Jimbo interview: ‘I’d like a pair so big they’d need little wheels at the bottom!’

“I always told my partner I’d be a famous clown,” reflects Jimbo, 2023’s most feted drag queen, on his career plan pre-fame. (And that was only three years ago!)

“I was a Drag Race fan — we used to always all get together and watch,” the Ontario-born super-talent recalls. “My friends and family would say: ‘Jimbo, if you could get on this show, you’d kill it…’” 

Jimbo, 40, previously worked in theatre and TV as a costume and production designer, which explains the jaw-droppingly theatrical looks she exhibited on her triumphant turn on All Stars this year, from a reversible Adam and Eve ensemble to a Met Gala-inspired outfit that made her look like a futuristic celebrity alien.

“There were parallels between the show and my career,” explains Jimbo. “Deadlines, late nights, a lot of ‘make what you can with what you’ve got around you’. Exceed expectations. I used to work in wardrobe, fitting people’s clothes, taking care of celebrities, and dreaming one day I’d have my own show and be on the other side of the lens. It’s been an incredible journey.”

Not that it’s been the Jinkx Monsoon-style straight line to victory you might have expected. Fans were dubious when Jimbo finished fourth on Canada’s Drag Race in 2020. (In hindsight, her zany, countercultural approach was clearly misunderstood by newbie judges.) Two years later, her furious fanbase mobilised en masse when she bowed out early on RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs the World, owing to idiotic formatting and Pangina Heels’ cutthroat gamesmanship. 

Even her trajectory on All Stars was unconventional for a clear frontrunner. Despite killing it in comedy and acting challenges — most memorably as a precocious Shirley Temple in Snatch Game — she botched most of her lip-syncs. (She’s now the contestant with the most lip-sync losses in herstory, with a total of six.)

“Drag’s everything: all different presentations, forms, genders, non-genders,” opines Jimbo of her blueprint-breaking success. “That’s what’s important. Anytime you think: ‘This is what drag is,’ you realise there’s someone else’s version of it. There are a million ways to be. I think this is great encouragement for all those other clowns, weirdo queens, and performance artists who don’t necessarily fit the mould but have a point of view, something they want to share.”

Hi Jimbo! Congratulations on your win…

It’s still sinking in. I keep checking my bank account. And polishing my crown and sceptre!

What have you been up to since?

Travelling, interviews, performing. I’m currently in Vegas. I’ve been doing shows — I just got back from Amsterdam. There’s a lot of love out there. People stalking me everywhere I go.

Have you heard from RuPaul since your win was announced?

Yes. We had breakfast. She had me over to her mansion. She made me a beautiful breakfast, and we just laughed.

What does RuPaul make for breakfast?

Fried Tic Tacs!

And no bread, I’m guessing?

No, no bread.

Have you heard from the All Stars girls? How are things between Kandy and Heidi? 

Everything’s great. There are a lot of emotions as the show happens. As it airs, we re-experience those things. The good thing is, we’re able to connect and talk through things. Everyone has had a chance to get their feelings on the table. Now everyone’s ready to move on and have a really fun year taking advantage of the love.

Where do you keep all your costumes? The pink poodle look from your promo shots —you can’t hang that up, surely?!

I have a very large studio loft in Victoria, a whole first floor of a building. A lot of space. My whole house is kind of a drag house. That particular piece is really big. I’m thinking of mounting it to the ceiling, like a chandelier! It’s as big as a dinner table.

I read you only tried your Adam and Eve look on right before you went on stage. Why?

When you’re preparing to go away, you don’t necessarily have a lot of time. All these designs and looks were coming in from different places. Also, part of my connection to performance is about immediacy. Trying something on and experiencing it for the first time. It’s always good to have a fitting —it’s a risk if you don’t — but the people I work with know my measurements. 

Casper, Shirley — there are distinct characters in your drag. Have you ever written fiction?

Actually, I have a little bit, when finding my voice as a young adult. I really liked writing. But I found it was too still. I’m more chaotic. So, I got more into the action. But I want to get back to it.

The blonde, big-breasted, bouncy, happy woman — does she have an identity, a backstory?

That’s just Jimbo, my resting state. Some people have an inner child; I have an inner-blonde bimbo. It’s the influences of growing up in the 80s, and the beautiful women who have inspired me through my life. 

How many pairs of prosthetic breasts do you own?

Maybe 30.

Have you ever considered starting your own line of fake breasts, like a porn star would with dildos?

I’m headed to China in September to a factory to see where they’re made, to meet with them. We’re going to have some talks and see what’s possible. I’m excited for that. 

Do you think you’ve peaked with the size?

I’d like to have a pair so big they’d need little wheels at the bottom!