Jonny McGovern

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Jonny Mcgovern
Jonny McGovern.jpg
McGovern in January 2022
Background information
Born (1976-07-12) July 12, 1976 (age 48)
Origin Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres House, dance
Occupation(s) Stand-up comedian, actor, musician, podcaster
Years active1998–present
LabelsGay/Nerd Music
Website www.GayPimp.com

Jonny McGovern (born July 12, 1976) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, songwriter and podcaster. He has written the lyrics for many of his own songs, and recorded three comedy/dance-pop albums (including some under his alter-ego, The Gay Pimp). On television, McGovern initially appeared as a cast member of Logo's late-night comedy sketch show, The Big Gay Sketch Show (2011), and has hosted the popular YouTube talk show Hey Qween! (2014–present) for nine seasons. [1]

Contents

Early life

Jonny McGovern was born to Mary McGovern and Rob Gutowski in Brooklyn, New York. His parents traveled often, and McGovern grew up primarily in Egypt and Thailand. [2] McGovern later returned to the United States to study acting at Boston University, where he earned a BFA. He is openly gay. [3]

Career

McGovern stated that he was inspired to create his signature comedic character, The Gay Pimp, after listening to rap songs and interviews by Eminem. McGovern has said,

It started off with Eminem. I was appalled by him ripping on fags and talking mad shit. People were protesting, but how could you protest a pop star? I figured my best way of protesting was to write a big, flashy, glamorous, funny show... called The Wrong Fag to Fuck With: The Gay Pimp vs. Eminem. It was where the Gay Pimp was a pop star/superhero who came out at the MTV awards to battle Eminem. Of course it did end with Eminem getting it up the butt and being humiliated while all the gay teens were set free. [4]

After the songs from the show began to get heavy rotation in New York City nightclubs, McGovern was approached about making a music video for one of his songs, "Soccer Practice". [4]

The success of the single garnered attention for McGovern, and he contributed commentary on a variety of VH1 shows (such as Best Week Ever , Totally Gay, and 40 Dumbest Celebrity Quotes) as well as earned a slot on Comedy Central's all-gay comedy show Out on the Edge, hosted by Alan Cumming. [5]

McGovern hosts his own YouTube show on StreamTV titled Hey Qween!, where he interviews various iconic celebrities, including drag queens, musicians, actors, adult film stars, and prominent figures within the LGBT community. From the series' debut in 2014 through 2020, Hey Qween was co-hosted by McGovern's close friend, the late icon Ms. Lady Red Couture, [6] until her death in the middle of 2020. Lady Red often sang vocals for the series; for example, each episode closed out with her singing and improvising the words, "Hey queen, hey queen," through the credits. Lady Red and McGovern's close bond was evident on Hey Qween. The first half of each episode consisted of the two catching-up, chatting, joking and laughing together. During the guest interviews, Lady Red's quick-witted interjections and comedic banter was a highlight. As a tribute to her, McGovern released the 3-track EP Flowers (Songs to Lady Red) in November 2020, with Adam Joseph as producer. [7] [8]

McGovern hosts Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern , a weekly free LGBT themed podcast based out of Los Angeles since August 2010. It was based in New York City from January 16, 2006, to January 11, 2010.[ citation needed ]

Discography

YearTracks
2003Dirty Gay Hits

US Release Date: August 4, 2003

2006Jonny McGovern Presents: This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape

US Release Date: November 28, 2006

2007Gays Gone Wild

US Release Date: May 9, 2007

2008Keep It Faggity: The Gay Pimp Remix Project

US Release Date: June 11, 2008

2008Dirty Gay Christmas Single

US Release Date: Late November 15, 2008

2009Best of Gay Pimpin' volumes 1 & 2

US release date: January 30, 2009

2009The East Village Mixtape Volume 2: The Legends Ball

US Release Date: November 2009

2011Songs about the Golden Girls
  1. Zbornak
  2. Blanche Devereaux
  3. Take Me To Saint Olaf (A Song for Rose)
2012The Gayest of All Time
2020Flowers (Songs to Lady Red) [9] [10] [7]
Unreleased TracksUnreleased
  1. This is How We Do / We Run This (La'Mady Remix) - La'Mady
  2. Tranny Ladies - Jonny McGovern (Parody of Beyoncee's Single Ladies)
  3. BJ Got Me Fallin in Love (Parody of Usher's DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love)

Note:

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Kareemia Baines, known professionally as Lady Red Couture, was an American drag queen and singer best known as the co-host of Hey Qween! with Jonny McGovern. Born in Park City, Utah, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she became a fixture of the local drag scene. She released an album, #Stuntqueen, in 2018, and she was featured in a number of other drag queens' singles and music videos throughout the 2010s. She also starred in Judge Lady Red, another web series produced by McGovern. Baines died on July 25, 2020, after a flare-up of cyclic vomiting syndrome, a chronic condition that affected her throughout her life.

Hey Qween! is a talk show series which aired on the Hey Qween! YouTube channel from 2014 to 2021, hosted by Jonny McGovern. The first eight seasons were co-hosted by Lady Red Couture prior to her death in 2020. Described as a "gay web series" and an LGBTQ talk show, Hey Qween! has featured many contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race as guests.

References

  1. ↑ "Hey Qween! is Serving Gay Extravaganza and the World is Watching". Instinct , December 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ Waechter, Patrick Steven. (April 11, 2007). "The Gay Pimp Gets Sketchy". GayPimp.com. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
  3. ↑ Kregloe, Karman (May 14, 2007). "Interview With Jonny McGovern". AfterElton.com. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Weiss, Matthew. (May 14, 2007). "After Elton Interview With Jonny McGovern". AfterElton.com. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Jonny McGovern on Comedy Central". Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  6. ↑ "'Hey Qween's Lady Red Couture, LA Drag Icon, Has Died". www.out.com. July 26, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  7. 1 2 Cook, Michael (November 30, 2020). "Jonny McGovern Pays Homage To Lady Red Couture In Two Unique Ways". Instinct Magazine. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Jonny McGovern's Instagram post: "is a 3 song EP written and recorded as I dealt with the grief and shock of losing Lady Red. Produced by @adamjosephmusic and Inspired and..."". Instagram. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  9. ↑ Flowers (Songs to Lady Red), November 24, 2020, retrieved December 14, 2020
  10. ↑ Flowers (Songs to Lady Red) - Single by Jonny McGovern, November 24, 2020, retrieved December 14, 2020
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