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So, Ron, you've just brought this wonderful photo album out of some of the performances of Queen of the whole Universe. And wow, some great looking costumes there. Yeah. So very tight or costumes. So I thought I'd show you the very, very first year. So, um, this was, um I performed as a Kenyan warrior. Um, and as you can see, there's very little clothing. Um, [00:00:30] so, um, really it it it just to give you give you an idea on on on how how the boys look, because you're gonna see a lot of the girls. Um, my mother came along, Um, for several years running, I've been in the paper, um, with it, which is absolutely fantastic. But I also thought I'd show you, um, the most recent one. You can, um you know, See, um, through some of the the shots. You know, just, [00:01:00] um, how full the the the theatre really is. You know, with the, um, opening, um, sequences when you look back at some of these earlier photos. What? What? What What are your thoughts? Oh, look, I just, um I'm I'm so proud of myself, You know? It's, um, you know, to to to go from someone who who is, you know, relatively shy to look at these and see um and see myself on on stage. You know, I'm just I'm [00:01:30] just so proud of of the of what I've done and and how far I've come with it. So your first entry into the show? How did that happen? Where did where did that come from? Um, my first entry really was, um, being an audience and the member in the very, very first show. And I just thought that it was so much fun. And, um and and I just wanted to be part of it, you know? It's, um I mean, the fact that it was [00:02:00] a fundraising event, um, was almost secondary. I mean, I just wanted to be part of what? What was AAA real fun? Um, a AAA fun show. Plus, it's also a chance to be a little bit of an extrovert. You know, when um III I people would argue this with with with with me, but I tend to be a little introverted, so getting on stage is a chance to be an absolute extrovert. Um, yeah. So I I just approached uh, Jonathan, [00:02:30] Um, after seeing the first show and asked to be part of it, um, I had performed with Jonathan in the past, um, in one of the hero parades. You know, where we, um, did ballet down down Ponce Road. So I do know that he is, um I mean, a He's extremely, um, organised, and he knows how to pull things together. But he's just so much fun to work with. So had a apart from the the parade. Had you done any other kind of performance [00:03:00] work that we always perform? Um ah, you know, not. Not really. You know, again, people might dispute this. You know, I get up and perform sometimes ad hoc, um, with a little bit of bit of alcohol. But no, probably not. Not since school. And so, the first time in the pageant were you going there as a girl or a boy? How did that work? The first time it was it was definitely as a boy. Um II. I [00:03:30] have a little bit of fear of of drag, so please don't ask me to delve into that. Um so the the the first time II. I just wanted to be a boy. I wanted to be myself and, um and and yeah, that that really was my my entry. Plus, I worked my ass off to to have a slightly more cut body, and I wanted to show it. So what do boys do in the pageant? Um, boys, what do they do in the pageant? [00:04:00] Gosh, what? What don't we do? Um, the the the boys do a lot of dancing. A lot of running around. Um, we, um we're actually extremely active. We've seen a lot, but we tend not to be in in the forefront because it is really about the girls, and and and and the countries we We help the girls a lot. Um, in the parade of nations, we escort them on and off. Um, it is partly an thing, you know, to be able to pick up things that drop off. [00:04:30] Or, you know, if someone falls off a hill, you know, to be able to to be able to help them, um, we dance in the, um, opening and closing acts. And most of us, actually, um, assist one of the countries in the in the final, you know, in the artistic pieces you find. Virtually all of the boys are performing somewhere with with the final acts. What's your favourite outfit being as a boy? Oh, my favourite outfit as a boy, I would say it. It [00:05:00] was the last one. The purple outfit. It was a, um it was a waistcoat. Um, a little purple waistcoat with, um, black, um, almost tuxedo, like like trousers. Um, nothing underneath. Little bow ties. Yeah. Chances to show the chest. What are some of the other outfits that have that have cropped up over the years? Oh, gosh. They've gone from, um we were basically wearing underwear on stage with a, um uh, a tartan [00:05:30] half skirt. Um, and a tiny little little red singlet that that was the first one. I've worn, um, sequined chaps, uh, you know, with with flippers, if you can imagine that doing the penguin dance. Um, yeah, they They're kind of the three that stand out. I'm sure I've worn more. Sounds like I probably would have still out with the audience as well. Yeah, the the well, the whole thing with the boys is to I mean, it started off [00:06:00] as muscle boys but it's evolved to the boys, you know, because we're all shapes and sizes. There are girls who dress as boys, you know, boys who dress as boys, you know, So you need to accommodate everyone you know, so that for all the participants, both boys and girls, the the the whole idea of inclusiveness and of giving it a go. Is that a big thing for the page? It it really is. You know, um, I, I would say broadly, people would think of Queen of the whole universe as a a [00:06:30] gay event, but it really isn't it. It's inclusive of absolutely everyone and it. It's surprising how many people involved in the show aren't gay, you know, um, you know, because, um, it it it it's about embracing. Um, it's embracing the charity, but it's embracing all parts of the community whether you're, um uh, an immigrant. Um, whether you're gay, you're straight. You're male, you're female. You know, it really doesn't matter. [00:07:00] So you mentioned charity. Has it always been a fundraising event for particular causes? Absolutely. Um, it it is a fund fundraising event. First and foremost. You know, um and the the the fundraising has always been for AIDS related charities, you know? So, um, the, uh, depending on on on whatever is raised, it's actually split between a number of of age related charities. [00:07:30] Um, but as important it is about community, it's about, um, you know, we were talking earlier about inclusiveness about, um, providing a place for for for everyone, you know, to to to be involved regardless of of what your background is. You know what? What, What? What? You are who you are. You mentioned before that you had a wee fear of dragon. You said don't talk to me about it. What's your fear of train? [00:08:00] Um, look, II, I have been a girl on the show once. Um, so I've I've done it. Um, I enjoyed it, but not to the extent of of, um, when I'm a boy, um I look I I don't I don't feel myself in In in drag. Um uh, how do you explain it? You know, I just feel like I'm I'm [00:08:30] this this ugly impostor. You know it It's just not me. You know, I, I don't enjoy putting a dress on, but I guess that's one of the really neat things about the pageant is that you can be either a boy or a girl. And actually, the kind of gender going into the show isn't necessarily a gender that's coming on stage. Sexuality. Oh, absolutely. You know, And look, the, um the the the guys and girls that dress up, you know, and and I mean, the [00:09:00] you you you can you can feel the energy, you know, you can, um, they I mean, there's almost another personality that comes out, you know, it's just so nice to see in people, you know, it's, um, I where I love getting involved in in in that That sort of thing is I really like helping them get into character. You know, I, um I I like helping them make, um their dresses and and make their their their their head gear. [00:09:30] And you know that, that sort of thing. So I guess for me, I, I like helping other people find that character. Whereas, um, being a boy, I'm a little bit safer. I'm I'm still just me. But do you find that when you actually go out on stage that your personality changes? Yeah, of course it does. Yeah. It's, um, being on stage, um, you you're in the spotlight. You know, um, you're the ultimate extrovert. You feel like like everyone's [00:10:00] looking at you. Regardless of the fact that there's, you know, another 30 or 40 people on on stage. You know, it's, um it's all about me, you know, at at at the at the time, you know? So, um yeah, and and look, in real life, II, I don't like being centre of attention. You know, I I'm one of those ones that kind of blend into into the crowd, you know, stick with people I know, you know, on stage. I don't have to do that. So, what is that feeling? Like, actually like, going on stage for the first time? What? Can you recall how How you felt? Oh, terrifying. [00:10:30] You know, um, yeah, the the the you're standing behind the curtain and you can hear the crowd. You know that the audience is actually very, very loud. And, um, I mean, the first time waiting for the curtain to open, I was almost willing not to. I was terrified, you know, heart basically at the bottom of my throat. But once the curtain goes up and you basically make your first movement, and the crowd goes absolutely wild. [00:11:00] You're in character, you know, you're in, um, you know, you've you you remember what you're meant to do? You just go through the movements, the smile doesn't leave your face and, um, that that whole, um, nervousness disappears, and it's just replaced by by adrenaline. You know, um, when the show is finished, you're out for hours. You know, you you have to go out. You have to party because there's so much adrenaline, you know, in in your system, have you won any of the awards [00:11:30] as part of the show? Yeah, I've won. Um, I've won three awards. Look at you of one. Mr Personality. Mr. Congeniality, Um, Mr. Personality twice. And how how do you win those awards? What? What were the criteria? You just smile a lot. No. I think, um, the the, um, Mr Personality or Mr Congeniality. I mean, essentially, they they they're the same award. [00:12:00] Um, it's where the the the rest of the cast vote for, uh, the the the the boy who, um, has oh, I guess made made an impact. You know, whether it be, uh, helping everyone out whether it's been, um, you know, playing the fool and and and, you know, making everyone else um, uh, laugh and and and feel more relaxed and rehearsals and things like [00:12:30] that, You know, it's, um it it's just really, you know, AAA an award for the most popular boy when you're going on stage, Do you have any, um, like, rituals before you you go out there or the things that you do or things that you don't do? Yep. Uh, am I allowed to say this on tape? We all have a shot of tequila before we go just to calm that down. But to be honest, um, before going on stage, um, [00:13:00] we're the as as everyone's getting ready for makeup, we we do a little warm up, so we go on stage and we do a run through the opening, and that's just to re familiarise ourselves with the stage because most of the rehearsals are actually done off site. We don't get a lot of time in the actual venue, and being in the venue is very, very different than than being in a hall. Um, that that essentially calms everyone down familiarises yourself with with with the stage and, you know, [00:13:30] with with just how big a, um uh, venue it is. You know, the, um you know, when people come in, but from there, you know, I, I think most of us just talk. We chat, we laugh, and and really try and be as normal as we can beforehand. You know, try not to think about it. The rehearsal process. Can you take me through how, like a, uh, a typical rehearsal would go What? What? What would happen? Rehearsals. Um, that [00:14:00] that's the true commitment to to the show, because it is a lot of time. Um, people would be very surprised that rehearsals are actually only 6 to 7 weeks. Um, but before the show. So, um, this this is excluding the artistic performances, which which can be months and months. So Jonathan gets everyone together, um, and and and we basically start in blocks, you know? So from the first day, where everyone's falling over their feet, you know, we start in very small, small blocks, do [00:14:30] a few steps, do it over and over and over again, and just we we keep adding to it. So, you know, typical performance. Uh, sorry. A typical rehearsal, which will be about 2.5 hours twice a week. Um, it it it's very slow, you know, So but, you know, because what we're really pulling together is about an eight minute piece, you know? So you know, it's it's just stepping it, stepping it, stepping it, you know, it's really to cater for everyone's [00:15:00] abilities, you know, because, um, look all ages. You know, we have, um, people in the show who are in the sixties, You know, the people who who are teenagers, you know, early twenties, you know, they can move differently. Um, move faster. Um, some people don't pick up the steps, you know, or take a long time to pick up the steps. So are there any entry requirements to be a participant? Is is there like a a base level of performance that you need or anybody can do it? [00:15:30] No, Again, it's about inclusiveness, you know? So the, um the the the prerequisite for the show is you must be committed. You know, that really, really is is the the the criteria. There's no point in coming in halfhearted and halfway pulling out, creating gaps, you know that that need to be filled, you know? So it's just pure commitment. So you're saying that the rehearsals are 6 to 8 weeks before the performance? How much time a week would you be [00:16:00] rehearsing? So time of week, we'd be talking around 6 to 7 hours. You know, when we put it together, Um, it's always a Wednesday, and there's 2.5 hours on a Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoons, which are about four hours. Um, yeah, but remember, this is for the the main part of the show. You know, anyone involved in the artistic, um, pieces are are doing that quite separately. And then I guess, of course, you're you're [00:16:30] you're creating the head gear and the costumes. I mean, that must be a huge amount of work. Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, look, that that would take hours and hours and hours of work. You know, um you know, um, some people will have dressmakers helping them. Some people will have, um, proper, um, costuming. People, I would say the greatest proportion are doing it themselves with their friends in the back of the garage or you know that they won't see their lounge room, you know, for for, um, a couple of [00:17:00] months, you know, because they'll have sewing machines and sequins and glue and pins all over the place. And these costumes, and especially the headgear. I mean, it's just enormous, isn't it? It's huge. It it absolutely is. I think the limit is two metres by two metres. Something like that. And, um, some people challenge that took a big Oh, yeah. So what? What What are some of your favourite costumes on head gear over the years? Oh, look, there's there's so many of [00:17:30] them. But look, I would, um, say, um, Easter Island, um completely surprised me. In fact, two years years, um, running, um, different people who have done Easter Island. Um, there was one. can you describe what Easter Island looks like? Oh, Easter Island. The, um there was one which was, um, basically two Easter eggs. You know, um, one on top of the other. And that was definitely two metres by two metres. Uh, it had, uh, lights [00:18:00] all the way through it. It was decorated in in flowers. Um, when you turned it around the back was hollow. And inside it was a, um, a luminescent Penis. And the, um the the dress that was, um, being worn was, if you can think of sort of Judy Garland, um, sort of, you know, gingham blue, but in hoops, you know, which was just outstanding. But, um, a couple of years before that, there was, um, someone who wore [00:18:30] basically one of the Easter Island statues on the head. Um, we did call it his his tomb tombstone. Um, but again, this massive, um, Easter island head, you know, which was, um, carved out of out of foam and painted. Um, I think it was actually done by one of the TV N, um, workshops. You know, um, helped them do that. So yeah. What about costumes or any Any favourite costumes? Oh, look, I'm I'm a little bit, um biassed, but I, um as far as costuming, um, and and I'll [00:19:00] really talk about the artistic performances here because that's really where you see costuming. Um, miss Transylvania had some absolutely fantastic costuming with, you know, zombie vampire. You know, um, and how they made zombie vampire still look sexy was absolutely incredible. hot, hot, hot. Oh, just bodies. Very good bodies. Ignore the faces. Um, Barbie Prawn. Um, who [00:19:30] actually won the first wellington, uh, show she did, um, in in in her piece. She had dancing kangaroos, dancing, um, emus, Um, who became Mardi Gras lifesavers and dikes on bikes? Um, yeah, and, um Barbie Prawn herself. You know, basically, she had a big prawn on her on her head. Um, you know, but also with costuming is, um, staging, you know, because the, um, the the staging is also done [00:20:00] by the country. Who's who's performing at the time, you know, with the artistic pieces. You know? So I, I, you know, think of bar Prawn Who, um, at at her her own expense and and with with with her own support group created, um, a full on, um, lunar park backdrop, which was completely, um, lit up. Um, the mouth was, um, basically the the entrance where characters were coming in and out. You know, it's really hard to describe in [00:20:30] words. You know, I've got the picture in my mind, you know, but it's just spectacular, um, staging, you know, that's that's done as well. So the logistics of actually moving some of these set pieces into a theatre must be huge. Uh, Yep. Um, some of the staging. It's absolutely incredible. Um, the venue that you that you're performing in, you know, so in in Auckland, it's the A centre, um, that that that they do have their their rules and regulations, you know? So when you [00:21:00] when you're building a set, you you you you need to ensure that you comply with with with those regulations. You know, obviously the safety requirements and and that sort of thing, um, we were quite lucky with, um, the building of one of our sets, which was actually Miss Morocco. Um, four years ago, where, uh, we were able to actually build it in the back of the A A centre. Um, you know, this was a massive metal frame which basically, um, opened in in a desert backdrop into a massive, [00:21:30] you know, full full of, um, girls. And so the centre is I mean, that's a big venue. It is a very, very big venue. And does that Does that sell out? Uh, very, very close. Uh, my understanding is that, um the last, uh, three years in in Auckland. We've had an audience of around the 2000 people. Mark, give or take. Um, so that that that's a rounded figure. And what kind of [00:22:00] audience is it? What kind of demographic? A extremely mixed, Um, there is a large proportion of supporters, you know? So people who know someone that's in the cast, you know, So a massive entourage, you know, and and they really do get behind the country that they're supporting. Um, there is, uh, a number of people who, um, who just see it as as as a really cool event to go to. And and they're not associated to people in the cast. Um, it is quite heavily marketed as, um, one of the, um, Auckland [00:22:30] events. It's on the Auckland event calendar. Um, and the edge, um, promote it. Really, really? Well, you know. So, um yeah, and, um there There is also, um, amazing support from the gay community. Um, for the show. Um, and that support has always been there from day one. Yeah, that's quite interesting. Uh, I was going to ask, you know, what kind of place does the pageant have within the gay community? Do you think? Look, I think, um, it it it has [00:23:00] a, um a very solid place within the gay community. Um, one thing I do find in the gay community is there. There is a tall poppy syndrome, and, unfortunately, successful gay things do tend to get sort of chopped down a little bit. But, um, the queen of the whole universe has really survived all of that. And it's it is an iconic, um, gay event. How do you think it survived? I I I think it survived because [00:23:30] every year the bar has been lifted. So it's not one of those things that just repeats itself, you know? And And you think the concept, you know, of taking the Mickey out of Miss Universe. You think it would get stale pretty quickly, but it doesn't. Every year the bar is lifted, you know? So, um, the, um the quality of performance just keeps picking up. Um, you know, it's it's II. I said, quite early in the piece. Semiprofessional. Everyone that's involved [00:24:00] is is an amateur, you know? So there's very few people on the show who really do have, um, stage, um um or or performance background. there are one or two. but the quality of the show has come, you know, to a point where people really do think that that a lot of the cast are quite professional, you know? So, yeah. So we're coming towards the 10th and final pageant. What are your thoughts on that? Uh, look, [00:24:30] I, um I head towards it with very, very mixed feelings. You know, um, my view is, um finish it while it's on a high, you know, don't let it get stale. So in a way, I'm I'm kind of pleased that it's the last one. But, um, something needs to replace it, you know, And and and, you know, II, I really, really hope that someone has a really good idea to to replace the gap. It's going to leave. [00:25:00] And the other thing that I think the the the show was going to, um uh, when the show disappears is is a whole community disappears because the show in itself is quite a community, you know? And, um, I, uh, offer a couple of years, you know, question whether I was going to do the next one, you know, because it is a uh, you know, quite a quite a commitment of of, of time and energy. But the thing that that has kept me coming [00:25:30] back when I've kind of been dragging my heels is that it is a community of people in its own right, you know? And there are a number of people that I only see as part of the show and and it it's just a fantastic spirit. So what's the show done for you? The show for, um, personally, um, for me is, um it it's it's it's growing me, um, as as a as a person. Look, I have a hell of a lot more confidence, you know, [00:26:00] and and it wouldn't be the show in its own right. But it's certainly helped. Helped build, um, AAA lot of confidence in in getting in front of people you know, and and and, um performing, you know. So I'll I'll get on stage, you know, and and and present in my everyday life now, you know, and and and the the The show gives me the background for that. But it's also look, it's it's, um it's allowed me to meet a whole lot of people. I not normally have met, [00:26:30] You know, um you know, um and and that's within the gay community as well as as, as you know, other walks of life. Um, the one thing that, um I don't think the gay community does very well is girls and boys, you know, get together and really mix and mingle. And through the show, I've met so many girls, you know, and they're just just wonderful, wonderful people, you know. And, um, you know, their their their friendships, which will last forever.
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