Oscar Awards 2010 Review

Due to the limited photo policy only the awards and warped images will be displayed here.

So Saturday October 17th was the long expected annual Oscar Awards Party as held by the Management team of Club Heavens Indoor Centre in North Central Jamaica. The event which has been come to be revered in the party community for the gowns and associated price tags was very low-keyed this year with a sort of unplanned decision by attendees to go casually elegant or jeans and tees this year.

All in all things got off to a slow start at around 10pm which was advertised to be the Red Carpet rollout and walk, the carpet itself was not as spiffy as I would have liked but none the less there was one with 5 velvet rope garters on each side of the almost ten foot carpeting. The gate cover charge of $2,500 was no help as many simply refused to patronise the event thus the numbers were the lowest in years of the event’s life.

The VIP room was not used as no one took up the offer for it even after advertising. The new paint job on the inside was ok but ok shouldn’t be enough for us as a club must have something to grab and keep its patrons and supporters interested. The newly installed lighting was not there yet either but the show must go on as they say. The Management indeed made reference to their committment to improve the club’s deliverables over time as evidenced by one of them on stage during a presentation but with the opening of the new spot in Montego Bay, The A, there are going to be concerns for the management as many persons were already shying away from supporting them have been readily attending this new joint which has been opened some three weeks now offering free nights as well. The replaced mirrors on the walls and columns much to the delite of some of the divas who like dancing and seeing themselves were welcomed as before they were often cracked or smashed by dancehall queens doing their traditional head top dances.

The statuesques were neatly laid on a round table on the stage/main dancefloor well served with a bright spotlight for persons to view, the style of the nude golden boy has been the same for the years of the show/party but the categories has changed this year as winners were selected via an aggressive Facebook and SMS voting campaign to determine them unlike previous years and other similarly typed shows winners were selected via the promoter’s choice hence things were far more balanced. The music for the most part was great save and except for minor glitches in an amplifier that was repaired some days before the event.

The unorganised presentations of the performers and their lateness in arriving with their selections for the DJs to cue along with no formal program of events were another set of low points of the show, save and except for Ms Diva Waugh persons had to be literally relaying information between the dressing rooms and the DJs much to their annoyance of some patrons. There was not a designated MC it seems until when one of the DJs took matters into his own hands and got things going.

Best Performances of the Night: Veteran drag and cabaret diva noted for her unusual look and style of lip sync performances took the night after the two  who preceded her couldn’t get the crowd going enough, in my estimation she stopped a train wreck and turned things around just before the final presentations were held. Dressed in a black knee-high black sequined dress and a 5 inch high heel she delivered on two tracks first Patti LaBelle’s “People” and then half way into that she brought in Fantasia’s “I Believe” not before removing her cleavage spongy implants and ripping the wig off in true Nastacia Diva Waugh style much to the loud cheers of the audience, that’s what happens when you have a professional diva around to do it. She also walked away with an award which was no surprise.

Macey Grey (photo on right – image warped to protect her identity) also shone during her 11 minute plus set in her red and gold streaked sleeveless gown the three song set was appropriate as she matched each song’s subject matter they included Christina Aguilera’s “You Lost Me” and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In The World) which were the highlights with matchin flaming red hair to go with it as seen in Ri Ri’s latter video. The pink bathing suit as exposed by Macey as she slowly shed on stage was a stunner showing off her new buns she has been working on for some time. 

Other positive highlights of the night were the welcomed shortness of the presentation ceremony years gone by it would have been too long, the speeches by some of the winners of note Dexter P for Fashion Designer of the year who spoke to his openness as a gay man in the industry, perseverance and the support from the community as well. DJs Buck and Howie made sure the children were re-energized after the presentation until 6am the Sunday morning as many persons left early to prepare for the “Fierce” Anniversary event which was scheduled that evening.

The organizers may want to look at all of the above problems coupled with the lead time in advertising for this all important event as there are very few that auger such style and class for the community in recognition to “ordinary” gays. Also decor, presentations, selection of performers and well versed masters of ceremonies to carry off the pizzaz of the show’s theme it’s all about presentation for me. Some call it a flop I call it a cute crowd who enjoyed themselves despite the challenges.

Categories and Winners:

Best Upcoming Queen – Lexi

Couples with the Most Breakups – Terry Scott & Charles M

Best Fashion Runway Diva – Kookie Balenciaga

Party Supporter of the Year – Ainsley

Best Dressed Female – Khandi Exquisite Doll

Best Group/Duo Performance – Lady Antibellum/Nastacia Waugh “Same Script, Different Cast”

Top DJ – Dr. Buck

Best Performer – Tiana Trendsetter Doll

Best Dressed Male – Ainsley

Best Dramatic Performance – Kookie Balenciaga “Russian Roullette”

Best Drag Queen Makeup – Lady Antibellum

Leading Drag Queen – Khandi Exquisite Doll

Disco Icon – Carmen Electra

Fashion Designer of the Year – Dexter Pottinger

Party Promoter of the Year – Spongie Boo

Entrepreneur of the Year – Ms Patricia Welsh (services in education to the lgbt community)

Let us look forward to next year’s show and hope we can learn from the mistakes and shortfalls from this year.

Peace and tolerance.

H