Jimbo (drag queen)
{{Short description|Canadian designer and drag performer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jimbo
| image = DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -34 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Jimbo at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023
| birth_name = James Insell
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|11|10}}{{cite web |title=Post by Jimbo |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGu2bcvEoP/ |website=Instagram |access-date=April 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121084153/https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGu2bcvEoP/ |url-status=live }}{{Primary source inline|date=February 2024}}
| birth_place = London, Ontario, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = University of Western Ontario (BS)
| occupation = Drag queen, designer
| years_active = 2000s–present
| known_for = Canada's Drag Race (season 1)
RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World (series 1)
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)
| website = {{URL|houseofjimbo.com}}
}}
James Insell (born November 10, 1982), better known by the stage name Jimbo, is a Canadian designer and drag queen who competed in the first season of Canada's Drag Race (2020),Mike Devlin, [https://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/victoria-s-jimbo-seeks-drag-queen-crown-1.24163502 "Victoria's Jimbo seeks drag-queen crown"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015090128/https://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/victoria-s-jimbo-seeks-drag-queen-crown-1.24163502 |date=October 15, 2020 }}. Victoria Times-Colonist, July 2, 2020. was in the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World (2022),{{Cite web |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Exclusive: Jimbo lets rip on her controversial Drag Race UK vs the World exit |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/originals/exclusive-jimbo-lets-rip-on-her-controversial-drag-race-uk-vs-the-world-exit/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB |archive-date=July 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716190346/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/originals/exclusive-jimbo-lets-rip-on-her-controversial-drag-race-uk-vs-the-world-exit/ |url-status=live }} and won the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023).{{Cite magazine |last=Sim |first=Bernardo |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Here's Who Won RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 |url=https://www.out.com/gay-tv-shows/all-stars-8-winner |access-date=July 21, 2023 |magazine=Out |language=en}}
Early life and education
From London, Ontario, Insell, his brother Jeff, as well as sisters Samantha and Jennifer,{{cite web |title=Obituary of James Peter Insell {{!}} Affordable Funeral Options |url=https://affordablefuneraloptions.ca/tribute/details/223/James-Insell/obituary.html |website=affordablefuneraloptions.ca}} were born to Mary Insell{{Cite instagram |user=jimbothedragclown |postid=3102731191406004776 |title=@maryinsell Is the best Momma in the world!! Happy Mother's Day Momma Mare Bear! |date=May 14, 2023}} and James Peter Insell (1947–2018), both boys being interested in creative pursuits from childhood, including early drag play.Mollie Kaye, [https://www.focusonvictoria.ca/focus-magazine-sept-oct-2019/james-and-his-giant-peach-add-sparkle-to-victoria-r5/ "James and his giant peach add sparkle to Victoria"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828155211/https://www.focusonvictoria.ca/focus-magazine-sept-oct-2019/james-and-his-giant-peach-add-sparkle-to-victoria-r5/ |date=August 28, 2020 }}. Focus on Victoria, September 6, 2019. His father received his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Western Ontario in 1983.{{cite journal |last1=Insell |first1=James |title=Studies On The Structure And Origin Of The Parasporal Inclusion Of Sporulating Bacilli |url=https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/1257 |journal=Digitized Theses |date=January 1, 1983}} Respecting his father's wishes that he pursue a career-oriented education, he studied biology at the University of Western Ontario; following graduation, however, he opted not to pursue employment in the field and instead moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he began working as a costume and production designer. He is married to Brady Taylor.{{Cite instagram |user=jimbothedragclown |postid=Cu-iDopxjhW |title=Look Momma I Did It!! |date=July 21, 2023}}
Career
Insell has worked predominantly in local theatre, including productions of James and the Giant PeachAdrian Chamberlain, [https://www.timescolonist.com/james-and-the-giant-peach-goes-high-tech-1.2590300 "James and the Giant Peach goes high-tech"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727052009/http://www.timescolonist.com/james-and-the-giant-peach-goes-high-tech-1.2590300 |date=July 27, 2018 }}. Victoria Times-Colonist, November 10, 2016. The Rocky Horror Show,Travis Paterson, [https://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/rocky-horror-returns-to-the-stage/ "Rocky Horror returns to the stage Wednesday"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018144551/https://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/rocky-horror-returns-to-the-stage/ |date=October 18, 2021 }}. Victoria News, October 13, 2017. and Ride the Cyclone but has also had credits on a number of television films produced by Front Street Pictures for the Hallmark Channel, and on the children's television series Pup Academy. He appeared in the music video for Victoria musician Adrian Chalifour's single "Open Heart".Don Descoteau, [https://www.mondaymag.com/entertainment/chalifour-bringing-joy-to-victoria-this-weekend/ "Chalifour bringing Joy to Victoria this weekend"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021103008/https://www.mondaymag.com/entertainment/chalifour-bringing-joy-to-victoria-this-weekend/ |date=October 21, 2020 }}. Monday Magazine, November 25, 2019. He also appeared as the drag mother to British Columbian rapper bbno$ for the music video for his song "imma".Bryen Dunn, [https://thebuzzmag.ca/2020/08/canadas-drag-race-and-then-there-were-three/ "Canada's Drag Race – and then there were three!"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124021207/https://thebuzzmag.ca/2020/08/canadas-drag-race-and-then-there-were-three/ |date=January 24, 2021 }}. The Buzz, August 2020.File:RuPaul DragCon 2022 (52073262836).jpg in 2022]]He appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race in 2020, emerging as a popular fan favouriteJoey Nolfi, [https://ew.com/tv/jimbo-elimination-interview-canadas-drag-race/ "Jimbo ate sandwiches, the runway, and our hearts on Canada's Drag Race"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030013654/https://ew.com/tv/jimbo-elimination-interview-canadas-drag-race/ |date=October 30, 2020 }}. Entertainment Weekly, August 27, 2020. and winning the key Snatch Game challenge for his performance as Joan Rivers,Kevin Ritchie, [https://nowtoronto.com/movies/news-features/canadas-drag-race-jimbo-exit-interview "Canada's Drag Race queen Jimbo on hyper-sexualized drag, the judging backlash and eating on the air"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928230344/https://nowtoronto.com/movies/news-features/canadas-drag-race-jimbo-exit-interview |date=September 28, 2020 }}. Now, August 28, 2020. but was eliminated from the competition in fourth place behind finalists Priyanka, Scarlett BoBo and Rita Baga.Sarah Taher, [https://www.dailyxtra.com/sashay-jimbo-canadas-drag-race-178480 "After the Sashay: All the world loves a Jimbo"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008224627/https://www.dailyxtra.com/sashay-jimbo-canadas-drag-race-178480 |date=October 8, 2020 }}. Daily Xtra, August 28, 2020. For Fierté Montréal's special online edition of its annual Drag Superstars show, which featured all of the Canada's Drag Race queens in prerecorded video performances, Jimbo performed a drag recreation of The Buggles' 1979 hit "Video Killed the Radio Star".{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}
Following Canada's Drag Race he toured the United Kingdom as part of the Klub Kids show with Rock M Sakura and Erika Klash,Markus Bidaux, [https://www.attitude.co.uk/article/canadas-drag-race-jimbo-spills-the-tea-on-judge-jeffrey-untucked-and-coming-to-the-uk/23654/ "'Canada's Drag Race': Jimbo spills the tea on Judge Jeffrey, Untucked and coming to the UK"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027124639/https://attitude.co.uk/article/canadas-drag-race-jimbo-spills-the-tea-on-judge-jeffrey-untucked-and-coming-to-the-uk/23654/ |date=October 27, 2020 }}. Attitude, August 28, 2020. and was the only queen from the season not to appear at any dates on the Canada's Drag Race Live at the Drive-In tour;Tyler Jadah, [https://dailyhive.com/montreal/canadas-drag-race-montreal-drive-in-september "Canada's Drag Race is coming to Montreal's drive-in venue this month"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002020849/https://dailyhive.com/montreal/canadas-drag-race-montreal-drive-in-september |date=October 2, 2020 }}. Daily Hive, September 10, 2020. however, he did participate alongside Priyanka, Scarlett Bobo and Rita Baga in an online panel discussion as part of the Just for Laughs festival.Jenelle Riley, [https://variety.com/2020/legit/features/just-for-laughs-online-montreal-1234790543/ "For Montreal's Just for Laughs, the Show Will Go On(line)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013061438/https://variety.com/2020/legit/features/just-for-laughs-online-montreal-1234790543/ |date=October 13, 2020 }}. Variety, October 2, 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, he also created a line of face masks through his design studio, with every purchase matched by a donation of a free mask to a homeless or low-income person, and launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of House of Jimbo, a comedy and variety series he hopes to launch in the future.Graham Cox, [https://www.cheknews.ca/local-brewery-collaborates-on-new-beer-with-popular-vancouver-island-drag-queen-jimbo-707944/ "Local brewery collaborates on new beer with popular Vancouver Island drag queen, Jimbo"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014121753/https://www.cheknews.ca/local-brewery-collaborates-on-new-beer-with-popular-vancouver-island-drag-queen-jimbo-707944/ |date=October 14, 2020 }}. CHEK-DT, October 8, 2020. Insell has described House of Jimbo as "the framework of a kids show, but really made for adults", comparable to Pee-wee's Playhouse or The Hilarious House of Frightenstein,Michael Cook, [https://instinctmagazine.com/canadas-drag-race-standout-jimbo-we-have-an-opportunity-to-showcase-our-unique-take-on-drag-who-we-are/ "Canada's Drag Race Standout Jimbo: 'We Have An Opportunity To Showcase Our Unique Take On Drag & Who We Are'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918110838/https://instinctmagazine.com/canadas-drag-race-standout-jimbo-we-have-an-opportunity-to-showcase-our-unique-take-on-drag-who-we-are/ |date=September 18, 2020 }}. Instinct, September 6, 2020. and the show reached its Kickstarter goal by the end of October 2020. At the same time the Chemainus-based Riot Brewing Company introduced Jimbo, a boysenberry-flavoured craft beer whose profits will go in part to funding House of Jimbo.
In 2021, he made a return appearance in the second season of Canada's Drag Race, appearing in the third episode as the killer in the slasher film-themed acting challenge "Screech".Kevin O'Keeffe, [https://xtramagazine.com/culture/canadas-drag-race2-episode3-recap-211416 "'Canada's Drag Race' Season 2, Episode 3 recap: Scream, queen"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106002544/https://xtramagazine.com/culture/canadas-drag-race2-episode3-recap-211416 |date=November 6, 2021 }}. Xtra!, October 29, 2021. He returned in the third season of Canada's Drag Race in 2022, appearing as a guest judge in the episode "Bitch Stole My Look".Joey Nolfi, [https://ew.com/tv/brooke-lynn-hytes-vanjie-reunion-canadas-drag-race-season-3-guest-judges/ "Brooke Lynn Hytes reunites with Werk Room crush Miss Vanjie on Canada's Drag Race season 3"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629165515/https://ew.com/tv/brooke-lynn-hytes-vanjie-reunion-canadas-drag-race-season-3-guest-judges/ |date=June 29, 2022 }}. EW, June 29, 2022.
In January 2022, he was announced as one of the nine contestants on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/rupauls-drag-race-uk-versus-the-world-cast/|title=RuPaul's Drag Race UK Versus the World cast adds international all-stars to new competition|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Nolfi|first=Joey|date=January 17, 2022|access-date=January 17, 2022|archive-date=January 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117163842/https://ew.com/tv/rupauls-drag-race-uk-versus-the-world-cast/|url-status=live}} After winning the first two episodes of the season, Jimbo landed in the bottom in the third episode and was eliminated by Pangina Heals, after Pangina Heals won a lipsync against Dutch contestant Janey Jacké to "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" by Vengaboys.{{Cite web|date=February 15, 2022|title=RuPaul's Drag Race UK Versus the World spoilers - third queen exit|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a39095017/drag-race-uk-vs-world-third-exit/|access-date=February 16, 2022|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB|archive-date=February 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216020753/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a39095017/drag-race-uk-vs-world-third-exit/|url-status=live}} Jimbo's early elimination was dubbed one of the most "controversial" in the history of the franchise.{{Cite web |title=These Are The 23 Most Controversial Eliminations In 'Drag Race' Herstory |url=https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/most-controversial-drag-race-eliminations |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Elite Daily |date=April 16, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=June 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622030836/https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/most-controversial-drag-race-eliminations |url-status=live }}
Jimbo returned to the Drag Race franchise to compete on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023). After winning a record-tying 4 challenges over the course of the season, Jimbo was crowned the winner of the season and earned a cash prize of $200,000 plus $20,000 for the 4 challenges he won, totalling $220,000. After the airing of the season, Jimbo was announced to host her own WOW Presents Plus series, It's my Special Show!, which premiered on August 7, 2023.{{Cite web|title=Jimbo Presents: It's my Special Show! Coming to WOW Presents Plus August 7th! | via=YouTube |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9yM1V8TnCq8&feature=youtu.be |language=en|date=July 24, 2023|access-date=July 24, 2023}} In November 2023, Jimbo signed with talent agencies WME and Producer Entertainment Group.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jimbo-rupauls-drag-race-all-stars-winner-signs-wme-producer-entertainment-group-1235646015/ |title=Drag Star Jimbo Signs With WME and Producer Entertainment Group (Exclusive) |last=Pener |first=Degen |work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 14, 2023 |access-date=November 29, 2023}}
In February 2024 Jimbo competed on Family Feud Canada, with a team consisting of his siblings Jeff and Rebecca, and Jimbo's and Jeff's husbands.
Filmography
= Television =
= Music videos =
= Internet series =
Discography
All credits adapted from Spotify and Apple Music.{{Cite web |title=JIMBO - Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zvuCE3YPlqC7XMY3XFmpf?si=c3wJjuNqSeuNqMMsly1A_Q |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Spotify}}{{Cite web |title=JIMBO the Drag Clown on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jimbo-the-drag-clown/1621746285 |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Apple Music |language=en-US}}
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;" |
| Year
! style="width:20em;" | Title ! Album !Writer(s) !Producer(s) |
|---|
| rowspan="3" | 2022
! scope="row" |"Free & Horny" |rowspan="5" {{non-album singles}} | rowspan="4" |Andrew Taylor, Jimbo Insell | rowspan="4" |Andrew Taylor |
| scope="row"|"Angel" |
| scope="row"|"Pumpkin Tits" |
| 2023
!scope="row"|"Stitch" |
| 2025
!scope="row"|"Big Top" |James Insell, Drew Louis, Jayelle, Coen Hutton |
==As featured artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;" |
| Year
! style="width:20em;" | Title ! Album |
|---|
| 2020
! scope="row" |"Not Sorry Aboot It" |rowspan="2" {{Non-album singles}} |
| rowspan="4" |2023
! scope="row" |"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" {{small|(Disco version) |
| scope="row"|"Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical" (with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8) | Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical Album{{Cite web |title=Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5h6BaDtMczvvaCWs52YZap?si=b6_m3snmSW20dWJNKQGBIw&nd=1 |access-date=June 29, 2023 |website=Spotify |language=en}} |
| scope="row" | "Trinity Ruins Christmas" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Jimbo) | rowspan="2" | Trinity Ruins Christmas: The Musical |
| scope="row" | "Good Enough" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Jimbo) |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Jimbo (drag queen)}}
- [https://houseofjimbo.com/ House of Jimbo]
- {{IMDb name|9778225}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | title=Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | before=Jinkx Monsoon| years=US All Stars 8| after=Angeria Paris VanMicheals}}
{{s-end}}
{{Canada's Drag Race}}
{{RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people
Category:Canada's Drag Race contestants
Category:Canadian costume designers
Category:Canadian production designers
Category:Canadian theatre designers
Category:Drag performers from Victoria, British Columbia
Category:Male actors from London, Ontario
Category:Male actors from Victoria, British Columbia