RuPaul’s Drag Race publicist extraordinaire Michael Fabiani has been promoted to Senior Vice President at Paramount Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios. Liza Burnett Fefferman, EVP/Head of Communications, Paramount Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios announced the news today.
Fabiani previously served as Vice President, Communications and oversees MTV and a broad slate of the Group’s biggest global franchises that span linear and streaming including RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Challenge, The Shores and The Real World; Homecoming, where his robust campaigns have generated widespread coverage across our nets and Paramount+.
Additionally, he spearheads awards for the Group, which has resulted in monumental wins and nominations, including record-setting Emmy hauls for RuPaul’s Drag Race – making it the most awarded reality competition series of all time.
Fabiani has orchestrated a slew of watershed moments for Drag Race including securing RuPaul’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, hosting Saturday Night Live, walking the red carpet at the Met Gala – the first time in history a drag queen had done so – and a multi-page Vogue spread and a Vanity Fair cover photographed by Annie Leibowitz. He has been instrumental in amplifying the social impact of the franchise by shining a light on issues of equality, justice and mental health impacting the LGBTQ+ community through groundbreaking partnerships with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, The Trevor Project and GLAAD among others.
In this expanded role, Fabiani will broaden his purview with additional scripted series from Taylor Sheridan including the forthcoming Lioness, Tulsa King and American Tragedies: Waco – The Trials.
“Whether it’s driving the cultural conversation around Drag Race, building on the enormous success of Jersey Shore or leading breakthrough Emmy campaigns which have helped bring our brands to new heights, Michael has done an extraordinary job spearheading these press efforts,” said Fefferman. “His passion for our content, deep media ties and team first mentality is a testament to his strong work ethic and I can’t wait to see him continue to flourish.”
Prior to joining MTV in 2011 as a Senior Publicist, Fabiani served as a Publicist at FOX where he worked on hits such as American Idol, Glee and The X Factor. He was included in PRWeek’s coveted 40 Under 40 list in 2020.