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Stacy Layne Matthews

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Stacy Layne Matthews
Stacy Layne Matthews at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2018
Born
Back Swamp, North Carolina, U.S.
Other namesStacy Jones
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke
OccupationDrag queen
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race (season 3)

Stacy Layne Matthews is the stage name of Stacy Jones,[1] a former drag performer who competed on season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race. On the show, she popularized the word "henny", which became a nickname, and she won the Snatch Game challenge for her impersonation of Mo'Nique. Following Drag Race, Stacy Layne Matthews impersonated Mo'Nique in The HoMo'Nique Show, a parody of BET's The Mo'Nique Show, at Manhattan's Laurie Beechman Theater. She has also appeared on season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars and Teen Mom OG.

Originally from Back Swamp, North Carolina, Jones is a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. She announced her retirement from drag in 2023.

Early life and education

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Stacy Jones is originally from Back Swamp, North Carolina.[2] She attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Her first experience in drag was for a Halloween contest as a student at the university, which she won.[1]

Career

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Jones competed as Stacy Layne Matthews on season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race, which aired in 2011. She popularized the word "henny",[3][4] which became a nickname, and placed eighth overall after ranking in the bottom two twice.[4] Stacy Layne Matthews won the Snatch Game challenge for her impersonation of Mo'Nique as her character in the film Precious (2009),[5][6] and eliminated India Ferrah from the competition after winning a lip sync to "Meeting in the Ladies Room" (1985) by Klymaxx.[7] Stacy Layne Matthews was eliminated on the seventh episode,[8] after placing in the bottom two of the design challenge, and losing a lip sync against Alexis Mateo.[9][10][11]

Stacy Layne Matthews performing in 2018

Stacy Layne Matthews is referenced in the song "Heather", a parody of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" (2005), by The AAA Girls, a supergroup with Drag Race contestants Alaska Thunderfuck, Courtney Act, and Willam Belli. "Heather" was released as a single for Access All Areas in 2017 and received a music video, in which Stacy Layne Matthews made a cameo appearance.[12] Stacy Layne Matthews made multiple appearances on season 4 (2018–2019) of the spin-off series RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars,[13] during the "Super Girl Groups, Henny!" musical theatre challenge, the "Jersey Justice" episode in which she played a court reporter,[2] as well as the comedy roast challenge.[14]

Sam Damshenas of Gay Times has said Stacy Layne Matthews is "one of the most beloved" contestants in the Drag Race franchise.[15] Instinct magazine and other publications have described her as a "fan favorite".[1][16] The "Meeting in the Ladies Room" battle was included in Out's 2018 list of twelve lip syncs "that define [the show's] queer canon",[17] and Pride.com's 2019 list of the seven closest lip syncs in the show's history.[7] In a 2019 list of Drag Race's most memorable catchphrases, Bernardo Sim of Screen Rant wrote, "It's fair to say that 'henny' has surpassed its Drag Race fame and entered the vocabulary of mainstream media. Overall, it is not rare to hear other celebrities saying 'henny' as an alternative pronunciation of 'honey,' perhaps without even necessarily being familiar with Stacy Layne Matthews."[18] Hugh McIntyre ranked her impersonation of Mo'Nique eighteenth in Bustle's 2022 list of the show's best Snatch Game performances.[19]

Following Drag Race, Stacy Layne Matthews took her impersonation of Mo'Nique to Manhattan's Laurie Beechman Theater with a three-day run of The HoMo'Nique Show, a parody of BET's The Mo'Nique Show, and interviewed guests included Randy Jones, Amanda Lepore, and Michael Musto.[20] Stacy Layne Matthews also appeared on Teen Mom OG in 2018.[21][22] She retired from drag in 2023, citing mental health reasons.[23][24]

Personal life

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Jones has called herself a "country queen".[24] She is a member of the state-recognized Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.[3] Jones came out as a trans woman following her appearance on Drag Race.[23] Mo'Nique is among inspirations for her look and style.[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones experienced financial and housing difficulties.[3] She faced eviction and sought treatment for a health condition in 2021.[2][25][26] She was hospitalized in 2023 and 2024.[27][28]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2011 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 3) Herself/Contestant 8th place [4]
2018 Teen Mom OG (season 7) Herself Cameo [21]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 4) Herself Special guest [13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Leppo, Skye (2018-07-12). "Drag yourself out to see Stacy Layne Matthews at Reading PRIDE". Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania: Digital First Media. ISSN 2469-3448. Archived from the original on 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  2. ^ a b c "'Drag Race' icon Stacy Layne Matthews admitted to hospital". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  3. ^ a b c ""Drag Race" Star Stacy Layne Matthews Is in Danger of Losing Her Home". Them. Condé Nast. 2021-08-03. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  4. ^ a b c Lynch, Amaya (2022-09-22). "RuPaul's Drag Race: 10 Queens That Deserved More Recognition On Their Season". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. ^ "Every Snatch Game Winner on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Out. ISSN 1062-7928. Archived from the original on 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  6. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race': How 'Precious' was Stacy Layne Matthews last night?". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  7. ^ a b "7 of the Closest Lip Syncs in Drag Race Herstory". Pride.com. Here Media. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  8. ^ Kelleher, Patrick (2022-01-14). "13 trans Drag Race icons who opened doors and left us gagging". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  9. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queens Eliminated After Winning A Challenge". Pride.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  10. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race': The queens confuse couture with shoulder flair". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  11. ^ "8 transgender queens who starred on RuPaul's Drag Race". South China Morning Post. Alibaba Group. 2020-08-20. OCLC 648902513. Archived from the original on 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  12. ^ "AAA Girls Channel Mariah Carey in This Dramatic Stacy Lane Matthews Tribute". Pride.com. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  13. ^ a b "This iconic queen is making a comeback on Drag Race All Stars 4". Gay Times. 2018-12-18. ISSN 0950-6101. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  14. ^ "Stacy Layne Matthews Doesn't Care About Your Drag Race Rankings". Out. Archived from the original on 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  15. ^ "This legendary queen thought she was cast on Drag Race All Stars 4". Gay Times. 2019-01-15. Archived from the original on 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  16. ^ "Stacy Layne Matthews Turns to Public for Help". Instinct. 2021-08-03. ISSN 1096-0058. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  17. ^ "12 Lip Sync Battles that Define 'RuPaul's Drag Race's' Queer Canon". Out. Archived from the original on 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  18. ^ Sim, Bernardo (2019-11-03). "RuPaul's Drag Race: 10 Most Memorable Catch Phrases". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  19. ^ "The 25 Best Snatch Game Performances On 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Ever, Ranked". Bustle. 2022-03-12. Archived from the original on 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  20. ^ "HoMo'Nique New York". Interview. 2011-07-28. ISSN 0149-8932. Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  21. ^ a b "Stacy Layne Matthews Cameos On Teen Mom!". Instinct. 2018-01-09. Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  22. ^ "Stacy Layne Matthews Gives Farrah Abraham Some Advice On "Teen Mom OG"". Logo TV. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  23. ^ a b ""This is my only option": Drag Race star Stacy Layne Matthews quits drag and issues apology". Gay Times. 2023-11-23. Archived from the original on 2023-11-25. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  24. ^ a b Iftikhar, Asyia (2023-11-23). "Drag Race's Stacy Layne Matthews quits drag due to mental health". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  25. ^ "Drag Race Star Stacy Layne Matthews Faces Eviction as Moratorium Ends". The Advocate. ISSN 0001-8996. Archived from the original on 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  26. ^ Tabberer, Jamie (2021-08-05). "Drag Race star Stacy Layne Matthews reaches out to fans as she faces eviction: 'A scary situation'". Attitude. ISSN 1353-1875. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  27. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race legend Stacy Layne Matthews reveals hospitalisation". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. 2023-04-15. Archived from the original on 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  28. ^ Nolfi, Joey (June 17, 2024). "RuPaul's Drag Race star Stacy Layne Matthews hospitalized over spinal issue: 'Lost control of my legs'". Entertainment Weekly.
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