‘Big Brother 28’: Jason De Puy Thinks Kamu Kirk Was Threatened By His Authenticity

Brittany SimsFri, July 31, 2026 at 4:29 PM UTC

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Big Brother on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)* Pictured: Jason De Puy. - CBS

Being the first drag queen in the Big Brother house is an honor in itself, but also being called a threat alongside it is an even bigger honor. Jason de Puy, also known as Salina EsTitties, was the third person evicted from Season 28, and he spilled the tea during his exit interview.

From week one, Jason made it known that he is a drag queen and that his loud personality might come out in the house. Despite there being three other reality show icons on this season, he decided not to reveal that he was also on a reality show before Big Brother: two seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

After an explosive nomination ceremony in week two, where Angela Murray called him out for throwing his friends’ names under the bus, Jason became the house’s target, but they needed to get out Rome Seyour first.

When week three rolled around and Kamu Kirk became the new HOH, he had his sights set on backdooring Jason. When Lyric Mederios won the Power of Veto and took herself off the block, Kamu’s plan came to fruition. At the house tea party, Kamu decided to call Jason out for promising safety to all of the nominees as well as promising Kamu he wouldn’t use the POV if he won. This caused another fight in the house and led to Jason being renommed.

He was up against Mallory Aurichio and LaTrice Verret. Mallory won the Blockbuster, leaving Jason on the block against LaTrice. He was evicted in a 12 to zero vote. Here is what Jason had to say about his time in the house.

Evan Mulling

You went out in a 12-to-zero vote sadly. Were you shocked that you didn’t get at least one vote to stay?

Jason: I was a little shocked, to be honest, but I’m not surprised. I did the same thing to Rome week two. I voted against him, and I had to do that for my game, just with these girls that I love and I’m rooting for, that didn’t give me a vote. They had to do that in order to continue giving themselves life in the game. So, I respect that, and I hope that it works in their favor.

Can you explain what happened with the Blockbuster? It seemed like you got your eighth video, but then it didn’t let you put it in. Was there an error there?

You know, I slipped it in, and it hit zero, and I think there was a reader at the bottom of the tube that it had to hit the ground of the tube, and it was still in the air, as it hit zero. So, I’ve been so close in every comp I’ve played, except for pickleball, I’ve been so close to winning, and it’s funny that the Houseguests saw me as a comp threat when I never won any power in any comps and I was always so close, but that was enough to be looked at as a threat. So, in a way, I guess it’s kind of cool.

You handled yourself pretty well when Kamu kind of ambushed you with the Tea Party. Why do you think he was so against you, and do you think that was a good or bad move for him?

It was very clear that that side of the house kind of loves to make a show of people and assert their power. [Rick] Devens did it during his nomination ceremony, and I definitely stole the spotlight, which I don’t think he was happy about. Kamu thought he had the spotlight, and I definitely took it and turned that light on myself, made it about me, which I don’t think he was very happy about. So, there’s a lot of other drag queens in the house.

I think Kamu was very threatened by my authenticity and my drag queenness. It was very clear, even with Drew [Campbell] and Barrett [Pfeiffer] running around in dresses, that he was not down with that, and there was a part of me that realized that, and I could tell he was uncomfortable, so I wasn’t going to make it uncomfortable for him, but the minute he decided to target me, it was time to make him feel uncomfortable, just as he made me feel uncomfortable.

So, that’s why the teapot, and I don’t know if they aired it, but we had a whole conversation about gender, about pronouns. When I was banging that teapot, I kept calling him a “queen.” I kept calling him “Queen Kamu, queen of the Tea Party,” and he, of course, was seething. And Devens was like, “Hey, Jason, you probably want to get his right pronouns.” And I said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Your behavior at the tea party was very drag queen, very Housewife, very she/her. What are your pronouns? I’d hate to offend you.” So, I was really leaning into this idea of like, “If you’re gonna make me feel uncomfortable in front of the whole house in America, I’m gonna make you feel uncomfortable. But guess what? I’m gonna do it respectfully.” Now that I know your pronouns — he told me it was he/him. I called him “alpha male, king, father god,” and he loved that but hated what I was doing, so you’re going to play me, I’m going to play you back.

You mentioned the week two nomination ceremony. You were kind of close to Angela. Were you shocked that she called you out during that?

Oh my god, yes, but I’m not surprised. I would have, too, had I caught someone lying behind my back. That was messy of me, but that was a nod to my Drag Race experience on All Stars. I did a break to the fourth wall that went kind of viral, and the fact that I came into the Big Brother house literally two weeks later after that viral moment, I wanted to give a nod of, “Hey, your Drag Race girl is in the house,” but with Angela in particular, I thought she was gonna out me that I was on Drag Race.

I don’t know if you saw, but I was hitting these poses at the nomination table. Those are RuPaul poses because I thought she was gonna say, “She’s on Drag Race.” So, I was gonna be like, “Yes, I was. Welcome to my show.” But then when she said the smile, I was like, oh, that’s what we’re talking about. So, I was completely bamboozled in that moment. I was like, oh, that’s what you’re mad about, girl. Please.

You had Angela, Dee [Valladares], and Devens in the house, three reality icons, but you’re also a reality icon. Why did you choose not to reveal that you were on Drag Race to the house?

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No one in the house knew I was on Drag Race, so there was something to that, right? I thought I would fare well with the other house guests who weren’t icons as well. It would put me on the same level as them, which it did, right? And I used that to my advantage to get that side of the house on my side with me to a certain extent. I thought if I revealed that, they would see me as a target, just like we all saw them three as a target.

When my game started getting exploited, or like aired out constantly, if I revealed I was on Drag Race later on in the weeks, I would have even looked more like a liar, so, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. When I went to the icons to try to work with them, the way that they were playing, I thought I made a good pitch, like, bring me along, help me, let me help you guys take out the tough guys at the end. I thought that was a great pitch. But had I revealed that I was an icon, then they probably would have used that against me. The way that Devens and Kamu like to pin you up and use your words against you, they would have definitely done that to me, and it would not have been a great coming out experience.

What was your reaction to the three icons coming in?

I was kind of irritated. [Laughs] It was annoying, like the fact that they got power right away at the top of the game. That was kind of sucky because off the bat they get to say how this game goes, which is why I thought maybe banning with the non-icons was the way to go. But it was hard to know that I had just as much influence or power as them, but mine just wasn’t enough, especially being closeted with my secret.

What did it mean to you to find out that you were in the top three every week for the Time Capsule vote?

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Oh my God. It is beyond to feel like such an underdog in the house. I thought clearly America didn’t like me the way that Kamu and Haley didn’t like me. So, to know that that wasn’t the case, it warms my heart. It makes me feel excited to get back out in the world. I thought I’d have to hide away. I really was in the house thinking, “If I can just find a partner and go get a house somewhere in the woods and disappear from the world, that’s probably what I would do.” But now it sounds like I don’t need to hide away anymore.

What do you think is more cutthroat, Drag Race or Big Brother?

Oh, definitely Drag Race. Oh, Big Brother was a vacation for me, honey. I got food. I got to sleep. I got to hang out by the pool. I got to work out. I learned how to cook. Big Brother was amazing, but I think for someone like me who’s been through the Drag Race Ringer, none of these people in the house could ever survive Drag Race. They couldn’t even afford to do Drag Race.

Going into the house, you played as Jason, but you said that was kind of going to be a struggle for you since you’ve been Salina for so long. What did you learn about Jason while you were in the house?

Wow, I’m so much more than I give myself credit for. I parade around my life in full drag, and this big, larger-than-life character, and I learned that Jason’s also a larger-than-life character. I think that kind of was a nice thing to find, that the way that I am in drag is the way that I am out of drag a little bit, and that’s a little messy. Jason is a little messy, and the thing is, I can be messy but still be respectful. I can be messy and still have people root for me. I can mess up, and I can apologize. I think that was the coolest thing for Jason to realize.

Kamu was like, “I’m playing a very truthful and honest game.” He said [that] at the tea party, I don’t know if they played that, but that was his whole case. “I’m playing a truthful and honest game,” and I think I was playing the most truthful and most honest, even though I was lying and I was scheming. No matter what, I was always honest with my feelings, my emotions, and I would come around and be honest with everyone and resolve everything quickly if I had to. So, I think that was the best takeaway for me, to know that I’m a true and honest person as well, even though it comes in the very sneaky little chaotic package.

At this point in the game, who do you think is in the best position to win?

I definitely think Devens is taking it. If not Devens, maybe Kamu, to be honest. If my girls and my babies don’t get a win under their belt, they’re running this game all the way to the end, and there’s no hope for them. So, I would hope that Barrett has a good chance of making it far and maybe getting to the end. I think Barrett could definitely win. I think he’s set up in a very nice position right now, and I’m rooting for him the most.

Would you ever come back to play again?

1,000% I would. It would be a dream come true. I would love it. I would love an opportunity to start over, especially now that people think they know me. After this experience, it’d be nice to go in there and do what Angela did and kind of try a different way of playing.

Big Brother, Season 28, Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8/7c, CBS

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