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December 2009 Edition Of
"The Excellence"
Victoria's Voice
So, after all the excitement was over I realized I didn't
attach my letter from the last few exhilarating weeks as Miss Gay America. So
once again I get to post my final letter in The Excellence (as Miss G ay America
2009)- seems like you’re never going to get rid of me! Lol!
Greetings,
Wow! What a ride this has been! If you could only see my
house you would die. Drag droppings everywhere, it is a mess but I have not
stopped in the last month. I returned home from
Florida
on Monday and it was time to leave again. I was so excited because I got to
return to the
Queen
City
one more time for the 31st Annual Miss Gay North Carolina pageant. I arrived to
the hotel driven by my Aunt Brooklyn. She was the liaison of the stars for the
week. I opened up the door to find a huge circus poster above my bed with my
newest headshot on it. It was beautiful! I knew right away that this was going
to be everything and it truly was. The first night was my dear sister Tiffany
Storms show, it was a blast getting to work with her and all of the girls. My
Siamese twin for the year was also there, Catia, along with my other sister
Rachael Erikks, but she had the night off!
Thursday marked the start of the greatest show on earth. I,
alongside Victoria Parker lead the troops on their way to fight for the crown.
Rachael Erikks, Sharde' Ross, Robert York, Jerry Vicks and Reba Lamkey-Knabe had
a long week ahead of them in the search for the new Miss Gay North Carolina.
Starla Davinci, Detra Panucci, Emory Starr, Jessica Raynes Starr, Cherries
Jubilee, Nirobi,
Gobriel
Brooks
, Aqua St. Mark, Tracy Stevens, Vaness Cottrell, Coco Chanel and Brianna Davis
did an amazing job in their quest for the crown. I must say that this pageant
had a plethora of people that were amazing! Brian Hemric, Terry Burris, Bret
York, Greg Fulk, Mike Rhinehart, Tiffany Bonet and Maya
Montana
-we owe this group a huge thank you for making this pageant a success. I have to
take a second to say” WOW”- it was the best opening I have ever seen. The
circus had come to town and I got to be the Ring Leader it was a blast.
Victoria
, you did an amazing job- thanks for including me! A
special congratulations goes out to Detra Panucci for capturing her dream and to
Tracy Stephens for getting her ticket, as 1st alternate to Miss
Gay North Carolina
America
.
My next stop was back to
Memphis
for Miss Gay Heartland. It is so nice being back there as the people are so
kind. William Carleton and Darryl Rodgers did a great job promoting the pageant.
It was so nice to get to work with the reigning Mya Alexander on her final
night. Adria Andrews,
Stephanie Lane
, Alyssa Edwards, Mercedes Alexander and Anastasia Beverhousen worked it out.
This was a tough one making it a difficult job for Larry Tyger, Pebbles, Mike
Divoky, John Robinson and Heather Grant. Congratulations to Anastasia
Beverhousen for winning and to Alyssa Edwards as 1st alternate. I
wish I could have stayed longer, but I had to catch the plane at six in the
morning, so after the pageant my two dads and I stayed up all night until it was
time to go to the airport- it was fun! I arrived back in
Kansas City
, but had to go straight to St. Joe for the Miss Gay Kansas Pageant. This was
held at one of the bars that I have my regular show at so it was nice to be back
and see my peeps that I haven't seen in a year. The pageant was blessed with
Cypress
, Sparkle Iman and Jamie Ray Downs. The
judges were Kirk Nelson, Catia Lee Love, Reba Lamkey-Knabe, Micheal Leffering
and Daren Kuhn; it was a great time performing with all of them. Also in
attendance were Melinda Ryder, Loreal and Loretta Martin. Congratulations to
Sparkle Iman and to her first alternate
Cypress
. Best of luck to you both at Nationals!
Well, there comes a time where all good things must come to
an end so this brings me to my last prelim as Miss Gay America. I was happy to
be back in
Columbus
,
Ohio
for Miss Gay Mid Atlantic- I love this place! I got to hang with my girls Tonia
and Christina; we ate and shopped all day. The first night I was booked with the
fabulous Nina West, Virginia West and Sonia Ross at
Union
and the Axis what a great time and amazing show. The next morning was the big
day; Kristina Kelly and Natasha Styles were ready to take on pageantry. Mike
Righnheart, David Cullison, Nina West, Paige Passion and Erika Evens still had
their work cut out for them with just two contestants. I would like to say thank
you to Aron Aranda and Nick Rose for being great promoters as well as friends,
it was a pleasure working with you both. And the winner goes to… Kristina
Kelly and first alternate Natasha Styles! Congrats girls on being so wonderful-
knock em’ dead at Nationals!
Well, it’s weird being finished with prelims, now it’s
time to finish preparing for Nationals. I am now in rehearsals just about every
night for the opening production and I am hopeful you all will enjoy this one as
much as I am putting it all together! I hope you all are having a blast getting
ready for Nationals. Remember that competition is what you make it. I can't wait
to share our week celebration together and I thank you for a surreal and
exciting year!
Until next time!
Victoria DePaula, Miss Gay America 2009
 From the desk of Larry & Terry
Let Us Give Thanks!
Just a few days after the Thanksgiving holiday yet we still find ourselves
thankful for many things. We are thankful that we have accumulated the
nation’s finest promoters that clearly demonstrate a much bigger desire to do
something meaningful, by helping the contestants, than to make a huge profit
from promoting. We are thankful for a great crop of contestants that worked hard
this year, in order to qualify and to bring their best to the national
competition, in hopes that they would make their promoters proud. We are
thankful for a great group of formers in attendance this year. All of whom were
willing to go above and beyond the role of being just an entertainer, so that
they could show the “puppies” why they won Miss Gay America and that they
were in attendance at the national competition this year, to show that their
interest in continuing this great tradition of excellence exceeded their
ego’s. We are truly thankful for a great week of competition and we are very
excited about the year ahead for the Miss Gay America pageant system and Miss
Gay America 2010 Alyssa Edwards.
We
hope that this finds each of you well rested and that you had a great
Thanksgiving Day. We wish each of you, the merriest of holidays and look forward
to seeing you soon, as we embark on yet another year’s search for the next
Miss Gay America. Until then, take
care and Happy Holidays!
Until
Next Time!
Larry and
Terry
 Raquel's
Reality
Hello
everyone out there in the land of rhinestones and eyelashes!
I hope this finds you well and enjoying the holidays.
I still find myself amazed it was five years ago that I was crowned Miss
Gay America. Within those five years
so much has happened, some ups and downs, but through it all it’s our life
experiences that make us stronger.
First of
all, I would like to congratulate my newest MGA sister, Alyssa Edwards!
She and I have known and competed with each other for many years.
We have shared so many special times together and after many
conversations throughout the years, her perseverance and dedication toward her
dreams came to fruition. I am so
happy that I was part of such a pivotal point in her life, the crowning ceremony
of her as Miss Gay America 2010. This
just goes to prove that when you set your sights on a goal, you can do it!
Speaking
of goals, MGA was certainly one of my goals and I knew there were two other
goals I wanted to achieve, after winning MGA.
I am ecstatic to be able to share with you all that I completed all
courses and graduate on December 20th with a Master of Science in
Health Care Management from the
University
of
New Orleans
! Also, another goal and exciting
news is that Chris and I recently bought our first home!
With final exams, closing on a house, sewing and preparing for MGA all in
one month, I am now certainly enjoying the holidays.
Needless
to say because of my schedule and travel limitations this past year, I am so
happy I was able to see Victoria DePaula in action as MGA, at least for one
prelim, while judging Miss Gay Texas, along with Tasha Kohl.
Victoria and I grew up in this system together, yet neither one of us
really knew Tasha. To be able to
share that time together and visit about all the years was priceless for us
both. It has been said by many
former MGAs, and is so very true, that the day you are crowned Miss Gay America,
your life changes forever.
It
has also been said by many people who go on to other pageant systems that the
Miss Gay America Pageant System prepares you for the ability to compete in other
systems, because of the structure, organization, and excellence that is expected
within MGA. I never competed in
other systems, I only wanted the most prestigious and legendary title of Miss
Gay America. The one thing I want to
enlighten you all with, especially the thousands of contestants throughout the
years and those still to come who consistently stay with the system, is the fact
that the Miss Gay America Pageant System “prepares you for life” in
more ways than you realize.
When
I go for interviews, I’ve had more practice than most of the applicants who
are there. When it comes to
meetings, projects, organizational activities, and when things become
dysfunctional, the MGA in me kicks in with the leadership skills and the mindset
that “the show must go on.” And
the one thing that many people have much difficulty with is public speaking.
I could not believe all my grad school classmates, as well as coworkers,
who are so petrified to stand in front of a room and give a presentation!
They were amazed of my ability to fluently give a presentation without
the slightest hesitation or stutter of “umm.”
They just didn’t know it took years of hard work, all of which these
experiences were learned through the MGA system.
The structure, organization, and each category prepares you to become a
Symbol of Excellence far beyond the crown, because you only wear the crown one
year, the rest lives on within you.
Finally,
it’s in “Raquel’s Reality” that I hope you all take each year of
competition as a learning experience simply preparing you for life’s journey.
I look forward to doing some traveling this year, now that I won’t be
living in a classroom or constantly doing homework.
I have certainly missed seeing the many friends I’ve made throughout
the country and look forward to sharing in Alyssa’s experiences as she makes
her mark in history as Miss Gay America 2010.
All
my love and Happy Holidays,
Raquel Chevallier
Miss Gay America 2005
A Note From The Editor
The Excellence strives to be an informative newsletter delivered to the promoters,
contestants, audience and other supporters of the Miss Gay America Pageant System throughout the year. Should there be any issue or topic of discussion a promoter would like to see addressed (or to write an article to be published) in a future newsletter, please contact the editor via
Email.
Please note, any article, comments, or opinions faxed, mailed, (postal or electronics),
or otherwise sent to any of our "addresses" become our property and carry an implied consent of publication should we choose to do so. No articles will be published in which one or more of the following occurs:
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