Kennedy Davenport
American drag queen (born 1980)
Reuben Asberry Jr. [ 1] (born September 9, 1980), known professionally as Kennedy Davenport , is a drag queen, television personality, and dancer from Dallas, Texas , who came to international attention on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race , placing fourth overall, the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars , where she was the runner-up,[ 2] and the second season of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World .[ 3]
Career
Davenport first appeared on television in the eighth season of America's Got Talent in 2013. She was eliminated in the Vegas round.[ 4] [ 5]
She was announced as one of the fourteen contestants in season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race on March 2, 2015,[ 6] where she placed fourth overall. After this, she made a one-episode appearance on Skin Wars with fellow Drag Race contestants.[ 7] On October 20, 2017, Davenport was announced as one of the returning queens for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 .[ 8] Davenport ultimately was the runner-up overall, losing to Trixie Mattel .[ 2] [ 9]
Outside of Drag Race , Asberry has won numerous titles in drag pageants ,[ 10] including Miss Gay USofA 2019, Miss Gay Orlando 2016, Miss D’Elegance International 2013, and Miss Gay Black USofA 2009.[ 11] Her dance performances are her signature component.[ 10]
Davenport also works as a musician; she released her first single, "Moving Up", featuring rapper Dresia Dee on March 16, 2018.[ 12] [ 13]
In July 2020, she returned to the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as a Lip-Sync Assassin. She lip-synced against Miz Cracker to Fancy by Reba McEntire but lost.
In April 2023, Davenport and her Drag Race alumni Jan Sport , Manila Luzon and Olivia Lux performed alongside Kelsea Ballerini at the CMT Music Awards , held in Austin, Texas . The performance was seen as Ballerini's support to drag performers following the passing of the Tennessee drag ban [ 14]
Personal life
Asberry was born to Checkery Marie Thacker.[ 15] His father, Reuben Asberry Sr., died on October 25, 2013.[ 16] Prior to pursuing drag, he spent some time in the United States Navy .[ 17]
A $33,000 bank payment was needed to prevent his house from being foreclosed upon. A GoFundMe page was created to help pay off the house note,[ 18] and a drag event was held to support him, featuring fellow Drag Race alumni.[ 1]
His drag mother is Kelexis Davenport,[ 19] who is also drag mother to the late season 2 Drag Race contestant Sahara Davenport .[ 20] Another one of Kennedy's drag sisters, Bianca Gisele Davenport Starr, was murdered on December 8, 2017.[ 21] Drag Race season 11 contestant A'keria C. Davenport , and other Drag Race
Contestants throughout the years (Honey Davenport , Monét X Change and Ra'Jah O'Hara ) are among members of the Davenport drag family.[ 22] [ 23]
Asberry is currently dating Messia Adonís, a trans man . In the premiere episode of the second season of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World , he revealed that he and his partner were expecting their first child together. However, after the episode aired, Asberry announced on social media that the two had a miscarriage . On a social media post, Asberry wrote: "We both understand that God makes no mistakes and we understand what he has for us, will be for us. We both live our lives to be a testament for others to help, elevate, motivate, and encourage. I want to thank you all for the love and support that you have shown thus far. Continue to put God first and have an awesome day. We are good."[ 24]
Pageant history
Miss Gay Black USofA 2009[ 25]
Miss Tampa Bay International 2009[ 25]
Miss Glamorous 2010[ 25]
North Carolina All American Goddess 2010[ 25]
Miss Parliament House 2010[ 25]
Miss Revolution 2010[ 25]
Miss Treasure Coast 2010[ 25]
Miss Gay South Central States USofA 2011[ 25]
Miss Parliament House 2011[ 25]
Miss Gay Georgia USofA 2012[ 25]
Miss Texas FFI 2012[ 25]
Mid America All American Goddess 2013[ 25]
All American Goddess (3rd Alternate)[ 25]
Miss D’Elegance International 2013[ 25]
Miss Gay Orlando 2016[ 25]
Miss West Palm Beach International 2016[ 25]
Miss Gay Texas USofA 2017 (1st Alternate)[ 25]
Miss Gay USofA 2017 (1st Alternate)[ 25]
Miss Gay USofA 2019[ 26]
Miss Pride South Florida 2019
Filmography
Film
Television
Music videos
Web series
Theatre
Discography
Singles
Title
Year
Album
"Moving Up"
2018
Non-album single
As featured artist
Other appearances
References
^ a b "Shangela, Latrice Royale, Kasha Davis Raise The Roof To Save Kennedy Davenport's Home" . LOGO News . Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ a b c " 'Drag Race All Stars 3' Runner-Up Kennedy Davenport on Racism From Fans: 'Drag Has No Color' " . Billboard . Retrieved March 18, 2018 .
^ a b Nolfi, Joey. "Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World season 2 cast of queens revealed: Bam! Alexis Mateo is back, baby" . ew.com . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved June 26, 2024 .
^ a b "Five Facts About Kennedy Davenport" . QWEERIST . January 12, 2018. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019 .
^ a b America's Got Talent (July 17, 2013), Kennedy Davenport - Drag Queen Gets Down to Donna Summer's "Last Dance"- America's Got Talent 2013 , retrieved February 18, 2018
^ a b Nichols, JamesMichael (January 28, 2015). " 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Adds New Judges, Will Premiere March 2" . Huffington Post . Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ "Drag Queens Stomp the Runway at 'Skin Wars' " . May 12, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ "RuPaul To Reveal 'All Stars' Season 3 Cast On Upcoming VH1 Special: 'Prepare To Be Gagged' " . Billboard . Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ Fitzpatrick, Molly (March 16, 2018). "RuPaul's Drag Race's Kennedy Davenport on the All Stars 3 Finale" . www.vulture.com . Retrieved May 8, 2019 .
^ a b Schlichte, Garrett (February 15, 2018). "Does RuPaul's Drag Race Have a Race Problem?" . Slate Magazine . Archived from the original on February 20, 2018.
^ Fortino, A. Sebastian (February 25, 2010). "New Miss Black Gay US of A Crowned" . South Florida Gay News . Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Former Miss Black Gay US of A Kennedy Davenport was proud to hand over her crown to Miss Bordeaux.
^ gardTV (March 16, 2018), Kennedy Davenport :: Moving Up feat. Dresia Dee (VIDEO) , retrieved March 17, 2018
^ " 'Drag Race' Runner Up Kennedy Davenport Releases Disco-Flavored 'Moving Up' " . Billboard . Retrieved May 8, 2019 .
^ Chris Willman (April 3, 2023). "Kelsea Ballerini's Performance With 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queens at CMT Awards Playfully Flouts Wave of Anti-Drag Laws" . Variety . Retrieved April 22, 2023 .
^ "Reuben Asberry" . Ancestry Institute . Ancestry. Retrieved November 12, 2022 .
^ "Reuben Asberry Sr.'s Obituary on Dallas Morning News" . Dallas Morning News . Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ a b Frisby, Troy (September 6, 2018). "BWW Review: Kennedy Davenport Puts Emotion on Display in Cathartic THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO KENNEDY DAVENPORT" . Broadway World . Retrieved January 22, 2022 .
^ " 'Dancing Diva of Dallas' Raising Money to Save Family Home" . CW33 NewsFix . November 12, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ " 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Season 7 :: The Kennedy Davenport Interview" . EDGE Media Network . Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ Richard Curtin (October 9, 2012), Kelexis Davenport on the death of drag daughter Sahara Davenport , retrieved February 18, 2018
^ "Texas Police Arrested a Man for the Murder of Kennedy Davenport's Drag Sister" . Hornet Stories . December 14, 2017. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018 .
^ Voorhis, Genevieve Van (March 7, 2019). "The House Of Davenport Has Turned 'Rupaul's Drag Race' Season 11 Into A Family Reunion" . Bustle . Retrieved May 8, 2019 .
^ " 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 11 queens stun in EW's exclusive portraits" . EW.com . Retrieved May 8, 2019 .
^ Nolfi, Joey (July 20, 2024). "Drag Race star Kennedy Davenport reveals partner had miscarriage: 'Thank you all for the love' " . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 8, 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Kennedy Davenport" . Our Community Roots . May 28, 2018.
^ USofA Pageants - Miss Gay USofA 2019!!! Kennedy Davenport , retrieved May 26, 2019
^ Evan Ross Katz (May 1, 2019). "Trixie Mattel's 'Moving Parts' Documentary Proves She's Not Just A Skinny Legend" . Garage . Retrieved May 28, 2021 .
^ Boulet, Ruth (May 11, 2016). "Skin Wars meets RuPaul's Drag Race: a Season 3 episode 4 preview" . Channel Guide Magazine . Retrieved April 10, 2020 .
^ Nolfi, Joey (December 3, 2019). "RuPaul brings 22 Drag Race queens to costar on AJ and the Queen" . EW.com . Retrieved December 3, 2019 .
^ McCallian, Paul (July 17, 2020). "RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars Recap: Roast Battle" . Vulture . Retrieved July 18, 2020 .
^ Willman, Chris (April 3, 2023). "Kelsea Ballerini's Performance With 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queens at CMT Awards Playfully Flouts Wave of Anti-Drag Laws" . Variety.com . Retrieved April 4, 2023 .
^ Hinzmann, Dennis (April 8, 2015). "WATCH: Shangela's Bringing You 'Uptown Fish' " . Mic.com . Retrieved April 11, 2020 .
^ Untucked: RuPaul's Drag Race Episode 1 | Born Naked . YouTube . March 23, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2019 .
^ James St. James and Kennedy Davenport: Transformations . YouTube . July 15, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2019 .
^ Hey Qween (February 22, 2016), Kennedy Davenport on Hey Qween with Jonny McGovern!!! | Hey Qween , retrieved May 8, 2019
^ Hey Qween (August 18, 2016), HOW TO MAKEUP: Kennedy Davenport - "Luscious Lips" , retrieved August 28, 2019
^ Hey Qween (August 10, 2018), FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW w/ Raja, Raven & Kennedy Davenport RuPaul's Drag Race , retrieved August 28, 2019
^ Hey Qween (January 27, 2018), Before She Walks In: Kennedy Davenport 'Sickening' | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 , retrieved August 28, 2019
^ VH1 (March 19, 2018), Whatcha Packin: Kennedy Davenport | Season 3 Episode 8 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars , retrieved September 25, 2019 {{citation }}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )
^ Hey Qween (June 10, 2018), Kennedy Davenport | COSMO Queens | Cosmopolitan , retrieved August 28, 2019
^ Detailz w/ Dida Ritz: IMHO at DragCon NYC 2019 . YouTube . September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019 .
^ Barbour, Shannon (July 25, 2019). " 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Kennedy Davenport's Biggest Accomplishment Lies Outside the Show" . Cosmopolitan . Retrieved December 12, 2019 .
^ FOLLOW ME: Mayhem Miller . YouTube . June 10, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019 .
^ Hecht, Evan (October 28, 2021). "Seven drag artist podcasts you need to check out" . DBK News . Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ Nolfi, Joey (July 14, 2021). "BenDeLaCreme and Kennedy Davenport recall chaos after RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 self-elimination" . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 31, 2021 .
^ Sim, Bernardo; Stillman, Andrew (February 13, 2024). "15 shadiest moments on 'Give It To Me Straight' with Maddy Morphosis" . Pride. Retrieved August 28, 2024 .
^ Nolfi, Joey (October 5, 2023). "Drag Race queens unite for new RuPaul's Drag Race Live Untucked TV series" . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved January 31, 2024 .
^ "Dance/Electronic Songs - March 31, 2018" . Billboard . Retrieved October 17, 2019 .
^ "Tongue Pop - Single" . iTunes . Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024 .
^ "RuPaul Teases "Covergurlz 2", New Album With Season 7 Queens, On Instagram" . www.logotv.com . January 30, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2024 .
External links