Murray Hill's 6th Annual Miss Lez Pageant

A sold-out crowd of more than 700 packed The Knitting Factory on Sunday, June 18 for the Sixth Annual Miss LEZ Pageant. Host Murray Hill brought to the stage entertainers including The Lesbian Overtones and last year's winner Dynasty Handbag. A collection of celebrity judges including Michael Musto, Le Tigre's Johanna Fateman, Linda Simpson, World Famous BOB, Rose Troche, and The Wau Wau Sisters judged six candidates-Miss Babeland, Miss Cattyshack, Miss Snapshot, Miss GO NYC, Miss Gotham Girls Roller Derby, and Miss Wild Card-in traditional categories from platform to talent and swimsuit to evening gown. At the end of the evening, the judges unanimously awarded Miss Babeland the honor of representing the city as Miss LEZ 2006.

"I've judged this pageant for six years and I thought this one was particularly spectacular-the best one since a contestant pulled her mission statement out of her vagina," said celebrity judge Musto. "All the contestants were feisty and talented, but Miss Babeland stood above the pack with her platform (that butt crack is NOT the new cleavage after all), her talent (tap-dancing to Ethel Merman in a half hot pink, half zebra striped blouse), her wildly revealing swimsuit, and her affinity for sex toy education. She's individualistic and iconoclastic and a positive role model who proves that duct taping your ass is the way to be beautiful."

This annual beauty pageant for the lesbian community moved from its start as the Miss LES Pageant at Lower East Side venues The Slipper Room and Fez, changing its name in the course. The pageant expanded its scope and changed its name, said Hill, after 2004 dead-last contestant Daniella Sea was propelled to success as transman Moira/Max in Showtime's The L Word.

The show opened with a performance by The Lesbian Overtones, a comic a cappella foursome that affects a Northhampton, Mass. lesbian sensibility and sings songs from lesbian icons from Melissa Etheridge to Tori Amos.
After host Murray Hill introduced the celebrity panel of judges and guest Marga Gomez, who presented the pageant's first Miss Congeniality Award, the contestants took the stage one by one to share their platform with the audience. They ranged from ensuring safe sex to ensuring hot sex, with winner Miss Babeland running on the platform to make back fat the new cleavage.

The swimsuit portion of the competition followed, with Miss Babeland again provoking comments with her swimsuit comprised of a leather shoulder harness, strategically placed pieces of electrical tape, and spandex shorts with a built-in orange dildo.

The celebrity judges then took turns asking contestants questions, including, "If your name was a verb, what would it mean?" The Wau Wau Sisters played up the lesbian angle of their incestuous "sisterhood" as they interviewed the stunning Miss Cattyshack. Musto took the stage with his shirt tucked into his tightie-whities to questions Miss Wild Card, an exhibitionist-prone, leggy blonde.

The crowd roared as the talent portion of the program began. Miss Babeland set the bar high with her performance art/tap dancing ensemble. After emerging from a blue silken cocoon in a pink and zebra-print leotard, she performed an elaborate tap dancing routine complete with jazz hands and floor maneuvers. Other notable talents included Miss Snapshot, who performed a break-dancing, choreographed dance number to Gwen Stefani's "Bananas" song, and Miss Cattyshack, who did a truly skilled bellydancing routine with three blazing oil lamps perched upon her head.

The evening gown competition followed, with all in dresses except butch contestant Miss Snapshot. The crowd took a break so the judges could tally up their scores. This was followed by a performance by last year's winner, Dynasty Handbag. This character, created and portrayed by Jibz Cameron, is a cracked out, Dynasty-era Lower East Side former hooker who performs at downtown venues from Mo Pitkins to Galapagos, and has since winning last year's pageant become a well known fixture in New York City's cabaret and performance art world.

Next, comedian Marga Gomez, a former Miss LES Pageant judge, awarded the Miss Congeniality Award to Miss Gotham Girl Roller Derby. Miss Wild Card took second runner up, and World Famous BOB then awarded Miss Snapshot a much-deserved first runner up.

The crowd went wild as Murray Hill relayed the winner of the Miss LEZ Pageant: Miss Babeland, by the unanimous decision of the judges. The contestants and judges took the stage as DJ Inge played the closing number, "Time of My Life," from the film Dirty Dancing. Miss Babeland was awarded 15 drink tickets, a $4.95 plastic tiara, and $100 in singles. She will represent New York as Miss LEZ for the next year.