Drag Race Meme Queen Jan Sport Is Still Feeling The 'Jantasy'

By Christopher Rudolph


Poor Jan. Much like the notably neglected middle child of The Brady Bunch with whom she shares a name, Jan Sport of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 was mostly failed to notice from week to week while her sisters stole the spotlight. Even her successful efficiency in “Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical” wasn’t enough to impress the judges: Jan, as she was mononymously known on the show, used her musical theater training from the Boston Conservatory to burn up the main stage with her on-point portrayal of an early-career Madonna. Nevertheless it was finally her scattered infomercial that put her in the bottom on Friday (April 17), if she was ultimately sent packing right after lip-syncing for her life against Widow Von’Du.


Ru may not have been feeling the “Jantasy,” however it was a different story online. Dressed as a pink flight attendant to honor a recognizable look worn by judge Michelle Visage for Episode 7’s runway challenge “Night of 1,000 Michelles," Jan’s exaggerated expressions were soon transformed into countless memes, and fans felt that she was so routinely robbed that the hashtag #JusticeForJan was trending on Twitter immediately following the Rusical aired.


MTV News discussed with Jan, who explained why she didn’t think this was her season, whether or not she agreed with the judges’ Rusical ruling, and why she felt “misunderstood” by America.


MTV News: Hi Jan! How are you doing? Are you feeling the “Jantasy”?


Jan Sport: Babe, I am feeling the “Jantasy” more than ever today.


MTV News: Why don't you think the judges were feeling it?


Jan Sport: I couldn't tell you. I really, really don't know. I just think that it wasn't my time this season, unfortunately. Yet you know what? I'm delighted of what I did. And looking back at it right now, only minor specifics would I have changed because I'm just so overjoyed of everything that I did.


MTV News: How did you feel about your face becoming a meme right after you didn’t win the Rusical challenge?


Jan Sport: I was like, "I think some people will be irritated about this." Yet I had no idea that it could be of that magnitude. It was in back of my wildest dreams. We were trending. It was crazy. It was nuts.


MTV News: Just as a viewer, the infomercial seems like one of the hardest challenges. Is that how it is in real life?


Jan Sport: Fully. I think that the hardest part about it, and where I really tripped up, was I didn't really look at the full body of work. Everything was very larger than life and very energetic. Although I didn't take a moment to learn that it had to have more peaks and valleys because everything you do is segmented. And thus I was like, "Okay, energy, energy, energy, energy," the full way through. And we didn't get those peaks and valleys to prepare the comical moments pop. Jackie [Cox] was like, "If you had watched that back one time, I know you — you would have changed so much about it.”.  And I would have been fine. Yet you don't have that reflect in front of and you also do not get to be able to see that. So it certainly is a tricky, tricky challenge.


MTV News: do you suggest Bob Harper's direction was ultimately helpful?


Jan Sport: Looking back at it right now, I do think that it was cooperative. Bob mentioned that I was coming off intense in the starting, and I thought that he meant me as a person. Because I was sort of manic, going back and forth attempting to prepare everything happen in the time allotted. However right now I realize immediately after watching it, I was like, "Oh, he didn't mean me as a person. He meant my commercial and why I was selling everything was coming off as intense." And thus I think that he was a good director. I just wish that I was a little bit more receptive to it.


MTV News: You mentioned in Untucked that you were feeling horrible immediately following the runway. It looked like you were feeling defeated. Was that true?


Jan Sport: Fully. I mean, I did not think that I did a bad job up until I watched it back, and I was the second one critiqued. And thus I was like, "Mine wasn't the ideal, although I don't know if it will be the worst." Yet then as we're going down the line, and I'm noticing that a lot of the ladies are doing well, I was beginning to get increasingly worried. And then I think that me not winning the challenge last week, it abandoned me very defeated and very sad. Not winning the Rusical was very disappointing to me. And it also certainly made me question my talent also it made me question my place in the competition.


MTV News: What opinions did your drag mother and Season 9 queen Alexis Michelle have for you before you went on the show?


Jan Sport: She just mentioned to be kind to other people, to just be myself, and to really stick it to them and show them the incredible performer that she believes that I am.


MTV News: Your Bernadette Peters Snatch Game impersonation was so good. What's your preference Bernadette role?


Jan Sport: Oh, I love Bernadette in Into the Woods. It's what introduced me to musical theater. I absolutely fell in love with her then and there. Nevertheless one of the performances that habitually gets me is her singing “Not a Day Goes By” in London. That efficiency is one of the most pretty, raw performances I've ever seen in my life. And if I ever require a good cry, or if I ever need to be inspired, I'd go and watch that video.


MTV News: I have been loving Jan's Jukebox. Where did that idea for that come from?


Jan Sport: I have to be straightforward with you: It came from me not winning those challenges. My idea was that if I made it to the best four, I wanted to prepare almost a visual album that gave a glimpse of what my time on the show was. Not a backstage tour, yet sort of just seeing my thought process through it all. Certainly that didn't happen, however I mentioned, "The next best thing could be for me to do something for the lip syncs." I'm a singer. I feel like maybe America misunderstood what I do, although I want them to be able to see what I do, and I want them to know that this is my life. I'd like to be a recording artist. I'd like to sing and I'd like to entertain people.


MTV News: do you suggest it was stressful or supportive to have other New York women there?


Jan Sport: It was accommodating because I think that, whenever you're in that pressure cooker of a situation without a lifeline and your common support system, it may become pretty daunting and sort of scary. And thus anytime you're worried or stressed or struggling, you could rely on those people that you know. Brita is one of these people who is in my immediate circle of companions. The fact that I got to go on that show with her and to have her as a sister to bounce things off of was such a gift. It was also segment of my kryptonite, although I do think that there were moments where I was doubting myself, or she was doubting herself, or I felt good, and she felt good, and we would boost each other up. So I think that it's ultimately a good thing


MTV News: You loved hitting that giant shade button backstage on Untucked. Are you going to get one of these for your apartment?


Jan Sport: Oh, babe, I have one right here on my desk!


MTV News: You are such a New York nightlife staple. How do you feel about what's happening to New York right now?


Jan Sport: It's very sad to be able to see everything that's going on. I think that springtime in New York is one of the most enjoyable times because a lot of the bars are slow throughout the winter months. I was looking forward to doing shows and seeing my local females back here. Although it's so sad to be able to see what's happening to the city at large, yet I feel for the folks of nightlife especially because we are freelancers, and we don't have advantages, and health insurance, and any of the good that comes from having a typical nine-to-five job. I’m attempting to do my best to give back to the bars that I grew up in. Because I do have this platform and I am making more cash because I have this job security from Drag Race. So I just attempt to give back Whenever I can.


MTV News: You said how maybe this wasn’t your time for Drag Race, yet what do you know about returning for a All Stars season?


Jan Sport: I would absolutely love that. I think that the fans want more, I want more, and I think I have more to prove to the judges. So I would love to come back for All Stars.