Jazzmun

Jazzmun

Jazzmun

American actress

Jazzmun (born February 10, 1969) is the stage name of Jazzmun Nichala Crayton[1] who is an American actor and nightclub performer, often working in the Los Angeles Area.[2]

Quick Facts Born, Occupation(s) ...

Background

Originally from San Diego, California, Jazzmun made her first national television appearance on the talent variety show Puttin' on the Hits in 1984, in which she split her body half in male drag and half in female drag, lip synching as a "duet".[2]

Finding work immediately after that appearance for her theatric and modeling talents, she moved to Los Angeles and secured an agent. Since then she has performed all over the world performing as either her stage character "Jazzmun"; her trademark Whitney Houston impersonation, which she performed as in the female stage revue La Cage; or any number of other characters. In the late 1990s Jazzmun co-starred in the stage play Ask Any Girl as the character Mahogany Saint Ross, a name play-on-words to singer Diana Ross.[2]

Latina singer Gloria Estefan hired Jazzmun to perform in the music video of her remake hit "Everlasting Love" after seeing one of Jazzmun's performances. Later, drag icon RuPaul hired Jazzmun to also perform in his music video "A Little Bit of Love" which spoofed drag queens as aliens out to conquer the world. Jazzmun then released two of her own dance singles in 1997 on the Aqua Boogie label: "I'm Gonna Let You Have It" and "That Sound, That Beat". Later she produced another song "2 Tired 2 B Shady", which was later featured in Patrik-Ian Polk's show Noah's Arc.[2]

After many years as a female impersonator, Jazzmun announced (circa 2008) she is a transgender woman. She has stated, "It's not so much as a physical thing but mental and spiritual for me." Jazzmun has played several drag queen and transvestite characters in film and television. Her first role playing a transgender character on television came in 1997 on The Wayans Brothers.[3][4]

In 2017, Jazzmun participated in a filmed letter to Hollywood written by Jen Richards, produced by GLAAD and ScreenCrush, asking for more and improved roles for transgender people.[5][6]

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References

  1. [1]
    "- YouTube". YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  2. [2]
    Vincent, Addison Rose (2017-10-21). "Jazzmun Crayton, Trans Activist & Actress, to be Honored Tonight". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  3. [3]
    "TransPhobia, Living Out Loud! feat Jazzmun". M.youtube.com. 2007-10-04. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  4. [4]
    "Live video chat: Transgender identity". LA Times. 2015-04-15. Archived from the original on 2015-04-29. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  5. [5]
    "New Video Breaks Down Why Hollywood Needs Transgender Actors". Huffingtonpost.com. 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  6. [6]
    Reynolds, Daniel (20 June 2017). "Trans Actors Ask Hollywood for Roles With Dignity and Depth in Open Letter". Advocate.com. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
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