A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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Positive Messages
a little
Positive messages of inclusivity and open-mindedness are sent by Ruby's colorful circle of friends and contemporaries, who cheerfully accept all types of people, including young AJ.
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Positive Role Models
some
Characters are sitcommy and unrealistic, but both AJ and Ruby/Robert are given dignity: "Just because I'm a gorgeous woman doesn't mean I'm not a man," says Robert evenly when told to "act like a man," and the show takes AJ's near-orphan plight seriously. The cast is diverse in terms of age, race, ethnicity, physical ability, and gender and sexual identity. Robert's best friend, Louis, is blind, and the pair joke about it cheerfully but Louis is also presented as attractive, competent, and as successful as any other character. Expect some regressive messages about body type -- Robert delights in being called "too thin" -- and sex work, with a lot of uncomplimentary things said about "hookers" and "strippers."
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Violence & Scariness
some
Characters brandish guns, shoot objects, and threaten others with them (but the threat never seems realistic). One character holds "illegal pumping parties," filling in body parts with silicone or motor oil to make men look more feminine; we see Ruby accepting such a syringe in the cheek. A young character cries piteously for her missing mother, and being hungry.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Expect same- and opposite-sex kissing, flirting, and dating, as well as mature humor about sex work (AJ says her mom is probably "in a car somewhere with her head in a stranger's lap) and scenes in which sex workers ask men on the street if they want a "date" or a "girlfriend." Jokes can be ribald: "It's kinda tight but I'm going to try to fit it in," says Robert about a parking space whereupon his friend snigg*rs suggestively he's heard that before.
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Language
some
Cursing and language is frequent, and 10-year-old AJ curses often, and bitterly: "ass," "a--hole," "s--t," men call each other "bitch" frequently as a playful insult, and AJ calls Ruby/Robert that rudely. There are references to "hookers" being "worse than rats," and AJ says to Robert "Jesus Christ, you're gay," whereupon Robert replies "Thank you."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Many scenes take place in bars with adults drinking; 10-year-old AJ also tries to order a beer (and is rebuffed). A minor (not positive) character says he's going to go to an AA meeting and then "go sell co*ke."
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that AJ and the Queen is a buddy road comedy about a down-and-out drag queen Ruby Red (RuPaul) and the 10-year-old neighbor who tags along on a cross-country drag show tour in order to hitch a ride to Texas. Main character Ruby (also known as Robert) is a gay man who dresses as a woman for performances in gay bars so expect a focus on LGBTQ issues and characters, as well as same- (and some opposite-) sex kissing and romance. A main character is a sex worker and we see her asking men on the street if they want a "girlfriend" or a "date." Humor can be edgy, with jokes about sexuality, body parts, "tucking," and other aspects of drag culture. Ruby and others send positive messages about acceptance, living proudly and authentically, and tolerance, but there is some insulting language about sex workers. Language can be mature, with young AJ on the business end of curses like "bitch," "a--hole," "ass," "s--t," "hell." Villains brandish guns and chase Robert, but the threat never seems realistic. Many scenes are set in bars with adults drinking and AJ tries to order a beer, but is rebuffed. The cast is diverse in terms of age, race, ethnicity, physical ability, and gender and sexual identity, and though the action can be silly and full of hijinks, underdogs are given dignity and their problems treated seriously.
What's the Story?
Written and created by RuPaul and Sex and the City's Michael Patrick King, AJ AND THE QUEEN focuses on an unlikely friendship that blossoms between drag queen Ruby Red (RuPaul) and 10-year-old AJ (Izzy G.) who's just been evicted from the apartment where drug-addicted mom Brianna (Katerina Tannenbaum) hasn't been home in a month. Meanwhile, Ruby (a.k.a. Robert) is having problems too, as a mountain of saved-up cash and a dream of owning a drag club evaporated along with duplicitous ex Damien (Josh Segarra). Now Ruby has to head out on a tour of drag clubs to make enough money just to make ends meet, while AJ tags along to get a ride to family in Texas.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stereotypes. Do the contestants in this show reinforce or undermine stereotypes typically associated with the LGBTQ community? How are other communities stereotyped, both in the media and out of it?
RuPaul, the star of AJ and the Queen, is also one of the creators and co-writes episodes. Does this surprise you? Do creators who appear in their creations usually write themselves starring roles?
What other movies or shows have you seen about the LGBTQ community? How does this one compare? Which is your favorite?
Why are parents often absent in stories about teens and young children? What types of storytelling would the presence of parents inhibit? What types of dilemmas do children and teens find themselves in when they must act as their own authority?
