program for a record fifth time in a row for his work on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The 59-year-old host set a new record for the most victories in the category’s 13-year history with his win Saturday on the fifth and final night of the virtual 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

In his acceptance speech, RuPaul, full name RuPaul Andre Charles, dedicated the win to the late Chi Chi DeVayne, and urged fans to get out and vote in the upcoming general election.

New record: RuPaul won the the Emmy Award for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program for a record fifth time in a row for his work on RuPaul’s Drag Race

‘On behalf of VH1, World of Wonder, and our incredible cast and crew, I want to thank the Academy for this great honor. I’ve always said, every time I bat my false eyelashes, I’m making a political statement. Well, tonight, the only political statement I want to make is this: Love,’ RuPaul said in his victory speech.

‘Love for our LGBT brothers and sisters, love for Black queens and brown queens, and love for the United States of America, where a little gay boy with nothing more than a pussycat wig and a dream can build an international platform that celebrates sweet, sensitive souls everywhere,’ he added.

He then encouraged people to vote on November 3.

‘I’d like to dedicate this Emmy to one of my girls, Chi Chi DeVayne, may you rest in power and perfection,’ RuPaul said before concluding his remarks.

Award dedication: In his acceptance speech, RuPaul, full name RuPaul Andre Charles, dedicated the win to the late Chi Chi DeVayne, shown in 2016 in New York City at the season eight premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race

Award dedication: In his acceptance speech, RuPaul, full name RuPaul Andre Charles, dedicated the win to the late Chi Chi DeVayne, shown in 2016 in New York City at the season eight premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race

Virtual awards: The 59-year-old host is shown September 14 presenting during the 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, streamed live on Emmys.com

Virtual awards: The 59-year-old host is shown September 14 presenting during the 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, streamed live on Emmys.com

DeVayne, the drag persona for Zavion Davenport, died in August after a battle with pneumonia at age 34.

The draq queen had been hospitalized for pneumonia before dying and also had been admitted in July for suspected kidney failure.

DeVayne suffered from scleroderma, a condition in which the immune systems attacks organs, blood vessels and tissues.

Fifth time: The 59-year-old host, shown in 2019 at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, set a new record with his win Saturday on the fifth and final night of the virtual 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards

Fifth time: The 59-year-old host, shown in 2019 at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, set a new record with his win Saturday on the fifth and final night of the virtual 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards

RuPaul beat out fellow contestants Nicole Bayer for Nailed It!, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman for Making It, Tom Colicchio and Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef, the cast of Shark Tank and the cast of Queer Eye.

The win moved RuPaul past a tie with Survivor host Jeff Probst, 58, who won the hosting award four times from its inception in 2008 through 2011.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked also was nominateud for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, but lost out to the Netflix series Cheer, while RuPaul’s Drag Race also was nominated for Outstanding Competition Program.

Survivor host: The win moved RuPaul past a tie with Survivor host Jeff Probst, shown in 2008 at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, who won the hosting award four times from its inception in 2008 through 2011

Survivor host: The win moved RuPaul past a tie with Survivor host Jeff Probst, shown in 2008 at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, who won the hosting award four times from its inception in 2008 through 2011