BTC: The Heroic Miss Tandi Dupree
G’morning! Prepare to be speechless:
Miss Tandi Iman Dupree, ladies and gents. Is that an entrance or what?
No doubt, many of you will have already seen this invigorating clip, shot at the 2001 Miss Black America pageant in Atlanta, Georgia. It was Tandi’s dream to become Miss Black America, and for years she hustled her butt off, giving memorable performances at drag events across the continental U.S. Shockingly, her rendition of “Holding Out for a Hero” did not win Miss Dupree the crown, and she passed away (from AIDS complications, according to the Associated Press) before achieving her goal.
I’m just grateful to have the footage, especially on a cold, murky morning like this one. For many of us, Miss Dupree will always be a reigning queen.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:10 am
Oh bugger. It says that video up there is not available anymore. Tough luck
October 13th, 2008 at 6:25 am
As with anything it’s not who wins but who is remembered. Cheers to you Miss Dupree wherever you may be.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:21 am
The link, she is broked. Terrible sad.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:53 am
That very well may be the second most fabulous thing I’ve seen today (the first being a tape we watched in my theatre history class… can’t beat Asians in sparkly costumes, sorry).
October 13th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Please somebody else say they saw that lady drop out of the ceiling into a split. That was incredible.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:42 am
She should have won. She should have SO won. She’s doing intense acrobatics, dancing, performing…oh and in drag? Fabulous does not come close…