From Fan to Front and Center: Jimbo 'Werqs the World'

The nominees are in, and the competition is fierce. This year, RuPaul’s Drag Race WERQ THE WORLD is pulling back the velvet ropes and giving fans VIP access to the most exclusive awards show in herstory. Get ready to walk the red carpet and celebrate the biggest night of the year for the art of drag.

Presented by Voss Events in collaboration with World of Wonder and MTV, the official WERQ THE WORLD 2025 Tour is returning to North America with a dazzling new production inspired by the glamour and spectacle of iconic award ceremonies. Playing 48 cities across the United States and Canada, the tour promises to bring fans face-to-face with their favorite queens like never before.

This year’s show will be hosted by two of Drag Race’s most beloved and imaginative icons: Jimbo, channeling the irreverent wit of Joan Rivers, and Sasha Velour, embodying the transformative personas of Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Marlene Dietrich. Together, they will guide audiences through an unforgettable evening of award-worthy performances, glitz, and jaw-dropping drag artistry.

EDGE sat down for a chat with the illustrious Jimbo: 

EDGE: This is the eighth Werq the World tour—that’s nearly a decade of spectacle. How does it feel to be part of such a legacy, especially as host this time around?

Jimbo: I have been a huge fan of Voss and their events for a long time. I've attended as a fan even before I was on Drag Race. It's an exciting full-circle moment for me to go from being a fan to now being part of the show. Also, this is my first tour with Voss, and I'm coming in at an awesome, epic level as the host. It feels so next level, I am excited. I was working with Voss at Drag Race Live in Las Vegas, so it feels like the perfect next step with Voss. 

EDGE: What can audiences expect from your role as host?

Jimbo: I'm going to be hosting as my iconic character, Joan Rivers. I'm known for my quick wit and a fun, cutting sense of humor, which comes out in my roasts, so people can expect to laugh. That was my favorite part of my solo tour, Jimbo's Drag Circus. I performed as Joan Rivers for a portion of the show, and I had a lot of fun with the audience. It's different each night, and so it feels really specific and intentional for that audience. Fans love it when they know it's for them, and the jokes are special and made-up on the spot, making it feel electric. 

EDGE: You’re co-hosting with the one and only Sasha Velour—what’s the vibe like between you two backstage and onstage?

Jimbo: I just did Sasha’s show, NightGowns in New York, and that was our first time working together.  We share a similar sense of drag in terms of our theatricality and high fashion, which is why we get along great. I love her energy and her drag. I respect her so much, not only as an entertainer, but as an artist. Her message and her vibe are so awesome. I feel like we connect as friends and as entertainers, and we both bring something different in terms of what we're offering, but it feels like we are in the same universe and complement each other. 

EDGE: There is always a powerhouse lineup of queens. What’s it like sharing the stage and tour life with so many fan favorites?

Jimbo: I've done ensemble tours before, i.e., the Christmas tours, and it's always a lot of fun. We all save our energy for the stage. It's surprising how once we all come off stage and we are relaxing on the bus; I love watching how everyone becomes so chill. I love seeing that ‘de-dragging’ moment when we are eating snacks in our pajamas and gossiping about whatever season we were on. It is so much fun to spill the tea on whatever's going on in our lives. So,  I'm sure Daya Betty will have all kinds of tea about this past season of All Stars, and I can't wait to hear about it. 

EDGE: Is there one queen on this tour you are excited to hang out with?

Jimbo: I'm excited to meet Kim Chi and to spend some time with her. This will be our first time meeting and working together. Pretty much all the other queens I've either met at some point or already toured with. 

EDGE: What’s a typical backstage moment like before showtime—more glam, more chaos, or a little of both?

Jimbo: I would say everyone is usually running late, which creates a lot of fun and frenetic energy. For those of us who smoke a little weed sometimes, we may pop out for a little puff, and for those of us who are just stress balls, we pace backstage and try to figure out what's going on, especially at the start of a tour, but I love it. It's a buzz, it's a drag buzz, and it's glamorous. 

EDGE: You’ve built an audience around cathartic, outrageous performance. With Werq’s huge production scale, how do you stay connected to the crowd on an intimate level?

Jimbo: I think it's all about the way I carry my presentation and making sure that I’m thinking about the back row throughout my performance. I have to remember, “Okay, who am I? What's going on for that person at the very back and the front row? I need to remember to give them my energy, and luckily, a clown is all about that. It's allowing yourself to be seen and allowing the audience to see you. That's how I do it. 

EDGE: VIP meet-and-greets are popular on the tour. What’s been the most memorable fan interaction so far—and why?

Jimbo: There have been a few inspiring stories. People are coming up saying, “Thank you. I went through ‘X’ trauma, and your show, vibe, or energy has helped lift me out of whatever scenario that I needed to be lifted out of. I love those stories. There's one story that's a bit sadder. A fan and her mom used to come to my shows, and I would make cameo messages for her mom. They were excited about coming to see one of my shows, and then her mother passed away. She still went to the show, but she brought her mom’s ashes. She sat in the front row with her mom. It was sad, special, and a great way to honor her mom. It's definitely emotional when you are familiar with a fan’s story, but I was grateful that she still came. I was delighted that she was able to have some closure and bring her mom to something that they love to do together. I was glad to be a part of that. I was happy to be able to honor her and her mom's spirit.

EDGE: As the tour wraps in late October, what’s next on your horizon?

Jimbo: I'm excited to go back to Drag Race live in Las Vegas, and this time I'll be going back as the host. So, I am excited to be hosting. Next year, I have some really fun and exciting filming projects that I can't talk about yet. Also, I'm excited for Drag Race Slaysian Royale. I did a judging spot on a new drag race franchise, so I've got an appearance on two episodes coming up, which was exciting to have that full circle moment to be a fan, then a competitor, a winner, and then to come back as a judge. I am excited to sit on the panel and offer critiques.

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Following wildly successful runs in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Latin America, the North American leg of the tour kicks off August 15 in Connecticut. The tour will hit major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Seattle, before concluding in Monterrey, Mexico, on October 25.

*Please note: Onya Nurve will appear on the tour from September 9 to September 25 only.
Tickets are available now at WerqTheWorld.com www.vossevents.com/tour/rupauls-drag-race-werq-the-world-tour-world-tour/ , with a limited number of VIP packages also available, including exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities with the queens.