Quotes from Jinkx Monsoon

I was so nervous competing against Lyneshia Sparx. She's so gorgeous, and she's hilarious. When you get to know her, she's the most lovely person.

I basically can't go to any gay bar in America without getting mobbed, which is fun and tiring.

Drag is very regional.

I think the best way I've grown as an artist period, not just in relation to creating music, is having a lot more confidence in myself.

Growing up as a gay boy during the holidays, there's the things you want to ask for, and then the things you ask for because you're afraid of asking for what you really want.

The idea behind Jinkx is that she's a single mother and failed actress. One time she went out to a gay bar with her son, who's a gay adult, and started singing torch songs on the bar and became a hit. Now she's every gay boy's favorite cabaret act.

It's silly, but 'You Really Got a Hold on Me' has been a favorite song of mine for a long time.

Sarah Silverman has always been a huge influence on my comedy.

I can't speak for the Jewish population, but I attribute my sense of humor to the tragic moments of my life. The best way to overcome certain tragedies is to develop a thick skin and sense of humor about things. Of course, I am very politically conscious and careful about my comedy. But when I do push an envelope, it's with a purpose.

I guess it wasn't really part of my story on 'Drag Race' but I'm a trained actor and singer.

No matter who you are in your day-to-day life, and no matter what you look like, and whatever insecurities you're dealing with, you can fully transform yourself. It's as easy as deciding to transform yourself.

I am a transgender identified person.

Jinkx is a single mother and I've seen so many strong Jewish women.

Drag is very much an art form, and all art goes through ebbs and flows and trends.

I really don't consider myself a man or a woman. I just kind of float in between and that's how I've always felt.

The more you embrace the weird crazy things about you, the more you find your tribe.

I want to be a role model and an advocate for social change.

I used to watch 'Death Becomes Her,' and I knew I wanted to become Meryl Streep.

When I'm doing an exaggerated character, I hope it's clear I don't think this is how women do, or should, act. There's aspects of Looney Tunes in drag. But there's something poignant about a man dressed as a woman, talking about gender. It can make you realize how similar the genders really are.

I hope people realize that drag queens and queer people, we're not just archetypes and stereotypes. We're human beings with a lot to share. And a drag queen doesn't have to just be a clown, she can also be like a cooking TV personality or like a DJ, or a talk-show host. We should be able to infiltrate TV everywhere.

There's an old guard of drag, like the queens who got as big as they could possibly get before there was a TV show dedicated to drag queens.

There's a mixture of pride and self-loathing in Jewish female comedians that I've always admired and wanted to bring into Jinkx.

I call myself a gorgeous anachronism.

I'm extremely into Greek Mythology and know almost everything about the classic Greek myths.