Evening Gown Competition, Female Impersonator of the Year, 1985

[@careninanoble1307]

i kept renting this video again and again in the 80s. a wonderful part of my growing up years.

[@src3360]

Such beautiful ladies ♥️💗 I’m fearful to wonder how many are no longer with us. I love watching these 80s and 90s drag and performance videos. All the different fashions, how they did their makeup and hair and how they perform, the songs they chose. The stages, the MC, the pomp and circumstances! It’s our history! But it is often bittersweet, when I research them I find that many are no longer with us. Such talent, taken before they should 🙏🏻🌈♥️🕊

[@pfwww12]

I feel you on that. Seems as if the mid and late 30s are the new modern older crowd. Were lucky to have escape aids...barley. But we have to now move as examples for younger gays now. And I'm only 35. Sad. Too many beautiful gone too soon.

[@src3360]

C. Nelson I’m 35 too 🌈

[@deenastapp]

Not sure about most of them, but the first one is Larry Edwards, or "Hot Chocolate" who was Tina Turner in the Las Vegas Divas show that recently closed last year.

[@louong93]

I have seen today's dragqueen have different levels. The can wear sexy lingerie and easily pass as a beautiful woman.

[@ImmortalChaos]

My favourites were Rachel Wells, Michael Andrews, and Naomi Sims. They were giving me Joan Collins Dynasty realness. But all of them were beautiful and extremely brave.

[@s.o.s.7885]

They are all WINNERS just outstanding class

[@manramen]

Good lord these dresses are stunning and one of them was designed by Bob Mackie.

[@seand2711]

The Bob Mackie was the only really nice dress, most were hideous even by 80's standards.

[@dalstars9]

Carlo, back in the day we entertained! That meant you were just as excited to see what the girls were wearing as well as what they were going to perform!

[@BELINDA_LANE]

You should also watch "' The Queen" " (1968),, I could only find it on R U Ok,, it's very interesting and very real, Rachel Harlow is still alive 2024, she was engaged to Princess Grace's brother but the mother threatened to exclude him from the will,,, bye bye romance😢

[@jackiewild6649]

Sooooooooooo beautiful, dresses/gowns are too.

[@pfwww12]

This is dope. All the guys descriptions on how they actually transform was so interesting. More than them actually wanting to be women I view this as a sport and entertainment lane of men going up in drag.

[@johnnj3858]

Gorgeous reminds me of the Salleys Hideaway days in NYC.

[@JosieLP]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!! I have been wanting to see this :)

[@andytaylor5960]

They are stunning!!!

[@semco72057]

They was looking great and must have had some of the men there excited upon seeing them.

[@adrina911]

Jimi Dee was gorgeous! ❤️❤️❤️

[@eddieramos3087]

Rachel Wells is gorgeous!

[@guillermoadcox01]

Tasha Kohl was such a nice person. I worked at Copa in Houston when he worked there.

[@littlecasino60]

Were you working at the Copa when they filmed there for the Lee Grant documentary 'What Sex Am I?' I still have that on VHS. Sadly the transsexual who was working as a topless dancer - they filmed her segment at the Copa (supposedly so she wouldn't be 'outed' at the gentlemen's club she actually worked at - died some years ago.

[@guillermoadcox01]

@@littlecasino60 nope I was there for Copa ll you know the purple plywood palace.

[@littlecasino60]

@@guillermoadcox01 Oh Okay. That segment is still on KZbin if you type in "Veronica York What Sex Am I?" where she's doing her topless dance act at the Copa.

[@guillermoadcox01]

@@littlecasino60 I will look that up thanx. I remember that documentary .

[@jayrice5156]

The last one! Lovely face!

[@yamanz6712]

Damn I was 4 at this time 😂😂😂😂 shit was going on before I was born lol damn

[@yamanz6712]

Jocelyn looks like Blanche Devereaux off of the “Golden Girls”

[@littlecasino60]

R.I.P. Lyle Waggoner.

[@BELINDA_LANE]

He was a horrid emcee for this show, he acted like everyone was a freak of nature but at least Ruth Buzzi kept him in line!

[@erikadowdy686]

Man their wigs are amazing

[@nmastin3667]

I'd love to see this whole thing

[@Tfontaine209]

These were the queens In their days.

[@andrewjones1771]

A really good show and my vote goes to number 2 Rachel. She looks gorgeous in that dress.

[@C00kii0]

Rachel's dress was beautiful.

[@tiffytattoo2450]

How I miss that camera lense. No HD, no wrinkles.

[@Ursaminor31]

So easy to be natural in the 80s the big hair.

[@littlecasino60]

I remember Roxanne Russell (R.I.P.). He/she was probably the most famous out of all of them. She was in the movie 'Hollywood Vice Squad' with Carrie Fisher, and I think in the Renee Richard movie 'Second Serve' also.

[@leftyla]

oh wow! was this shown on national tv?

[@rob97dc]

leftyla showtime around 1985

[@MrCrowebobby]

I could have fun with that country boy.

[@BuzbeeStudios]

Haha so could I!😂😂😂

[@michaelgaynor6866]

Saddle up!and rear back!

[@jeffreyj3906]

Does anyone have this entire video of this?! Thank you

[@rob97dc]

Yes

[@jeffreyj3906]

@@rob97dc could you upload it here please

[@rosannegailey9907]

Look great

[@bartman2144]

Is the host Lyle Waggoner? Looks and sounds like him. I'm not used to the sunglasses though.

[@rob97dc]

bartman2144 Yes

[@BuzbeeStudios]

I was asking myself the same question😂

[@littlecasino60]

Sadly he (Lyle Waggoner) recently died. R.I.P.

[@mooseymcmoosington]

These ladies are fiercer than I will ever be. D:

[@steveremollino4525]

Does anyone know if Jocelyn Summers is still with us? I had (may still have somewhere) this full show on VHS, and I loved Jocelyn's talent, which was a very unique take on Kim Carnes's "Bette Davis Eyes." I would love to be able to see it again.

[@devinsummer3022]

Are any of these contestants still alive???

[@13empress]

Yes, Larry Edwards ( Hot Chocolate), Rachel Wells,Jennifer Foxx, Stella Starr,Tasha Kohl are still very much alive

[@imonlyjustahole]

Devin Summer Roxanne died

[@devinsummer3022]

Thank you for answering

[@kellydavid6334]

Such a shame all the good men are taken

[@samanthavillagomez997]

Where was this? in Galveston Texas at the Moody Ciivic Center on the seawall?

[@rob97dc]

Samantha Villagomez Shamrock Hilton, Houston

[@Troyis]

Do we know who won? Of course they're all winners!

[@rob97dc]

Naomi SIms is the winner

[@Troyis]

Thank you. Just watched an In Memoriam video of drag pageantry Queens. Heartbreaking. So many of these wonderful Queens left us too soon, including Naomi. May they live on in our hearts.

[@eg-g]

1:05 ( to me )

[@deha11mo]

Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again to save us from eternal judgement and give us eternal life if we believe Him. Only God can save us and freely give us new life inside forever

[@warmgulfwind]

Didn't Bianca Del Rio look great?

[@caramelkisses8857]

warmgulfwind no you didn’t lol

[@warmgulfwind]

Caramel Kisses Haha! Me? I would never! 😀

[@orangestoneface]

would be interestiong to see straight f i compete and do it well to the point of fooling many

[@margyrowland]

Most of the dresses are awful. Guess it’s the 80’s

[@MrWhis-fe5hs]

The sad part is today woman would be upset they can't perform as well 🤦