Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
Here she is . . . miss gay america
Who doesn't love sequined gowns and beautiful women - at least the illusion of beautiful women? The Miss Gay America Pageant has been around since 1971 and mirrors the same format as the Miss America Pageant - you know - evening gown, interview and talent. When it comes to drag queens though, you can probably guess that everything is going to be turned up a notch, including the drama.
This year's pageant was held Oct. 28-Nov. 1 in St. Louis and Alyssa Edwards of Dallas was crowned Miss Gay America 2010. South Carolina doesn't appear to have a qualifying pageant for this competition, but our neighbor to the north continues to have a well-respected pageant system and many performers who have graced the stage in Myrtle Beach have competed for years. This year, North Carolina sent performers Miss Gay North Carolina America, Detra Panucci and 1st Alternate Tracey Stephens. Years past have seen local faves like Kerry Nichols, the late Tracey Morgan and the seasoned performer Coti Collins who has placed in the top five for several years now (not including this year's pageant in which Collins did not perform). Collins, who is well-known for her impersonations of Reba McEntire and Judy Garland, among others, has been a favorite for many years to win, but unfortunately has never grasped the title.
In the recently released film, "PAGEANT," Collins is among four other female impersonators followed by the cameras during the 2006 Miss Gay America Pageant. The film, by Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern, is an intriguing look at the art of impersonation and the pageant which highlights those at the top of their field. From backstage interviews and candid scenes to amazing performances, this film provides you a chance to view the Miss Gay America Pageant like never before. It as already received rave reviews and was an official selection at the Slamdance Film Festival in Utah. Amy Sewell, the filmmaker of "Mad Hot Ballroom," says that "it will steal your heart in a way you'd never expect."
The host city for Miss Gay America 2011 has not yet been named, but if you want to experience this fantastic celebration of entertainment, "PAGEANT" provides you the opportunity to bring all the glitz and glamour into your living room. So grab a few friends, cocktails and even a wig or two and enjoy the pageant like never before. The film is available through Wolfe Releasing, can be purchased at www.WolfeVideo.com and is expected to be released through iTunes.com soon. For more information visit www.PageantMovie.com.
In 1971 in Nashville, Tenn., Norman Jones, a.k.a. Norma Kristie, was crowned the first Miss Gay America and the rest is history. Jones would later purchase the pageant system and take it to a new level. Currently L&T Entertainment, co-owned by Larry Tyger and Terry Eason, own and operate the pageant, which is now seen as the largest and most respected of its kind for female illusionists, a.k.a. drag queens, in the world. Hundreds of men from around the country attempt to qualify for the national competition each year, yet only 50 compete for the title, which can be a huge economic boost for the chosen queen. The winner has the potential of earning $50,000 to $60,000, with prize money and pay from bookings throughout the country - not bad for an entertainer.
I attended my first Miss Gay America Pageant in 1997, when Kerry Nichols, Miss Gay America 1996, relinquished her crown. That year the pageant made its way to Charlotte, N.C., home of Nichols, for the first time in a decade. I took my seat in the packed auditorium quite unsure of what to expect. I had attended several drag shows by that time in my life and I had attended and even been a part of several pageants. I did grow up in what many people refer to as "pageant country." North Carolina, among many other Southern states, often garners that title from having the top contestants in the Miss America competition year after year. It's what we love in the South - big hair, beautiful women and sequins.
I was amazed. The gowns were beyond beautiful. The talent rivaled that of Broadway musicals and the crowd was filled with excitement. I walked away that night with a new appreciation for the art of drag, and it truly is an art. The owners are very stringent on the idea of illusion. As their motto states, "Where the boys are boys . . . and female impersonation is an art." The rules clearly state that "the use of any type hormone is not allowed" and "absolutely no breast implants, cosmetic or body enhancing implants below the neck . . . will be allowed before or during the contestant's reign." The men you see on the stage in the Miss Gay America Pageant are 100 percent male.
OUT & ABOUT
Friday, Nov. 13 - Sunday, Nov. 15 - QMocha Magazine hosts CAFE (Cultural Arts Festival & Expo) 2009 this weekend in Columbia. This inaugural event will "highlight the various facets of urban lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture and art from literary to dance, drama to cabaret," according to a recent press release. Kicking the weekend off will be the Cabaret of CAFE, featuring drag kings and queens including Paris LeFaris performing at The Cabaret Show Bar at 1101 Harden Street. On Saturday, authors including Glen Collins ("What You Don't Know Can Hurt You"), Clarence Nero ("Too Much of a Good Thing Ain't Bad") and Mike Warren ("A Private Affair" and "Sweet Swagger") will take part in Our Stories, Our Voices Literary Forum, followed by Bodies in Motion Dance Exposition at the South Carolina State Museum's Auditorium. Later that afternoon, Columbia's "Street Poet" will host Spit Fire Poetry Showcase, featuring some of the Southeast's LGBT spoken word artists in the Museum's Vista Room. Following a dinner break, the Carolinas Black Pride Movement will perform "For the Love of Harlem," which profiles the lives of artistic visionaries during the Harlem Renaissance and their struggles, especially regarding sexuality. Bringing the weekend to a close, South Carolina Black Pride will sponsor Soul Food & Salsa Sunday, with complimentary urban delicacies and down-home cooking from 6-9 p.m. Sunday at the Harriet Hancock Center, 1108 Woodrow Street. All events are open to the public. For more detailed information and ticket sales visit www.qmocha.com or purchase tickets directly at cafe2009.eventbrite.com.
Sunday, Nov. 15 - Join the members of T-Time, the local transgender discussion group, for the 3rd Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance at 8 p.m. Sunday at The Center Project, 736 Eighth Avenue N. in downtown Myrtle Beach. The group will hold a candlelight vigil and a reading of the names of all transgender people killed in the past year. According to Veronica Walters of T-Time, the numbers this year are higher than they've been before with 88 victims so far in 2009. "Perhaps one year," says Walters, "it will be unnecessary to have this day, but until then, it is important to remember these individuals." The group also meets the first Saturday of every month at TCP. For more information call 626-4953 or email MyrtleBeachT-Time@yahoogroups.com.
Have a thought, comment or Out & About event? Send Chris Rudisill an e-mail at SouthernGayWriter@gmail.com. You can also follow along on Facebook.com @SouthernGayWriter for more news and events.
