Jujubee is the stage name of Airline Inthyrath, a professional drag performer, makeup artist, singer, and comedian from Boston, Massachusetts. She is best known for being a contestant on Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Her drag mother is Karisma Geneva Jackson-Tae.
She is a heavy fan-favorite and is remembered for her true friendship with fellow Season 2 queen, Raven. After Jujubee came third in the second season, she returned to compete on All Stars 1, paired with Raven. Jujubee later came third/fourth place with Shannel, while Raven placed second.
On May 8, 2020, it was announced that she would be competing in All Stars 5. As of Episode 6, she is yet to receive a negative critique, contrasting heavily with her performance on Season 2 and All Stars 1.
Biography
Before competing on RuPaul's Drag Race, Inthyrath studied theatre in college.
Inthyrath is of Lao ancestry, something he has shown great pride in during his time on Drag Race. In addition to his fluency in Laotian, he is also fluent in Thai and utilized words from that language when he told fellow contestants about how his uncle called him "kathoey", meaning "Lady boy," and then again during the "reading" challenge. Jujubee is a native of Boston, where he lives with his fiancé Christopher, who have been together for 8 years. Since Drag Race, Jujubee has been performing throughout the United States and Canada as part of the RuPaul's Drag Race Tour. He also appeared in the music video for RuPaul's song "Jealous of My Boogie" and in Xelle's music video "Queen".
Jujubee is a huge fan-favourite and arguably one of the most popular contestants ever to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race.
She was known on the show for her fun personality, her makeup skills, her sense of humour, and her lip-sync performances; eliminating three of her fellow competitors on Season 2.
Her goal was to fulfill her dream of drag as a child and to prove to her deceased father that she could do it and become "America's Next Drag Superstar".
RuPaul's Drag Race
Jujubee
Seasons Competed:
Season 2
All Stars 1
All Stars 5
Ranking:
3rd Place
3rd/4th Place
TBA
Maxi Challenges Won:
0
0
1 (Ep. 3)
Mini Challenges Won:
1 (Ep. 7)
2 (Eps. 2, 5)
1 (Ep. 1)
Times as Team Captain:
0
0
TBA
Times in Bottom:
3 (Eps. 6, 8, 9)
3 (Eps. 3, 4, 5)
2 (Ep. 5, 6)
Episode Eliminated
Episode 11
Episode 6
TBA
Jujubee was eliminated on the "Grand Finale" episode of Season 2, finishing 3rd.
The final challenge was to put together a music video for RuPaul's "Jealous of my Boogie" and to show off their final runway outfits for the season.
Jujubee was criticized for having too much of an over-the-top performance in the shooting of the music video. Merle felt that Jujubee lacked leadership in "fashion and beauty" compared to Raven and Tyra Sanchez. Jujubee's outfit was also the judge's least favorite of the week.
She was eliminated first and was pronounced as the second runner-up of her season. This left Raven and Tyra to be the Top 2, aiming for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar."
Aftermath
Following the show, Jujubee has become one of the most popular Drag Race alumni. She appeared in the music video for RuPaul's song "Jealous of My Boogie", alongside fellow season two contestants Raven and Tyra Sanchez. She also was nominated for a NewNowNext award in 2010 for "Most Addictive Reality Star".
Jujubee has been a professor on all three seasons of RuPaul's Drag U, and has appeared a total of ten times, tying with season two contestant Raven. Her first win was in Episode 8 of Season 1 with a makeover of actress Charlene Tilton, who played Lucy Ewing on the TV series Dallas. Tilton's drag name was Lisa Mercedes. In season two, her second win was with nurse Lanell under the name of Angel Esprit.
In 2012, Jujubee was announced as one of the twelve contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. In the pair selection, she and fellow season two queen Raven picked each other as partners and chose the team name "Rujubee" and placed 3rd/4th with Shannel.
In 2020, Jujubee was announced as one of the ten contestants of All Stars 5, returning for a third time with fellow All Stars 1 alum Alexis Mateo.
Drag Name Origin
Her drag mother Karisma Geneva Jackson-Tae proclaimed that Jujubee will be her name when she did an amateur competition and won. It turned out to be the fruit jujube. She didn’t like the name, but kept it because of its significance to Karisma.
Memorable Quotes
Season 2
"What about me!? What about Jujubee?!?"
"Jujubee's just this fabulous Asian girl, she's very like poppy and like, fashion-forward. She loves accessories and she likes glitter, 'cause it's wicked sparkly!"
"I love women, I think they're amazing... I just don't want to sleep with them."
"I just want to show them that we're not stupid, we're not uneducated, we have jobs, and I can cook!"
"Everyone looks like a Country Diva, but then I see what Mystique is wearing. She looks like she's a big girl going out to a club."
"I've never been blown like that in my life. (talking to Mike Ruiz and RuPaul)
"I feel like I'm superhero diva and my power is glitter."
"Tyra, she believes she's Beyoncé. And she doesn't want to hurt Beyoncé's feelings because somehow Beyoncé pays her bills."
"Every time Raven gets to choose something and every time Morgan gets to choose something, it's I pick Morgan, I pick Raven. Like I'm surprised we don't have a name for them yet. Rorgan, Maven, Hey Morvans. Douche-bags."
"Keep burning yourself bitch."
”I smell like McDonalds!”
"I think I have charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent and so does Raven. Tyra has talent. Tyra is unique, I-i can see that. Nerve? She had the nerve to wear those ugly ass shoes, I give that to her. Charisma? I don't see any. She's just U.N.T."
"Girl I know I'm gorgeous. You don't have to tell me anything, Miss Thing. Just get yourself some manners so you don't look so damn stupid." (to Tyra on the main stage)
"I'm not nervous, I'll read a bitch. I will read ya ta filth!"
"Miss Tyra, was your barbecue cancelled? Your grill is fucked up!" (said during the reading challenge)
"And Miss Tatianna, Miss Honey. You think you're so soft? Not by the hairs of your chinny chin chin."
"And let me tell you something, puerca. You won't understand this anyways: มึงหน้าหมา แล้วตัวมึงใหญ่คึสิตาย! (You have a dog face. Your body is HUGE!). Get my gist? Do ya understand?" (to Jessica Wild)
"And you, legendary you think you are. Legendary looks like Leg and Dairy." (to Raven during the reading challenge)
"Memoirs of a Gay-SHA!"
"Meeeooww."
All Stars 1
"I'm Jujubee. I like long walks on the beach, big dicks, and fried chicken."
"I feel a little underdressed, I look like I work at the mall!"
"I missed you bitch."
"You know I love y'all, but I'm gonna take you, bitches, down."
"I want fried chicken now."
"Mimi, did you find that dress for sale? Half off? 75% off? Did it keep going down? Did you have a coupon?" (about Mimi's runway dress, on Untucked)
"Girl, I'm a funny bitch, but I don't write no jokes."
"Alexis Mateo, you look is really ghetto."
All Stars 5
"Third time's the charm." (entrance quote)
"I've made it to top 3 twice, it is time to take the crown. Gimme the crown RuPaul! Can I have the crown? Please?"
"Okay, I am so dressed for all your funerals, cus I'm gonna kill you all"
"This Jujubee has stepped her pussy up. This is like I am the pussy staircase."
"Mariah Paris Balenciaga. Great, you're here, so we have to change the name to 'RuPaul's Drag Race Some Stars'."
"Mayhem Filler. Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I mean MEH-hem Miller."
"Alexis Mateo. I don't wanna be shady, so I'm not gonna bring up your weight. But when you work, do they pay you in pounds?"
"Okay, the crickets aren't even laughing."
"♪Flow like a butterfly, sting like a jujubee♪"
"Mariah! I found your size!" *Raises size 15 heels*
''Don't talk about my grandma, bitch.'' (to India Ferrah)
"Second language my ass." (after Alexis says that she struggles sometimes because english is her second language)
"Do you want a carrot?" (to RuPaul after winning the maxi challenge on episode 3)
''Do you wanna know what’s in my mind? ‘Cause I know you wanna know. I know you’re asking. What’s going through my mind right now is, ‘Oh, I miss my cats.’ They don’t judge me. They do! But they have to live with me. I feed them. I also scoop their poops. I feel like I would be a crazy cat lady if I had one more cat. But two is enough. For now. Meow meow, bitches”
”Come inside! I’ve said that before...”
"Yes, you were asleep sweetheart." (to Blair St. Clair)
whispers* "I'm wearing the butterfly ring you gave me." (to Miz Cracker)
"Perhaps, possibly, maybe."
"The first thing somebody notices about me is my big, wet...smile!" (as Eartha Kitt in Snatch Game of Love)
Trivia
Airline went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he studied Theatre Arts.
Jujubee is of Thai and Laotian descent.
She has two cats named Mister and Priss.
Jujubee's favorite diva is Toni Braxton.
Across both of her seasons, she was in the bottom 2 a total of 6 times. This means she is tied with Roxxxy Andrews for most times being up for elimination across all seasons.
They were surpassed by Latrice Royale who appeared 8 times in the bottom two across her three seasons.
Jujubee is the only queen to have made it to the Top 3 without any challenge wins.
Despite her popularity and success, Jujubee never won a challenge before All Stars 5, her third season competing, although she made it to the finale in both previous seasons.
Jujubee is the first and last queen to be drunk during a lip-sync, as she was drunk against Sahara Davenport. This would take later affect on future seasons, as queens who drink too many cocktails get washed down with water before lipsyncing.
Jujubee is the third queen to win two reading challenges, the first being Alaska and the second being Latrice Royale.
In Episode 3 of All Stars 5, Jujubee won her first main challenge ever and for the first time, lost a lip-sync.
In retrospect, this is inverse of her competitive run on prior seasons (Having won various lipsyncs but never winning any challenge)
Jujubee is the first All Stars 5 queen to win a challenge and be safe the next episode, breaking the "curse" of winning and then placing in the bottom the next week.
It took 17 competitive episodes for Jujubee to win a main challenge, the most of any queens who have won one.
With Jujubee competing as a celebrity impersonator on Season 2's Snatch Game and All Stars 5's Snatch Game of Love challenge, she becomes the first snatch game contestant (from her appearance on All Stars 2) to subsequently compete on the snatch game.
Jujubee was in the bottom in every ball she competed, although in All Stars 5 she received positive critiques; the twist made her fall in the bottom 4.
