Jimbo (drag queen)
Jimbo | |
---|---|
Born | James Insell 1982/1983 (age 38–39)[1] |
Education | University of Western Ontario (BS) |
Occupation | Drag queen, designer |
Years active | 2000s–present |
Known for | Canada's Drag Race |
Jimbo is the stage name of James Insell, a Canadian designer and drag queen most noted as a contestant in the first season of Canada's Drag Race.[2]
Early life and education[]
Originally from London, Ontario, Insell and his brother Jeff were both interested in creative pursuits from childhood, including early drag play.[1] 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.[1]
Career[]
Insell has worked predominantly in local theatre, including productions of James and the Giant Peach[3] and The Rocky Horror Show,[4] but has also had credits on a number of television films produced by Front Street Pictures for the Hallmark Channel,[1] and on the children's television series Pup Academy.
He appeared in the music video for Victoria musician Adrian Chalifour's single "Open Heart".[5] He also appeared as the drag mother to British Columbian rapper bbno$ for the music video for his song "imma".[6]
He appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race in 2020, emerging as a popular fan favourite[7] and winning the key Snatch Game challenge for his performance as Joan Rivers,[8] but was eliminated from the competition in fourth place behind finalists Priyanka, Scarlett BoBo and Rita Baga.[9] 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".
Following Canada's Drag Race he toured the United Kingdom as part of the Klub Kids show with Rock M Sakura and Erika Klash,[10] 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;[11] however, he did participate alongside Priyanka, Scarlett Bobo and Rita Baga in an online panel discussion as part of the Just for Laughs festival.[12]
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,[2] 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.[13] 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,[14] 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.[13]
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 musical challenge "Screech".[15]
Filmography[]
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Canada's Drag Race (season 1) | Herself | Contestant |
Music videos[]
Year | Title | Artist | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | "Open Heart" | Adrian Chalifour | [5] |
2020 | "imma" | bbno$ | [6] |
2021 | "Bitch I'm Busy" | Priyanka | [16] |
References[]
- ^ a b c d Mollie Kaye, "James and his giant peach add sparkle to Victoria". Focus on Victoria, September 6, 2019.
- ^ a b Mike Devlin, "Victoria’s Jimbo seeks drag-queen crown". Victoria Times-Colonist, July 2, 2020.
- ^ Adrian Chamberlain, "James and the Giant Peach goes high-tech". Victoria Times-Colonist, November 10, 2016.
- ^ Travis Paterson, "Rocky Horror returns to the stage Wednesday". Victoria News, October 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Don Descoteau, "Chalifour bringing Joy to Victoria this weekend". Monday Magazine, November 25, 2019.
- ^ a b Bryen Dunn, "Canada’s Drag Race – and then there were three!". The Buzz, August 2020.
- ^ Joey Nolfi, "Jimbo ate sandwiches, the runway, and our hearts on Canada's Drag Race". Entertainment Weekly, August 27, 2020.
- ^ Kevin Ritchie, "Canada’s Drag Race queen Jimbo on hyper-sexualized drag, the judging backlash and eating on the air". Now, August 28, 2020.
- ^ Sarah Taher, "After the Sashay: All the world loves a Jimbo". Daily Xtra, August 28, 2020.
- ^ Markus Bidaux, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’: Jimbo spills the tea on Judge Jeffrey, Untucked and coming to the UK". Attitude, August 28, 2020.
- ^ Tyler Jadah, "Canada's Drag Race is coming to Montreal's drive-in venue this month". Daily Hive, September 10, 2020.
- ^ Jenelle Riley, "For Montreal’s Just for Laughs, the Show Will Go On(line)". Variety, October 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Graham Cox, "Local brewery collaborates on new beer with popular Vancouver Island drag queen, Jimbo". CHEK-DT, October 8, 2020.
- ^ Michael Cook, "Canada’s Drag Race Standout Jimbo: 'We Have An Opportunity To Showcase Our Unique Take On Drag & Who We Are'". Instinct, September 6, 2020.
- ^ Kevin O'Keeffe, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Season 2, Episode 3 recap: Scream, queen". Xtra!, October 29, 2021.
- ^ Corey Atad, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Winner Priyanka Releasing Debut EP ‘Taste Test’. ET Canada, July 14, 2021.
External links[]
- Jimbo at IMDb
- House of Jimbo
- 1980s births
- Living people
- Canada's Drag Race contestants
- Canadian costume designers
- Canadian drag queens
- Canadian production designers
- Canadian gay actors
- Male actors from London, Ontario
- Male actors from Victoria, British Columbia
- University of Western Ontario alumni
- Canadian theatre designers