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Jinkx Monsoon

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Jinkx Monsoon
Monsoon at the 2013 Capital Pride in Washington, D.C.
Born
Jerick Hoffer

(1987-09-18) September 18, 1987 (age 37)
Portland, Oregon
Occupation(s)Actor, drag performer
Known forRuPaul's Drag Race (season 5) winner
PredecessorSharon Needles
SuccessorBianca Del Rio

Jinkx Monsoon the stage name of American drag performer, and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 5, Jerick Hoffer.

Biography

Jerick Hoffer was born in Portland, Oregon. The oldest of four children, Hoffer attended daVinci Arts for middle school and graduated from Grant High School.[1] Hoffer came out as gay in middle school. Hoffer also identifies as genderless and prefers to be referred to with gender-neutral they/them pronouns [2] Hoffer first performed in drag when Hoffer was 15 at the underage nightclub, Escape.[3][4]

Hoffer was raised Catholic. When Hoffer was eighteen, Hoffer found out that Hoffer was of Russian Jewish ancestry on their mother's side.[5] Their drag character, Jinkx, identifies as Jewish.[6] Hoffer also suffers from narcolepsy, which Hoffer revealed in the season premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Hoffer paid Hoffer's way through college by working as a janitor and graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in theater from Cornish College of the Arts in 2010.[1][7][8] They have lived in Seattle, Washington since 2006.[1][9]

Career

Jinkx Monsoon, 2014

After moving to Seattle from Portland, Hoffer and their creative partner Nick Sahoyah wrote and starred in multiple Funny or Die webisodes titled Monsoon Season in which Hoffer played Jinkx Monsoon as an over-bearing, substance addled, near-psychotic mother to Nick Sahoya's character, Kamikaze Monsoon.[10]

In 2011, Monsoon appeared in Wes Hurley film Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel.[11] On February 28, 2013, the first screening at Seattle's Central Cinema was hosted by Monsoon and Waxie Moon.[12]

In January 2012, Hoffer appeared as Moritz in the rock musical Spring Awakening at the Balagan Theater in Seattle. Controversy arose from The Seattle Times review by Misha Berson, who said that Hoffer was "overly flamboyant" for the role.[13][14] Dan Savage defended Hoffer's portrayal of Moritz.[15] From July 21 to August 19, Monsoon starred as Angel in the 5th Avenue Theatre's production of the musical RENT.[8][16]

In January 2013, Hoffer played Hedwig in the Moore Theatre's production of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.[17] Balagan reprised the production in December 2013 for a week long run with Hoffer and the original cast/production team.

In June 2013 Hoffer played Velma Von Tussle in the Seattle Men's Chorus/5th Avenue Theatre's production of the musical Hairspray .[18] This was a limited run staged reading/concert of the musical with costumes and limited props but no sets or elaborate choreography and featured the Seattle Men's Chorus onstage with the cast.

Hoffer also performs as Jinkx Monsoon in the original one act cabaret musical The Vaudevillians under the name "Kitty Witless." Hoffer is accompanied by musical partner and co-creator Richard Andriessen, who performs under the name "Dr. Dan Von Dandy." The Vaudevillians performed at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City from July to November 2013.[3][19][20]

In 2013 Hoffer was chosen as one of the Artists of the Year by City Arts Magazine along with Megan Griffiths, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Wes Hurley.[21]

Monsoon played Tallulah/Dennis, the owner of Lipstick Lounge in Blue Bloods "Manhattan Queens", which aired on January 31, 2014.

Drag Becomes Him

In June 2011, Hoffer became subject to a YouTube docu-series by Alex Berry, a Seattle videographer. Named after Death Becomes Her, one of Jinkx's favorite movies, Drag Becomes Him explores Hoffer's life in and out of drag.[22] The series has continued since the finale of RuPaul's Drag Race and will offer insight into their life since the show.[23]

In October 2013 it was announced that Drag Becomes Him was being turned into a feature-length film with Seattle based producer Basil Shadid on board. A Kickstarter campaign in March 2014 successfully raised funds to complete the project. March 26, 2015 Hoffer announced on their Instagram page that the film will premiere at the Cinerama in Seattle on April 29, 2015.[24]

RuPaul's Drag Race

In November 2012, Logo announced that Jinkx Monsoon was among 14 drag queens who would be competing on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[25] Hoffer ws inspired to audition after seeing Sharon Needles, another high-concept, character-driven drag queen, on the fourth season of the show.[4] Monsoon won the main-challenges for the episodes "Snatch Game" and "Drama Queens."[26][27] For the "Snatch Game," Monsoon impersonated Edith Bouvier Beale, who was known for appearing in the documentary Grey Gardens.[3][28] Monsoon also impersonated third season contestant Mimi Imfurst for the episode "Lip Synch Extravaganza Eleganza."[29] As part of RuPaul's Drag Race, Monsoon sang on the "We Are the World"-inspired song "Can I Get an Amen?" The song's proceeds helped benefit the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.[30] Monsoon also holds the record for most consecutive weeks being in the top, at 8 weeks. On May 10, 2013, Monsoon was named the Season 5 winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, winning the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar."

Artistry

Hoffer's drag persona is inspired by their mother and the comediennes Lucille Ball, Maria Bamford, Deven Green, and Sarah Silverman. Their last name, Monsoon, is derived from the character Edina Monsoon from the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.[4] Hoffer also performs as the drag character Deirde A. Irwin, who is a Southern medium.[1][9]

Discography

Albums

Title Details
The Inevitable Album[31]
Track listing
  • 1. Ladies in Drag (Foreword by Fred Schneider)
  • 2. No One as Sorry as Me
  • 3. Coffee & Wine
  • 4. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
  • 5. The Bacon Shake (feat. Fred Schneider)
  • 6. Everybody's Girl
  • 7. Hold On
  • 8. Hi-Jinkx Samba
  • 9. Witchcraft (feat. Major Scales)
  • 10. What About Debbie
  • 11. Ballad of Johnny and Jack
  • 12. One Tiny Taste
  • 13. Creep
  • 14. A Song to Come Home To
  • 15. Falling in Love Again

Singles

Song Year Album
"Can I Get an Amen?"
(RuPaul featuring Drag Race Season 5 Cast) 		2013 non-album singles
"Schizophrenic"
(Two Dudes In Love featuring Jinkx Monsoon)
"Bring It"
(Manila Luzon featuring Jinkx Monsoon)
"Coffee & Wine" 2014 The Inevitable Album
"The Bacon Shake"
(featuring Fred Schneider)
"Creep"

Music videos

Song Year Director
"Jinkxalicious" 2011 Alex Berry
"Coffee & Wine" 2014
"The Bacon Shake" Steve Willis
"Creep"

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
2011 Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel Himself/Davey
2013 East of Adin Anthony Johnson
2014 Drag Becomes Him Himself

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself Season 5 - Winner
2013 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Himself
2013 NewNowNext Awards Himself
2014 Blue Bloods Tallulah/Dennis Episode: "Manhattan Queens"

Web series

Year Title Role
2010 Monsoon Season Himself
2011 Drag Becomes Him Himself
2013 31 Days of Jinkx Himself

Theatre

Year Title Role Theatre
2010 Red Ranger Came Calling Red Ranger Book-It Repertory Theatre
Henry V Alice Center House Theatre
2011 Turning Parlor Tricks Deirdre A. Irwin Theatre Off Jackson
The Threepenny Opera Filch Intiman Playhouse
2012 Rent Angel Dumott Schunard 5th Avenue Theatre
Spring Awakening Moritz Balagan Theatre
2013 Hedwig and the Angry Inch Hedwig Moore Theatre
Hairspray Velma Von Tussle 5th Avenue Theatre

References

  1. ^ a b c d Normal, Abby (10 March 2013). "Jinkx Monsoon Will Not Put You to Sleep". Yahoo! Voices. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  2. ^ https://www.facebook.com/jinkx.monsoon/posts/818079764894630
  3. ^ a b c Scott, Aaron (18 April 2013). "Q&A: Jinkx Monsoon from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Spencer, Aaron (30 January 2013). "Interview: Drag Queen Jinkx Monsoon". Willamette Week. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  5. ^ http://forward.com/articles/177624/being-jinkx-monsoon-the-narcoleptic-jewish-drag-qu/?p=all
  6. ^ Rachel Solomon (August 15, 2013). "Drag star's got Jewish roots under that blonde hair". The Times of Israel.
  7. ^ Baltus, Leah (31 December 2012). "The Revolutionary: Jerick Hoffer aka Jinkx Monsoon". City Arts Magazine. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Cornish Graduette Monsoon Storms RuPaul's Drag Race". Cornish College of the Arts. 5 January 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  9. ^ a b Ryan, Adrian (11 May 2011). "The Hardest Working Man in 'Mo Business by Adrian Ryan - Seattle Theater - The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper". The Stranger. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  10. ^ "Monsoon Season". Funny or Die. June 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  11. ^ "Jerick Hoffer - IMDb". MDb. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Waxie Moon film to screen monthly at Central Cinema". Seattle Gay News. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  13. ^ Kiley, Brendan (10 January 2012). "Gay Actors, Straight Parts, and the "Flamboyance" Factor". The Stranger. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  14. ^ Berson, Misha (11 January 2012). "'Spring Awakening': powerful passion at Balagan". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  15. ^ Savage, Dan (11 January 2012). "Who Says Moritz in Spring Awakening is a "Straight Part"?". The Stranger. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  16. ^ "RENT - 5th Avenue". 5th Avenue Theatre. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  17. ^ Sommerfeld, Seth (7 January 2013). "A Fiendish Conversation with Jerick Hoffer". Seattle Metropolitan. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  18. ^ Hetrick, Adam (23 April 2013). ""RuPaul's Drag Race" Contestant Jinkx Monsoon Will Star in Seattle Concert Staging of Hairspray". Playbill. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  19. ^ Wolffe, J (19 April 2013). ""The Vaudevillains" (Starring Jinkx Monsoon) Sells Out 3x Over!". Lez Get Real. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  20. ^ Adam, Adam. "The Vaudevillians, Starring "RuPaul's Drag Race" Winner Jinkx Monsoon, Extends for Fifth Time". Playbill. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  21. ^ http://www.cityartsonline.com/articles/shine-2013-artists-year
  22. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (13 May 2013). "Jinx Monsoon, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Winner, Stars In 'Drag Becomes Him' YouTube Series (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  23. ^ Avery, Dan (24 May 2013). "More From The Jinkx Monsoon Documentary "Drag Becomes Him"". New Now Next. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  24. ^ https://instagram.com/p/0qetkgFp8G/
  25. ^ Coughlan, Maggie (19 November 2012). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Contestants Announced". People. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  26. ^ Sava, Oliver (26 February 2013). "Snatch Game". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  27. ^ Sava, Oliver (2 April 2013). "Drama Queensl". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  28. ^ Michael, Broder (1 March 2013). "Drag Queen Culture Divide: Breaking Down What Happened on This Week's RuPaul's Drag Race Snatch Game". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  29. ^ Sava, Oliver (5 February 2013). "Lip Synch Eleganza Extravaganza". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  30. ^ Parker, Lyndsey (5 March 2013). "Great Musical Moments In Reality TV: RuPaul's "Can I Get An Amen"". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  31. ^ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-inevitable-album/id872535715
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