Ross Mathews

Ross Mathews was born on September 24, 1979, in Mount Vernon, Washington. He attended the University of La Verne, majoring in communications and actively participating in speech and debate. His career in television began in December 2001, when he secured an internship on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Known as “Ross the Intern,” he started by covering movie premieres, the Academy Awards, and the Winter Olympic Games, quickly gaining visibility.

Following his tenure on “The Tonight Show,” Mathews became a regular presence on various television programs. He contributed commentary to E!’s “101…” specials and served as a weekly panelist on “Chelsea Lately.” His career progressed with appearances on reality television, including VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” in 2007, where he lost over 40 pounds. Mathews also joined E! Network’s red carpet team, co-hosting coverage for significant events like the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Academy Awards. From 2013 to 2014, he hosted his own interactive talk show, “Hello Ross!” on E!.

A pivotal development in Mathews’ career came in 2015 when he joined “RuPaul’s Drag Race” as a judge for Season 7. His involvement expanded, leading to an executive producer role for the show and its spin-off, “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” starting in 2022. In 2023, he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Competition Program for “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” In 2018, Mathews competed on “Celebrity Big Brother,” finishing as the runner-up and earning the title of America’s Favorite Houseguest, winning an additional $25,000. Since 2020, he has been a co-host on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” further cementing his role in daytime television. He has also authored three books, including “Man Up! Tales of My Delusional Self-Confidence” (2013), “Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour” (2020), and “Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers” (2025), co-written with his husband, Dr. Wellinthon García.