Jasmine Masters Clues Us In: What the Hell Does ‘Jush’ Mean?

Jasmine Masters Clues Us In: What the Hell Does ‘Jush’ Mean?

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“Demure” isn’t the word most would use to describe the California drag dynamo known as Jasmine Masters.

From Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race to her gone-too-soon departure on the current season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4, Jasmine Masters is known for her off-stage straight talk almost as much as her onstage scorching performances.

While her elimination during All Stars 4‘s Talent Show episode was sudden, Masters has plenty more up her sleeve.

Hornet caught up to chat about Friday’s elimination, the meaning of catchphrase “jush” and why, no matter what, Jasmine Masters will always consider fellow Drag Race contestants “her sisters.”

Here’s our All Stars 4 elimination interview with Jasmine Masters:

So right off the bat, you have to tell me, what is the hell is Jush?

“Jush” for myself is like a self-love situation. Just accepting who you are, loving yourself — that is the definition of “jush” for me. Now, on the side of the side, it’s just a good, fun word that makes people happy. It’s a feeling — “Hey jush!” — or what’s the tea — “What’s the jush?” It’s just a good fun word that makes people happy!

We loved seeing you back on our screens for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4. What was the experience like for you?

It was exciting. I wanted to be on All Stars, and to know that I was walking back through the werkroom doors again and into my dreams all over again, it was very exciting.

What did you want to do different this time around on All Stars 4 that maybe you didn’t do on Season 7 of Drag Race?

I wanted to be in the moment, to really be able to enjoy myself. To really take in what I was going through on the show and really be in that moment of being on All Stars. Last time I did get in my head. My whole career has been a check list for me to knock out certain things in my career to say that I had done them. That’s how I considered Drag Race [Season 7] at that point also.

Who were you surprised not to see in the werkroom when you walked in for All Stars 4?

I definitely would say Porkchop. I definitely thought Victoria “Porkchop” Parker would be on this season. I really felt that she would be on the season after winning the 1st Annual DragCon Pageant at DragCon a few months before. I really felt she would be there, and I was a little disappointed that she wasn’t there. That would have been something — Porkchop is a ball of fun!

Your stand-up comedy did not go over as well with the judges as you’d hoped during the talent show. Is there anything that you wish you’d done differently? You mentioned during the episode that you had done stand-up comedy before.

You know, I wish I had done — not really differently — I wish I’d had a beginning, a middle and an end. [Laughs] I had done stand-up at The Laugh Factory In Hollywood and Long Beach. I had a 10-minute segment for some stand-up there, and they even had me host many times. I figured I’d been doing good with that, so I could just pop out some stand-up in the talent show. People tell me I am a comedian even though I don’t feel that I am, so I figured I would give it a shot. Some people liked it, some people did not. It’s the same as social media, really.

On Friday’s first episode, you and Farrah Moan had very different ways of showing that you wanted to stay on the show after being pegged the bottom two. Do you wish you’d fought harder to stay as Monique Heart mentioned?

No, because I don’t know what they expected me to do to show that I wanted to be there. I wanted to be there just like the next girl. If I did not want to be there, why would I want to go about the whole process of spending money, getting things made and all of the stress to go on the show?

Some people beg for things differently; I don’t beg for anything. I was there having a good time, I was there for the opportunity, and however it played out, I was not going to walk away a sore loser because I am a winner for being on both Drag Race and All Stars 4. No matter how the two girls [Monique Heart and Trinity] felt between the two of them, that was fine with me. It’s a game. I was not going to get my feelings into it, because it’s a game.

One of your best qualities is the fact that you’re so direct and forthright. Whenever we hear “I am Jasmine Masters and I have something to say,” we know we’re in for some true “jush”! You recently made some comments about Shangela and the Holi-Slay Christmas special that ended up making headlines. In this case and others, do you ever have regrets about saying anything or do you ever wish you’d handled things differently?

If it’s my truth, I don’t mind sharing it. There also comes a point where something could be your truth, but others could be around and they could tell the story before you can, and it gets twisted around. Many times, people will see something, hear something or read something and they will take the first thing that they hear. In that situation, I felt like everyone was going to ask me what happened, so I just politely told them what happened (watch below). Do I still love all of the girls the same? Yes, I do. Everyone is still my sister; it’s just what happened during that time.

Now that you’re able to watch the season from the sidelines, who do think has the chops to take the All Stars 4 crown?

You know, I really don’t care who wins. [Laughs] I want them to put on a great show, and whoever wins, [I hope they are] able to use their platform and their winnings for something good and try to help our community get back together, because right now we are going through something really big and there’s a lot going on.

Whoever wins, we are all winning for being on national television on VH1, hello! I don’t care who wins. I want them to do the best they can with it and do something positive overall, and not be all stuck-up and have a shitty attitude towards people.

Now that All Stars 4 is over, what’s next for you? We still better be seeing you online!

You are going to see me online, that’s not gonna change. I always tell the kids, though, stay off my Facebook Live — they are in school and should be listening to the teachers! [Laughs] If I keep getting more students on my Live feeds, I’m going to try to figure out a time to go on there without the kids not paying attention in school. I am always going to be going live, though; that is how the people connect with me, and I can connect with them, and they get to know me. I won’t meet everyone on my live feeds in real life, but this to me is the best way that they can get to know me if they never get to meet me personally.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 airs Fridays on VH1. Follow Jasmine Masters on Instagram.

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