James Eoin Stephen Paul McKeown (born 24 January 1966), better known as Jimeoin (), is a Irish-Australian comedian and actor.
Jimeoin rose to prominence in the early 1990s in Australia, where he had his own TV show and where he still resides. He came to public attention in the UK between 2005 and 2008 while performing a tour of Australia's outback and major cities, which was filmed for the BBC Northern Ireland documentary Jimeoin Down Under. He has also gained international recognition and is a frequent performer at comedy festivals, including the Edinburgh Fringe, where he made his debut in 1993 and where he has since appeared every year.
Early life James Eoin Stephen Paul McKeown was born in Leamington Spa on 24 January 1966, the son of Irish parents. He grew up in the Northern Irish town of Portstewart, where he attended Dominican College. After working on building sites in London for four years, he moved to Australia at the age of 22 and found work as a gardener.
Career Jimeoin's UK television appearances include Sunday Night at the Palladium (ITV1), Live at the Apollo (BBC1), 8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Channel 4's O2 Comedy Gala, Dave's One Night Stand, Edinburgh Comedy Festival – Live! (BBC3, three consecutive years), Monumental (BBC NI team captain, series I and II), Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (BBC1). He has also appeared on the Conan O'Brien Show in the US as well on a number of international specials for Montreal's Just for Laughs. in 2016 he guested on John Lloyd's Museum of Curiosity for BBC Radio 4.
He both starred in and co-wrote two Australian feature film comedies, The Craic (1999) and The Extra (2005), both co-starring Bob Franklin. He had his own comedy television program, the eponymous Jimeoin (1994–95) which ran for three seasons. He played Convict Griffin in the sitcom Bligh (1992).
He is also known for his extensive live comedy tours in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Great Britain. In 2013, he made his solo debut at London's Hammersmith Apollo and began to take his tours into the arenas, starting with the Belfast Odyssey Arena.
In 2010 he completed a new series Jimeoin: Over the Top for The Comedy Channel on Foxtel and Austar. The series features Jimeoin travelling across sections of northern Australia, interspersed with stand-up routines recorded at towns visited along the way.
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Jimeoin hosted Australian TV SBS's primetime comedy program The Full Brazilian, teaming up with the network's live coverage of 2014's World Cup games. The 25 live-to-air, hour-long shows were a mix of Jimeoin's stand-up, sketches, chat, football talk via satellite link to Rio de Janeiro, musical acts and guest comedians.
In 2025, Jimeoin participated in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Comedy Festival, an event which Human Rights Watch characterized as an attempt by the Saudi government to whitewash its human rights abuses.
Personal life Jimeoin married Catherine Arena in 2000, and they reside in Melbourne with their four children. He is a fan of Australian football team South Melbourne FC. He said in a 2009 interview that he is "not really into that nationality thing" but revealed that he supports the Australian national football team, as well as supporting Australia in other sports, because "Ireland's shit at everything".
Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS Goin' Off Released: May 1993 Format: CD, Cassette Label: Mushroom (D30969) 57 Crack Released: 1995 Format: 2×CD Label: Jimeoin (JIMEOINCD) — Forklift Truck Released: 1997 Format: CD Label: Jimeoin (JIMEOIN2) Recorded live in Edinburgh, Scotland, 24+25 August 1996. —
Singles +List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Album AUS "Walk on the Wild Side" 1993 58 Goin' Off "Danny Man" 1994 49
DVDs + List of DVDs, with selected details Title Details The Jimeoin: All Over the Shop Released: 2001 Format: DVD Label: Roadshow Entertainment (103328-9) Third Drawer Down Released: 2003 Format: DVD Label: Rajon Vision (RV0216) Jimeoin On Ice Released: 2010 Format: DVD Label: Beyond Home Entertainment (BHE3583) Something Smells Funny Released: 2012 Format: DVD Label: Beyond Home Entertainment (BHE4025) What?! Released: 2014 Format: DVD
Filmography Year Show Role Notes 1997 The Perfumer Edward Pinchbeck 1999 The Craic Fergus Montagu Feature film(also writer & producer) 2003 You Can't Stop the Murders Burrito Feature film 2005 The Extra The Extra Feature film(also writer) 2018 That's Not My Dog! Self Feature film
Television and radio Year Show Role Notes1993Full FrontalVarious charactersWriter/actor1992BlighConvict Griffin 13 episodes
As himself Year Show Notes1991The Big Gig1994–1995Jimeoin 1999GNW Night Lite1 episode2000Rove Live11 episodes 2001Jimeoin's Teatowel Tours: Northern Ireland2003Just for Laughs2006Thank God You're Here2008–presentGood News Week5 episodes 2008Out of the Question2010Spicks and Specks2 episodes Jimeoin: Over the TopMichael McIntyre's Comedy RoadshowTalkin' 'Bout Your GenerationMelbourne International Comedy Festival GalaThe 7pm Project2010, 2011, 2012Edinburgh Comedy Festival – Live!2011Statesmen of ComedyComedy Rocks with Jason ManfordBetween the LinesLive at the ApolloThe Royal Variety Performance2012Channel 4's Comedy Gala in Aid of Great Ormond StreetDave's One Night Stand20138 Out of 10 CatsAdam Hills TonightMonumental, series I and II6 + 7 episodes Live at the Apollo2014The Full BrazilianSunday Night at the Palladium2016Brexit at Tiffanys, Foxtel RX at Edinburgh fringeMelbourne Comedy Festival OXFAM GalaJohn Lloyd’s Museum of Curiosity for BBC Radio 4
Awards and nominations ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.
! |- | 1994 | Goin' Off |rowspan="5"| Best Comedy Release | |rowspan="5"| |- | 1995 | Crack
| 1998 | Forklift Truck
| 2005 | Third Drawer Down
| 2010 | Jimeoin on Ice Live
References
External links Jimeoin's official website
Jimeoin on the British Comedy guide