Sink or Swim
The contestants of the second annual Miss Fish NYC pageant on Serving Fish.
March 24, 2015
Ask any queen, and they’ll tell you that the textbook definition of a “fishy” girl is one whose look is so flawless that people might mistake her for an actual woman. But fish can mean many things, as the contestants of second annual Miss Fish NYC pageant, now held at uptown drag destination The West End, will attempt to prove on April 4. “Serving fish is an attitude,” says Miss Fish 2014 Pissi Myles. “Pretty girls get husbands, but talented girls get paychecks!” Judge Rify Royalty echoes that sentiment, asserting that fish is “beyond a physical aesthetic. I want shows! Entertain me!” And the contestants themselves have a range of ideas of what constitutes fish that’s as wide as the Atlantic.
HOLLY BOX-SPRINGS
“For me, fish is when I’m walking down Ninth Avenue wearing an ‘I Heart NY’ dress at 7am after a gig, and instead of throwing rocks, the construction workers catcall. I’m going to serve fish up nice and spicy like we do in the South. I may not be the fishiest gal on that stage, but I sure will have that southern charm on that platter, y’all!”
SAKURA ALLURE
“Whether it’s the swish in my walk, the flip of my hair, or the beat of my face, Sakura Allure is here to serve you fish straight from the ocean!”
ARI KIKI
“When I hear the word fish, I think of something tasty, and typically fried with a side of rice and beans. I’m a savory queen. I like to leave you with a salty aftertaste that makes you wonder, ‘What the hell
was that?’”
JACKIE ONASSIS
“Fish is a well done imitation of a biological woman presented by a male entertainer. I deliver fish in my stage presence. Yes, I do look like a real woman, but I know when I’m in character my focus is to get the
purpose of the story of the song across to the viewers.”
MACI SUMCOX
“Being a larger queen, I used to think I couldn’t be one of the pretty queens or serve fish, but I’ve realized that there is a lot more to serving fish than being beautiful. It’s the attitude and the confidence you bring to the stage and I’m finally in a place in my life where I know I’m a fierce and fabulous queen.”
LEXI THOMAS
“Being fish can mean so many different things, but for me it means being incredibly cunty, beautiful, and just completely in the moment. Not necessarily woman, rather a doll that’s been brought to life—a blow up doll in my case. So really, I aim to be a dolphin, not just a fish, with tricks and shit. God knows I’ll flip for a treat!”
Miss Fish NYC 2015 at The West End, 955 West End Ave (@ 107th St), April 4 at 9pm; $10. Visit thewestendlounge.com for more info.
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