I Helped Crown The New Dame Edna

Yesterday morning, I judged a p.r. stunt, I mean a contest, whereby an honorary understudy for Dame Edna was chosen out of an array of gladioli-wielding drag queens, all to promote Broadway's upcoming All About Me show starring Edna and Michael Feinstein.

There were also two biologically female contestants, but they were as weak in the talent area as they were unconvincing in the looks department, and as for the lady puppet who showed up, fellow judge Michael Riedel remarked that she'd be better off at the Lion King auditions down the block.

At the peak of the competition, Edna herself--well, Barry Humphries in male drag--swept in, lobbied some questions at the three finalists, and helped crown the winner--Scott Mason, a lookalike from Delaware
who's risked "life, limb, and lipstick" for his livelihood. In fact, two years ago, Mason was physically attacked by a jealous rival at an impersonators convention!

Not this time, possums. Mason was feted and photographed and gladdied, and Humphries said he'll even get free tickets to see the show--"unlike us."