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Page 6 — The Barb, November, 1977' Hello out there in tinsel town. Everyone seems to be throwing the tea these days and my cup is full. So look out viorld. Tom has the “real” tea. r Here in Atlanta the battle of the discos rages on. The Magic Garden has had the crowd since itj opened, but Encore has remodeled and promises ! some strong competition. In addition, Our Place has opened their huge disco room and called it the s Fox Trot. Just who will win the crowd should be( interesting. The “tea” is, there’s a surprise on the* horizon. On October 17, the old Mother’s location off of j Peachtree will open as Zylites and the owner, Tim Bradford, told me that his light show and sound system will put the Magic Garden’s and Encore’s ” to shame. Although it’s not going to be exclusively gay, Tim said gays are welcome and he wants a mixed crowd. Recording star Donna Summers j will be oni hand for the opening night. So thej Atlanta disco competition has gotten hot again. I hope the bar owners will be cool, so there won’t be! any more fires. Last week was a big week around town, I heard the Yves St. Laurent fashion show was flawless, as expected. I stopped by the Atlanta Tennis Classic to see Dr. Renee Richards. She told me that she’s not hoping to win any big tournament, she just wants to be accepted as a woman. Renee is a big woman I must say. At six-feet, 2 inches, she is a tall voman with a deep voice. She really looks like a middle age man in drag. I do wish the other woman pros who are supposed to be so liberated would stop being so redneck about Renee. They are really hypocrites. On the show scene there’s lot’s of tea to throw. I saw Lisa King and Lavita Allen rehearsing their version of “Rocky” one Monday night at the Sweet Gum Head, Diamond Lil will crawl out of Diamond Lil appears Tuesdays at Sweet Gum. nights. Lisa King Keeps demonstrating her yersatile talents, like the command performance of “Two Gun Judy” she did in the Locker Room parking lot one morning. Jody Paramour has stopped pirouetting long enough to take over the shows at the Sweet Gum. His innovative ideas and choreography have added a lot to the show. Hope he and the girls keep up the good work. Dina Jacobs is out in L.A. staying high with an I old lover. Heather Fontaine and Greg Moore are headed for Montreal with French Dressing. Vicky Lawretace has finally settled down with her husband, Hammond, in Athens, Ga. Will cosmopolitan Athens be able to handle Vicky’s attitude? “Money is Really My Game” is Hot Chocolate’s, new song out in Houston. Chocolate is making* $375 a week for two night’s work at the Old Plantation, She will soon make her first appearance in Las Vegas. The crowd in Atlanta really misses Chocolate. Lavita Allen has been getting encores at the Sweet Gum Head with her “Cool Vanilla” impression of Chocolate. And down at the Onyx, Mickey Day is bringing the house down doing “Disco Butt,” her version of Chocolate. Of course, the real thing, Hot Chocolate is tearing up the crowds in Houston, i Over at the Locker Room Disco, Roskij Fernandez has been turning out new production! numbers like an assembly line. Her “African Queens” and “Star Wars” productions were great,: but that new fog machine has an odor strong enough to kill the crabs in Lilly White’s coffin or even on Roski’s tricks. The cast put a lot of effort into “Star Wars.” I particularly liked the Sandmen and Darth, but out of all the girls costumes, only Does Tom Really Hate Norma? major Southern city) than any other female impersonator ever has in one year. Chocolate has gotten standing ovations and encores everywhere she has worked and is always asked to return. She was the only contestant in Miss Gay America this year to get a standing ovation in both the sportswear and talent catagories, which are probably the hardest ones. Jimmie did not get one standing ovation. It took Jimmie Dee three weeks (after she got the crown) to even get a booking. The point system that Norma has established for Miss Gay America is ridiculously out of proportion. Out of 600 possible points, 300 go • to the interview potion. One would think the most points should go to the talent category since the winner represents the best in the “entertainment” community. The interview portion should be elementary. In the “real” Miss America, one-third of the points are awarded to the talent category, one-third to swimwear, one-sixth to evening wear, and only one-sixth for the interview portion. This would I seem much more practical and logical for Miss Gay America also. In conclusion, I suggest that Norma Christie clean up her act. The gay entertainment community deserves more respect and consideration in regard to female impersonation’s most prestigious title. First, i pick a suitable city for the pageant; then, get an auditorium with a proper set-up and adequate facilities; pick qualified judges from different states (not from any preliminary pageants); and revise the point system. Finally, try to have the pageant promote foremost entertainers, with a good background. If all this could be done, it would go a long way toward restoring* the dignity to a tarnished, but prestigious title, * Then I’ll love ’ya, Norma! -Tom Oosterhoudt No, I don’t hate Norma Christie. When I reviewed the Miss Gay America pageant, I did something different for a gay critic, I told the truth. I realize the truth can be painful for some and a lot to handle,especially for Norma. But there is no excuse for Miss Gay America to put together so poorly. Gay contests and entertainers have made great strides in recent years and Miss Gay America has fallen way behind times. It should set an example for other contests in the way it’s run and judged. The winner should represent the foremost in talent in the gay entertainment community. The fact is, however, that these past few years it has failed in all these areas. The contest has lacked national representation in contestants. The last three winners were working in Texas. This year there were five very mediocre judges. Of the five, three had judged preliminary pageants in which Jimmie Dee had done well, or won, specifically the Miss Gay South pageant and the Miss Gay Texas pageant. Of course this allowed an unfair bias on the part of the judges. For Jimmie it meant 3 into 5 = $5,000. The important thing was that the judges passed over people who had been much better representatives of the gay entertainment community. For example, entertainers like Rachel Wells and Hot Chocolate jhave brought audiences to their feet all over the South. Lisa King spoke out at gay pride rallies this past year. Entertainers like this are not only top notch, but the bar owners and gay community like and) respect (them. This cannot be said about Jimmie Dee. He has fought with bar owners and entertainers almost everywhere he has worked. Hot Chocolate, on the other hand, worked in more bars and cities this past year (from San Francisco to Houston and just about every ] 'Tissy’s and Lily’s seemed reaiiy cosmic enough for Star Wars. Gilda looked like an Yves St. Laurent model of the future and Roski’s head dress looked Tike the inside of a solid state television, The overall effect was really nice though. I also like their new Dianna Ross production, and it was reall nice to see Natalie Greer in something besides rag dresses for a change. Also glad to see that Gina St. John has rejoined the cast. Peaches is now a regular at Hollywood Hot Disco. j I heard they had a break-in at me Onyx recently. Someone tried to decorate the bar with the girls’ dresses. I would have thought just one of Mickeyj Day’s would have done it. The Onyx has added Taisha Wallace, Miss Gay Atlanta, to their ranksi and have ten people in their cast now with shows seven nights a week. Their “Oklahoma”' production proved they’ve come a long way. I hear they are planning to do “Chicago” next. Did someone really overhear Jim ask Tina, Chablis, and Crystal, “Guess Who’s Not Coming to Dinner?” Someone just asked me recently if Mickey Day is big in Atlanta? The Red Dyke Theatre stole the show at thd Vicki Gabriner Benefit the other evening. The barj was packed with girls for the event. I wasi impressed with the girl who sang the pan of Anita Bryant and the Red Dykes “Their Fault Insurance” skit. Most of the RDT*s numbers contain social messages. As well as they go they should make more appearances. “Hosanna” is the name of the newest play to be presented at the Sweet Gum Head by the Peachtree Walk Theatre Project. It follows the tremendously successful “Fortune and Men’s Eyes”, which established gay theatre in Atlanta. “Hosanna” stars Lavita Allen, making her dramatic debut, and Gideon Fletcher, remembered by many for his role as Queenie in “Fortune...” A comic tragedy, the setting for. “Hosanna” is Halloween night, after the costume ball, in a gay bar. Lavita plays the part of Hosanna, an unhappy drag queen who is ;onvinced she is Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra. Gideon plays her butch lover, Raymond, which i$ quite a role reversal from his previous role asj Queenie. They are the only two actors in the play and it all takes place in their one-room dumpy apartment. In the play, Hosanna is hated by everyone and the story shows her going through many changes and coming to grips with herself and her lover. The play promises to hit home toj 1 gay people. It’s really a big step for Lavita since she has an eighteen page monologue and a nude scene. The play is directed by Howard Brunner, who has a great track record, and is projected to open November 4th. Is Dina“pumping iron”or getting pumped in L.A.? V,- Florida’s Tea ./ I also have some tea from Florida. Monroe i Midyette plans to open his new Creole bar and restaurant in Jacksonville about mid-November. He will keep his French Quarter downtown for the black queens. The Zodiac in Daytona seems to . have the crowds for the moment. Heard Miss Zodiac was a dark affair. Down in Orlando Belle Kincade’s back on harmones and Ms. P. is out with hepatitis. You should really watch where you , put your tongue these days P, There’s some bad ass around. El Goya still has the crowd in Tampa, it has the largest dance floor in Florida and shows five nights a week featuring Eve Star, Sandy Cher, and others. Rene has been pulling out all the stops trying to compete. He still has the pool, Otis (Tampa’s #1 disc-jockey) and shows three nights a week featuring such beauties as Chena Black and Coquina Chel. It seems El Goya has the facilities and Rene’s has the stars. Down South Jennifer Raquel won the Miss Miami Beach pageant as the audience “Watched Closely Now.” Gilda Golden was the ever-flawless mistress of ceremonies. Elsewhere in Miami, the Warehouse 8 and the keep the crowds coming and Keith’s has closed. The Jewel Box Revue is reported out in Las Vegas after bombing completely in Atlanta. The Trivial Tea or Why Didn’t You Ask Have you noticed Gilda Golden looking a little different lately? Since she started the trena with her little pony tail on top she’s been trying for the European Look.” What popular impersonator wears boxer shorts under her panty hose when she performs? None other than Rachel Wells. Who is the highest paid impersonator in Atlanta? Roski Fernandez is paid $450 a week for directing, choreographing, sewing, and 1 performing with her show at the Hollywood Hot. Did you know Kitty Litter baptizes customers with cocktails for just a few cents? Now there’s a \ deal. It’s not only disco fever hitting the drags, for a I certain New York doctor it’s silicone fever. A few people recently treated were: Chocolate, Gilda, Lisa King, Tissy, Melanie, and Kitty Litter. Give them “cheeks” eirls. Cool VaniIla”...who else? Things Fd Like to See Cicely Manchester in a black wig. Natalie Greer in fashionable dresses. New bathrooms at the Sweet Gum Head. Mickey Brewster do a deodorant commercial. Lisa King bury her yellow feather chubby jacket; it died and does not go with her green outfit. Finally, Linda DeBoard and I had to postpone our engagement until we decide which one of us will have a sex change.