Released: 1st December 2020
Seen: 6th December
Review copy provided
You know, around this time of year we all have a traditional Christmas special we might like to dig out. There are things like the classic Charlie Brown Christmas Special, maybe you’re a fan of some Rankin Bass classics or you like to go a little off the beaten track and pull out the Pee Wee Herman Christmas Special. These are all absolute classic choices that work great for every kind of child… but what about after you’ve grown up? What special works for the modern day jaded adult who only makes it through the Christmas season through a temporary dip into alcoholism and passive aggression? Well, that’s why we have drag queens to help provide us with the adult holiday special we didn’t know we needed.
The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is a high energy hour long madcap ride that’s being headed by the terminally delightful BenDeLaCreme (who I will be calling Dela from here on out because I’m not typing that much) and the seductively cynical (at least in this special) Jinkx Monsoon. Jinkx is definitely not a holiday person, happy to just indulge in casual hookups with the naked man that just happens to be on the soundstage she’s sleeping on and down a couple of bottles of booze whenever one is within arm’s reach.
Jinkx’s attitude kind of puts her at odds with Dela who is not only determined to live up to the traditions she was raised with by her grandmother, currently talking to her in the guise of a glass of Egg Nog (voiced by Varla Jean Merman) but Dela is also writing a big Christmas special that they’re currently appearing in… yeah, this is kind of gloriously over the top and weird in all the right ways.
From the jump, The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is not a special that’s going to fly for most families… I mean, if your family is cool with a special where people stop to hit bongs, walk around naked with only mild pixelation to protect their nether regions and sing parody songs about doing it up the ass then hey, that’s your family but just saying that this isn’t for kids.
For adults though, this is absolutely brilliant. The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is a perfect mix of throwback nostalgia to the specials of our youth in terms of tone, but the content is updated for a modern adult and presumably gay audience (I mean, you probably don’t have to be gay to enjoy this special but it can’t hurt).
With a pair like Jinkx and Dela at the helm, both veterans of a certain Drag heavy reality show, The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is just brimming with hilarious jokes, cheeky puns and some glorious songs. Sure you get your delightfully filthy numbers like A Gay In A Stranger (the anal parody I mentioned earlier) but you also get the more silly songs like Nativity Twist or even the ones that offer hope for the future like New and Gay (about how we need to get rid of the old traditions that make no sense and make room for new ones that suit a modern audience). Every song is just a glorious infectious treat, undoubtedly one of them is going to get stuck in your head but they all would fit well on any Christmas playlist.
On top of some great songs and a touching message about chosen families and updating traditions, The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is one of the funniest shows I’ve had the honor of sitting through. It’s an hour of joke after joke, something for everyone. If you like puns, they got you. If you’re more of a physical comedy person, then get ready for some genuinely joyful slapstick. There are filthy jokes, fourth wall jokes, subtle jokes, bawdy jokes, every single kind of joke you can imagine is in here and if one doesn’t work for you then give the show about 20 seconds and it’ll get you that way.
The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special is an absolute joy, a new gay tradition that should be enjoyed every year to put a smile on even the most jaded face. It’s absolute joy stuffed with drugs, nudity and songs about riding Santa all night long. It’s glorious, a sheer delight. Jinkx and Dela have proven that they are a double act that can do just about anything. I genuinely hope they make more holiday specials for the other times of year because they have the talent that could create the ultimate holiday specials that we can play year round.
Movie Meister Reviews 