Hello, gentle reader. Again, I have been absent for a long stretch. Please know that a lot of that time was spent getting ready for the big BEST OF BEST IN DRAG SHOW extravaganza on October 4!
Reba Areba, Miss Texas 2026
Here's the big news; I did not win! In fact, I came in dead last!
I look angry about losing, but really I'm just checking for my holy dome helmet that kept falling off...
Ultimately, I had a great time and helped raise over $465,000 for APLA, so I was very satisfied with the night!
Let me tell you, taking last place in a pageant takes a lot of work and there's no way I could have done it all by myself!Here's a gigantic Thank You to some key people who had a generously voluntary hand in my BEST IN DRAG SHOW 2026 presentation. First, thank you, ROBIN CHARTIER (and Holly-Lynn!!) for taking my (Challenging?) designs and bringing them to life with your additional ideas and special touch! I appreciate all of your hard work over the last few months and am grateful there was a kitty cat to help you!
Thank you to JAMES FRIETAS for your masterful beautification of my mug with your enchanted make-up work and help with wigs and dressing during the show!
JOHN FREY, director of BIDS 2026, for steering me with a firm hand, without threatening my sense of creativity and stoopid-ness.
Thank you, MATT ZARLEY and DUDLEY BEENE for your help with music and video elements which I could not have done myself.
Gracias to all the dancers, but especially DAVID CONTERAS and ALEX DAVILA, who assisted me on stage with my kookiness and special Caulk Wrangling.
More on this later!!
Special mention of JOHN COULTER who shared ideas, advice and painting skills.
Thank you to PATRICK RUSH, OSCAR QUINTERO and TODD SHERRY for support and suggestions to improve my show.
A "I'm not worthy" to LUIS CAMACHO for his patience and guidance where my lack of skill in "step, touch" is concerned.
Muchas Gacias to ANIL PATEL, JEFF SUMNER , BRIAN SHARP & NINA BOONE, JIMMY CUOMO and DANI KELLY for their behind the scenes help and guidance. Bow down to JOHN PASCHAL for making me as pretty as he could with his fancy camera work. Big appreciation for everyone else at APLA HEALTH and all the volunteers.
TREMENDOUS HONORS to my fellow contestants, who always had kind and supportive words and helped where they could. They created an atmosphere that felt like we were focusing more on putting on a great show, than competing against each other.
Finally, THANK YOU to my friends who came specifically to see and support me and friends who came just to enjoy a fun night - none of whom I got pictures with because I left my phone in the dressing room most of the night, and didn't make it back up & out to greet. (Thank you, James, for taking pics of me with judges with your phone!) In general, thank you to everyone who came out and helped us raise over $465,000 in badly needed funds!! If you came to the show and thought you could do it better, please keep an eye out for auditions for next year's show. (Usually in April)
I don't know if I'll have any involvement in next year's show, but Y'all come back now, ya hear?
