Johnny Calderón says he is not joking about running to become Winnipeg’s next mayor, even if he’s best known online as “Drunk Jesus.” Calderón, a Winnipeg comedian and entertainer, is one of 12 candidates on the ballot for the upcoming municipal election. In an interview with CTV News Winnipeg’s Senior News Anchor Maralee Caruso, Calderón insisted voters should see his campaign as a genuine bid as opposed to a publicity stunt. “Winnipeg. I’m not an idiot, but I do play one on TikTok, and I’m here to save the city for you,” he said earlier this month. Calderón said his decision to run came after his mother moved back to Winnipeg from the Interlake following the death of her husband and told him she didn’t feel safe. Calderón posts under the profile “Drunk Jesus” on social media and has not separated his entertainment content from his campaign videos. He said that is deliberate. “This is how I communicate,” he said, claiming the persona allows him to reach younger voters. He said he would go by Johnny Calderón if elected. “I mean no disrespect to Christians,” he said, adding that he sees his approach as a different way of getting out a similar message. “The biggest joke on the entire city is when ‘Drunk Jesus’ gets the entire city sober.” Calderón said he supports a police crackdown on open drug use downtown and is also proposing a non-police social outreach team. He said his experience comes from spending time in places other candidates avoid, which he described as “the streets.” “I have gone places that most candidates wouldn’t be caught dead in, and when I go there, I’m welcomed with open arms,” he said. As for how he intends to address addictions and homelessness, Calderón pointed to men’s mental health. He said he wants to create a place where men and boys can seek help early, similar to a women’s shelter or a food bank. “We need to have something for men’s mental health to get there early, and I will be the face of it,” he said. His campaign website lists 14 priorities, including permanent supportive housing rather than shelters alone. It also proposes outreach and exit programs to help young people leave gangs, and community-based mental health resources. Other pledges include revitalizing the Exchange District and downtown core, holding weekly job fairs, making rental applications easier and simplifying permits for people starting businesses. Calderón also said he would fix Winnipeg Transit bus routes and make transit safer for riders and drivers, but he did not outline specific measures. He said he would encourage passengers to behave. In a message to undecided voters, Calderón said he is “here for you” and is the person who will deliver the change they’ve been asking for. “If you really want change, you’re looking at it,” he said. Election day is Oct. 28. Calderón is one of 12 mayoral candidates CTV News will profile in sit-down interviews ahead of the Oct. 28 election. The full interview can be viewed online. With files from CTV News’ Maralee Caruso
