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. Schubert has one sister, who is younger by two years. 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 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.
Schubert 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. Schubert said that his first job was performing songs by Turner and Donna Summer on a picnic table in Rockport.
Career
Schubert's drag persona was created in 1999. Tammie Brown's 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.
Tammie 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. Tammie Brown also performed in the Los Angeles Auditions of season 2 of America's Got Talent.
Tammie 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. Tammie Brown was amongst 12 past contestants who were brought back for RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars in 2012. She 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. Tammie Brown, along with All Stars contestants Manila Luzon, Raven, and Latrice Royale, appeared in a television commercial for travel website Orbitz's portal for LGBT leisure travel. Outside of Drag Race, Tammie Brown released her debut album Popcorn on March 18, 2009. In 2011, she and fellow RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Ongina were honorary trail guides for the Saddle Up LA AIDS Benefit Trail Ride. In 2012, TammieBrown was featured in an Allstate ad. TammieBrown was also photographed for Gorgeous, a project that involved Armen Ra, Candis Cayne, and Miss Fame. TammieBrown 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.
Tammie Brown was one of thirty drag queens featured in Miley Cyrus's 2015 VMA performance. Tammie 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, Tammie Brown was one of 37 queens to be featured on the cover of New York Magazine. In July 2023, Tammie Brown announced a month-long residency at Red Room, a nightclub and performance venue in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Personal life
Schubert is gay and has been out since high school. He frequently volunteers at the Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Center. He lived in Long Beach for 13 years before moving back to Fulton. He is a Buddhist, and began practicing in 2000. Schubert is an environmentalist, and opposes fracking, offshore drilling, and generative AI.
Schubert attended Brooks College in Long Beach, graduating with an associate's degree in fashion design.
Schubert speaks Spanish, and is learning Nawat.
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.
Discography
Studio albums Title Details Popcorn Released: March 18, 2009 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download Hot Skunx / Zorillos Calliente Released: March 11, 2014 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download Schubert' Released: October 18, 2019 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download
Extended plays Title Details Little Bit of Tammie Released: September 27, 2018 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download
Singles Title Year Album "Discos Undead" 2010 Non-album single "Love Piñata" 2012"Whatever It May Be" (featuring Bownce) 2014"Round 'n' Round" 2019 Schubert' "Gingerbread House" 2020 Non-album single"Holiday Sparkle""Soothsayer" 2022"Pumpkin Blaster""Summer Angel" 2023"Time Machine""We Like to Party" 2024
Music videos Title Year Director "Whatever" 2007 Rod Barroso "Shakabuku U" "The Ballad of Tiger Lilly" 2009 "Discos Undead" 2010 "Clam Happy" "Love Piñata" 2012 "Amigos Son Héroes/La Telaraña" 2014 Bri Cirel "I Stay Connected" "Walking Children in Nature""Round 'N Round"2019John Mark"Schubert"2020
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2010 Mouse's Birthday Himself 2011 The Summer of Massacre Clubber #2 2011 Fest Selects: Best Gay Shorts, Vol. 1 Himself 2013 I Am Divine Himself
Television Year Title Role Notes 2004 How Clean Is Your House? Himself "Philthy Philharmonic" 2007 America's Got Talent "L.A. auditions" 2009 RuPaul's Drag Race 8th Place (Eliminated in Episode 2) 2010 RuPaul's Drag U Episode 7: "Mother vs Daughters" 2010 The Arrangement Episode 6 2012 RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars 9th/10th Place (Eliminated in Episode 2) 2015 Skin Wars Season 2 Episode 4 "Queens or Divas" 2021 The Sherry Vine Variety Show Guest appearance; 4 Episodes 2025 Drag House Rules Season one
Music videos Year Song Director 2005"Twisted Transistor" (Korn) Dave Meyers 2007"She's Madonna" (Robbie Williams) N/A 2008"Mm-ma-ma" (Crazy Loop) N/A 2011"Progress" (Ayumi Hamasaki) Masashi Muto"Sleepless in Silverlake" (Les Savy Fav) Tom Bingham 2012"Responsitrannity" (RuPaul) N/A"Queen" (Xelle) JC Cassis"The Chop" (Manila Luzon & Latrice Royale) Syuji Honda 2014"Eliminated" (Kelly Mantle feat- Bownce & Wendy Ho) Kija Manharé2019"Elevator to the Gallows" (Senses Fail)John Mark"Yellow Cloud" (Trixie Mattel)Brad Hammer
Web series Year Title Role Notes 2013Ring My BellHerselfGuestWOW Shopping NetworkGuest2015TransformationsGuest2015-2021Hey Qween!Guest; 2 episodes2018Spillin' the TeaCo-Host2019Feelin' FruityGuestDetailzGuestDrag Queen Video DatesGuestBootleg OpinionsGuestThe BrownsStarring role 2020 Queen with a Cause Two episodes2023Sissy That Talk Show with Joseph ShepherdPodcast; Guest QueenterrogatedGuest
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