Charlie Hides
A sharp-witted drag queen and digital pioneer who used YouTube satire to build a global fanbase long before mainstream drag went online.
Born 1964 (age 62)·British-American drag queen, impersonator, actor, and comedian·Birthday: July 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Charlie Hides proved that a drag queen's stage could be a webcam. Long before appearing on RuPaul's Drag Race, the British-American performer was a savvy early adopter of YouTube, creating a prolific channel in 2011 that became a cult hit. Hides' comedy was less about glitter and more about scalpel-sharp impersonations and satirical sketches, taking aim at celebrities like Cher and Lana Del Rey with a mix of affection and bite. This digital success sprang from years of honing his act in London's club scene, developing a character known for a caustic, older-woman persona. His appearance on Drag Race's ninth season introduced his unique, media-literate style to a massive new audience, but Hides' legacy is that of a self-made online entrepreneur who understood the power of viral video to connect with fans directly, paving a way for drag in the digital age.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Charlie was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Charlie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Charlie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Built a massive independent following through a prolific and self-produced YouTube channel launched in 2011.
- Competed on the ninth season of the Emmy-winning reality competition RuPaul's Drag Race.
- Developed a successful international drag career from a base of live performances in London nightclubs.
- Created hundreds of viral video sketches featuring celebrity impersonations and pop culture satire.
Did You Know?
His drag name is a pun on the cosmetic brand 'Charlie' and the phrase 'to hide.'
He is significantly older than many of his fellow Drag Race contestants, often incorporating his age into his comedy.
He holds dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom.
“If you can't be glamorous, be memorable; the internet never forgets a good wig.”
