The first show of the 2019 season in Cherry Grove was Cherry’s “So You Want a Job?” contest, hosted and DJed by Jizzabella, on May 11, and of 16 contestants, lip-syncing and singing, Ruby Monroe, the lady in red, was the winner, with singers Anne Guinta and Davida Jones as the other semi-finalists. Ruby’s prizes were $250 cash, gift packages from Glitter Brows and DMK Cosmetics, a photo shoot, and the opportunity to do a show at Cherry’s next summer.
Jizzabella, Miss Cherry Grove 2018, offered several numbers, including Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It to My Heart” and Cher’s “Strong Enough.” The semi-finalists, who had performed early in the show, each did a second song, in order to determine the final outcome. For her winning number, Ruby Monroe gave us Christine Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man (But You),” complete with splits. Anne, accompanied by her guitar Carla, sang “What’s Up?,” inviting singing along, as well as Pink’s “Who Knew” (“If someone said three years from now”), for her final number. Davida moved us by singing Sara Bareilles’ “She Used to Be Mine” near the end of the evening.
The other 13 contestants were Annie Manildoo (Adele’s “Hello,” interspersed with lines from “Serial Mom” and by Wanda Sykes), Sassy Temptress, singer Sheila (Patti Smith’s “Gloria”), Ms. Cherry Grove 2018 Misty Mountains-Davenport (“Nasty Girl”), Zalika Parsons (“Hush Hush”), Kristine Gurlygirl (“Thanks for Sticking It in Me”), Ivy Stalls (Meghan Trainor’s “No Excuses”), singer Tony Homeperm (a lusty “When You’re Good to Mama” from “Chicago”), singer Steven Skeels (a forceful “Warrior”), bearded drag performer Frida Cox (Lizzo’s “Juice”), Three Suburbia (song with “No wire hangers” speech from “Mommie Dearest”), singer M.A.N. II (an original song), and Bella Noche (on contouring and being dangerous to men).