|
About Miss Gay America
Miss Gay America Official Pageant Rules and Regulations
1.
Contestants must be male, at least
the age of 21 prior to the date of the pageant entered. A state issued (with
photograph) identification must be provided at the time of registration. If for
any reason the promoter finds any cause to investigate the age or residency
status of the contestant, reasonable measures will be taken for that
investigation and the contestant will be informed if just validation is found
disqualifying them under this rule. All contestants must be a citizen of the
United States
.
2.
A (90) ninety day residence is
required for closed and open pageants for City and State prelims, unless the
State pageant is purchased as a “Regional preliminary”.
Additionally, the winner of a state pageant should reside in the state
during his reign. Failure to remain a resident of the state pageant for the
title which he holds may result in revocation of the state title.
3.
Entry
by a contestant who is currently in open criminal proceedings for a felony,
currently on felony probation or is in current retribution for a crime, will be
denied entry as a contestant into any preliminary of the Official Miss Gay
America pageant. A contestant who has successfully completed felony probation,
or whose criminal case is dismissed, will be eligible to enter. Verification of
criminal status may be checked. More than one misdemeanor will not be tolerated
and could likewise result in entry denial. Any contestant found to be untruthful
about their criminal status will be permanently removed from eligibility within
the system.
4.
Judging
will be based on a total points accumulated system. Score sheets will be
furnished by L & T Entertainment. Ties will be broken by the answering of
questions by the persons involved in the “tied’ score. If such
“tie-breaking” action is required, the “tie-break” question will be
scored according to the On-Stage Question category matrix. The Pageant scoring
will be done on a cumulative basis. The practice of dropping the high and low
scores will not be tolerated in the national, state, regional or city pageants
as well as any pageants leading to an official preliminary pageant. The reigning
representative may question a judge’s score and may eliminate the judge’s
score sheet altogether, if the scores are deemed to be biased; however the
practice of automatically dropping scores is not permitted by anyone.
5.
Promoters must provide to the
Judges, at minimum, a Judges Book that contains the following information:
- Category Descriptions
(should be provided in advance of the contest)
- Category Point Summary
- Scoresheets
- Judges Regulations and
Other Information (should be provided in advance of the contest)
Other Helpful information to the Panel of Judges would include literature
from L & T Entertainment (letter entitled, “What Are Judges Looking For In
A Miss Gay America”, articles entitled, “A Good Judge” and the 5- Category
Articles published by L & T Entertainment)-available via download from the
MGA web site (“About MGA” button).
For more information, please refer to the “Judges Regulations and
General Information” section of this manual.
6.
Promoters should furnish an
“Application Packet” to the Contests, that should include, at minimum, the
following information:
- Contestant Application
(the required standardized application is located within this manual)
- Opening Number
Requirements
- Contestant Regulations
- Category Descriptions
- Category Point Summary
- Pageant Schedule
7.
Contestants will be judged in the
following categories: Evening Gown, Solo Talent, Talent, and the two types of
interviews: Male Interview and Onstage Interview. A promoter may use all
categories if desired or may opt to use all categories except for the Solo
Talent Category.
8.
While contestants may receive great
prize packages from promoters, contestants are strongly encouraged to not solely
rely on the prize packages from the promoters, for funding sources to the
national competition. While L & T Entertainment will not tolerate any
promoter who reneges on the prize package obligation, from time to time, events
beyond control occur, therefore contestants should always attempt to have a
“Plan B” in terms of funding sources.
9.
Competition music (CD-R only) must
be submitted in quality condition (i.e properly labeled and with no damage that
affects “play” and only one tract per CD). Any substandard music submitted
will receive administrative point deductions. A back-up CD-R will be required
should your original be misplaced or is deemed to be “damaged”.
10.
The
use or dispensing of any illegal drug will not be tolerated while a contestant
(or entertainer) is participating in the Official Pageant, or preliminary
thereof. Immediate disqualification will result for those who break this rule.
Contestants (as well as their helpers and dancers) may be disqualified if usage
of drugs is detected in the contestant’s room, luggage, or on their person
etc. or if actions of the contestant, or those affiliated with the contestant,
are thought to not be in the best interest of the Miss Gay America pageant
system. Contestants are responsible for their assistants and dancers and will be
penalized if anyone affiliated with their presentation is found to be in
violation of this regulation.
11.
Any talent presentation is
acceptable, except those presentations that might cause injury to the audience
or to other contestants. Pyrotechnics are
not allowed. NO
FIRE
(including but not limited to a lit cigarette) OR LIQUIDS, including but not
limited to water, WHATSOEVER. Any violators will receive a zero (0) in the
category for which this regulation violation occurred. For more information on
category description, please refer to the Category Description section of the www.missgayamerica.com
website.
12.
Any contestant caught in the act of
stealing will immediately be disqualified and removed from the location of the
pageant. Additionally, non-compliance with this regulation will result in the
permanent disqualification from entry into the Miss Gay America pageant, or any
preliminary thereof.
13.
Any
contestant whose actions are interpreted as demeaning or disrespectful to the
title of Miss Gay America will be disqualified. L & T Entertainment reserves
the right of final determination of what is considered to be demeaning behavior.
14.
The
use of any type hormone is not allowed. Absolutely no breast implants, cosmetic
or body enhancing implants below the neck or silicone (or any other similar type
product/chemical) injections, excluding the face, will be allowed before or
during the contestant’s reign. This includes any city, state, regional or
national reign. L & T Entertainment reserves the right to require a medical
examination or physical examination in the event that a contestant is suspected
of violation of this regulation. Likewise, L & T Entertainment, or an
official representative (to be approved by L & T Entertainment) may require
an examination based on “visual observation” at which case the contestant
must consent, or face disciplinary actions, including suspension or
disqualification.
15.
Any contestant who is chosen as
winner of a closed or open State pageant, must reside within that state during
his reign. Failure to reside in the state, during the reign, will result in the
revocation of the state title as well as any remaining cash, prize and
appearance stream.
16.
The contestant chosen as first
alternate must be prepared to fulfill the duties of the titleholder, if for any
reason the titleholder is unable to fulfill his duty. The first alternate winner
does not have right of refusal to be promoted to the titleholder position, if
the opportunity occurs with zero (0) days to six (6) months from the date of
that particular contest. Should the contestant decline the promotion, within the
aforementioned timeline, a two-year minimal suspension, shall be levied against
that contestant. If the promotion opportunity occurs after six (6) months from
the date of that particular contest, the first alternate has acceptance option,
without declination penalty.
17.
Revocation of a contestants title
or pageant placement will result in the requirement of the contestant, to repay
any cash or prizes previous distributed. Failure to repay to cash or prizes (or
cash equivalent) will result in the suspension of the contestant, until
repayment is completed.
18.
Contestants who have qualified or
intend to qualify for the next level of competition, may not adjudicate a Miss
Gay America system contest on any level during the same pageant season.
19.
All
contestants must agree to follow the Standards of Conduct of Contestants and
Titleholders. All titleholders and contestants of any Miss Gay America System
Preliminary must adhere to these
minimum guidelines:
·
Present themselves professionally,
as defined by L & T Entertainment while representing their respective titles
at all times
·
Never demean the pageant or title
they represent
·
Never cause substantial problems
for their promoters or for those for whom they perform
·
Never become intoxicated while
representing their respective title
·
Never participate in any type of
argument or altercation, except as a mediator, while representing their title
·
Attempt to solve any problems with
Promoters and/or co-performers in a peaceful manner and in good faith. Problems
may be mediated through the Miss Gay America Board of Advisors however, the
executive office of L & T Entertainment must be informed of all issues. All
complaints must be documented in written (typed) form for an opinion/official
mediation from the executive office of L & T Entertainment.
·
Never lecture the audience, only
provide quality entertainment
20.
Violating the Code of Ethics for
Titleholders may result in the disqualification/revocation of the
title and/or jeopardize the winner’s/first alternate’s standing with L &
T Entertainment. L & T Entertainment shall make final decision for
revocation of any titleholder or qualification position, on any level.
21.
Promoters should file a written
request, to L & T Entertainment, for “review” of the status of a
titleholders who:
a)
Do not present themselves in a
professional manner.
b)
Demean the pageant or the title
they hold.
c)
Cause substantial problems for the
promoter, those with whom they
perform
or those for whom they perform
d)
Are using or dispensing illegal
drugs.
e)
Are intoxicated while representing
their respective title.
f)
Are in direct violation of any
regulation noted in the Promoters Handbook
g)
Are in violation of any directive
that is give in consideration of the best interest of the pageant
h)
Is tardy or absent from officially
sanctioned pageant event
22.
Any
contestant who has qualified or has intention to qualify to any preliminary of
Miss Gay America (i.e
State/Regional pageants or on the National level) may not judge (during the
year
in which they intend to compete in the next level pageant), any contest,
including City, State
and Regional preliminaries, that is designated as a preliminary in the
Miss Gay America system
23.
Administrative
point (AP) deductions will be issued by L & T Entertainment, the reigning
Miss
Gay
America
, or other assignees as approved by L & T Entertainment. Administrative
Point
deductions will be applied to the total accumulative score of the
contestants and will usually be
in increments of twenty-five (25) points per infraction except where
otherwise noted within this
handbook for promoters.
Regulation infractions that will justify administrative point deductions
includes but not limited
to:
·
Regulation
infractions that will justify administrative point deductions includes but not
limited to:
·
Exceeding
allotted time for talent set-up and take-down
·
Music
submitted that is not appropriately labeled
·
Music
submitted that contains more than one track
·
Application
Questionnaire submitted that is note properly completed or not in typed/printed
format
·
Application
submitted after the October 01 deadline
·
Direct
violation of any category (i.e. using an item deemed as a prop with solo talent
or exceeding the talent set-up time), unless the category descriptions otherwise
states a greater penalty
·
Tardiness
for scheduled events of the pageant
·
Non-compliance
with requirements for Presentation Costume
·
Non-compliance
with Dressing Room Policies
Administrative Point deductions will not be issued by the judges but rather from
L & T Entertainment and/or its assigns including, the reigning Miss
Gay America or/the the promoter.
For more
information concerning competition requirements and expectations of titleholders
of the Miss Gay America pageant system, please refer to the following:
The Miss Gay America Category Descriptions
The Miss Gay America Job Description
Summary
Back to
About Miss Gay America
| 
