Atlantic City Crowns Another Queen
Another beauty queen was crowned at historic Boardwalk Hall Sunday night, as Atlantic City embraced the rebirth of pageantry for the second year in a row. Just so you know, when the birthplace of modern pageantry is handed over to drag queens not only do you get first-class entertainment, you also get the attention a charity fundraiser truly deserves. As a result, more than 1,200 spectators filled the seats of the Adrian Phillips Ballroom and watched as Miss Kitty Hiccups was crowned Miss'd America 2011.
The 2011 competition was beyond intense. Seriously—how does one choose between a thonged Cher and a spot-on Tina Turner? The talent portion alone was enough to make one question the lack of drag queens in their life and google the closest drag act in proximity. In all honesty, we didn't think last year's talent acts could be topped, but this year's contestants proved us wrong. Kitty Hiccups, aka David Hyland, a stunning beauty from Weehawken, NJ, was certainly a crowd favorite, but that doesn't mean her competition wasn't equally fierce. These ladies worked that stage and runway with grace, style, and whole lot of panache. They put their heart and soul into every stroll down that famous runway and who could blame them? After all, if you're planning to unleash inner fabulousness, it should always be done in the name of rhinestones and charity.
Beauty? Yes. Talent? Oh, yes! Yep, it was evident these ladies had it all, including brains. If you think that glitter, fake lashes, and stilettos make you a less informed American, think again. These divas were more knowledgeable about the problems our society faces on a daily basis than most of their Miss America counterparts. The contestants' responses to the various interview questions was further proof that Miss'd America is no longer just a drag queen in a Burger King crown, but rather an icon of acceptance whose platforms and presence are much needed in today's diverse society. Miss'd America 2010, the lovely Miss Michelle Dupree, aka Scott Cooper, definitely filled those shoes nicely. The judges couldn't have selected a better candidate to represent the new face of the pageant. A beautiful person both inside and out, Miss Dupree used her title to educate, comfort, and make a difference in the community and, like her, all eight contestants in Sunday night's pageant shared that same charm. Any of them would have made a fine Miss'd America.
The rest of the show was also chock-full of fabulousness. Robert "Sandy Beach" Hitchen and his ridiculously talented cast of "Boardwalk Empresses" delivered one hell of a performance Sunday night and, long after Miss Hiccups had pinned the crown to her head (using bobby pins she had stashed in her cleavage), the audience continued to rave as they made way to their cars or post-party shuttle buses. Suzanne Westenhoeffer, who replaced Carson Kressley as this year's M.C., was absolutely fantastic and kept the audience laughing with her quick-witted commentary throughout the night, along with Sandy Beach and her ever-changing wardrobe. Erika Schiff and her dancers were also a crowd favorite. The audience especially loved Erika's second number, which featured a fully-clothed orgy and had the potential to make even the trampiest of guests feel slightly dirty.
There's no doubt this mock beauty contest/charity fundraiser is destined for greatness. It appears that Cinderella has finally made her way to the ballroom and rumor has it that the televised castle may not be far behind. So, who's ready for HD drag? Because if any drag show deserves to be televised, it's this one.
But if the show gets televised, will it lose its original luster and charitable nature? Has it already "sold out" with its Lazarus-style return, Boardwalk Hall upgrade, and newly found popularity? In other words, has it gone too far in the eyes of its original queens? Well, according to HRH Mortimer, who won the pageant in 1995, it hasn't. Her royal highness is so proud of what the show has become and even more so that its original mission still remains intact. In fact, she still remains part of the show to honor the friends she has lost to AIDS. "I am so happy that we have remained true to our roots, a benefit show and a good-natured spoof of the Miss America pageant. Year after year, every one of us takes the time out of our schedules to do the show, and not one of us has ever taken a dime to do it." Wow, your majesty, it's nice to know there are still caring people in the world. Phillyist applauds you and thinks what you are doing is the true definition of what it means to be beautiful and something all of us should try to emulate. We are so proud of the entire Miss'd America Organization and what it stands for. Keep up the good work.
Filed in News and tagged Atlantic City, boardwalk hall, hrh mortimer, kitty hiccups, michelle dupree, miss america, miss'd america, robert "sandy beach" hitchen