Gayety

Tag: jinkx monsoon

  • Jinkx Monsoon Drags J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Views—and the Internet Is Living

    Jinkx Monsoon Drags J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Views—and the Internet Is Living

    In a viral clip from her upcoming Ziwe interview, Broadway powerhouse and RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon delivered a savage—and hilarious—takedown of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. The read? Immaculate. The shade? Pulitzer-worthy.

    When asked if Rowling would make a good Roxie Hart in Chicago, Jinkx played coy, clutching a cocktail and replying with theatrical confusion:

    “Who is Jake? Who is he? Jake Hay Rowling?”

    Ziwe gently corrected her, “She.”

    To which Jinkx snapped back without missing a beat:

    “Oh, dear. That is not a feminine name in the slightest.”

    The queen of camp then got real, dragging Rowling’s own gender presentation into the spotlight. “I know that oftentimes, female authors use initials so that people assume it’s a male writer,” Jinkx said. “I have to presume that J.K. Rowling was unsatisfied with the way that the world saw her, and then she transitioned herself into a new personality so that the world would perceive her the way she wanted to be perceived.”

    Cue Ziwe gagging. Literally.

    While Jinkx served her signature satire, the underlying point was deadly serious: Rowling has spent the past few years actively campaigning against trans rights in the U.K., including celebrating anti-trans legal decisions on social media with cocktails and cigars. Meanwhile, the irony of her writing under both a gender-neutral name (J.K.) and a full male pseudonym (Robert Galbraith) hasn’t gone unnoticed—especially by Monsoon.

    The clip has already lit up queer Twitter, with fans applauding Jinkx’s brilliant use of wit to expose Rowling’s hypocrisy.

    Jinkx, who recently wrapped her run as Ruth in Pirates! A Penzance Musical, will return to Broadway August 4 to take over as Mary Todd Lincoln in the hit play Oh, Mary! She also starred in the recent season of Doctor Who.

    Ziwe’s full interview with Monsoon will premiere on YouTube Thursday at 5 p.m. PST.

  • Cynthia Erivo, Cole Escola and Rainbow-Studded Chorus Boys: The Queerest Moments from The 2025 Tony Awards

    Cynthia Erivo, Cole Escola and Rainbow-Studded Chorus Boys: The Queerest Moments from The 2025 Tony Awards

    At this point, asking whether the Tony Awards are queer is like asking if Broadway has ever met a jazz square. The answer is a resounding yes, darling. But even by its own rhinestone-encrusted standards, the 78th Annual Tony Awards delivered a sparkling showcase of LGBTQ+ excellence, drama, and cheeky acceptance speeches that had us cheering louder than a stage mom on opening night.

    From historic wins and glittering gowns to impromptu dating app shoutouts and numbers choreographed “for the gaze” (not the gaze, the gays), this year’s Tonys offered a masterclass in fabulousness. Let’s pull back the curtain on the most iconic queer moments that had us tossing roses at our screens.

    Cynthia Erivo Hosted, and Her Wardrobe Deserved Its Own Tony

    Let’s get one thing straight, Cynthia Erivo is not. But also, she’s not just a host. She’s a moment. Fresh off a WorldPride concert, an album drop, and promoting Wicked: For Good, Erivo moonwalked into Radio City Music Hall and somehow made ten outfit changes look easy.

    No opening monologue, no faux comedy routine, just pure star power, powerhouse vocals, and couture worthy of a museum. One look in particular, a glimmering red gown with white satin trim, gave heavy Annie-meets-Elphaba energy. It was co-designed by Zac Posen and Jason Bolden, but the real magic was Erivo’s calm, commanding presence.

    Someone give her dresser a Lifetime Achievement Award. Stat.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP8YtvXHxAw

    Jonathan Groff Straddles Keanu, Remains Dry

    Groff may not have taken home a trophy this year (Darren Criss beat him for Maybe Happy Ending), but he still delivered a high-octane tribute to Bobby Darin in Just in Time. Known for sweat-soaked performances that require a splash zone warning, Groff miraculously stayed dry while serenading, then straddling, Keanu Reeves.

    Waterproof Groff is still gay rights.

    Cole Escola Makes Tony History, Thanks Grindr

    Cole Escola, comedian, playwright, wig enthusiast, stole the show and the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Play for Oh, Mary!, becoming the first non-binary actor to do so. Dressed in a custom silver Wiederhoeft gown with enough sparkle to blind George Clooney (who was also nominated), Escola offered the queerest acceptance speech of the night.

    “Hi Mom. I love you. I’ll call when I can. Oh, and thank you to T-Bone from Grindr,” Escola quipped, casually cementing their legacy and their contact list in Tony history.

    Oh, Mary! also snagged Best Direction for Sam Pinkleton and delivered a delightfully deranged take on Mary Todd Lincoln’s inner turmoil. It’s queer. It’s weird. It’s wonderful.

    Hue Park Winsand Announces He’s Single

    Maybe Happy Ending swept the Tonys with six wins, including Best Musical and Best Score, thanks to the writing duo of Will Aronson and Hue Park. During one of many acceptance speeches, Park charmingly let the world know he’s single. That tidbit echoed through the evening, with presenters and winners giving it playful shoutouts.

    Cue the DM flood.

    Jinkx Monsoon Pirates the Stage

    Drag legend and two-time Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon took to the stage as a pirate wench in Pirates! A Penzance Musical alongside David Hyde Pierce. Was the show snubbed? Sadly, yes. Was Jinkx playing a washboard in full swashbuckler drag a peak moment of the night? Absolutely.

    Death Becomes Her Gives a Dazzling Queer-Encapsulated Performance and Paul Tazewell is on a Roll!

    While we didn’t get BOOP! The Musical (justice for Betty!), we were gifted the gloriously camp spectacle of Death Becomes Her’s number “For the Gaze.” Picture Liza Minnelli doing a costume-change challenge with backup dancers in rainbow sequins and you’re still only halfway there.

    Madeline Ashton, multiple wigs, and a final tableau that probably left several straight viewers emotionally unprepared, Broadway’s never been more in on the joke. Choreographer Christopher Gattelli really said, “Subtlety? Never met her.”

    Costume designer Paul Tazewell earned a Tony for his breathtaking work on the show, adding to a trophy shelf that already includes a BAFTA and an Oscar for Wicked. Tazewell made history as the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Costume Design and remains a trailblazer in every sense.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_S_JjZh76s

    Harvey Fierstein Finally Gets His Flowers

    Harvey Fierstein already had four Tonys, but the Special Lifetime Achievement Award was long overdue. Though his award wasn’t televised (rude!), the moment was still monumental. Fierstein’s decades of blazing trails, be it with Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, or simply existing unapologetically, paved the yellow brick road for this new queer wave of thespians and theater connoisseurs.

    Tears were shed were definitely shed in this poignant moment.

    Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Francis Jue Round Out the Rainbow

    Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose won Best Play, adding to his Pulitzer Prize haul. Meanwhile, veteran actor Francis Jue won hearts (and critical acclaim) for his role in Yellow Face, reminding us all that queer Asian excellence has always been part of Broadway’s DNA.

    Curtain Call

    From Cynthia’s 10 looks to Cole’s historic win and Jinkx’s pirate couture, the 2025 Tony Awards proved once again that queerness isn’t just part of Broadway, it is Broadway. And as long as we have chorus boys in sequins and monologues that end with “I’d like to thank Grindr,” the theater will be in fabulous hands.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBtzq3C-Wlc

    Full List of Winner Below

    Best Musical

    • Maybe Happy Ending

    Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

    • Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.

    Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

    • Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending

    Best Revival of a Musical

    • Sunset Blvd.

    Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

    • Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!

    Best Direction of a Musical

    • Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending

    Best Direction of a Play

    • Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!

    Best Revival of a Play

    • Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector

    Best Play

    • Purpose

    Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

    • Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club

    Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

    • Kara Young, Purpose

    Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

    • Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

    Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

    • Francis Jue, Yellow Face

    Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

    • Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray

    Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

    • Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson (music and lyrics) and Hue Park (lyrics)

    Best Costume Design of a Musical

    • Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

    Best Costume Design of a Play

    • Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray

    Best Scenic Design of a Musical

    • Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending

    Best Scenic Design of a Play

    • Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

    Best Lighting Design of a Musical

    • Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.

    Best Lighting Design of a Play

    • Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

    Best Choreography

    • Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club

    Best Orchestrations

    • Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club

    Best Sound Design of a Musical

    • Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club

    Best Book of a Musical

    • Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue Park

    Best Sound Design of a Play

    • Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
  • ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 10 Reveals Record-Breaking Cast and Brand-New Tournament Format

    ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 10 Reveals Record-Breaking Cast and Brand-New Tournament Format

    Start your engines—and your brackets! RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is shaking things up in a major way for its milestone 10th season, debuting an all-new “Tournament of All Stars” format and the largest returning cast in franchise herstory.

    Eighteen fan-favorite queens will sashay back onto the runway in what promises to be one of the most competitive and gag-worthy seasons yet. Spanning 12 episodes, Season 10 is ditching the traditional format in favor of a multi-round, bracket-style showdown that has fans already dusting off their fantasy draft boards.

    Tournament Time, Honey!

    So, how does this new Drag Race extravaganza work?

    The queens will be split into three separate groups of six, each competing in their own bracket over a three-episode stretch. At the end of each bracket, the top three queens with the highest point totals will advance to the semi-finals, where they’ll go head-to-head with winners from the other groups.

    From there, it’s a two-episode semifinals showdown before the season culminates in the grand finale: a Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown. The last queen standing will walk away with a sparkling $200,000 cash prize and a permanent place in the prestigious Drag Race Hall of Fame.

    The queens and their respective groups on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10. Photo: Paramount
    The queens and their respective groups on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10. Photo: Paramount+

    Meet the All Star Queens of Season 10

    Get ready to gag over this lineup of legends, rising stars, and some long-awaited returns:

    • Acid Betty (Season 8)
    • Aja (Season 9, All Stars 3)
    • Alyssa Hunter (Season 14)
    • Bosco (Season 14)
    • Cynthia Lee Fontaine (Season 8, Season 9)
    • Daya Betty (Season 14)
    • DeJa Skye (Season 14)
    • Denali (Season 13)
    • Ginger Minj (Season 7, All Stars 2 & 6)
    • Irene the Alien (Season 15)
    • Jorgeous (Season 14, All Stars 9)
    • Kerri Colby (Season 14)
    • Lydia B. Kollins (Season 17)
    • Mistress Isabelle Brooks (Season 15)
    • Nicole Paige Brooks (Season 2)
    • Olivia Lux (Season 13)
    • Phoenix (Season 3)
    • Tina Burner (Season 13)

    Season 14 dominates the competition with six returning queens, while early-season veterans like Nicole Paige Brooks and Phoenix are making a fierce comeback over a decade since their last appearance. Meanwhile, Season 17’s standout Lydia B. Kollins is back fresh off the finale, where Onya Nurve was recently crowned.

    The Battle of the Brackets

    Let’s break it down, bracket-style:

    • Pink Bracket: Jorgeous, Lydia B. Kollins, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Tina Burner, Nicole Paige Brooks, Kerri Colby

    RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Pink Bracket. Photo: Paramount+
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 Pink Bracket. Photo: Paramount+

    • Purple Bracket: Denali, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Alyssa Hunter, Daya Betty, Acid Betty, Ginger Minj

    RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Purple Bracket. Photo: Paramount+
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 Purple Bracket. Photo: Paramount+

    • Orange Bracket: Olivia Lux, Bosco, Aja, DeJa Skye, Phoenix, Irene the Alien

    RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Orange Bracket. Photo: Paramount+
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 Orange Bracket. Photo: Paramount+

    Each bracket brings a different flavor—and fans can expect runway drama, hilarious reads, emotional backstories, and iconic lip sync battles that’ll have everyone yelling, “Shantay, you stay!”

    The Legacy Continues

    Previous inductees into the Drag Race Hall of Fame include a sparkling roster of queens like Chad Michaels, Alaska, Trixie Mattel, Trinity the Tuck, Monet X Change, Shea Couleé, Kylie Sonique Love, Jinkx Monsoon, Jimbo, and most recently, Angeria Paris VanMicheals.

    Who will snatch the crown this time?

    Catch all the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent when RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10 premieres Friday, May 9 at 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT Thursday on Paramount+.

  • Jinkx Monsoon’s Steamy Stage Kiss with ‘HSM’ Star Corbin Bleu

    Jinkx Monsoon’s Steamy Stage Kiss with ‘HSM’ Star Corbin Bleu

    A Star-Studded Smooch!

    Jinkx Monsoon, the fabulous two-time winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, is back on stage, and guess what? She’s sharing a steamy kiss with none other than High School Musical‘s Corbin Bleu in Little Shop of Horrors on Off-Broadway! Yes, you heard right. Our beloved Jinkx is living the dream in this hilarious and heartwarming musical comedy.

    Related | Jinkx Monsoon Shares Her New Chosen Name

    From Drag Race to Broadway!

    After her smashing Broadway debut in Chicago last year, Jinkx is dazzling us again, this time as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. She’s not just any Audrey; she’s making history as the first drag queen to nab this iconic role in a major production of the hit Howard Ashman-Alan Menken musical. Talk about breaking barriers and taking names!

    The Kiss Everyone’s Talking About!

    On April 8, Jinkx treated fans to a sneak peek of her and Corbin’s kiss on X, causing quite the buzz. “If you need me, I’ll be making out with @corbinbleu until May 26th,” she playfully tweeted. And let’s be real: who wouldn’t want to trade places with her?

    A New Take on a Classic Role

    Jinkx has always adored Little Shop of Horrors, idolizing Ellen Greene’s original portrayal of Audrey. Now, she’s bringing her unique charm and talent to the role, honoring its legacy while adding her fabulous flair. “To get to play her in this incredible production is terribly exciting,” Jinkx shared.

    Catch Them If You Can!

    Corbin Bleu shines alongside Jinkx Monsoon, returning to Little Shop after a successful run last year. But don’t wait too long – this dynamic duo will light up the stage until May 26 (note: Corbin’s taking a quick break on April 28). Want in on the fun? Find tickets here.

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