| Kennedy Davenport | |
| Birth Name: | Reuben Asberry Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 9 September 1980 |
| Birth Place: | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Education: | University of North Carolina School of the Arts |
| Occupation: | Drag queen, television personality, dancer |
Reuben Asberry Jr.[1] (born September 9, 1980), better known by the stage name 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 .[3]
Davenport first appeared on television in the eighth season of America's Got Talent in 2013. She was eliminated in the Vegas round.[4]
She was announced as one of the fourteen contestants in season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race on March 2, 2015,[5] where she placed fourth overall. After this, she made a one-episode appearance on Skin Wars with fellow Drag Race contestants.[6] On October 20, 2017, Davenport was announced as one of the returning queens for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3.[7] Davenport ultimately was the runner-up overall, losing to Trixie Mattel.[8]
Outside of Drag Race, Asberry has won numerous titles in drag pageants,[9] including Miss Gay USofA 2019, Miss Gay Orlando 2016, Miss D’Elegance International 2013, and Miss Gay Black USofA 2009.[10] Her dance performances are her signature component.
Davenport also works as a musician; she released her first single, "Moving Up", featuring rapper Dresia Dee on March 16, 2018.[11]
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[12]
Asberry was born to Checkery Marie Thacker.[13] His father, Reuben Asberry Sr., died on October 25, 2013.[14] Prior to pursuing drag, he spent some time in the United States Navy.[15]
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,[16] and a drag event was held to support him, featuring fellow Drag Race alumni.[1]
His drag mother is Kelexis Davenport,[17] who is also drag mother to the late season 2 Drag Race contestant Sahara Davenport. Another one of Kennedy's drag sisters, Bianca Gisele Davenport Starr, was murdered on December 8, 2017.[18] 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.[19] [20]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | America's Got Talent | Himself (contestant) | Season 8 | ||
| 2015 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself (contestant) | Season 7 (4th place) | ||
| 2016 | Skin Wars | Herself | Episode: "Miss Skin Wars" | [23] | |
| 2018 | RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars | Herself (contestant) | Season 3 (Runner-Up) | ||
| 2020 | AJ and the Queen | Drag queen | Guest appearance | [24] | |
| 2020 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 5) | Herself | Guest (“Lipsync Assassin”) Episode: "Stand-Up Smackdown" | [25] | |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (season 2) | |||||
| 2023 | 57th Annual CMT Music Awards | Herself | Performer with Kelsea Ballerini, Jan Sport, Manila Luzon & Olivia Lux | [26] | |
| 2024 | Herself | Contestant (Season 2) |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | Herself | Companion show to RuPaul's Drag Race | [28] |
| 2015 | Transformations | Guest | [29] | |
| 2016 | Hey Qween! | 2 episodes, Guest | ||
| 2016 | How To Makeup | World of Wonder series | ||
| 2016 | Fashion Photo RuView | Guest, alongside Raven and Raja | ||
| 2018 | Before She Walks In | Guest | ||
| 2018 | Whatcha Packin' | Guest | ||
| 2018 | Cosmo Queens | Season Three, Episode Ten | ||
| 2019 | Detailz | Guest | [30] | |
| 2019 | Werq The World | Season 1 | [31] | |
| 2019 | Follow Me | Episode: "Mayhem Miller" | [32] | |
| 2021 | Pageant Pod | Podcast by Moguls of Media | [33] | |
| 2021 | Binge | Podcast by Entertainment Weekly | [34] | |
| 2021 | The Pit Stop | Herself | 1 episode, companion show to RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 6 | |
| 2024 | RuPaul's Drag Race Live Untucked | WOWPresents Plus original | [35] |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance [36] | |||
| "Drag Up Your Life" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3) | 2018 | — | rowspan="2" |
| "Kitty Girl" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3) | 18 |
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Throw Ya Hands Up"[37] | 2015 | RuPaul | RuPaul Presents CoverGurlz 2 |
| "Cha Cha Heels" | 2016 | Lucian Piane, Katya Zamolodchikova | RuPaul's Drag Race: The Rusical |
| "One Last Christmas Card" | 2017 | Adam Barta featuring Mrs. Kasha Davis, Eureka O'Hara, and Kennedy Davenport | |