September 19, 1998 T PAGE 19
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Hello, drag devotees, and welcome back! My
apologies for the absence of the last column...!
sent it to the wrong e-mail address and it
bounced back. Unfortunately, that old file has
disappeared — and after I type something, the
written info goes in the trash...a really stupid
mistake. I’ll have to backtrack in the next one
to catch you up. But, because
of this, we get more time to
talk about the two most re
cent national pageants that
have taken place. Both were
full of surprises, I might add.
I do know that my last
column was to cover Miss
NC America. Kristin Collins
of Asheville won — the first
to do so as a Miss Charlotte,
thank you. Her RUs were
Tyler Kole, Isis, Jasmine
James of Winston-Salem,
Ebony Black and (a blast
from the past) Brittany Allen.
Congratulations to the NC
America family for making it
last 20 years! A special treat
that pageant weekend was
our reigning Miss Gay
America Maya Montana who could not be any
lovelier. If you saw (and especially met) her, I
know you’d agree. Just a few weeks later, Maya
Was back to reign over Miss SC, which Veronica
Ciccone, formerly of Raleigh, won. And former
Miss NC, Kirby Kolby, swept all categories at
Miss West Virginia Regional a week or so after
that. Her NC sister Tracy Morgan crowned her.
Lauren Taylor, a former MGA, and the cur
rent Miss USofA, had her first prelim recently
in San Antonio. The winner of Miss Texas was
Layla LaRue. Her runners-up were Cara Dion
i (his twin brother does drag, too: Tara Dion)
and the lovely Courtney Van Wales. Congrats
to Whitney Paige who gave up the title and is
1 finishing up her reign as Miss USofA at Large.
And what better time to discuss winners at her
most recent prelims: Miss Windy City: Sybil
Ann Storm; Oklahoma: Tiffany Adams; Iowa:
Mahogany Knight; Florida: Tefra Devoe; East
Coast: Dina Jacobs with RU Aniaya; Southern
Carolinas: Cameron Brae with RU Beverly
Hills; Cosmopolitan: Shamu with RU Eva
Destruction; and Great Lakes: Celeste Olds.
After my sister and good friend Kelly Rae
went through the trouble to call with all her
prelim winners, I now have to call her back due
to the missing drag file incident. Anyway, I
know she’s been travelling
and having a blast, but I can
tell you about two recent
prelims: Miss Wake County,
won by Nicole Standi with
alternate Jasmine Knight;
and Winston-Salem, won
by TifFany Bondt with alter
nate Ebony Addams. Have
mercy!
The Entertainer of the
Year pageant was held in
Louisville almost a month
ago and here’s how Top 12
looked: NC’s Versage;
Michelle McCausland of St.
Louis; Dominick Sanchez
and China Blue, both of Ar
kansas; Calpernia Addams
of Nashville, TN; Kitty Lit
ter; Syimone of Louisville;
Alana Dupree Steele of Indianapolis; Dallas’
Laken Edwards; 2nd RU Angel Sheridan of
NYC; 1st RU Adanta’s Necole Luv Dupree; and
winner, little Daisy Deadpetals of Ft. Lauder
dale, who is a sweet child and will add diversity
to what it means to be a Miss EOY.
Before I go on, let me say this — I hope you
enjoyed my “prediction pictures” of the Conti
nental girls, because I will never do that again!
Those predictions were based on what I saw
last year at the pageant and what I had heard
about preparations for this year. Trouble is,
some new girls put a hurtin’ on some estab
lished divas with reputations for being fierce.
All my six made Top 12, of course, but it basi
cally ends there.
The pageant was the most flawless ever and
a bloodbath to the very end. I will bill it now as
the pageant of 1998. ’Nuff said? Just ask any of
the other 11 kids from NC who were there.
I’m still on my high from it.
Anyway, opening production — A Tribute
to the Divas of Hollywood — was worth the '
entry fee alone. Monica Munro as Joan
Crawford and Chanel Dupree as Gypsy Rose
Lee were phenomenal! Then the parade of
contestants...! thought I would pass out! Truly,
some of the loveliest queens in the industry were
in the house that night, including spectator
Tommie Ross — who turned the party out in
her brocade suit with black boa trim. Oh,' it
was good to me!
Finalists outside of Top 5 were Hawaiian
goddess Yoshiko Oshiro, Danielle Hunter,
Whitney Gaitan, YosmeiiftZampbell Starr (who
keeps getting better), Jessica Michaels, Regine
Phillips, and an angel from above. Jasmine
Bonet. The winner and her court included 4th
RU Armani (a new diva to worship!), 3rd Erica
Andrews, 2nd Sasha Valentino, 1st Silkie
Munro (formerly O’Hare, but now taking her
drag mother Monica’s name), and winner
Michelle Dupree. Saywhat?
Yes, Mr. Scott Cooper from NYC! He made
finals two years ago when Paris Frantz was
crowned. Michelle is the first “boy” queen Con
tinental has had in almost a decade and it up
set many kids in attendance who thought the
idea preposterous. However, he won overall tal
ent doing a scene from The King and 7; won
overall interview:— as he did in 1996 — and
won on-stage question. I never thought I’d see
the day!
But, when a pageant is fair, kids, everyone
has a chance! So, no more lip about having to
be a transie queen, okay? Mr. Cooper is gonna
have a rough enough time as it is! Because when
I say “boy” queen, I mean it! This Miss Conti
nental wears pads and glues on his wigs. What
an interesting year it’s gonna be!
I’ll close with a thought by super dragster
RuPaul: We’re all born naked and the rest is
drag! T
• To establish and nur
ture a network of busi
ness and professional re
sources.
• To encourage fellow
ship and support among
business, professional
and charitable pursuits.
• To provide and pro
mote positive role mod
els in the Gay and Les
bian community.
1235 L CAST 5LVD SUITC 201
CnARLOTTC nC 28203
704 505-507 5
Monday, September 21
Dinner Meeting at Holiday Inn
Make a pretty smile! Guild Dentists speak about teeth
Cocktails 5:30pm; Dinner 7:00pm
Wednesday, September 30
Social Gathering at Hartigan’s at 5:30pm
Wednesday, October 7
Social Gathering at Liaisons at 5:30pm
Dinner Meeting on Mon,, October 19 has been cancelled
Thursday, October 22
Meeting at The Hilton at University Place
Meet Steve Gunderson & Rob Morris prior to their
speaking engagement at UNCC
Call today for reservations: (704) 565-5075
CHASteoxtE
CENTER CITY
230 N. College Street
Charlotte
“ Family Values: Being Southern
ConservaHvft K Gay”
Steve Gunderson, Rrst Openly Gay Republican US Congressman & his life partner Rob Morris
Thursday, October 22 • 7:30 p.m. • McKnight Hall, Cone Center
The Charlotte Business Guild will host a reception before the lecture from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the University Hilton that will
include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and a chance to meet Steve and Rob. The cost is $18, which includes admission to the
lecture at UNC Charlotte. These tickets are available at Paper Sl^scraper, 330 East Blvd., White Rabbit, 834 Central Ave.,
Urban Evolution, 1329 East Blvd., and Superior Feet Playhouse, 15(X) Central Ave.
Ticket Prices w/out Reception will be available at the door, as follows: ,
• Reeto UNC Charlotte Students
_ (with student ID)
• $3 for Faculty/Staff
• $5 for General Public
For more information or questions,
please call 56&6075.
• Reception sponsored by the Charlotte Business Guild
• Booksigning sponsored by White Rabbit Bookstore
• Lecture sponsored by the
University Program Board and
co-sponsored with the
Charlotte Business Guild