GET REAL WITH Willam Belli

LAST MONDAY night, nearly a million American viewers tuned in for the season 4 premiere of "RuPaul's Drag Race." The extra-sassy show is a reality-based elimination, a madcap mash-up of "Project Runway" and "America's Next Top Model." Only the competitors are men who dress like women - and who survive or get eliminated by lip syncing "for their lives."

Last Monday's viewership was a 50 percent increase over season 3's first episode and set a record for the lil' Logo channel (163 on your Comcast dial). The show's sudden popularity seemed curious: Why did RuPaul and his "girls" catch on, now? Are reality-TV watchers finally realizing these programs are meant to be enjoyed and laughed at, and the more laughter, the better? Or, was it that glamazon host/hostess RuPaul Charles has recently been out and about more than usual, making a cameo on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and showing up in gold lamé on bus shelters nationwide?

Maybe. But we think it's also because for the first time one of the Drag Racers is a very fierce, very outspoken competitor - with very strong Philly roots. His name is Willam Belli (pronounced "Bell-eye"), a professional actor who's been on "Sex and the City" and "Nip/Tuck," and who just performed alongside Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn and Andy Samberg in the upcoming film "Neighborhood Watch."

All dolled up, Belli, 29, may be prettier than Britney Spears and sharper-tongued than Joan Rivers. But, he says, deep down, he's just another South Philly guy who happens to look better than most in a bra and heels.

Q: Where are you from in Philly?

A: I was born in Methodist [Hospital] on Broad Street. My first apartment was on Tree Street in South Philly, across the street from Goretti [St. Maria Goretti High School]. Those Goretti gorillas. They would sit on my stoop and be all loud, and I'd dump snow on them.

Q: Did you do drag here?

A: I started out working when I was 16, with $300. "Tony and Tina's Wedding" was one of my first jobs. But they fired me for underage drinking at the Venice Plaza.

Q: Where are you now?

A: I've lived in L.A. for 10 years. It was hard at first, because L.A.'s an ugly city filled with beautiful things. If I could have worked and lived in Philly, I would have stayed. But there wasn't much work other than the occasional M. Night Shyamalan film.

Q: What's the difference between acting and being on reality TV?