If you ask a Canadian to name a drag queen, they’ll likely suggest Jimbo — and rightly so.
Jimbo, from Victoria, B.C., hit the big time when she won RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 8 in 2023. She’d previously competed on Canada’s Drag Race.
But Jimbo isn’t the only drag performer in Victoria.
The latest episode of the CBC podcast This is Vancouver Island features a conversation with Sylvester Stalletto, a Victoria drag king.
He says drag isn’t always the polished, glamourous style people might know from the popular Drag Race reality series — which features very feminine looks, including fashionable dresses, big hair, and makeup.
Jimbo, an internationally famous Canadian drag queen, is based in Victoria, B.C. (Craig Chivers/CBC)
“Drag Race can make things look very polished,” said Stalletto.
“But drag is not about being polished, it’s about connecting with your community and bringing joy to someone.”
Stalletto says he was at a low point in his life when he discovered drag, and it helped him feel comfortable in his own body.
“When I tried to fit into a binary of drag, it never felt right,” he said.
Sylvester Stalletto says drag is all about the joy it brings to the community. (Colin Smith/submitted)
The fact that the Victoria scene included drag of all styles meant Stalletto could play around until he discovered a character that worked for him — one that isn’t purely male or female.
“I think Victoria, it’s not afraid of the absurd and the nitty-gritty.”
To learn more about Sylvester Stalletto, listen to the latest episode of This is Vancouver Island.
17:49Victoria isn’t afraid of nitty-gritty, gender-bending drag
One of Canada’s best-known drag queens, Jimbo, is based right here in Victoria. But the Victoria drag scene is more than just Jimbo. On this episode, local drag king Sylvester Stalletto talks about the differences between the glamour of Drag Race and the nitty-gritty of the Victoria drag scene. He also chats with producer Stevie Welland about what makes drag so popular here, how it’s helped him find his gender expression, and how he pulls inspiration from Chilean macho men.
Islanders, this is a podcast for you. Life on Vancouver Island isn’t all sunset strolls and forest bathing — it can be frustrating, isolating and expensive. We’re going to talk about the good, the bad and everything in between. Hosted by Kathryn Marlow, every Tuesday.
Tune into This is Vancouver Island every Tuesday on CBC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.
MONTREAL – Lightspeed Commerce Inc. says it is conducting a review of its business and operations including talks relating to a range of potential strategic alternatives.
The Montreal-based payments technology company made the comments after reports concerning a potential transaction involving the company.
Lightspeed says it periodically undertakes a review of its business and operations with a view of realizing its full potential.
A strategic review is often seen by investors as a prelude to a sale by a company.
Lightspeed says its board of directors is committed to acting in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders.
Company founder Dax Dasilva returned to the role of chief executive officer earlier this year and has been working to return the company to profitability.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
OTTAWA – Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says there is a lot of uncertainty around how artificial intelligence could affect the economy moving forward, including the labour market and price growth.
In a speech in Toronto at the Economics of Artificial Intelligence Conference, the governor said Friday that the central bank is approaching the issue cautiously to get a better understanding of how AI could affect its job of keeping inflation low and stable.
“Be wary of anyone who claims to know where AI will take us. There is too much uncertainty to be confident,” Macklem said in prepared remarks.
“We don’t know how quickly AI will continue to advance. And we don’t know the timing and extent of its economic and social impacts.”
The governor said AI has the potential of increasing labour productivity, which would raise living standards and grow the economy without boosting inflation.
In the short-term, he said investment in AI is adding to demand and could be inflationary.
However, Macklem also highlighted more pessimistic scenarios, where AI could destroy more jobs than it creates or lead to less competition rather than more.
The governor called on academics and businesses to work together to shed more light on the potential effects of AI on the economy.
“When you enter a dark room, you don’t go charging in. You cautiously feel your way around. And you try to find the light switch. That is what we are doing. What we central bankers need is more light,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024.
CHICAGO (AP) — United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink WiFi service on flights within the next several years.
The airline said Friday the service will be free to passengers.
United said it will begin testing the service early next year and begin offering it on some flights by later in 2025.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The announcement comes as airlines rush to offer more amenities as a way to stand out when passengers pick a carrier for a trip. United’s goal is to make sitting on a plane pretty much like being on the ground when it comes to browsing the internet, streaming entertainment and playing games.
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do on board a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world,” CEO Scott Kirby said in announcing the deal.
The airline says Starlink will allow passengers to get internet access even over oceans and polar regions where traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals may be weak or missing.
