Danica Lani 0:00
Ever looked in the mirror and thought, “I’d make a damn fine Drag King”? Welcome to Kings of Joy — the Drag King podcast where gender isn’t something to fear, it’s something to play with. I’m Danica Lani, The King Coach, mentor to over 150 first-time Drag Kings, and I’m taking you backstage into the unruly, magical world of Drag King transformation. If you’re craving confidence, community, and a crew that gets it, you just found your crown. Connect with us on Instagram at Kings of Joy for behind-the-scenes content and updates. We’d love to hear from you.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 0:41
I came off stage — I was just buzzing. I felt like my whole body was humming. For a whole week I was just on this… you know… high. And that’s when I messaged you, of course, and I said, “I can’t not do this again.”
Danica Lani 0:56
Yeah. I remember your words were: “I’m hooked.”
Becks aka Jim Junkie 0:58
Yeah. I was. It was like a drug. It was like, “This is what I need.”
Danica Lani 1:03
At Kings of Joy, we acknowledge and pay our respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work, and play. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.
In this episode, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with Becks, aka Jim Junkie. Becks is a director and producer with a focus on new writing and queer works. Becks performs as Drag King Jim Junkie on the Sydney Drag King scene, and was crowned King of Kings at the 2021 Sydney Mardi Gras Heaps Gay Drag King competition. They’ve since performed at Heaps Gay, Queers of Joy, The Drag Kings, The Bearded Tit, and many other places — and they developed a 60-minute solo Drag King show during a 2022 residency at Brand X.
Welcome Becks, aka Jim Junkie, to The Kings of Joy Show. Thanks for being here.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 2:04
Thanks. Thanks for having me — and what a great studio. I love it.
Danica Lani 2:07
It’s fun, isn’t it?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 2:08
Yeah. I feel like I’m in a New York loft apartment, not the streets of Annandale. So yeah — transformative.
Danica Lani 2:15
The streets of Annandale. Yeah.
Danica Lani 2:19
Just before we started, we were reminiscing on some banana themes. If you’re a follower of Jim Junkie — which you should be — you’ll know there’s a bit of a banana theme to some of Jim’s performances. What’s that jingle again?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 2:39
“Make those bodies sing… make those bodies sing…”
Danica Lani 2:48
I liked that because you took the low and I took the high. That’s good. We didn’t even rehearse that.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 2:54
No, I know. We just knew.
Danica Lani 2:55
So good. Alright — let’s start with your origin story. What got you into Drag Kinging? Why did you want to become a Drag King?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 3:06
Well, it’s kind of a two-part story. The first was back in London. I lived in London for a couple of years — did the typical Aussie thing, went over there. I was a resident artist at the Barbican for a year, which was a really great experience. And then I joined the Young Vic Directors Network, which is a great programme for emerging directors.
Through that, they had a workshop with a company called Milk Presents (I think it’s still going), with Leo Spielbeck, who does all these amazing Drag King theatre shows. There was a show that came out here a few years ago at the Seymour Centre called Joan.
Leo hosted a bunch of workshops where they were like, “This is how I make a play with Drag Kings.” It was the first time I’d heard of a Drag King, so it wasn’t quite grasping in my head yet. But we did get to do some things like… this is where we learned that if you grab a bra and fold it, you can use the cup to create that bulge — that package in your pants.
Danica Lani 4:13
And so good. I mean, we’ve used that so many times in coaching first-time Drag Kings.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 4:19
Totally. And the minute I did that, confidence just rushed through me — like it cracked on my head and dripped down through me. And then the facilitator was like, “Yeah, now go do what you want to do in this room.” I suddenly felt like I could do anything. I was like, “I could push over this chair and no one would care. In fact, I’m going to do that.” And I just pushed it over. It felt so empowering.
That was my little taster — my little entrée of Drag Kings. But I couldn’t see that going anywhere outside that contained safe space.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 5:00
Then when I got back to Sydney… I had to leave because my visa ended, and I was really brokenhearted, because London felt like the place I could be me. It felt like my soul city. And coming back here — Sydney, where I grew up — felt very conservative and risk averse, and I didn’t feel like I could be queer in Sydney.
Danica Lani 5:23
Really?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 5:24
Yeah. I was watching people I grew up with doing the typical conveyor belt: you go to uni, stay friends with the friends you went through high school with, still live in the Hills District, marry someone from down the road, and continue on. That’s the conveyor belt of life. I wasn’t doing that, and I couldn’t see anything else happening.
There was some queer stuff happening, but it didn’t feel like me. It felt like a lot of gay men, a lot of partying, a lot of drugs and alcohol — which is people’s thing and that’s fine — but it wasn’t me. So I was like, “I don’t think there’s space for me here.” I really thought Sydney would be a pit stop, and then I’d move somewhere else.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 6:22
But then I started to find some people. I joined the Flying Bats Football Club.
Danica Lani 6:27
Shout out — best lesbian/queer football club.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 6:31
Yeah. I think it’s the biggest one in the Southern Hemisphere, I’ve been told.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 6:37
And then I was at work one day and I got this Facebook message from one of the players. I’d been to their comedy shows, and I knew they were fun to be with. I got this message like, “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” I thought it was a bit weird — I figured maybe they were doing a theatre show or something.
They said, “I’m starting this new night. It’s called Queers of Joy. Do you know what a Drag King is?” And I said, “Yeah — I know what a Drag King is, because I did this workshop.” And they were like, “So I hear you do theatre… would you want to perform in a group? We’ll do it as a group.”
I remember there was this split second — it wasn’t hesitation, it was just like this weird pause, this breath — and then I said, “Absolutely.”
I look back at that moment and it was a real sliding doors. So much has come from that.
Danica Lani 7:41
Absolutely. And we have my spouse, Chris, to thank for that.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 7:44
Yeah — that person was Chris, who is the host and producer and founder of Queers of Joy, aka Chase Cocks. Now, you know, a colleague who I perform with — and we make theatre together now. And from that, I joined the programme. It was the first-ever Kings of Joy.
Danica Lani 8:09
It was the first group we’d ever had. Chris had said to me, “I’m starting this show, Queers of Joy. It’s to platform trans and gender-diverse artists,” because they’d just gone through their gender journey. We got married as lesbians, and after we got married they came out as non-binary and trans masc.
And they were like, “We had so much fun meeting in a Drag King crew — that’s how we met — we should give that away to other people, so they can have that experience.” And they were like, “Danica, you can choreograph something, can’t you?” So they pulled a couple of people together — some from football — and there we were.
And then you were in the very first group of Kings of Joy. So what was that experience like?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 9:01
It was incredible. It was creative. We were coming out of COVID, so we did all our rehearsals online. And then when we got together to do the performance, I came off stage buzzing — like my whole body was humming.
I realised I’d never entertained the idea that I could be a performer. I always thought I’d be the producer or the director behind the scenes. Someone in Year 9 told me, “Oh, you’re more of a behind-the-scenes kind of person.”
Danica Lani 9:33
Booooo! We wouldn’t have had Jim Junkie if you’d stayed true to that.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 9:38
Right? I thought after uni that would be it — you choose your path and that’s it. I wouldn’t get a chance to come back and perform. I thought it was self-indulgent to perform, but getting to perform was so fulfilling. I came off stage buzzing, and for a week I was just on this high.
And that’s when I messaged you and said, “I can’t not do this again.”
Danica Lani 10:08
Yeah. I remember your words were: “I’m hooked.”
Becks aka Jim Junkie 10:10
Yeah. It was like a drug. Like, “This is what I need.” And I had excitement before going on stage — but I didn’t have fear of “what are people going to think?” People responded so well.
And every time Kings of Joy perform at Queers of Joy, the crowd loves it. People really get behind it. I felt safe doing it in a group — it wasn’t this solo thing with all the pressure.
In the lead-up, I went to friends’ houses and we experimented with costumes. They’d give tips, I’d show them sneak peeks of the choreography — and they responded so well. That’s also when I started experimenting with shapes.
I did it blindly — I didn’t realise I was learning how to shape my body when performing as a Drag King with an AFAB body. It felt so empowering. I looked in the mirror and was like, “Oh — when I put padding on my shoulders with stockings and pillows…”
And on the night, I don’t know why, but I had this urge to tape my arms and wrists — which I still do. That’s part of Jim’s look. It wasn’t until we did a workshop with Hugo Girl that I realised it helps create shape — it draws the eye to the right spots, and creates that more masculine look. I was just drawn to these different Drag King practices.
And it was creative and fun — I wanted to do it. It wasn’t like, “Ugh, gotta do makeup.” I wanted to experiment.
Danica Lani 12:14
Yeah. It’s about creating that masculine silhouette — that shape. It’s part of creating a persona and leaning into your masculinity, and having that in your presentation and costume.
This journey of Kings of Joy is so much about gender exploration. What was that like for you?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 12:37
It was amazing — and it felt like me. I don’t know how to describe it, but when I tried to play masculine roles in the past, especially in high school, I never got a good response.
I remember watching the boys in the school next door — we’d see their plays, they’d see ours — and they’d get such a good response. Sometimes it felt like I’d try to do the exact same thing, and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t being received the same way.
So I’m really interested in how audiences respond to comedy with masculine bodies versus feminine bodies. It can feel like audiences like to see masculine identities play with comedy, and don’t like feminine identities doing the same.
That’s a tangent — but exploring my gender through this was incredibly freeing. It felt safe. It was encouraged, celebrated, accepted. You can dip your toe in, try a little bit more, try another bit. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. There are guidelines, sure — but it was really freeing.
Danica Lani 14:03
So good. It was so good to witness that journey for you.
What happened afterwards? You called me like, “I’m hooked. I want to go solo.” What’s the journey been for Jim Junkie?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 14:20
It’s been five years. Wow.
The next big thing: we did the Butch Fashion Show, which was really fun — a community thing as part of Mardi Gras. That’s when I really started to play with Jim’s persona and backstory. I remember us backstage messing around, and I was like, “Oh yeah, I think I’m a PT… doing a Cert II in personal training and wellness at Petersham TAFE.”
Then I saw there was this competition with Heaps Gay as part of Mardi Gras — the Heaps Gay King of Kings comp. Three categories: first-timers (first solo), baby kings (about a year), and established kings. I called you like, “I want to enter. I have no idea what to do. Please help.”
You helped me choreograph the routine, and Jim just kept growing. We did it in about four weeks.
Danica Lani 15:47
That routine was about Jim entering a competition himself, wasn’t it?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 15:57
Yeah — we kept it really simple. Jim enters the gym, thinks he sees someone he knows — that fails. Then he goes to lift a weight, but there’s a tiny dumbbell hidden behind it. Then he stretches, pulls his groin, freaks out, and calls his mum to pick him up. Simple, straightforward. And it was set to “Turn Down for What.”
We did some theatrics too — resin chalk, clapping hands — it looked great on stage.
It was still COVID and I was working from home, but you’d come to my apartment two or three times a week at like 7am — sometimes with your bone broth — and we’d do an hour of rehearsals. Then I’d shower and log on to work.
Those constant rehearsals and refining — that’s when the persona came out. And the competition had clear criteria: there needed to be a moment of surprise. We kept to that checklist.
I was so nervous. The whole day I was rehearsing, rehearsing. I did meditation — I was performance coaching myself. And then I did it… and I won first-timers.
And I was like, “That’s my year.” I didn’t even entertain the idea I’d be up for the overall King of Kings, which was audience vote. The category awards were judged — and there were incredible established kings there.
I didn’t think I’d have a chance for the audience award — there was Guy Alius, Woody, Malcolm X, George D’Yall… I was like, “There’s no way.” Then I remember standing on stage, they put it up on the screen, and I think I was the last person to look… and there it was: Jim Junkie won the audience vote.
Danica Lani 18:55
We were in the audience screaming, jumping up — so proud. Great moment.
So Jim has really developed. Tell us about Jim. Who is he?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 19:11
When I talk about him, I feel really protective. I know he’s me, but I also look at him like a little brother.
He goes to TAFE. His dream is to be a personal trainer. He’s trying to start a fitness influencer brand — probably got about 200 followers.
He still lives at home. Grew up in the Inner West, but he’s at home with his mum, dad, and three brothers. They work for the family business — a hairdressing service. Jim’s dad has said he’s not “manly enough” to work reception — doesn’t have the balls to take on that role. So it’s Jim’s dream to eventually work for the family business.
But until then, he’s a simple guy. Loves his mum, loves his brothers, loves his mate Tyson — who never shows up. Best mate Tyson never texts back, but Jim texts him anyway.
Danica Lani 20:21
That’s a very developed backstory — you’d expect that after five years. How did you come up with all of that?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 20:31
It started with the Kings of Joy programme. I was toying with some ideas — I had a COVID Marshal persona in mind — and you wisely said it might date.
Danica Lani 20:44
Thank God it did.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 20:45
Thank God. At the time, I was heavily into the gym. I found some great communities and they were very supportive of my gender identity.
But I noticed this particular type of person coming to the gym — always a young guy, 20 or 21, brand new expensive gym gear. He’d hang around the really buff guys, the heavy lifters. And the heavy lifters are actually quite sensitive — they’d be like, “I hate cardio. It scares me.” That’s what I love about CrossFit: everyone’s good at something, everyone’s not good at something.
But this young guy would hang around the lifters like, “Oh yeah, yeah, yeah…” and when it was his turn to lift he’d be like, “Oh I’m injured, I’m cool, I’m cool.” He’d show up for a couple of weeks, then disappear. Then a similar guy would show up a few weeks later — rinse and repeat.
It took me a while to realise they were just looking for friends. And isn’t it weird? We go to these gym spaces that are meant to be safe and body positive, but they can be so intimidating — especially for young masculine people who feel they have to be performative to fit in.
And that’s the response I get a lot when I talk about Jim — people are like, “Oh… he doesn’t quite hit it, but gosh, he’s trying.”
Danica Lani 22:27
We love Jim. Jim’s so endearing.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 22:55
We discovered way more about Jim when I did my residency at Brand X and created a show.
About a year or two into the Jim journey, I applied for a residency at Brand X — an incredible space. They had a programme where you develop an idea for a week and present it for two nights. That’s where I made my solo show: Jim Junkie: Max Potential.
We spent a week developing a script that explored toxic positivity, and expectations around gym culture and fitness influencing — I’m fascinated by it. That’s where we really created Jim’s world.
The story is: he’s going for a weightlifting competition, hyping himself up, getting in the zone… and then he gets a comment on one of his Instagram videos calling him a fake — and how he responds to that.
Danica Lani 23:56
He’s so relatable. I remember watching the show sitting next to a cis guy who was crying with laughter, like, “I know that guy. That guy’s me.”
Becks aka Jim Junkie 24:14
Totally. I did a photo shoot at the Haberfield Rowers Club — there’s an outdoor gym — dressed as Jim, doing those gym bro poses. A guy next to me was working out and I was like, “Sorry, I’ll move out of your way,” feeling self-conscious. And he was like, “You have no idea how spot on this is.”
That was the ultimate pass — when another gym bro acknowledges you.
And I’m glad he responded positively — like he didn’t feel I was making fun of him, because I don’t want to make fun of them. I want to explore this vulnerable side. People say, “I know Jim,” and I want them to be like, “Oh… this is what they might be exploring.”
Danica Lani 25:18
You’ve gone from strength to strength. We had Max Potential, your solo show — and then we got to step into theatre again with They Will Be Kings. Tell us about that.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 25:28
Kaz Therese — an incredible theatre maker whose work I’d seen before — went through the Kings of Joy programme, and I think that sparked the idea. They approached you, and you said, “I know a couple of people who might be good for this,” and brought me on board too.
Essentially, it was this idea of a theatre show where we look at our personal journeys coming to be Drag Kings — and exploring masculinity, finding masculinity, and what that experience has been for all of us. And also celebrating positive masculinity, because there are positive aspects to it. I don’t think it should be hated. There are toxic forms, sure — but there are also toxic forms of femininity. There’s light and shade to most things.
We developed it for a couple of months — a lot of hot rehearsal rooms — spent a week at Critical Path, and then did a sell-out season at Qtopia.
And yes — we’re coming back for Mardi Gras 2026. We’ve got a two-week season we’re hoping to sell out as well.
Danica Lani 26:57
Absolutely. We’ll be returning. And lots of people missed out last time — they’ll be keen.
You’ve become an icon in the Drag King scene. You inspire a lot of other Drag Kings. You’ve also been an assistant coach in the Kings of Joy programme. What would you say to an aspiring Drag King who might be listening?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 27:25
Start. You learn so much from doing — so just start. Even if it’s in your bedroom, putting on a little moustache — just start. It’s so freeing. The more you practice and experiment, you’ll figure out what’s you and what’s aligned to you.
There are so many great resources now. When I started, there was that one Hugo Girl makeup tutorial — and even then I was like, “Oh my God.” When they said it’s going to take an hour, I was like, “What?” Although nowadays I do take about an hour to do my makeup.
And you’ve got resources too.
Danica Lani 28:06
Yeah. I’ve got a free resource for aspiring Drag Kings who are like, “Where do I start?” Some people start with their name, some people start with their look — there are different ways in.
I’ve got a free resource called Claim Your Drag King Name. It’s about starting with your name and using examples from the Kings of Joy community. You can do something punny. You can riff off an existing name. You can use alliteration — like Jim Junkie with the JJ. It’s a really good resource to download and get started.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 28:47
I still go to those — as reference — and your makeup stuff too. It’s really good.
Danica Lani 28:55
Thank you. I’ve got a lot of articles now, because there are four pillars you’ve got to get good at as a Drag King: performance (persona, backstory, masculine energy, presence), costuming, choreography, and makeup.
Speaking of — I’ve got a little joy segment. Producer, can you pass us the moustaches?
Danica Lani 29:27
We’ve got some 1920s party moustaches. I thought I’d ask Jim which one he’d choose.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 29:38
People do bring these to Kings of Joy as a gateway to facial hair. I paint my facial hair on because I like the way it looks and I’m terrified something’s going to fall off. But I’ve seen lots of people bring these.
This is a bit of an unboxing moment.
I love a handlebar.
Danica Lani 30:07
Jim is going for the handlebar.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 30:14
Go on, Dario — I think there are a couple of Dario-esque ones.
Danica Lani 30:21
Yeah, there are.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 30:21
These are a great way to start experimenting with what feels comfortable, and what shapes you like.
Danica Lani 30:32
It’s a good thing to study — facial hair…
Becks aka Jim Junkie 30:35
Totally. And Instagram is such a great resource for makeup looks — just for inspiration.
Danica Lani 30:46
Jim is applying his moustache and — oh God — it hurts when you pull it off.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 30:50
God, it does.
Danica Lani 30:55
And this will pull your tape off. You bind, right?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 30:57
I do. I bind. I love it — it can be really freeing — but I’ve had a couple of binding injuries.
I did an eight-hour gig as part of Sydney WorldPride and I think I did it too tight. On the way home I tore it off. Not good.
You have to be careful — go slowly. Coconut oil can help. I always do it in the shower now, to wet the tape. It can be so uncomfortable taking it off. And I’ve had headaches from doing it too tight and not breathing properly.
So practice binding safely. And also: you don’t have to bind if you don’t want to. There are other ways — a binder, a sports bra — or nothing. You don’t have to.
There are very few hard and fast rules with Drag Kings — and binding isn’t one of them.
Danica Lani 32:23
That’s right. I’ve only discovered two rules.
Rule one: don’t do anything racially problematic on stage. That’s why I coach people in creating a persona, not a character. A persona is you — you draw on your own rich cultural heritage — so you avoid cultural appropriation. That’s for the white people out there: we need to remind ourselves and really take note of how we represent ourselves.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 32:50
I always say: if I turned the masculinity volume up on me, you’d get Jim.
Danica Lani 32:59
Exactly. It’s a larger-than-life version of yourself.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 33:01
Totally.
Danica Lani 33:02
Rule two: you can have a dick — just don’t be a dick. We don’t do representations of toxic masculinity on stage, because people have had enough of that in their lives. Queer audiences don’t need to see that.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 33:16
No. And I know there was an era where people explored the treatment they received as AFAB people through Drag Kings — exploring abusers and that — but I think we’re beyond that now. We don’t want to put stage time to it.
Danica Lani 33:35
That can be a therapeutic process, for sure — but not on stage.
Lastly, Jim — if you had a magic wand, what would a thriving Drag King scene look like?
Becks aka Jim Junkie 33:52
In Sydney, or in general?
Danica Lani 33:55
Sydney, then global. Let’s go.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 33:59
Okay. In Sydney: I look at places where there’s a thriving Drag King scene — London, and parts of New Zealand. Aotearoa is incredible and there are phenomenal kings there.
And this could be controversial, but Melbourne is really amplifying. There are so many incredible kings down there.
What I’m seeing is multiple Drag King nights a week — regular. But I also want producers and venues supporting them: safe spaces, accessible spaces, accessible tickets, and real support for artists.
We go through a lot of challenges even trying to get a venue. Having a venue that supports the artists is huge.
I want regular audiences, and new audiences. We started Bois Night Out as a response — Sydney didn’t have a regular Drag King night. We had audiences come up from Canberra — they searched “queer Sydney” on Instagram, found Bois Night Out, came, loved it, and won free tickets to the next show. That’s the dream: new audiences and returning audiences.
And I want big festivals like Sydney Festival and Mardi Gras to understand the importance of Drag Kings and the audiences we bring.
I’m not saying I want Drag Kings on the main stage — but I want equal opportunity. Queens have had more time in the mainstream, and that’s okay. Drag Kings have been around just as long, but they’re different. Peanut butter and Vegemite can exist on the same piece of toast — but they’re not the same.
I don’t think we should compare ourselves to Drag Queens, but I do want people to respond to Drag Kings with the same enthusiasm — seeing it regularly, enjoying it.
I saw a Drag Queen in an optometrist ad — Specsavers or something. I want to see a Drag King there too. I want Kings in ads, on TV, in everyday life.
We were watching Bake Off the other day and there was a Drag King on Great British Bake Off — first time. Incredible.
That’s what a thriving Drag King scene looks like to me.
Danica Lani 37:21
Amazing. I love this conversation. We could talk for hours, but it’s a little hard to speak properly with the moustaches on.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 37:40
Right?
Danica Lani 37:43
Shout out to our dads.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 37:45
Love you, Dad.
Danica Lani 37:45
I love you, Dad.
Becks aka Jim Junkie 37:52
You can see us at Bois Night Out — Christmas special at The Factory Theatre. We’ve got a special surprise in a box. What will it be? You’ve got to come to find out.
Danica Lani 38:07
Thank you, Becks — aka Jim Junkie — for being here and sharing your incredible story and journey as a Drag King. Onwards and upwards.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
