Reading is Fundamental

The Reading Challenge, also sometimes referred to as Reading is Fundamental is an infamous mini challenge where the queens have to read each other and throw shade. Since it was first introduced in Season 2, it was featured in every regular and All Stars season, as well in Thailand, UK, Canada and Holland versions. The challenge appeared in a slightly different format in All Stars 1 and Season 12.

The purposes of the mini challenge are to make everybody laugh, and, like most mini-challenges, to determine the queen who will have an advantage in the main challenge.

RuPaul usually opens the mini challenge by saying "In the great tradition of Paris is Burning, break out your Library Cards!" which a play on "reading". In Seasons 2 and 3, RuPaul would say "Because reading is what? Fundamental!" but starting with Season 4 it became a question the queens would answer.