5/25/2006: Shrimp and Petroleum Queen

Undertoad • May 25, 2006 4:08 pm
Image

Axlrosen locates this Queen of the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, and 2005 Queen Abby Bruas features this unbelievably lovely gown to mark the honor.

Wait, Shrimp and Petroleum Festival? Doesn't sound like two great tastes that would taste great together...

IotD always features weird festivals from around the world, but it turns out that Louisiana is actually the Weird Festival center of the world. And what's more, they have Queens of all of them. The Gueydan Duck Festival Queen, the Louisiana Swine Festival Queen, Porte Barre Lion's Club Cracklin Festival Queen, Miss Nanitoches Meat Pie Festival Queen, Woodmen of the World Sausage Festival Queen. It's almost like people in LA can't hold a conference meeting without picking out which young gal is the prettiest. There appears to be no irony in it and Louisiana seems to have no shortage of young good-lookin' women who are willing to compete for and be tagged with such insane titles.

I suppose there's something wrong with this, but I'm not sure exactly what. It makes me vaguely uncomfortable.
BigV • May 25, 2006 4:14 pm
The young ladies in comptetion get a chance to display their comportment, get dressed up, be crowned, be addressed as "queen" or "princess". My sister participated in some of these when we were younger. She had a good experience with it, and won a couple, too. There was essay writing, interviews (none on the casting couch, though (I hope)), and for one, she got a $500 scholarship.

It works out for the sponsor too. Lots of chatter and buzz about the festival queen, and look how pretty, etc, etc. Mindshare, y'know.

The train is over the top, but at least it's better than an image of an oil spill.
axlrosen • May 25, 2006 4:23 pm
The festival's web site is equally cheezy. Click if you want to see how not to build a web site. (On the other hand, who knows? Maybe this is exactly the kind of web site that Louisianans would love?)

http://www.shrimp-petrofest.org/ (turn on sound for full effect)
dar512 • May 25, 2006 5:11 pm
Obligatory Louisiana joke:

Louisiana has its own version of the see and say (you remember the kids toy - you pull the string and it points to an animal and then says the name). In the Louisiana version it doesn't matter which animal it points to. The recording always says, "Them's good eatin'".
Trilby • May 25, 2006 6:07 pm
Must...Have...That...Gown...
xoxoxoBruce • May 25, 2006 6:27 pm
:eek: The 2005 - 2006 Washington Parish Watermelon Festival Queen.......is Asian?
milkfish • May 25, 2006 9:53 pm
Is the border on that train made of blue tarp material?
xoxoxoBruce • May 25, 2006 10:35 pm
Hell, you sure ain't seen many blue tarps. There's no mistaking the color of those things.:lol:
wolf • May 25, 2006 10:47 pm
xoxoxoBruce wrote:
:eek: The 2005 - 2006 Washington Parish Watermelon Festival Queen.......is Asian?


It's the New South™
xoxoxoBruce • May 25, 2006 10:57 pm
Oh, you're just showing off your little tm thingy.:lol2:
axlrosen • May 25, 2006 11:07 pm
Wow - I've been too distracted by the gown to notice the mural she's standing in front of. Is that... a giant shrimp, climbing an oil derrick? Possibly being shot at by helicopters??
wolf • May 25, 2006 11:17 pm
xoxoxoBruce wrote:
Oh, you're just showing off your little tm thingy.:lol2:


It's hell to use now ... the latest vB upgrade took away our ability to enter ALT+ codes for some reason. I actually have to open up Character Map, find it, Copy it and Paste it in.

PITA. :p
wolf • May 25, 2006 11:19 pm
axlrosen wrote:
Wow - I've been too distracted by the gown to notice the mural she's standing in front of. Is that... a giant shrimp, climbing an oil derrick? Possibly being shot at by helicopters??



Oooh! I love it's little hardhat!

Won't that be a hell of a thing to have found by future archeologists.
Scopulus Argentarius • May 26, 2006 12:47 am
dar512 wrote:
Obligatory Louisiana joke:

Louisiana has its own version of the see and say (you remember the kids toy - you pull the string and it points to an animal and then says the name). In the Louisiana version it doesn't matter which animal it points to. The recording always says, "Them's good eatin'".



I was at the zoo last week. Same animals, different recipes.
Ibby • May 26, 2006 12:47 am
Holy fuck that's weird

EDIT: Shrimpzilla, that is.
Scopulus Argentarius • May 26, 2006 1:24 am
Seriously,

I'm glad someone pointed out something from Louisiana that wasn't about its armpit: New Orleans.

The festivals, primarily in the rural areas of South Louisiana, are an excuse for the hard working locals to get together and have some fun - usually poking fun at themselves and traditions and anything/everything. They're very family oriented.

Other festivals include(d) the beloved Shemp Festival (no longer I think). ... Shemp, as in one of the three stooges. ...and the Washington Parish Free Fair (costs nothing to attend) ... and the Ponchatoula Strawberry festival ... The Jamalaya Festival in Gonzales (south of Baton Rouge) ... other interesting things are the Highland Games just north of Baton Rouge, the Renaissance festival, and Octoberfest... and we have music festivals (not counting New Orleans stuff) such as Fest-For-All.

...and the locals know how to make some of the best food (animal jokes aside) you'll ever have!
glatt • May 26, 2006 8:43 am
wolf wrote:
Won't that be a hell of a thing to have found by future archeologists.


That thought really tickled me for some reason. They will think we are a shrimp god worshipping society.
Trilby • May 26, 2006 11:18 am
glatt wrote:
They will think we are a shrimp god worshipping society.


You...you mean we aren't?


:lobstah:
xoxoxoBruce • May 27, 2006 12:56 pm
Scopulus Argentarius wrote:
Seriously,

I'm glad someone pointed out something from Louisiana that wasn't about its armpit: New Orleans. SNIP~ yada, yada, yada ~SNIP
...and the locals know how to make some of the best food (animal jokes aside) you'll ever have!
And anvil shoots, too. :thumb:
footfootfoot • May 27, 2006 9:14 pm
She's simply awesome
chorus:
Petroleum queen
now we're sharing the same dream
and our hearts they beat as one
no more shrimp on the run
busterb • May 28, 2006 10:50 am
Hey OXB, don't be moving our shit to the west.
"And anvil shoots, too."
xoxoxoBruce • May 28, 2006 11:44 am
You mean that's an Ol Miss exclusive? :confused:
MaggieL • May 28, 2006 8:28 pm
axlrosen wrote:
Possibly being shot at by helicopters??
Most helos over the Gulf are shuttling to/from oil platforms.
capnhowdy • May 29, 2006 9:31 pm
I was thinking fried shrimp when I saw the thread title.
missbhf08 • May 24, 2008 10:22 pm
Well actually everyone on here is wrong.
I wanna know exactly how many of you actually reside in Louisiana.
Not every festival has a queen. There are hundreds of festival but only about 100 queens. I happen to be one of them. And not just rural areas have them. They are located in every large city in the state. There is actually only about 2 in New Orleans anyway. And a festival is the celebration of a commodaty in that specific place. If you're town has a festival it shows that you are proud of it. And as goes for the queens, it is not easy being one. I think that we should all be applauded for all that we have to go through. We deserve respect, and not just from people in our own state.
missbhf08 • May 24, 2008 10:24 pm
and we are not picked on beauty, but intellegence
lumberjim • May 24, 2008 10:37 pm
oh, obviously.

what does bhf stand for?

let's all guess, shall we?
Cloud • May 24, 2008 10:39 pm
All together now:

"It's Not Easy Being Queen"
Cloud • May 24, 2008 10:41 pm
axlrosen;235994 wrote:
Wow - I've been too distracted by the gown to notice the mural she's standing in front of. Is that... a giant shrimp, climbing an oil derrick? Possibly being shot at by helicopters??


King Prawn! Starring The Queen as Faye Wray!
xoxoxoBruce • May 24, 2008 11:40 pm
missbhf08;456669 wrote:
and we are not picked on beauty, but intellegence
Welcome to the Cellar, missbhf08. :D

We're all friends here, so you don't have to scold us to correct misinformation or add additional information.
I can see where the bhf, at Lake Charles, may put more emphasis on knowledge than bust size, as it's not the typical beauty pageant.

From what I've seen of beauty pageants around the country, the winners range from PHD candidates to dumb as box of rocks, but they are always attractive.
Undertoad • May 25, 2008 12:35 am
That's some good detective work xoB. I worked out that the only festival with BHF is Black Heritage Festival...

Is this you Miss BHF? If so, the smile is very cool, the crown is totally awesome. I take back whatever I originally said, I must have been grumpy and particularly sarcastic that day.
Sundae • May 25, 2008 7:30 am
Undertoad;235934 wrote:
The Gueydan Duck Festival Queen, the Louisiana Swine Festival Queen, Porte Barre Lion's Club Cracklin Festival Queen, Miss Nanitoches Meat Pie Festival Queen, Woodmen of the World Sausage Festival Queen. It's almost like people in LA can't hold a conference meeting without picking out which young gal is the prettiest.

I missed this thread first time around...

Bwahahahahaha... have bolded my favourite festival. Because after all, the woodsmen live out in the woods for months. And boy when they get back to civilisation there are two things they are craving. Sausage... and queens!

Welcome Miss BHF. Even if you did just call everyone on a whole forum wrong. If you were picked for your brains then you've been doubly blessed and good luck to you.
Trilby • May 25, 2008 9:27 am
If she is BHF queen, lemme just tell her: hello, welcome and that is one popish crown ya gots on there.
BrianR • May 25, 2008 10:36 am
Um, did anyone notice that this thread is two years old?

I get confused easily enough without resurrecting old threads and making me think they're new and I missed them.
Cloud • May 25, 2008 10:46 am
don't fuss--we got a new member from it. Short-term, probably, tho.

And no, I didn't notice. That means they have a new queen! And why shouldn't Louisianans celebrate what they can, especially after Katrina?
SteveDallas • May 25, 2008 12:04 pm
It's good to be the queen.[/Mel Brooks]
xoxoxoBruce;456680 wrote:
From what I've seen of beauty pageants around the country, the winners range from PHD candidates to dumb as box of rocks . . . .

Based on my experience, the two are not mutually exclusive.
Sundae • May 25, 2008 1:48 pm
BrianR;456734 wrote:
Um, did anyone notice that this thread is two years old?

Sundae Girl;456717 wrote:
I missed this thread first time around...

Aye ;)
I guess Miss BHF was searching under Louisiana Festival Queens, given she has a vested interest, and up popped this old thread, which she felt was worth a response.

Me, I like some expert feedback.
xoxoxoBruce • May 25, 2008 2:31 pm
SteveDallas;456746 wrote:
Based on my experience, the two are not mutually exclusive.
You're bad. :lol2:

Sundae Girl;456753 wrote:

Me, I like some expert feedback.

Me too. One of the coolest things, which happens more often in IOtD, is when a person that took the picture, or was involved in the incident, shows up to give us the inside dope. Like the guy that took the picture of the cow's tongue, or the military fireman in the hangar foam thread.
Undertoad • May 25, 2008 4:38 pm
That cow's tongue still turns up.
Cloud • May 25, 2008 4:39 pm
(trying to find the cow in the picture. so I'm slow. bite me.)
missbhf08 • May 25, 2008 5:21 pm
Actually that's not me. It's the girl who crowned me. And there was no anger in what I said, I just didn't want anyone to be misinformed for what said. Yes, I did think that Shrimp and Petroleum is a really odd combination, but you'd have to go to Morgan City, LA to really understand.
Cloud • May 25, 2008 5:27 pm
do we have to?

stick around, miss big hair fan! you might be pleasantly surprised at what goes on here.

then again . . . you might not.

;)
Sundae • May 25, 2008 7:05 pm
Please stick around!
We will value your intelligence and especially a different take on things. There are some LA posters from what I can remember, but we're a fluid community here - people post when it interests them.

I was going to say we will value your brains, but given the trend of providing recipes for the Image of the Day, I don't want you to think we're zombies!

Seriously - respect for sticking up for something you are involved in that might not get respect elsewhere.
SteveDallas • May 25, 2008 8:44 pm
xoxoxoBruce;456766 wrote:
You're bad. :lol2:

It wasn't a joke. Dumbness is in no way a disqualification for the PhD. In fact I've known some who'd make you question whether it was "dumb as" a box of rocks, or "dumber than."
richlevy • May 25, 2008 9:03 pm
axlrosen;235938 wrote:
The festival's web site is equally cheezy. Click if you want to see how not to build a web site. (On the other hand, who knows? Maybe this is exactly the kind of web site that Louisianans would love?)

http://www.shrimp-petrofest.org/ (turn on sound for full effect)
Did you notice that the festival king is some 60+ year old guy and the queen is a nubile barely legal young lady?

And up until that moment, I'll bet the thought $100 a barrel oil was a good as it gets.
missbhf08 • May 26, 2008 12:09 am
Cloud;456736 wrote:
don't fuss--we got a new member from it. Short-term, probably, tho.

And no, I didn't notice. That means they have a new queen! And why shouldn't Louisianans celebrate what they can, especially after Katrina?


Katrina did a lot of damage, but it's not like it has completely ruined Louisiana. It didn't exactly happen yesterday, so we have plenty to celebrate. Has anyone other than me been to any part of LA since the hurricanes??
Cloud • May 26, 2008 12:34 am
I mentioned Katrina, because the original post was shortly after.
xoxoxoBruce • May 26, 2008 2:39 am
missbhf08;456917 wrote:
Katrina did a lot of damage, but it's not like it has completely ruined Louisiana. It didn't exactly happen yesterday, so we have plenty to celebrate. Has anyone other than me been to any part of LA since the hurricanes??
Yes, as a matter of fact. We have several members that live there. Scopulus Argentarius is one of them.

Scopulus Argentarius;236007 wrote:

The festivals, primarily in the rural areas of South Louisiana, are an excuse for the hard working locals to get together and have some fun - usually poking fun at themselves and traditions and anything/everything. They're very family oriented.


I know people that lost their home.
BigV traveled down there from Washington state to help with the clean up as did my boss from PA.
BusterB lost his roof in MS and was over in LA a week or so ago.
LA is not in Africa or Mongolia, we know what's going on there.

I also know that the folks down there, generally, have a great sense of humor, and laugh at themselves, as hard as anything. You should chill out and try it.
BrianR • May 26, 2008 11:40 am
missbhf08;456917 wrote:
Katrina did a lot of damage, but it's not like it has completely ruined Louisiana. It didn't exactly happen yesterday, so we have plenty to celebrate. Has anyone other than me been to any part of LA since the hurricanes??


Me. I brought relief supplies in after. Been there several times since. Most recently, Pineville. We have a major customer there and I tend to hit one of those loads every three months or so.

Brian
missbhf08 • May 26, 2008 2:47 pm
well i'm sorry if i'm coming off like i'm always upset. i'm actually a very happy person. it's just like when you mention you're from LA people automatically want to talk about New Orleans....happened to me when I went to DC.
Cicero • May 26, 2008 3:11 pm
Miss/Mrs cellar 2008 seems to be cleared up though. The first place winner prematurely gave up the crown, so now that we have the real deal, I hope she will stay.

Miss bhf, when I mention my parents being effected by the hurricane people always mention New Orleans too...The eye hit them dead on in Mississippi.....

Pretty women on here like to talk about people liking them for their intelligence here, you will fit right in, but I am still not buying it. I've seen a lot of intelligent ugly women, and yea, they never seem to be that popular, and certainly don't get to wear the grand tiara. It doesn't even fit on their mis-shapen head when they temporarily go through the winners things, and try it on.......

lol! All the pretty women claim that life is not about appearances. Get ugly and dress down, maybe even like a hobo, and tell me what you think then.

I dressed like a hobo for a party designated for it, but went out in public before it, in full costume (totally convincing), and as I said hello to one of my friends that did not recognize me, they gave me the most terrible look I had ever seen on their face, and wouldn't even dignify my "hello" with a response.
Flint • May 26, 2008 3:41 pm
so, miss b.f.e. isn't the "shrimping" and petroleum jelly queen? :stickpoke:
missbhf08 • May 26, 2008 6:27 pm
Cicero;457057 wrote:
Miss/Mrs cellar 2008 seems to be cleared up though. The first place winner prematurely gave up the crown, so now that we have the real deal, I hope she will stay.

Miss bhf, when I mention my parents being effected by the hurricane people always mention New Orleans too...The eye hit them dead on in Mississippi.....

Pretty women on here like to talk about people liking them for their intelligence here, you will fit right in, but I am still not buying it. I've seen a lot of intelligent ugly women, and yea, they never seem to be that popular, and certainly don't get to wear the grand tiara. It doesn't even fit on their mis-shapen head when they temporarily go through the winners things, and try it on.......

lol! All the pretty women claim that life is not about appearances. Get ugly and dress down, maybe even like a hobo, and tell me what you think then.

I dressed like a hobo for a party designated for it, but went out in public before it, in full costume (totally convincing), and as I said hello to one of my friends that did not recognize me, they gave me the most terrible look I had ever seen on their face, and wouldn't even dignify my "hello" with a response.


Ok cicero, let me put it this way: the people judging who wins do look for intelligence more than beauty, but that doesn't mean it counts. Sometimes the person who wins can be a dog. I don't really like to agree with people choosing beauty over brains, but it happens. That's life....

But it just happens that most girls who do win are beautiful and intelligent. We go around as visiting queens to other pageants. I mean, if you were part of one of our festivals and you had a dumb person representing you, wouldn't you kinda be dumbfounded?
Cicero • May 26, 2008 7:39 pm
missbhf08;457111 wrote:
I mean, if you were part of one of our festivals and you had a dumb person representing you, wouldn't you kinda be dumbfounded?


I usually do have many dumb people trying to represent me. And yes. I am "dumbfounded". Which makes for an awesome pun in that context!!
:D
I need a "dumbfounded, and I vote" sticker.
Undertoad • May 26, 2008 9:28 pm
missbhf08;457111 wrote:
But it just happens that most girls who do win are beautiful and intelligent. We go around as visiting queens to other pageants. I mean, if you were part of one of our festivals and you had a dumb person representing you, wouldn't you kinda be dumbfounded?


That seems true. What I'd be most dumbfounded about, would be if the queen came in and handled herself in an undignified sort of way. You know, if she grabbed a handful of cake, screamed and yelled at the waiters, hocked a loogie before heading to the front table, jacked up the massive shrimp and petroleum skirt, etc.

I think if she acted downright stupid, I might assume that her particular contest was strictly a beauty contest, and that wouldn't reflect well on the contest.
monster • May 26, 2008 11:09 pm
Thank goodness they're not picked based on aroma....
monster • May 26, 2008 11:10 pm
Hey, missbhf, would you share a pic of your coronation with us, please?
missbhf08 • May 27, 2008 1:26 pm
monster;457168 wrote:
Hey, missbhf, would you share a pic of your coronation with us, please?


well i don't see anything wrong with that...so ok.
I can't really find a good picture with just me so I'll put one of all the queens who won with me that day. unfortunately I was looking down when someone took it.

Image
Undertoad • May 27, 2008 4:55 pm
Nice. I like how the little children are part of it. That one girl in pink couldn't beam any brighter if there were ten spotlights on her!
DanaC • May 27, 2008 5:47 pm
Every fibre of my being rebels against that photograph and everything that it represents. That said: you look gorgeous missbhf! I actually think that you looking down makes you look even more stunning because it gives you gravitas and an aura of something deeper than a glittering smile.
Cloud • May 27, 2008 5:52 pm
Lots of fun to dress up and be a positive part of the community. Thanks for sharing!
Cicero • May 27, 2008 9:17 pm
How come there are so many queens? Can't you just win and them, you know, not?
;)
monster • May 27, 2008 10:27 pm
DanaC;457418 wrote:
Every fibre of my being rebels against that photograph and everything that it represents. That said: you look gorgeous missbhf! I actually think that you looking down makes you look even more stunning because it gives you gravitas and an aura of something deeper than a glittering smile.


It's funny. Mine would've too, way back when I lived in the UK. But this is so much more a way of life here. Not the pageants per se, but the dressing up. This was mine and beest's realization this weekend. Americans love to dress up in a way that Brits don't.

We went to a local outdoor "old fashioned village" museum here this weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) to see the civil war re-enactments (not just battles, but regular every day life too). The soldiers' costumes were good and must've cost them a pretty penny....and there were plenty of them.... but the real surprise was the number of entire families in period costume. Possibly about 40% of the people there. Way more than just the families of the re-enactors. They were lapping it up.

Winning a "beauty" pageant is cool and people get pissed off if they don't win, but not in a big way -they enjoyment they get from dressing up and takiung part is generally still bigger than the sense of defeat.

That's why Halloween is such a biggie here, why parades and pageants are so popular. For all Brits reading this... The Halloween scene in ET ...not fiction. Kids really do all dress up like that and swarm the streets, and the parents do too. In fact the ET scene is tame. really.
Cloud • May 27, 2008 10:55 pm
I can't speak for an entire culture, but I looooove to dress up, too. In costume at any rate.

You thought the Halloween scene in ET was fiction? Well, it is, but . . .
missbhf08 • May 28, 2008 1:04 am
Cicero;457458 wrote:
How come there are so many queens? Can't you just win and them, you know, not?
;)


Well they have different divisions for different age groups (ex. little miss:6-8 years, teen miss:14-16). It's to have more people to represent, I guess...
Cloud • May 28, 2008 1:27 am
Very cool crown, indeed. And I would be proud to be titled Miss Black Heritage Festival, little miss, teen miss, or whatever. Is it helpful on your resume or college apps?
missbhf08 • May 28, 2008 9:23 am
Actually it does. They consider it to be good leadership skills. Also we do many community service activities (Relay for life, nursing home visits, etc.)
dar512 • May 28, 2008 10:08 am
missbhf08;457562 wrote:
Actually it does. They consider it to be good leadership skills. Also we do many community service activities (Relay for life, nursing home visits, etc.)

missbhf - Your parents must be very proud of you; not just for winning miss BHF, but for being the kind of girl to earn the crown.

Work hard in college, be the best Miss BHF you can. I know you'll go far.
Cicero • May 28, 2008 8:12 pm
missbhf08;457515 wrote:
Well they have different divisions for different age groups (ex. little miss:6-8 years, teen miss:14-16). It's to have more people to represent, I guess...


I was kidding.
:)
That photo tells the story pretty well, I think! Yea, I think it could possibly show a good community leadership role.

The same reaction does not happen when I show people my community service resume/volunteer hours, however. lol! This could get me fired let's not tal.....
:)
busterb • May 28, 2008 8:55 pm
Is it just me, how did this thread turn from a shrimp deal to a black heritage thing? I smell troll. Hey pump me up.
Now jump on me.:lol2:
Imigo Jones • May 28, 2008 11:14 pm
. . . not trolls, busterb (sorry that's not a legit rhyme).
It seems like a totally legit discussion and encouragement for a fine young woman.

Image

Shawntaye Thomas, Miss Black Heritage Festival 2007
missbhf08;456854 wrote:
Actually that's not me. It's the girl who crowned me.
The words on the crown are backwards so,
when you're sitting up there on top of the back seat of the royal convertible,
drivers can see your motorcade coming up behind them and pull over. Image:queen:
Cloud • May 28, 2008 11:33 pm
ooh, look. the crown sparkles. that's cute. is that in our smileys?
HungLikeJesus • May 28, 2008 11:40 pm
missbhf07 isn't going to be working for Radar anytime soon.
Imigo Jones • May 28, 2008 11:49 pm
Cloud;457733 wrote:
ooh, look. the crown sparkles. that's cute. is that in our smileys?
Yes, it's deep in there, Cloud. When you see the :king:, you still have a way to go.
She's right after the :flower:, but I thought our queen should get roses (the rose smiley coming from my Yahoo email).
classicman • May 29, 2008 12:24 am
HungLikeJesus;457736 wrote:
missbhf07 isn't going to be working for Radar anytime soon.


HFS ROFLOL T GD F

lol lol lol ha ha ha ha ha
missbhf08 • May 29, 2008 12:49 am
Imigo Jones;457720 wrote:
The words on the crown are backwards so,
when you're sitting up there on top of the back seat of the royal convertible,
drivers can see your motorcade coming up behind them and pull over. Image:queen:


I'm still trying to figure out why her crown is backwards. Someone really has trouble with all that HTML stuff.

busterb;457691 wrote:
Is it just me, how did this thread turn from a shrimp deal to a black heritage thing? I smell troll. Hey pump me up.
Now jump on me.:lol2:


Well actually I looked at this thread awhile ago and just never got around to replying....until not too long ago. :)
xoxoxoBruce • May 29, 2008 1:01 am
Buster's just jealous, 'cause he's from Mississippi. :haha:
Sundae • May 29, 2008 5:20 am
busterb;457691 wrote:
Is it just me, how did this thread turn from a shrimp deal to a black heritage thing? I smell troll. Hey pump me up.
Now jump on me.:lol2:

Quite right Buster. Thread drift is despicable and shouldn't be tolerated in IoTD.
monster;457478 wrote:
But this is so much more a way of life here. Not the pageants per se, but the dressing up. This was mine and beest's realization this weekend. Americans love to dress up in a way that Brits don't.

Shurely not? BTW sorry for your 2-0 defeat...
Imigo Jones • May 29, 2008 6:10 pm
xoxoxoBruce;457774 wrote:
Buster's just jealous, 'cause he's from Mississippi. :haha:
"Mississippi Queen"--an awesome Gulf Coast queen thing, Buster! :thumbsup:
A radio sports show just now played 20-some seconds of the "Mississippi Queen" intro as bumper music :cool: coming back from a commercial break (but it wasn't the Mountain version :( ).
"I can name that tune in two cowbell strokes!" :drummer:
Sundae • May 29, 2008 6:33 pm
should of had more cowbell...
monster • May 29, 2008 9:49 pm
Sundae Girl;457781 wrote:
Quite right Buster. Thread drift is despicable and shouldn't be tolerated in IoTD.

Shurely not? BTW sorry for your 2-0 defeat...



I'm not sorry :D[COLOR="LemonChiffon"] (and they didn't notice)[/COLOR]
lumberjim • May 30, 2008 12:01 am
about ur finger?
Imigo Jones • May 30, 2008 4:12 pm
Brianna;456727 wrote:
that is one popish crown ya gots on there.
"Popish"--haaa! :f211:

Image . Image

Brianna, the pope seems a bit miffed that Amber Benoit, Miss Sulphur 2007, has a taller mitre than him! Her gown is as shiny as his, yet is tastefully understated. On the other hand, her sash is over the top, whereas he must have one in there somewhere, but it's so well blended into his ensemble that it's hard to tell.

The wrong headwear can make the humblest man or woman look too, too special, not unlike megalomaniac rulers who use special hats to project authority. Big, fancy hats make eye-catching props for more-garden-variety showbiz attention mongers, too, from Carmen Miranda to the creepy Slash and that guy in Jamiroquai. Stupid Elton.

The already towering Abraham Lincoln (almost 6'4", when the average American man was 5'6") may have been humble in significant ways, so what's up with the stovepipe hat? In October 1862 Lincoln went to post-battle Antietam to meet with the arrogant, procrastinating, and insubordinate Gen. George McClellan (average at 5'6"), commander of the Army of the Potomac and formerly general in chief of all U.S. armies (footnote: McClellan, who privately wrote that he should be acclaimed dictator, was the fragmented Democratic Party's candidate for president 2 years later, losing to Lincoln). Lincoln had to make clear who was commander in chief:

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McClellan, sixth from left, and Lincoln at Antietam

In general, Lincoln wanted to be noticed, I suppose, but being readily recognized would also help him be more accessible to the people. The stovepipe hat furthermore had the practical function of being a handy place to keep letters and other papers, like a briefcase.

Back to the Vatican: For an amazing selection of ecclesiastical headwear and robes, starting with the simplest nun's habit, progressing through higher ranks and gaudier vestments and mitres, and culminating in pure, dazzling ostentation, check out this clip of the fashion parade in Fellini's Roma (1972). :3_eyes: (Go see this film projected at a theater when possible.)
Cloud • May 30, 2008 4:21 pm
Lincoln, the Vatican, and Fellini?

whoa. head rush!
Imigo Jones • Jun 1, 2008 5:24 pm
Cloud;458188 wrote:
Lincoln, the Vatican, and Fellini?
Don’t forget the queens, Cloud! :) Going back to Louisiana:

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Left: Miss Andouille [sausage] XII [2006]
Ashley Kristine Wilking
Right: 2007 Miss Queen of Hearts [of the River Parishes Fall Festival]
Ashley Kristine Wilking


Hey, I thought she was from Georgia--Scarlett’s friend.

More importantly, what up with her batwings? A lot of the Louisiana queens wear ’em. I’m guessing it’s a regal mantle bestowed only upon the winner at the big moment, along with the tiara, sash, and bouquet. Personally, I prefer Miss BHF’s bare-shoulder look.

Still, there’s certainly something to be said for the batwing style. Further research shows that in a few short years in the early 1930s, in male scholarship competitions, the regal pageant mantle underwent a radical transformation from modest proportions to the exaggerated dimensions that persist today:

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Left: Seward Sanitarium Blood Drive Festival King 1931
Bill “Count” Dracula
Right: Mr. Late-Moving Sinker 1934
Chien-ming “the Merciless” Wang


Bonus section: An SSBDF King gallery

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1, 2, 3: High-collared mantle, but modest by later standards
2: Lincolnesque winner's crown
4. Joy at hearing Abraham Van Helsing named first runner-up


Highlights of the winner's performance, a dramatic reading, in the talent portion of the competition