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Miss Gay USofA Classic 2005
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Miss Gay USofA Classic 2005
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Final Night – Miss Gay Classic USofA 2005
Opening Number: Ginger’s dancers from final night last year. They have large white feather fans. The music is an old-school Diana Ross mix throughout. Ginger is carried in on a baby grand piano (black piano, she’s all in white). She’s adorned in a full-length white feather coat with a white ball gown underneath. This is a very “classic” black-and-white opening production. In the mix, she “sings” “Endless Love” to her husband of many years Don. This is true national titleholder quality. Ginger introduces the USofA royalty and presents them with yellow roses (Tina Devore, Brandon Thomas, Daesha Richards, Layla LaRue, Maya Douglas, Chevelle Brooks, Kelexis Davenport, Raquel Lord, Victoria LePaige). Ginger “sings” “Missing You” with a large photo frame that highlights our “lost” USofA titleholders including Michael Andrews, Diana Hutton, Netasha Edwards (my personal friend and a helluva person whom I miss dearly), Tandy Andrews, and CoCo. The contestants enter in all red evening gowns to the music of “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” She hands them each a black glass rose – all 15. The contestants twirl and present themselves on stage. Ginger changes into a dance costume with a huge white feather headdress and finishes an impactful opening production.
Oh, Lordy, Sophia McIntosh is the emcee!!! The contestants introduce themselves one at a time with their names and which preliminary contest they represent. FYI: “Walter” changed his/her name to Ethel Mormon between interviews and final night.
Sophia is her usually spicy self. We are delighted to see a few of the USofA royalty before the pageant begins including Brandon, Chevelle, Tina and Layla..
Talent:
Latoya Bacall: The music begins with “Turn the Beat Around” by Gloria Estefan. Dancers come out with ribbons, like Olympic ribbon competition. Silver and blue costumes: Latoya enters and dancers leave. Dancers reenter and spell out “LATOYA” with round placards while dancing. Synchronized dancing, clearly well-rehearsed. Drummers in full band regalia and sunglasses come out and wear it out with beats on the drums. The drums have Latoya’s picture on them. Gymnastics hit and dancers in pink and gold come out … with a costume change for Latoya (pink and gold dance costume with harlequin design on main body). She’s doing “Baby Boy” by Beyonce. She’s hot and “on it.” This bitch is setting the pace as the first contestant. The crowd is on its feet screaming. Dancers enter in the back with silver flags to join the several on stage already. This is high-energy talent throughout and what we’ve come to expect from Latoya.
Chelsea Pearl: Chelsea enters in silver sequins and white, full-length coat with white feather accents. She’s doing Donna Summer’s live “This is My Life.” This is classic Chelsea Pearl emotive entrance. Her facial expressions are unmatched in the business. Dancers enter in white feather costumes. These are all four female impersonators and fill the stage with their presence. Chelsea leaves and reenters in a huge blue and white headdress costume. Choreography is simple but well-rehearsed. The talent is short but effective.
Lady Laura: She enters in Italian regalia, bluish purple and black ruffled Italian influence pants with two dancers. Dancers are in black pants and white shirts with bluish purple ruffles. She’s doing Cher’s Italian-inspired song the name of which escapes me right now. Choreography is simple with Italian lady fans. Enter two other backup dancers (female impersonators) for a musical interlude with Italian-style dancing. Note to self: always lip-sync, even when dancing.
Purrsia Leiahola: This cf.com favorite comes out and sings live to “The Rhythm is Gonna Get You” by Gloria Estefan. She’s wearing a sarong of pink, blue and yellow. She’s also got a neon yellow bra and is adorned in a pink flower lei and flowers in her hair and a massive pink flower “belt.” Her voice is sweet, like an angel. This is the kind of performer who makes you want to go up and meet her b/c of her engrossing personality. The Rose Room may not be the best place to sing live b/c the bass of the music makes your skin jump and slightly drowns out the performer.
Barbie Grant: Black out, spotlight comes on with Barbie in black velvet coat and black fur collar, “singing” “I’m Every Woman” by Whitney. We can see a white man’s collar and black man’s tie underneath. She loses the coat to show us a black vinyl vest and red hot pants, which may be revealing more than she intended. She’s doing a dance number to the aforementioned disco song.
Misty Vaughn: “Dracula” prop on stage to begin. It looks like a tomb entrance with potted plants at entrance. [Sophia says, “Carmella Marcia Garcia is BACK!] She enters in a white night gown outfit, full-length and “sings” “I Give My All.” Dracula enters from stage left and lip-syncs Vincent Price’s laugh and then Misty goes into “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with Dracula doing the backup. The music pumps up the bumps in the bass and she works ‘em hard. Dracula leaves the stage and then reenters at the end for dramatic effect.
[I should say that Sophia very well could be the best live performer I have ever seen. She plays this audience like of the finest entertainers in the world.]
Ethel Mormon [Walter]: She’s doing Carol Channing from Funny Lady (Fanny Brice). She’s in a gold sequin coat with black and gold feather trim. She strips the coat and leaves the stage to become Shirley Maclaine “singing” “If They Could See Me Now.” Her Shirley is almost dead-on. I applaud this impersonation. This is true “classic” style and what one expects in this type of pageant. She’s wearing a red and black beaded top and black sequin pants. She’s alone on the stage but the impersonation holds your attention. She strips the pants and top to reveal a body suite of black tuxedo style with a bluish purple boa doing “Hey Big Spender.” Then she goes back into “If They Could See Me…”
Fantasia: She opens by thanking the audience live and calling us the “Gay Apollo Audience.” She’s doing an impersonation of Dionne Warwick with a microphone. Although Sophia said it was live, I do not believe it to be so OR this is the most dead-on live vocal impersonation I have ever heard. She’s “singing” “No One in the World.” She’s wearing a full-length black gown with a circle pattern throughout and rhinestone bracelets.
[I am impressed by these Classic girls doing impersonations and am struck by the fact that half the audience was born in the 80s have no idea who Carol Channing, Shirley Maclaine or Dionne Warwick are.]
[small break – 10 minutes]
Tammy Faye: She enters in a white overcoat, white hair net and yellow plastic kitchen glove “singing” “Lunch Lady Land.” She’s in corrective shoes, rolled-down knee-highs and bifocals. Clearly, she’s having fun with this comedy number.
Nancy Taylor: Number begins with a giant golden sun on stage. The song is Gloria Estefan’s “Conga.” [Is this the year for Estefan or what????] The sun disappears and there stands Nancy. She’s wearing a black coat with fuschia trim and a fuschia gown underneath. It changes into a Latin number [smells like Chevelle]. Two dancers enter the stage in fuschia body suits with ruffled sleeves. Nancy leaves and reenters in a fuschia and black dance costume with fringe and stones. High-energy dance number in Spanish – forgive this very European white girl from Atlanta, I do not know the song. This is a rehearsed talent with lots of dancing and this Texas crowd is up for it.
Sonia Ross: “Chicago” talent…C-H-I-C…Chi…I hope you know the tune…Man in yellow and black zoot suit, cigarette girl in pink twirl off stage. Sonia comes out in a pink and red gown with red feather boa trim. The feathers molt as she strips the top to reveal a gown with a halter top and fringe bra. She strips the gown to reveal a dance costume in red with pink sequin fringe and two backup dancers (I think that’s Camille Simpson on the left). The three girls do a kick line and wrap up the talent.
Bridget Nichols: Man on stage with a “woman” on his lap. It’s “My sister and I…” from Chicago. Brigitte enters from the right in a black overcoat. She shoots the man and the “woman” falls on the stage. She picks up the deceased “woman” (a life-size doll). She strips the coat to reveal a black ruffle and sequin dance costume and “dances” with the doll. The crowd is really responding to this comedic interpretation of this song. The doll is thrown off stage. Coti Collins [work it, you flawless bitch] comes back on stage and plays the part of the “deceased” sister and does the last 30 seconds of the song “live” with Bridget. I must say this was a very cute and different way to do this talent number.
Jill Jordan: Sophia reads the intro into the number, talking about “Bananas,” someone with severe mental disorder and a fixation on Donald Trump. Enter Jill in a wheelchair, doing a live dramatic reading. She’s in a yellow terry cloth robe. The crowd is not clear exactly. [Personal note to Jill: You could do Carol Channing live.] I honestly don’t know how to describe this talent. She’s talking about limousines, Martha Stewart, celebrities, Jay Leno, Donald Trump, and a bunch of nonsense. It finally goes into “And I Am Telling You” from Dreamgirls. The robe finally comes off and she’s in a red cocktail dress with dolman sleeves to finish the number. I am, uncharacteristically, speechless.
The Legendary Misty Knight: Diana Ross and the Supremes. Misty is doing old school Diana mix, starting with “Stop in the Name of Love.” The girls are in black evening gowns with dolman sleeves. This is classic Diana, classic drag and Misty is the lovely and classic star of this number. I can imagine this number being performed at the Stonewall at the start of the Gay Revolution in 1969. Surprise! The girls exit and two male dancers come out in green tanks and black pants in a contemporary-style dance. Misty reenters in 1980s Diana Ross, performing “I Will Survive” [Diana Ross]. She’s in a gold hologram gown with an overcoat of red sequin and netting ruffles. Female dancer had hanger ribbon showing under left armpit but overall a clean talent otherwise.
Latina Garrett: The song begins with Cher song “Half Breed.” Latina is in a silver lame gown skirt, blue feather neck wrap with silver lame cape-like overall wrap tied to her wrists. Her hair is brown with orange highlights. The talent is going to be a mix of Cher songs that she performs alone. The second song is “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.” Same outfit. OK, the next song is “Dark Lady.” Same outfit. End of talent number.
[Special entertainers including Layla LaRue, Tommie Ross, Tina Devore, Ginger Manchester, Maya Douglas, etc.]
Daesha Richards is the emcee for evening gown competition.
Latoya Bacall: Pink gown from final night last year. However, it seems adorned in many more crystal rhinestones than before. Keyhole neckline, split up the front, train, nice updo.
Chelsea Pearl: Yellow ballgown with purple and gold stones. There is something whit e showing between the fitted gown and back ballgown, maybe crenoline or tulle. Chelsea is mugging in usual style.
Lady Laura: Blue and nude bugle bead gown in a criss-cross design. Slight train. Hair is exploding at top.
Purrsia Leihola: White short dress with see-through overlay. Gold accents.
[They are speeding through gown competition.]
Barbie Grant: Fuschica and black satin gown. Black netting over pink satin. Duct tape showing on left side armpit.
Misty Vaughn: Black crepe gown with rhinestone bodice. Flowy and interesting. Lots of rhinestones in hair and on eyes.
Ethel Mormon: Black and silver gown with keyhole neckline. Very 1980s or early 1990s Sequin Originals.
Fantasia: Yellow velvet overcoat and young escort. Reveals a black and nude gown with big black satin bow in back. Beautiful rhinestone jewelry.
Tammy Faye: Teal bugle bead and sequin gown, possibly from the 1980s. I would prefer something a longer. The arms and back are showing, unfortunately.
Nancy Taylor: Lime green and yellow bugle bead extravaganza. The crowd is going up for the first time in evening gown. Here hair is contemporary mix of smooth beauty and explosive fancy. She is elegant and beautiful and poised.
Sonia Ross: CoCo Vega gown in purple and nude. It’s in a star design at the crotch and breast, adorned with lots of crystal rhinestones.
Bridget Nichols: Gold, Green, and Mint Green and White. Very reminiscent of a Bob Mackie gown. She is the gown designer. Interestingly, she chose white shoes.
Jill Jordan: Lavender fringe bugle beads, accented in silver hologram neckline and wrists. Purple satin, dyed-to-match shoes.
The Legendary Misty Knight: She just made the crowd scream in appreciation. She’s in a red beaded and stoned gown, with a velvet fishtail bottom. She’s accented with crystal and red rhinestone jewelry.
Latina Garrett: Pink, yellow, green and lavender, fading to the bottom beaded gown, with a light pink chiffon wrap. Rhinestone jewelry completes the ensemble.
[They went through evening gown so fast I barely had time to write a couple of sentences for each.]
Comparative gown: Nancy Taylor worked it hard. Misty Knight flawless. Chelsea, Latoya, Bridget workin’ it. These girls are serious. This was a crazy, surprising, change in everything. These girls were turning it out for the audience, who were cheering for every single girl out there. This category may make or break the top girls.
To all of my classic friends and family, I wish the best.
And the new Miss Gay Classic USofA is…
Interview Winner: Sonia Ross
Evening Gown: Nancy Taylor
Talent: Latoya Bacall
2nd runner up: Chelsea Pearl
1st runner up: Nancy Taylor
Winner: Latoya Bacall