The creator of the Queen of the Whole Universe show has clarified an announcement made at the Saturday night pageant, reiterating the show's breaking of the world record for the number of drag queens on a stage. QWU's creative director Jonathan Smith Jonathan Smith has also confirmed dates and venues for two of the next three annual fundraising pageants. It will be staged on Saturday 27 June, 2009, at Wellington's Opera House, and on Saturday 27 November, 2010, at Auckland's Aotea Centre. In March 2011, during the Wellington OutGames, Queen of the Whole Universe will be staged at a venue and date yet to be confirmed. Smith, who initiated the now huge QWU fundraising pageant five years ago, says the record broken on Auckland's Aotea Centre stage at the weekend is the official world record as monitored by the Guinness World Record organisation. "It was our intent to try and break the record for 'Largest drag queen stage show,' says Smith. "The currently listed record for the largest drag queen stage show was an event organised by Lauren Fox and Symphony Barr which consisted of 25 men who performed at the Statler Terrace Ballroom, New York on 23 September 2005." Smith says no other submission has been made to Guinness World Records since to officially break this world record. "Therefore, on Saturday night Queen of the Whole Universe broke this record with 31 men dressed in drag. This is subject to adjudication by Guinness World Records in London, UK." "Although we had thirty three drag queens on stage, Guinness World Records has stipulated they they must all be men," says Smith. Two of the drag queen 'contestants' were performed by women, a small number of whom have featured as drag personas in past QWU shows as well. Smith has also released details of how much each three charitable HIV-related organisations will receive from the show. He says $45,000 "net" was raised on Saturday night "and when added to the previous years now totals $145,000 raised by Queen of the Whole Universe." The NZ AIDS Foundation, Positive Women and Body Positive will each receive $11,000, a split agreed to by the organisations in advance. Funds donated to the NZAF are tagged for "supporting those people infected, and affected, by HIV/AIDS." In past years the NZAF has received the total proceeds from the QWU shows. The remaining $12,000 from QWU 2008, "will be held as seeding money" for next year's Wellington show. "Hopefully this will be reflected in the profit from the Wellington performance," says Smith. [Editor's note: Smith has asked GayNZ.com to help convey his thanks to the hundreds of people who contributed their time and creativity to mount the Queen of the Whole Universe 2008: "I would like to thank the cast and crew for their support, energy, dedication and commitment to the show. I am extremely proud of what they achieved. Without their support I would not be able to make my vision a reality. "A special thank you to our many sponsors, Without their financial and product/services support we would not be able to create this show and raise the much needed funds. "The staff at THE EDGE must be commended. Their role, under public programmes, is to help me grow the event and I am in no doubt that this was achieved this year. "Congratulations to all our special winners: Miss Durex Personality - Miss Garden of Eden - Eve O'Ilusion played by Christian Rangi; Mr MSD Personality - QWU Boy 1 - Terry Toweling played by Ronnie Bew; and Miss Team Maddison Duplication (best headgear) - Miss Easter Island - Rosa Res-Erection played by Alister Hartstonge. "Congratulations to our winners: 3rd QWU 2008 - Miss Australia - Ms Barby Prawne played by Owen Anderson; 2nd QWU 2008 - Miss Japan - Kitty Tammy-Gucci played by Andrae Fassler; and the winner of QWU 2008 - Miss Transylvania - Nora Vein played by Steve Lawrence. "And thank you to our other three finalists, Miss Canada played by Glen Molloy, Miss England played by Ed Jenner, and Miss Italy played by Vic de Bettencor. "Special thanks to our judges who were hosted by Jane Bruning, National coordinator of Positive Women, and our Head judge, Ali Mau, who said the judging decision this was the most difficult ever due to the high standard of all six performers."]
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 17th November 2008 - 11:19pm