Drag Season - Doing the Little Show That Could

Thanks for coming back to see how it all ends!!

I don't know if you have put together that BEST IN DRAG SHOW happens on the weekend of my birthday every year.  So, when I am doing the BIDS, my birthday celebrations are very limited.  I like to travel somewhere far away for my big 5 birthdays, but that hasn't been an issue, yet.  This time, I was more than fine limiting my celebration to a local setting, but thanks to muh DAB, Dudley, I got the blow out the candles on my cotton candy (Thanks Lulu!) in Palm Springs!

You see, this past birthday was the big 50 for Dudley, which we celebrated quite brightly with a Solid Gold themed birthday party.

Not letting a big 5 birthday fade out too soon, Dudley decided to keep the celebration going by arranging for friends to spend fun times in Palm Springs for a weekend.  He was gracious enough to invite me and and let me celebrate my actual birthday with him and the guys.

Here we are at Lulu...

...where I actually blew out the candles on my cotton candy.

After a special birthday and a couple of hours of sleep, I hopped in my car and headed back to LA for our final rehearsal before the show.

Finally, October 5 rolled around and I was ready to go!

Glen Alen was there to get my face on.

You can see for yourself, I did a decent job of coloring my own wig, but it could have been redder, methinks.

After we were all dressed up & stuff, Kay Sedia and I went out to enjoy some preshow stuff.

Step & repeats are fun!

Step & Repeats are fun!

Preshow "Hellos" with 2 of my favorite people, Frank DeCaro & Jim Colucci!

There wasn't much time for schmoozing before we had to get backstage and start the show!
The moment the curtain went up, my happy level shot up!  It was such a treat to see the dancers executing what I saw them rehearsing for the past couple of weeks.

It also the marked start of the fun and exciting evening I had been looking forward to ever since I got that surprise call asking me to be in the show.  It wasn't very long until it was time to do the color commentary with Kay.  Sharing the stage with Kay is always a lot of fun and things usually turn out well.

So far so good...

Look at the beautiful dress Carol the quinceanera-dress-maker-lady made!!

Aye! Ju don't know our lives!

So, the color commentary we provide covers the contestants in their swimsuits and it is ALL SHADE, but funny.  Maybe all of the jokes didn't land, but Kay and & I usually have fun with audience reactions and a list of other people to blame for the clunker (like the current administration!). Overall, the bit went well and we moved on with the show.  

In between events & such I stalked the contestants and got pics with them backstage.

Miss Florida - Palli-tiv Claire

Miss New York - Mi'a Morr

Miss Wisconsin - Bailey Barnum

Miss Missouri - Daisy Jane

Miss New Jersey - Bree Mandela

I also got

Salina Estitties

and Director, Jeffrey Drew

Before long, it was time to perform our interview duties. (I wore a dress I already had made by Carol the quinceanera-dress-maker-lady.)  I think I did a pretty good job reading from cards!

Miss New Jersey will not be stumped!

Soon it was time to crown the winner and I must say, because this is a fundraiser, it's nice to see all the money literally raining onto the stage.

The audience throws money on stage when they get excited or really guffaw at something and that's why it's important to put on a really entertaining show.  I feel honored that I have been trusted to be a part of that.  

The crown went to Miss Wisconsin, Bailey Barnum whose circus theme was over the big top.

After the crowning, the total raised in during the evening was revealed.  

A quarter of a million dollars is pretty good!  I wish it could be more, considering the current administration's apparent goal of obliterating funds for organizations such as Alliance for Housing and Healing and APLA.  Finally, as we posed for the final group shot of contestants, hosts and judges I prepared for one of my favorite past times.

That past time is stalking the stars!!

I enjoy capturing magic moments with celebs, especially those who donate their time to charitable organizations... give them their due, you know?

Katherine LaNasa

Grant Show

Cheri Oteri

Camryn Manheim

Dan Bucatinsky

As we wrapped up, I was exhausted, relieved and very happy.  It was a good night and it felt like a job well done. I wondered if I could ever do the competition part again.  Sure, it's a blast and a great way to give back, but it's also months of preparation and many little sacrifices of time and space and sanity.  Why would I ever think that?  Would they even ever want me back in that capacity?  I don't know, I'll just be glad to be a part of it in any small way, again.  

So until we see what's happening in October 2026, I bid BIDS goodnight. 

Wait. Is that the phone..?

Thank you WeHo Times for these wonderful image I lifted from you!!

Gay of a Certain Age - WeHo Pride 2025 Day 2: Part 2

As a Gay of a Certain Age, I know how important it is to support gay pride events and present more visibility.  It's important, especially in times like we are in now, where fascist fucks want to try to shove us back into closets, or worse erase us.  We must gather together with our gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer brothers and sisters and show that we are a community: we exist.  We must show others, who are afraid to show who they actually are that they are not alone. We must show them that a chosen family can be as fulfilling, or even, stronger & more loving than a biological one.  At the very least we can show them to be even a little bit MORE GAY!

Here are pictures of the Parade portion of the 2025 WeHo Pride celebration.

Here I am at the entrance, greeted by a fabulous array of disco balls!

I enjoyed watching all the other folks finding and claiming their spots to watch the parade go by

I found my spot, staked out by muh DAB, Dudley

Also present we other DBS and friends who ruined the whole dying alone together thing

 by getting married and having children, 
I say with love.

I also enjoyed watching the folks directly across the street from us

And here came the floats...

Here are some new arrivals across the street!

Joined by Frank DeCaro & Jim Colucci

Hey! There're some delicious folk walking behind us, too!

Here are a bunch of mutants!

The gang's all here!

Uhmmmm...

You see it, too, right?

Another fine addition across the street!

The Abbey folk, embracing the Pink Pony Club

A gay Ghostbuster?

Why not?

Suddenly, a few hours later, the parade was over!

It was a good time watching all the colorful floats, costumes and hot guys go by, especially because I was with a great group of fun friends.  After the parade was over, a few of us continued the day with fun adventures in the street.  You'll have to read the next entry for those stories and pictures.

If you're wondering what happened to the Micky's float/firetruck, you have to click to the jump page below.  Those pics were just too bulgy to include here, where more sensitive eyes are not subjected to very scantily clad hot folks without warning.

See more "scantily clad people" pictures after the JUMP