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September 2010 Edition Of
"The Excellence"
Coco's Corner
 As my days and nights run together, the
only way I can tell the beginning from the end is by the rise and setting of the
sun. I set out to continue my
journey with more stops than a greyhound bus driving across country.
My return to
Columbus
Ohio
for their State Preliminary was well awaited.
Once again I was in the city where I will pass on my title to your next
Miss Gay America 2011. I was greeted
by TEAM
CoCo
once again, Tonya and Kristina. And
once again Kristina’s famous words were “Do you need anything, are you
okay?” It felt good to know I was
back there. This was a great State
Pageant; Symphony Alexander Love was passing on the title of Miss Gay Ohio
America. Several great contestants
and many old friends. Aron Aranda
and his crew put on a GREAT production of true pageantry.
There were many stops at my new favorite places like; Torsos, Levels and
Jennies Homemade Ice Cream. Then I
got to see some of my favorite people in
Ohio
, but I am smart enough not to name names. The
contestants were many and their faces were fresh and new.
I was very excited to see what they all planned to bring to the table.
In the final results there stood Diamond Hunter as your new Miss Gay Ohio
America with Ali Kat as 1st Alternate.
As we all know Symphony is a tough act to follow, and after such an
emotional and moving final number, as well as an amazing year as Miss Gay Ohio
America, the shoes she left are of great size to fill.
But with the drive and determination I see in Diamond Hunter, I expect
nothing less than a stellar year.
As time flew past it was time to head back
to
Missouri
, but this time it was
Springfield
MO
, this was the location for Miss Gay Missouri America, the 2nd oldest
Miss Gay America Preliminary. It was
great to see many formers like Jade Sinclair, Erica Lee Foster, Sparkle Iman,
Ali Kat, and many more. It was a
weekend at
Martha’s Vineyard
I will never forget. These
contestants were sharp and this pageant put my administrative skills to the
test. There were many returning
contestants as well. The classy Erica Fox was relinquishing her title.
By the end of the contest, Nikki Stevens was crowned the new Miss Gay
Missouri America with Tajma Stetson as 1st Alternate.
They are both well prepared to stun us all at Miss Gay America this year.
After finishing my duties in
Springfield
, it was time to head home, but only for one day.
Then it was time to head out to
Arizona
for Miss Gay Arizona America. Well
how hot could it really be in
Arizona
? Put it this way, if you wanted
scrambled eggs and bacon all you needed was a side walk and no frying pan, and
that was at night. Through all the
heat, Daniel Eckstrom managed to put on one (BLEEP) of a pageant.
I spent my time outside of pageantry at Low Low’s Chicken and Waffles
and on several occasions I was a repeat performer there.
And the SAS Fabric Store is one of my favorites in the country.
Mia Aolams,
Eolward, and Nikki were great tour guides and to Nikki thank you for
saving my life on several occasions; don’t think I could have done it without
you.
I was all the way in
Arizona
from
Florida
and joined by my best friend and pageant partner for years, Alexis Mateo.
Dressing me at Miss Gay America and being there for all three years of
this journey it was special to be with her while out on the road.
I was also joined by my MGA Sister Nicole Dubois who is just so much fun
to be around… we performed and shopped together all week; it was a blast.
Preliminary night was at the Rock where
the staff and management are always wonderful with Miss Tajma Hall and Nicole
Dubois on the mic you know that Miss Gay America had to keep the pageant
rolling. This was a fabulous night.
Then it was time for final night competition.
It was one of the most beautiful performing arts centers I had ever laid
my eyes on. Daniel went all out of
his way for this one. This
Tempee
Center
for Performing Arts made a wonderful backdrop for a beautiful and stellar queen
like TC Taylor to pass on her title. TC
was not only a beauty during her reign but a pillar in the community, raising a
very large amount of money for many charities and also being the symbol of
excellence for Arizona. So she left
very big shoes to fill for the next Miss Gay Arizona America.
After fourteen years of dedication to becoming Miss Gay Arizona,
Celebrity Starr was crowned the new Miss Gay Arizona America with Tyra Marie as
her 1st Alternate.
Leaving
Arizona
I headed to
Las Vegas
NV
for a 3 day mini business vacation. I
was once again joined by my longtime friend Alexis Mateo, for a quick break from
pageantry with a little tanning by the pool at City Centers Luxury Resort, VDARA,
on the
Las Vegas
strip. We got to spend lots of time
with my friends at the Divas Show and Miss Gay America Hot Chocolate (Larry
Edwards), Kenneth
Blake and (CoCo Vega), and the entire cast.
Did a little real estate shopping and enjoyed the time off with a little
work here and there.
As my mini vacation came to an end it was
time to head back to work for the two pageants in two days weekend.
First up was Miss Gay Illinois in
Carbendale
,
Illinois
. Promoter Jade Sinclair had a great
pageant with many great competitors, it was awesome.
Mariah Candy was passing on her title; it was a fun filled night.
I got to spend time with my Auntie Jodie Santana and many other friends
in the business like Anita Mann and Kara Belle.
At the end of the night your new Miss Gay Illinois was Tabitha Saxton and
Dymond-Champagne Calloway was your 1st Alternate.
In my next article I’ll tell you about
my experiences at Miss Gay Midwest
America
, the show at the Bastille, Miss Gay Arkansas America, and Miss Gay North
Carolina, and the showdown with 6 MGA’s in one building.
I’m racing now to catch a flight, gotta run, so until next month; think
and be excellence.
Until then,
Much Unity and Respect,
Coco
Montrese
Miss Gay America 2010
From the desk
of Larry & Terry
 Leading
By Example...
The Role of a Lead Judge
Ever
hear the statement… “so and so will never win that pageant because that
contest is rigged”? Most likely if you have heard that statement, it was made
by someone who is bitter because they were never good enough to be successful in
this pageant system, someone who supports someone who was never good enough to
be successful in this pageant system, or someone who does not believe in the
integrity of this pageant system, L & T Entertainment or the reigning Miss
Gay America. When we hear that statement made, we find it very insulting in that
we take it as a personal attack against the reigning Miss Gay America
titleholder. It is with great pride that we can say that Miss Gay America 2010
Coco Montrese has reigned with the best interest of the contestants in mind.
There is no contestant who can say that they have not received a fair contest
this year. And those who may say it know that they are not being honest with
themselves in identifying the real reason why they may not have scored as well
as they had hoped. Sometimes it is more difficult to speak untruth, than to cast
blame where it truly belongs. The
primary reason that we ask the reigning Miss Gay America to observe the
competition is so that she can review the scores of the judges to be sure that
there are no irregularities in scoring that may suggest a biased score. Granted,
we all have our favorites that we would like to see win competition but a fair
and unbiased panel of judges will select the contestant who is most deserving of
the pageant title, based on the category description. Thus
the reason to select a well educated (based on the category descriptions of this
pageant system), unbiased judge that carries a positive reputation. Selecting a
panel of judges, in and of itself is difficult but then to select the Lead
Judge, is even more challenging, when the selection is made with the
responsibilities of the Lead Judge, in mind. Some people, including promoters
and contestants take the role of judges and Lead Judges for granted. Because
there is sometimes confusion as to the duties of a Lead Judge, we have opted to
publish an article relative to the responsibilities of the Lead Judge. Said
article should be read in conjunction with the previously published article
entitled, “A Good Judge”… To follow, is the recently published article
entitled, “Leading by Example… The Role of a Lead Judge”…
Once you have read, we trust that you will realize that we (nor should you),
take the responsibility of the Lead Judge (or non-Lead Judges) lightly. This
pageant was built on integrity and we will make every effort to continue the
very foundation established nearly 39 years ago. As Miss Gay America 2010 Coco
Montrese has demonstrated time and time again, that our job one is to ensure a
fair pageant for the contestants. The contestants are priority and their well
being is of primary interest to the continued success of this pageant system. As
we have committed since day one of purchasing this pageant system, we will never
sacrifice integrity. We remain committed to excellence and appreciate all those
who share the same core values and want to be part of such an incredible family
of pageants…
Leading By Example…The Role of a Lead Judge…
(an article published by L & T Entertainment, August 2010)
As many who judge can attest,
adjudicating a contest is not easy. There are many emotions mixed into the
contest. The emotions of judging a contest, the requirement of knowledge about
the contest regulations and the long hours of judging make the experience a
difficult one, to say the least. Then, to add responsibility of serving as Lead
Judge, makes the experience even more of a challenge. Not everyone who likes to
judge will make a great Lead Judge.
In fact, there are those who are great followers and those who are great
leaders. The title of Lead Judge, in and of itself carries prestige but with
that title comes great responsibility that many seem to take for granted. For
the new promoters, we require that a current Miss Gay America Advisory Board
member will reside as Lead Judge for the contest, for the first year. And while
the requirement for subsequent years may be lifted (at the option of L & T
Entertainment, depending upon whether or not there were other issues at the
contest that may warrant the need for extension of this requirement) promoters
should select someone to serve as Lead Judge that possesses all of the
attributes that we require from those who serve on the Miss Gay America Advisory
Board.
The following are standard
qualities that all promoters should seek, when selecting a judges panel:
Ø
Someone with a positive image (image is key… the quality, in
terms of qualification, image and appearance, will set the tone for a pageant)
Ø
Someone that has no obvious conflict of interest (any person that
may have a conflict of interest, such as someone who has competed or plans to
compete in the current pageant season should not be judging their peers). It is
imperative that promoters choose judges that do not have a conflict of interest
however it is the responsibility of the particular judge select, to inform the
promoter, if they believe that they could have a possible conflict of interest
that may not be known to the promoter.
Ø
Someone that is not “too close” to a particular group or a
particular contestant (any person who is good friends with or strong supporters
(i.e. current promoters of) of a
particular contestant, or strong supporters of that contestant, should not be
used)
Ø
Someone who is “drama free” (more often than not, someone who
is involved in drama prior to the pageant, will be involved in drama during and
after the pageant). More often than not, the ole cliché’ “a leopard cannot
change its spots” is very true…or at least we have witnessed time and time
again.)
Ø
Someone who has a professional image and appearance (again, image
is important in not only “looking” the part but also “acting” the
part…)
Ø
Someone who has been involved in the Miss Gay America pageant
system (after all, who else would have the best interest of the Miss Gay America
pageant system in mind. While we strongly encourage diversity within a panel of
judges, those who follow, support, understand and believe in this product that
we call Miss Gay America, will be the better judges to use )
Ø
Someone who is involved in a particular industry (makeup artist,
hair designer, gown designer, jewelry designer…but keep in mind that conflict
of interest should be avoided, such as using a gown designer whereby a
particular contestant might be wearing one of the designs of that particular
judge, or a judge who has choreographed a talent performance for a particular
contestant...)
Ø
Someone who has been a former contestant, including a former Miss
Gay America titleholder (keeping in mind any current relationships with
contestants)
So now, with the aforementioned, the question of what makes a good Lead Judge
should be asked? A good Lead Judge should possess all of the qualities and
preparations of any other judge, plus possess the ability to be a leader. A good
leader not only knows how to do his job, but also knows how to do the job of
others, plus possess the strong ability to manage a group of people, while not
compromising the integrity of the organization. We demand certain behavior from
the panel of judges, and while the promoter may not be able to be in all places
at all times, the Lead Judge should be able to ensure that the panel of judges
is in complete compliance with the Judges Etiquette and other requirements of
the panel including proper scoring procedures.
The following includes but is not limited to the role of a Lead Judge:
Ø
The Lead Judge should ensure that the judges panel has all
material and information, including score sheets to be able to adjudicate the
contest.
Ø
The Lead Judge should be well versed on Judges Etiquette to ensure
that appropriate behavior is practiced throughout the duration of the contest.
This includes Male Interview and Critiques.
Ø
The Lead Judge should ensure the preference of the Judges Panel
concerning questioning in Male Interview (either questions in consecutive judge
order or random questions)
Ø
At the beginning of Male Interview, the Lead Judge should ask the
contestants to “sit down, relax, take a deep breath and then provide a verbal
biography to the panel”.
Ø
At the “one-minute remaining warning” of Male Interview, the
Lead Judge should inform the contestant that approximately one minute is
remaining in the interview and ask if there is any closing comments that the
contestant would like to make.
Ø
Additionally, during Male Interview, the Lead Judge should be
mindful to keep the interview flowing smoothly including being assertive in
asking questions, if there is any “dead air” in the interview. The Lead
Judge should also be certain that no inappropriate questions are asked.
Ø
Once categories have concluded the Lead Judge should receive the
score sheets from the other judges. Score sheets should be folded in-half and
then once the Lead Judge has verified that all score sheets have been properly
completed, including proper scoring procedures and signatures, the Lead Judge
will then provide the score sheets to the designated pageant official.
Ø
The Lead Judge should also monitor, as possible, behavior of other
judges, during “non-competition category” times to ensure that appropriate
Judges Etiquette is observed.
Ø
While the promoters of the pageant and the reigning titleholder
should be monitoring the contest for issuance of administrative point deductions
as warranted, the Lead Judge should also monitor infractions and immediately
inform pageant officials of any violations during competition that would warrant
administration point deduction.
Ø
The Lead Judge should also monitor the surroundings to ensure that
the needs of the Judges are met including proper lighting, timing between
contestants, privacy of judge scoring or any other issues that could distract
from competition.
Ø
During actual judging, the
Lead Judge should be sure that other judges are in compliance with required
behavior such as no texting, no talking during competition, no eating, not
smoking etc.
Ø
The Lead Judge should also aide in monitoring the judges to keep
the pageant on schedule, that is making sure that other judges are punctual.
Ø
During critiques, the Lead Judge should aide the process by
expediting critiques in an orderly manner (i.e. one judge assigned to lead a
certain category critique, then other judges may insert comments provided that
their comments differ)
It should be noted, that while the above may not be all inclusive, it covers a
wide variety of responsibility of the Lead Judge. The role of the Lead Judge
should serve as a support to the
promoters, the reigning titleholder and the other judges serving on the panel.
In fact, the role of Lead Judge, although somewhat distinguished carries very
important responsibilities that can dramatically affect the smooth operation of
a contest, if not taken seriously.
There are many factors of a contest that could become unraveled, which is the
reason why it is important to select a quality panel of judges that not only
have good image and reputation, but also have a proven track record of being
drama free and most importantly, being an un-biased judge. Then, from the
quality individuals chosen to serve on the panel of judges, the promoter should
select an individual that is highly capable of serving as Lead Judge. While
there may be more than one person on the panel that could serve as Lead Judge,
the more quality individuals able to fill such an important role, the less
likely a promoter is to have certain issues with the judges panel. In fact, the
least worry that a promoter should have is with the panel of judges. If there is
ANY issue with the panel of judges that may cause a greater than normal concern
for the well-being of the contest, we recommend immediate dismissal of the
judge, in order to avoid undue issues. Obviously, the Lead Judge should be the
cornerstone of the panel of Judges and can provide a peace of mind to the
promoters in that the behavior and scoring will be par.
Seemingly, the details of the pageant are key to ensure a smooth contest.
Promoters insert a tremendous amount of time, energy, compassion and money into
their contest, and their worries should not be with a panel of judges. Thus it
is key to select the right panel, then more importantly to select the right Lead
Judge, so as to ensure that all goes smooth. Granted, things happen from time to
time, that are simply unexpected, which is all the more reason why selecting a
good Lead Judge is key. The Lead Judge should know the definition of a well
operated pageant, implement the detail of a well operated pageant (from a judges
perspective) and be prepared to take care of issues that arise, that could cause
greater than normal stress.
In conclusion, while there are
many that would fit the description of “A Good Judge”, not all would fit the
definition of a “Good Lead Judge”…which is why it is important that
promoters select Lead Judges who are willing and capable to serve and manage the
panel of judges as needed.
For more information concerning Judges, please refer to the 2008 article
published by L & T Entertainment, entitled, “A Good Judge”.
Until
Next Time!
Larry and
Terry
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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