#booked&blessed
THERE’S plenty to be grateful for this year in the world of glitz and elegance. We may not have clinched the top plums in pageantry so far (Misses earth, International at Big Four; Globe, Intercontinental, supranational, Grand International at second-tier), but we did exceedingly well in minor tilts (Misses supermodel Worldwide, Cosmoworld, Global, United Continents) and male competitions (Man hot star).
As the host of Drag Den, Manila Luzon is proving yet again that drag is political. And she reinforces the belief that even if you don’t win the Rupaul’s Drag Race
crown (even after three attempts), you’ll be booked for gigs till kingdom come. Even Drag Race Philippines first alternate, Marina summers, got signed up by Tarsier records, and is part of “Tayo and Ligaya ng Isa’t Isa,” the ABS-CBN Christmas ID.
This same abundant blessing goes to “hostess with the mostest” such as Season 9 and 10’s Eureka and season 2 and 3’s shangela (co-hosts of hbo’s We’re Here), season 9’s Peppermint (Call Me Mother), season 11’s Brooke Lynn Hytes (Canada’s Drag Race), season 12’s Nicky Doll (Drag Race France) and Canada 1’s rita Baga (Drag Race Belgique).
In the next months, more beauty queens and drag queens will be part of this galaxy of glamazons. But first, they have to compete and hope that they don’t f*ck it up.
■ MISS CONTINENTAL. As the most prestigious female impersonation/drag beauty pageant in the Us, this system has produced winners, such as LGBT legends Chilli Pepper, Mimi Marks, Monica Munro, Lady Catiria, Tajma hall and Candis Cayne. Drag Race
contenders Season 1’s Victoria “Porkchop” Parker and season 5’s roxxxy Andrews (descended from Tandi and erica Andrews) were Miss Continental Plus winners.
As season 15 premieres in January, the mainstream will get to know the sensational Sasha Colby. She’s considered the Beyoncé of Los Angeles drag, the Girl to Beat in a field of 16 racers. Offering a fierce fight is the “Moon Goddess,” the Filipina-american Aura Mayari: “I mean, look at this face. I was dubbed as the Walking Facetune in Chicago, which means I don’t need any filter to look like this. I dare you guys to zoom in and see any flaws, bitch. Where?”
sasha won Miss Continental in 2012. she crowned Naysha Lopez (early out in season 8) in 2013, who crowned Brooke Lynn (runner-up in 11) in 2014. Will sasha follow their feat or that of another MC queen, 2019’s Vanessa Van Cartier, who won Drag Race Holland 2?
Meanwhile, another MC winner, Jazell Barbie royale, is rumored to be competing in the second season of Queen of the Universe. Our own Maxie Andreison, a marvelous performer at O Bar, is also rumored to be in contention. Both are stellar lip-sync assassins but more so as live singers, which is what QOTU is all about.
Incidentally, Black Girl Magic reigned in 2019. south Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi was Miss Universe.
Jamaica’s Toni-ann singh was Miss World. Cheslie Kryst was Miss USA. Kaleigh Garris was Miss Teen USA. Nia Franklin was Miss America. As the American rep, Jazell won Miss International Queen in Thailand, also in 2019.
Jazell made herstory as the first contestant of African descent to win the biggest competition for transwomen in the world. Which could not be said of...
■ MISS INTERNATIONAL. In its 60 editions, the Japan-based pageant has never crowned a queen from Africa. Miss Cabo Verde stephany Amado came close, placing second to Miss Germany Jasmin selberg this year. Our elegant hannah Arnold played it timid, demure, dalagang Pilipina. It was no match to the Teutonic diva, who in turn was beaten by our own Maureen Montagne at The Miss Globe in 2021.
still, there’s a Pinoy Magic Touch in Jasmin’s triumph. She wore a pink gown by Benj Leguiab IV as she was crowned. she was also trained by Nhes de la Cruz, a Filipino trainer who is said to be tirelessly honing queens in Germany over the years.
Jasmin is a beautiful, Barbie-esque blonde who was born in estonia. The reigning Miss World, Karolina Bielawska from Poland, is also a stunning blonde who resembles the movie Barbie, Margot robbie.
As Europeans seem to be staging a comeback at pageantry, will a blonde also win as the next ....
■ MISS UNIVERSE. The last time a blonde was crowned was in 2004, when Jennifer Hawkins of Australia won over another blonde, Usa’s shandi Finnessey. Before Jennifer was Angela Visser of the Netherlands, who won way back in 1989.
The 2022 edition will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 14, 2023. Our own Celeste Cortesi, who represented Pasay, is now on her way to the US. She should look out for the blonde delegates from Colombia, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Latvia, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland and Bulgaria.
But what our half-italian bet should be more wary of is the half-pinay American contender, R’bonney Gabriel. The momentum seems to be on the Texan’s side since her controversial win at Miss USA.
A few weeks back, she shared a video of her trip to Italy that gave more than a glimpse of the “Celestial Beauty”:
“I hope you guys got the chance to know me a bit better. I always talk so much about the importance of showing your vulnerability, the importance of being real and authentic. And I’m not going to lie, sometimes I am scared, too. scared to be judged, scared to not be entirely understood. here I share my story, the place where I grew up for most of my life, and while you already know the reason why I came back to the Philippines, now you’ll also know why I grew up in Italy. here I share my family, my friends, my heart.
“every day I still read so many comments questioning and doubting my Filipino heritage. It is unfortunate and sad but I hope that by watching this video you’ll get all the answers. Proud to be a Filipina, proud to represent the Philippines with all my heart, and proud of my Italian heritage too.”
“Don’t ever be afraid to show who you are, to share your story with all the struggles and challenges in between. You have no idea the power you can hold by being your true and authentic self, and how many people you can positively impact around you.” ■