Tammie Brown

Tammie Brown is the stage name of Keith Glen Schubert (born September 15, 1980), an American drag performer, reality television personality, and recording artist. Brown was a fixture in the Southern California drag scene before appearing on the first seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.

Early life
Keith Glen Schubert was born to Constance Marie “Conie” Rowe and Keith H. Schubert at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital on September 15, 1980, in Corpus Christi, Texas, but was raised in Fulton, Texas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He was originally planned to be born in Puerto Vallarta, but was born in Corpus Christi instead due to an amoeba epidemic. He additionally lived in Mathis, Texas for a short time during junior high. He was raised as a Christian. Growing up, he wanted to be a rockstar or a popstar, and was surrounded by his parents’ music tastes, which included artists such as the Dire Straits, Talking Heads, Sade, Jimmy Buffett, and Tom Petty. During his time spent living in Mexico, he was further artistically inspired by Gloria Trevi, Tina Turner, and Mexican culture. He first started dressing in drag during high school, where he attended Rockport-Fulton High School, in theatre productions of Grease as Cha Cha and Into the Woods as Cinderella's Stepmother. Due to his religion, he was fearful of embracing his homosexuality for fear of being sent to Hell. However, his fears were quelled when a Native American friend of his informed him of their culture's views on homosexuality, as well as concepts such as two-spiritism. His father was originally unsupportive of his interest in drag, once stating to his mother that they should “just kill him and bury him in a hole in the backyard”- however, Brown has stated that he has become "friends" with his father again since. He studied Middle Eastern dance for two years before moving on to disco. He originally wanted his drag name to simply be "Keith Schubert" or "Glen Schubert", but after recommendations from fellow Texas drag queens to make up her own name, he decided to do so. While preparing to go clubbing, he tuned into a three-way call that contained his friend and a boy he had a crush on, and his caller ID identified him as "Bob Brown", his friend's stepdad's name (also said to simply be his friend's name). When the boy eventually realized "Bob"’s true identity and called Schubert out for it, he got the idea to adopt the surname. He has said that his first name, Tammie, was simply “sort of made up”. He also considered the name "Tootsie Turner" as a drag name, because he was a big fan of Tina Turner and the movie, Tootsie.

Career
Although her drag persona was created in 1999, her first measure of fame was gained when she became a member of the Long Beach location of Hamburger Mary's popular drag brunch show, "The Brunchettes", in 2003.

Brown first appeared on The Surreal Life with Tammy Faye Messner. Out of drag, Schubert has appeared on How Clean Is Your House? and acted in commercials for McDonald's and UPS. Brown also performed in the Los Angeles Auditions of season 2 of America's Got Talent.

Brown was announced as one of nine contestants for the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 2, 2009. She was eliminated in the second episode, placing eighth.

Brown was amongst 12 past contestants who were brought back for RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars in 2012. Brown was paired with first-season castmate Nina Flowers to form Team Brown Flowers and was eliminated in the second episode "RuPaul's Gaff-In." "Responsitrannity," the runway theme song for All Stars, was inspired by RuPaul's first season fight with Tammie Brown. Brown, along with All Stars contestants Manila Luzon, Raven, and Latrice Royale, appeared in a television commercial for travel website Orbitz's new portal for LGBT leisure travel.

Outside of Drag Race, Brown released her debut album Popcorn on March 18, 2009.

In 2011, Brown and fellow RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Ongina were honorary trail guides for the Saddle Up LA AIDS Benefit Trail Ride.

In 2012, Brown was featured in an Allstate ad. Brown was also photographed for Gorgeous, a project that involved Armen Ra, Candis Cayne, and Miss Fame. Brown is a member of the band the Rollz Royces with Kelly Mantle and Michael Catti. Mantle and Catti have appeared in Tammie Brown's Christmas show Holiday Sparkle at Fubar in West Hollywood, California.

She was one of thirty drag queens featured in Miley Cyrus's 2015 VMA performance.

Brown was the only season one contestant to not appear at the season ten grand finale, due to being the warm up act for Trixie Mattel's tour in August 2018.

In June 2019, Brown was one of 37 queens to be featured on the cover of New York Magazine.

In July 2023, Brown announced a month-long residency at Red Room, a nightclub and performance venue in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Personal life
Schubert is openly gay and has been out since high school. He frequently volunteers at the Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Center.

Schubert describes himself as a "pop-folk artist" in all aspects of his art. His longest ongoing visual art project are the "Rag Queens", which are "little creatures" that Schubert creates out of his used nylons (as well as wire and papier-mâché) and sells via his social media accounts.

Schubert has described his drag style as "bohemian", "Hollywood", and "organic". He cites the movies What's Love Got to Do with It? and Tootsie as major inspirations for his drag.