Miss Big Adam’s Apple is Back!

THE NYC PRELIM TO NATIONAL COMEDY QUEEN RETURNS NOV 17TH, HONORING REIGNING QUEEN CATRINA LOVELACE AND WELCOMING A NEW GROUP OF CONTESTANTS VYING FOR THE CROWN


Another hilarious edition of the Miss Big Adam’s Apple pageant returns Sunday, November 17th, at Industry Bar. Celebrating all things absurd, creative and funny, this annual competition serves as a prelim to the National Miss Comedy Queen pageant in Orlando, Florida. Previous MBAA title holders include Tina Burner (who went on to win the coveted national title and then appeared on some drag competition TV show…I forget the name), quick change dynamo Holly Box-Springs and that dumb bitch Juicy Liu (That’s me! Oh, self-deprecation…). Leading up to the pageant, I had the opportunity to have a chat with the current reigning MBAA, Catrina Lovelace, and MBAA promoter Kari Kerning. 

INTERVIEW

Catrina, congrats on your amazing reign! I’m always in awe of your humor and crazy dance skills. How has this year been and what has this title meant to you?

Catrina: I’m also amazed at my dancing skills. I just wiggle around enough to make it seem like I am a dancer. This year as MBAA has been very rewarding with how many genuine connections I made by doing this pageant. It was my first ever pageant (local and national) that I competed in, so I was very nervous going in, but I knew I had to sell one thing, and that was me. The title has meant that I now have to be actually funny to prove I didn’t pay off the judges to win.

Kari, you’re a queen that loves to think out of the box (a duet with a singing vagina comes to mind), making you the perfect promoter for MBAA. Can you tell me how MBAA came to be and what is it about this pageant that sets it apart from other pageants?

Kari: I was excited to bring a National Comedy Queen prelim to NYC because it’s such a unique system. This pageant is for the weird, funny and conceptually exciting drag queens that don’t always find a place in the other pageant systems. You know, the silly, stupid weirdos (of which I’m proudly one). On top of that, it’s a really inclusive system. We welcome all femme presenting entertainers, regardless of gender or identity. So you’ll see bearded queens, afab performers, trans entertainers…It’s really inspiring to see such a wide and inclusive range of what comedic drag can be. 

What are your inspirations for your drag and your comedy?

Catrina: My inspiration for my drag is my mother and all the Latina women in my life, where they say the craziest and funniest things without even trying to be funny. 

The inspiration for my comedy is definitely all of my rejection letters to every college I applied to. If not for that, I wouldn’t decide to do drag full-time, still regretting it. 

Kari: Comedy queens draw inspiration from some of the weirdest places, and you see that diversity of perspective on stage at MBAA. My drag is a healthy mix of The Simpsons, Mad magazine, Sarah Silverman, and ‘90s Nickelodeon. Somehow you slap some lipstick on top of all that, and it sorta makes sense. 

What do you think is the most challenging part of MBAA? What is your favorite?  

Catrina: The most challenging part of MBAA was making sure that I didn’t overthink the categories and stuck to my guns. My favorite part of the pageant has to be getting to see so many different styles of comedy and what other people interpret as funny. Comedy, just like drag, can be done and interpreted in so many different ways. 

Kari: My favorite part of the MBAA pageant is our 60-Second Challenge category. It’s basically an improv challenge. Each contestant picks an object out of a mystery bag and then gets 60 seconds to sell that item to the audience (and our judges), QVC style. It can be a really stressful category, but NYC girls always do well. A funny bitch on the mic is a hallmark of New York City drag. 

What have you learned about yourself from this pageant and what advice would you give the queens as they prepare their packages (not a dick joke)? 

Catrina: What I have learned about myself from this pageant is that I am a really good packer! Six wigs, two gowns, many different outfits for me and my dancers, bus, another club, etc. The advice that I would give this new batch of contestants is to not be afraid to reach out for help and to bounce off ideas with other people to see if it reads the way they envisioned it.

Kari:The advice I always give is: be authentically yourself! I’m so tired of seeing queens try to fit a comedic mold or pattern their numbers on things they’ve already seen. That’s why you’re such a star, Catrina. You have a strong sense of who you are as a performer and your comedy naturally flows from that persona. The most successful funny girls are one-of-a-kind; they bring something authentic and unique that you can’t get from any other performer. 

If you could add one category to the pageant, what would it be?

Catrina: It wouldn’t be a category that I would add, but I would love to add an experience. I want to see our promoter, Kari Kerning, do a whole opening number a la Neil Patrick Harris and show off why she is a comedy queen and not a dancing queen. 

Kari: HAHAHA! I’ll leave the dancing to the professionals. The last thing NYC needs is another half extension switch kick. 

I would add Jello Wrestling. I think current contestants should wrestle the former winner for the crown at the end of the pageant. Cherry flavored jello specifically, of course.

And I’d like to close out this interview with a very important question: 

Murder, Fuck, Kill: Previous MBAA title holders Tina Burner, Holly Box-Springs and Juicy Liu. Go!

Catrina: The number you tried to reach is out of service. Please hang up, and try again later.

Kari: As long as we kill Tina Burner, I’ll marry whoever you want.

Thank you, ladies, for taking the time to talk with me about Miss Big Adam’s Apple. I’ll see you both on November 17th at Industry Bar. I’m excited to watch the girls compete and pick a new winner to represent New York City at the Comedy Queen nationals!