Hey Gurl! It’s Jordan Jayro

There’s a sassy girl in town who has been taking SoCal by storm…next stop? World domination. Jordan Jayro has become a regular fixture in the Los Angeles area whether it be from doing interviews at DragCon, hosting drag bingo at every venue imaginable, delighting (and shocking) audiences with her comedy on stages all over, or from the latest episode of her popular podcast, Hey Gurl! where she chats with drag queens, comedians, artists, and performers about hot topics, drag, and more drag.

She has a look and style all her own, and her comedy is reminiscent of a young Joan Rivers with the bite of a Bianca Del Rio. She can adjust to any type of audience or venue, and her boy persona on social media is just as entertaining as her drag one. She is a self-made queen, not only establishing her look on her own but she also films and edits her own content and acts as her own manager. You never know where she will pop up, but you always know it will be a fun time. Keep your eye out for this one, she’s a feisty star on the rise. We caught up with Ms Jayro in between sessions of spilling tea.

What was your first exposure to drag?

The drag gods have been summoning me my whole life. Growing up I was obsessed with Madea and Mrs. Doubtfire. I remember doing community theatre as a teen and people asking me if I had seen RuPaul’s Drag Race. At the time the show had just started but I hadn’t watched it yet. Finally, in college, I was sick in bed and decided to binge-watch Drag Race and fell in love. Then I started going out to see local drag. At the time I was in school studying theatre and finally decided to give it a shot.

What made you decide to go professional?

I kept talking myself out of doing drag professionally! I felt like people wouldn’t take me seriously as an actor, musician, or comedian. And I felt like men wouldn’t want to date me. Once I got over my own issues and insecurities, I ran out of reasons not to do it. I quickly figured out that drag allows me to act, make music, do comedy, and so much more! It’s the only art form that truly fulfills me, and being able to turn it into a living is so cool!

What was your first professional drag gig like?

I consider my first professional gig to be the first time I was paid to do drag. It happened in 2017 at Flaming Saddles in West Hollywood. I had won a weekly drag competition hosted by Pickle, where the prize was a paid booking at Flaming Saddles. I remember wanting the booking so badly that I kept signing up for the competition over and over again until I won. Sometimes I joke that Pickle only let me win so I would stop showing up.

What is your hometown?

Perth Amboy, NJ.

How did you come up with your drag name? 

Jordan is my legal first name. Jayro is my legal first and last name combined.

What do you love about living in LA the most?

The weather! I love the sun and the light breeze.

What is your coming out story?

I started coming out to friends when I was in the 8th grade living in Puerto Rico. When I moved back to the States at the end of that year, a classmate unfortunately outed me. I had just moved to Georgia and was adjusting to my new school. A girl I had befriended wrote me a note in class asking to be my girlfriend (poor thing). I responded that I was gay, so naturally, she passed it around the room for each person to read. The teacher confiscated the note and threatened to read it in front of the whole class. I begged him not to, and for some reason, he didn’t. That was the most humiliating time of my life, and those kids were so horrible to me. It motivated me to become an overachiever in high school. I took AP classes and was in every club. I wanted to be so involved at school that they had no choice but to like me.

Favorite part about doing drag?

Taking it off!

Least favorite part about doing drag?

The pain!

Craziest drag story? 

A WeHo queen saying I only do comedy mixes because I’m a bad performer… Then later asking me to make her a comedy mix.

Your strangest hobby or talent? 

I love lifting weights.

What makes Hey Gurl! Podcast different than other drag queen pods?

I chose to believe that I was the first local girl to start their own podcast. I’m sure I’m not the first, but this is my world and that’s my truth! It took a very long time to figure out, but I was such an avid listener of podcasts, and I knew one day I would have my own. Since starting Hey Gurl! in 2019, I’ve met and interviewed some of my favorite queens, artists, and comedians. I still can’t believe that I’m swiftly approaching my 100th episode! I wonder what I should do!

What has been one of your favorite episodes of Hey Gurl! ?

Oh my gosh, there are so many! I couldn’t possibly choose one. I’ve done episodes where I met someone for the first time on the pod. I’ve done episodes where I’ve addressed drama between the guest and myself. There are even guests who no longer speak to me! People have said the most outrageous things that I’ve had to remove from the episode! And I have to say, as much gossip gets spilled on the pod, you should hear the things we talk about off the air! There are so many things I’ve been told that I will be taking to my grave.

What celebrity most needs a drag makeover?

Marjorie Taylor Green! Oh wait, you said a celebrity!

Favorite LA hotspot?

Is Chili’s an LA hotspot?!

Favorite LA non-profit?

The San Gabriel Valley LGBT Center. I live in that area and love the work they do for my community.

Do you think drag has become too commercial?

Not at all! I am a huge proponent of drag in the mainstream. Drag and queer culture has influenced secular culture for decades. And drag queens as well as trans people have always been martyrs for the LGBT+ community. There’s so much work to be done, and we now have the platform to do it. So, I want more visibility! I want drag queens hosting TV shows, I want them walking red carpets, and I want to see drag queens winning Oscars and Grammys! 

What is the best way we can support the drag community?

It’s been said so many times, but it bears repeating – support local drag. It all starts in your neighborhood. That means going out to shows or even just sharing their content online. And it also means that venues need to invest in drag more. It means paying queens their worth! If I am performing at your bar and people come to see me, they will also be buying drinks. If I know your bar is making four figures a night and you say you can’t pay me, there’s a problem. If your boss asked you to come in to work, but said they weren’t going to pay you, would you still show up to work and do a good job? Exactly.

What would the name of your biography be?

Internationally Ignored, Locally Tolerated

Favorite song to perform to?

I love an elaborate comedy mix filled with memes.

What is your after-drag ritual?

Food! And a hot shower.

What’s your favorite pickup line?

“Hello. Would you like to engage in consensual adult LGBT activities?”

What is your message to the drag community this Pride season?

My message to the drag community this Pride season is one of hope! As we become increasingly visible, a lot of good will come. But a lot of bad will come as well. And we’re already seeing how ugly the opposition can be towards us. But that is why Pride is so important. We have to be out, loud, and proud to show people that we are here to stay. It can be overwhelming seeing all the headlines and hearing about the horrible laws being written to target our community. We must stay hopeful and visible and VOTE!

Where can we find and follow you?

I am @jordanjayro everywhere! Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, all the things. I’m taking a break from my mental health to focus on my social media so please follow me!

Catch Hey Gurl! Podcast weekly, wherever you get your pods!