photo by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Newcomer of the Year 2009 Hazel Nutt ....................................................................................................

Ariel Sinclair, Jason Cozmo, Ken Braun, and John Doyle were the contest judges and contestants' talent, q & a, hair, makeup, and costume were the criteria by which they judged. Contenders had to have been doing drag just for a year or two. The winner received $150 cash plus jewelry and the runner-up, $50 cash and jewelry. The other contestants in this very close competition were Jacqueline Paine, Kiki, Roxy Moron, Mocha, and Misty Meaner/Miss Demeanor and each one went home with an award.

Logan Hardcore, Newcomer of the Year 2008, took leave of her title with her own peculiar blend of "And I Am Telling You I Am not Going" to "Rehab" and with "Once upon a time/I believe in miracles." Newcomer 2006, Fraulein Gisele, also did a number-"Who needs love when there's Southern Comfort?"

Hazel Nutt won with a long Celine Dion medley, beginning with "It's All Coming Back to Me." Asked, in the q & a portion of the event, who most inspired her to do drag, she singled out Jason Cozmo, Porsche and Ariel. Dallas placed with a splashy "I Want to Be a Rockette," with aptly high kicks, and asked who her hero or heroine was, declared, "My mother."

Roxy, whose number was "Express Yourself," was deemed Miss Congeniality. Misty, who offered a comic selection about auditioning ("When you come home to me)," won the prize for Best Hair. Jacqueline, the only contestant to sing in her own voice ("At Last"), took honors for Best Makeup. Kiki, who wore a modified police uniform-thong instead of pants-for "Womanizer," won Best Costume. And Mocha ("Love me where I live") took the Judges' Award.