Acid Betty was a contestant this season on RuPaul’s Drag Race, where she made a strong impression constructing dynamic, creative looks (seriously, check her out in this dress made of money, or her green-skinned appearance that might be described as “couture Creature from the Black Lagoon realness”). Betty also grabbed our attention when she told RuPaul that she’s Jewish (which she jokingly brought up again in her goodbye message to the other contestants, which concluded, “See Jew in New York”).

Acid Betty, Jamin Ruhren out of drag, took a moment in her busy life on the road performing post-Drag Race to talk to Jewcy:

Jewcy: What is your background and upbringing like? What was your Jewish experience as a kid?

My grandmother was very traditional and religious, while my mother raised my sister and I Reform. But I did have Sunday school and four years of Hebrew school — That was lot for a kid who thought his school week ended on Fridays! Because of my Jewish upbringing, I was able to establish a cultural and social bond with other Jews that I still experience and cherish today.

Jewcy: What is your Jewish identity like these days?

Being Jewish is definitely the basis of which I understand and relate to the world spiritually, but I was also taught that our G-d is one G-d, therefore He/She is belongs to everyone no matter what you might call Her.

Jewcy: Is there anything Jewish about you as a performer, in general, or your drag in particular?

I don’t think there is anything really Jewish about my performances or persona. Judaism is the foundation of what my mother gave me to understand the world around me.

Jewcy: Do you think Jewishness is particularly conducive to queerness, or aspects of queer culture?

I definitely give credit to my upbringing as a Jew to how and why I relate to queerness. Being the only Jew in elementary school and one of five in high school, I was in the awkward position of not completely fitting in and relating differently to the world early on. While in elementary school, my mother would visit every year to educate my classmates about Hanukkah through story telling, music, and themed lollipops. Ha… Very similar to how the queer culture has to go out and educate the world about our perspectives and experience.

Jewcy: Have you encountered a lot of other Jewish drag queens? Why do you think you have or haven’t?

Since announcing on TV that I’m a Jew, ha, I have met a few crazy Jewish drag queens. Its like a secret sub-sub-culture and I love it! Just like queens, we Jews have our own sense of humor that comes out of our unique culture and shared history. It’s actually a very funny and great mix — Jewish drag queens.

Image courtesy of Viacom.

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Easy come, easy go.

Jewish Brooklyn-based drag queen Acid Betty has been eliminated from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Betty was the fifth queen eliminated this season (out of twelve contestants) after stumbling over the celebrity impersonation challenge with a disappointing Nancy Grace. Despite recovering somewhat with an amazing runway look channeling Madonna (there was a fake pregnant belly and artificial doves involved), Betty was forced to “lip sync for her life,” and ultimately was the queen sent home that week.

On the plus side, in the bonus YouTube series that runs concurrently with the main season, RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked, Betty received a sweet message from her sister Beckie, who assured her sibling that their late mother and Bubby would be proud.  Aw!

We salute, you Acid Betty.  See you in Brooklyn, and beyond.

The post Update on ‘RuPaul’s’ Jewish Contestant appeared first on Jewcy.

On this week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, contestant Acid Betty revealed that she’s a Member of the Tribe.

After the challenge where the queens had to form their own New Wave bands and perform songs with original lyrics, RuPaul informed Acid Betty that a strong runway look outweighed her lackluster musical performance, and she was safe from elimination for the episode.

“I’m Jewish, but I’m praying to all the gods,” said Acid Betty, “So thank you.”

“Mishpucka, you may join the other girls,” responded RuPaul, both mispronouncing and misusing the Yiddish and Hebrew word that means “family.”

Acid Betty is the drag alter-ego of Jamin Ruhren, 38, a Brooklyn-based performer who by day also specializes in marketing and web development. In fact, Ruhren’s design firm even lists Hebro as a client!

While Jewcy tries to stay apolitical, and will not endorse a particular Drag Race contestant at this time, it is exciting to see a Jewish queen making a strong showing as a continuation of tradition.

After all Season 5 winner Jinkx Monsoon campaigned as “Seattle’s premier Jewish narcoleptic drag queen.” Perhaps Acid Betty could be the second Jewish winner.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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