Introduction
Jonny McGovern (born July 12, 1976), also known by his character name The Gay Pimp, is an openly gay American stand-up comedian, musician and podcaster. He has recorded three albums as comedic singer The Gay Pimp, and is also a cast member of Logo's The Big Gay Sketch Show.
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. McGovern later returned to the United States to study acting at Boston University, where he earned a BFA.
Career
Early 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,
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. The video for Soccer Practice, which received heavy rotation in dance clubs as well as notoriety on the Internet, featured McGovern in a shirt that was emblazoned with the sequined words "Gay Pimp."
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. McGovern also became a year-long correspondent for The Ricki Lake Show. A second single, Lookin' Cute/Feelin' Cute, continued to endear him to his largest fan base of gay teenagers, despite missing the heavy exposure of Soccer Practice.
McGovern hosts his own YouTube show on StreamTV entitled "Hey Qween!", with drag queen Lady Red Couture, where he interviews various icons of the LGBT community.
Other appearances
In 2008, McGovern was also featured as a commentator on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest....
Collaboration
Besides his own music, McGovern is involved with several other groups where he acts in roles as a songwriter, producer, and performer.
To date, these groups include:
La'Mady
A now defunct, transgender rap "super group" that consisted of McGovern's podcast co-host Linda James, DJ Nita, Ericka Toure Aviance, and Koko Aviance. Kevin Aviance appeared on the group's signature track, This Is New York City, Bitch, but is not a member. The group's other song to date is Runway in My Street Clothes. La'Mady's album, Feelin' Like an Orchid was announced in 2006 on the How to F*** a Straight Guy episode of McGovern's podcast.
Linda James
Linda James (the solo recording artist, not to be confused with the actress, podcaster, model, or Bea Arthur-impersonator of the same name), has written and recorded two songs with McGovern. The first is called The Bad Bump and it deals with cocaine overdose. She also recorded Timebomb, which is featured in The East Village Mixtape Volume 2: The Legends Ball. As part of an ensemble groups La'Mady and Team PIMP, Ms. James has recorded nearly a dozen songs with Jonny McGovern.
Team Pimp
An electronica-pop-rap crossover group consisting of McGovern, Linda James, Maxi J, Ericka Toure Aviance, and Adam Joseph. The group is responsible for the tracks Somethin' for the Fellas (That Like The Fellas), Bossy Bottom, Dick Swang Out!, and the unreleased Run to the Dance Floor.
Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern
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. It ranks as one of the highest weekly comedy podcast under the keyword "gay" on the iTunes music store.
Awards
HX Awards
Best Party: Boys Gone Wild/The Rambles at The Park 2005, 2006, 2007
2007 Glammy Awards
- Best Party Promoter
- Best Male Entertainer
- Best Party - Boys Gone Wild @ Mr Black's
2008 Pill Awards
- Sexy Pill - Somethin' for the Fellas (That like the Fellas)
- Best Dance Video - Somethin' for the Fellas (That like the Fellas)
Discography
| Year | Tracks |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Dirty Gay Hits
US Release Date: August 4, 2003 |
| 2006 | This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape
US Release Date: November 28, 2006 |
| 2007 | Gays Gone Wild
US Release Date: May 9, 2007 |
| 2008 | Keep It Faggity: The Gay Pimp Remix Project
US Release Date: June 11, 2008 |
| 2008 | Dirty Gay Christmas Single
US Release Date: Late November 15, 2008 |
| 2009 | Best of Gay Pimpin' volumes 1 & 2
Volume 1:
Volume 2:
US release date: January 30, 2009 |
| 2009 | The East Village Mixtape Volume 2: The Legends Ball
US Release Date: November 2009 |
| 2011 | Songs about the Golden Girls
|
| 2012 | The Gayest of All Time
|
| Unreleased Tracks | Unreleased
|
Note:
- In the twelfth episode of the third season of Queer as Folk, Soccer Practice can be seen and heard in the background of the bar scene at about 18 minutes into the episode
- "Soccer Practice" is played in the HBO vampire series True Blood in the third episode of season one. McGovern mentioned it on his weekly podcast and says he highly approves
- Artist and raconteur Robert W. Richards drew the album cover for Gays Gone Wild
- The photographs used on Jonny McGovern's site and ReMix album where shot by Dick Mitchel
- By June 2007, the song "Somethin' For The Fellas (That Like the Fellas)" had held the top spot on Logo's The Click List: Top 10 Videos for over 15 weeks
- The video for "Don't Fall in Love With a Homo (A Song for the Ladies)" was released on May 1, 2008 with 25,000 views in the first day. It eventually hit number 1 on Logo's Click List and stayed there for 6 weeks.
- McGovern's gay parody video of "Like A G6" with transgender diva Calpernia Addams called "Likin Big Dicks" had over 400,000 views, and a club remix was produced by NYC electro-group Naked Highway.
- McGovern's spoof of Duck Sauce's "Barbra Streisand" dance track entitled "Marla Gibbs" (honoring the star of 227) was mentioned several times by Andy Cohen on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live!
- He also has a web series "Celebrity Donkey Punch" which comes out bi monthly.
Jonny's new EP " Songs About The Golden Girls" comes out this spring followed by a full CD Gay Pride 2011.