Jimbo (drag queen)

James Insell (born November 10, 1982), better known by the stage name Jimbo, is a Canadian designer and drag queen who is best known for competing in the first season of Canada's Drag Race (2020),[2] the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World (2022),[3] and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023).[4]

Jimbo
Jimbo at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023
Born
James Insell

(1982-11-10) November 10, 1982[1]
EducationUniversity of Western Ontario (BS)
Occupation(s)Drag queen, designer
Years active2000s–present
Known forCanada's Drag Race (season 1)
RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)

Early life and education

Originally from London, Ontario, Insell and his brother Jeff were born to Mary Insell[5] and were both interested in creative pursuits from childhood, including early drag play.[6] 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.[6]

Career

Insell has worked predominantly in local theatre, including productions of James and the Giant Peach[7] and The Rocky Horror Show,[8] but has also had credits on a number of television films produced by Front Street Pictures for the Hallmark Channel,[6] and on the children's television series Pup Academy. He appeared in the music video for Victoria musician Adrian Chalifour's single "Open Heart".[9] He also appeared as the drag mother to British Columbian rapper bbno$ for the music video for his song "imma".[10]

Canada's Drag Race

He appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race in 2020, emerging as a popular fan favourite[11] and winning the key Snatch Game challenge for his performance as Joan Rivers,[12] but was eliminated from the competition in fourth place behind finalists Priyanka, Scarlett BoBo and Rita Baga.[13] 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,[14] 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;[15] however, he did participate alongside Priyanka, Scarlett Bobo and Rita Baga in an online panel discussion as part of the Just for Laughs festival.[16]

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.[17] 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,[18] 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.[17]

Jimbo at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2022

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".[19] 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".[20]

RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World

In January 2022, he was announced as one of the nine contestants on RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World.[21] After winning the first two episodes of the season,[3] Jimbo landed in the bottom two in the third episode and was eliminated by Pangina Heals after Heals won a lipsync against Dutch contestant Janey Jacké to "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" by the Vengaboys.[22] Jimbo's early elimination was dubbed one of the most "controversial" in the history of the franchise.[23]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

Jimbo is a current contestant on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023).[24]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Canada's Drag Race (season 1) Herself Contestant (4th Place)
2021 Canada's Drag Race (season 2) Guest, episode 3
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World Contestant (7th Place)
Canada's Drag Race (season 3) Guest judge
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)[25] Contestant
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked

Music videos
Year Title Artist Ref.
2019 "Open Heart" Adrian Chalifour [9]
2020 "imma" bbno$ [10]
2021 "Bitch I'm Busy" Priyanka [26]
2022 "Don't Call Me" Joseph Shepherd [27]

Internet series
Year Title Role Ref.
2021 Jimbo vs. Peas Herself [28]
2023 Meet the Queens Herself / Stand-alone special [29]
2023 EW News Flash Herself / Guest [30]
2023 BuzzFeed Celeb Herself / Guest [31]

Discography

As lead artist
Title Year Album
"Free & Horny" 2020 Non-album singles
"Angel"
"Pumpkin Tits"
Title Year Album
"Not Sorry Aboot It"
(with the cast of Canada's Drag Race, season 1)		 2020 Non-album singles
"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" (Disco version)
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8)		 2023

References
  1. "Post by Jimbo". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2023-01-21. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  2. Mike Devlin, "Victoria's Jimbo seeks drag-queen crown" Archived 2020-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. Victoria Times-Colonist, July 2, 2020.
  3. "Exclusive: Jimbo lets rip on her controversial Drag Race UK vs the World exit". GAY TIMES. 2022-02-16. Archived from the original on 2022-07-16. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  4. Nolfi, Joey. "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' cast of returning queens revealed". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-20. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  5. @jimbothedragclown (May 14, 2023). "@maryinsell Is the best Momma in the world!! Happy Mother's Day Momma Mare Bear!" – via Instagram.
  6. Mollie Kaye, "James and his giant peach add sparkle to Victoria" Archived 2020-08-28 at the Wayback Machine. Focus on Victoria, September 6, 2019.
  7. Adrian Chamberlain, "James and the Giant Peach goes high-tech" Archived 2018-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Victoria Times-Colonist, November 10, 2016.
  8. Travis Paterson, "Rocky Horror returns to the stage Wednesday" Archived 2021-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. Victoria News, October 13, 2017.
  9. Don Descoteau, "Chalifour bringing Joy to Victoria this weekend" Archived 2020-10-21 at the Wayback Machine. Monday Magazine, November 25, 2019.
  10. Bryen Dunn, "Canada’s Drag Race – and then there were three!" Archived 2021-01-24 at the Wayback Machine. The Buzz, August 2020.
  11. Joey Nolfi, "Jimbo ate sandwiches, the runway, and our hearts on Canada's Drag Race" Archived 2020-10-30 at the Wayback Machine. Entertainment Weekly, August 27, 2020.
  12. Kevin Ritchie, "Canada’s Drag Race queen Jimbo on hyper-sexualized drag, the judging backlash and eating on the air" Archived 2020-09-28 at the Wayback Machine. Now, August 28, 2020.
  13. Sarah Taher, "After the Sashay: All the world loves a Jimbo" Archived 2020-10-08 at the Wayback Machine. Daily Xtra, August 28, 2020.
  14. Markus Bidaux, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’: Jimbo spills the tea on Judge Jeffrey, Untucked and coming to the UK" Archived 2020-10-27 at the Wayback Machine. Attitude, August 28, 2020.
  15. Tyler Jadah, "Canada's Drag Race is coming to Montreal's drive-in venue this month" Archived 2020-10-02 at the Wayback Machine. Daily Hive, September 10, 2020.
  16. Jenelle Riley, "For Montreal’s Just for Laughs, the Show Will Go On(line)" Archived 2020-10-13 at the Wayback Machine. Variety, October 2, 2020.
  17. Graham Cox, "Local brewery collaborates on new beer with popular Vancouver Island drag queen, Jimbo" Archived 2020-10-14 at the Wayback Machine. CHEK-DT, October 8, 2020.
  18. Michael Cook, "Canada’s Drag Race Standout Jimbo: 'We Have An Opportunity To Showcase Our Unique Take On Drag & Who We Are'" Archived 2020-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. Instinct, September 6, 2020.
  19. Kevin O'Keeffe, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Season 2, Episode 3 recap: Scream, queen" Archived 2021-11-06 at the Wayback Machine. Xtra!, October 29, 2021.
  20. Joey Nolfi, "Brooke Lynn Hytes reunites with Werk Room crush Miss Vanjie on Canada's Drag Race season 3" Archived 2022-06-29 at the Wayback Machine. EW, June 29, 2022.
  21. Nolfi, Joey (January 17, 2022). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK Versus the World cast adds international all-stars to new competition". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  22. "RuPaul's Drag Race UK Versus the World spoilers - third queen exit". Digital Spy. 2022-02-15. Archived from the original on 2022-02-16. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  23. "These Are The 23 Most Controversial Eliminations In 'Drag Race' Herstory". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  24. Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  25. Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  26. Corey Atad, "‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Winner Priyanka Releasing Debut EP ‘Taste Test’ Archived 2021-07-18 at the Wayback Machine. ET Canada, July 14, 2021.
  27. Damshenas, Sam (25 March 2022). "Drag Race star Jimbo plays a big-breasted Ghostface in Joseph Shepherd's debut music video". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  28. White, Brett (October 26, 2021). "'Canada's Drag Race' Alum Jimbo Faces Fear in New WOW Presents Plus Show 'Jimbo vs. Peas' [EXCLUSIVE]". Decider. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  29. RuPaul's Drag Race (April 20, 2023), Meet the Queens of All Stars 8! 🌟 | QUEEN RUVEAL | RuPaul's Drag Race AS8 👠✨, retrieved April 20, 2023
  30. Jimbo talks Pangina Heals and Stealing RuPaul’s Hair on Drag Race All Stars 8 | Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. April 26, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  31. The Queens Of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8" Play Who's Who. BuzzFeed Celeb. May 15, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
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