" She has the stuff that legends and divas are made of."
Jim Lawson, Speak Out reporter for WVQN shares an evening of candid chat with the new first lady of WVAS QUEER NEWS with our readers.
Martina Dezarea
Is Crowned Miss WVAS QUEER NEWS
2008!
Martina brought the house down at the recent event at Woodstarr Nightclub in Parkersburg. It was a first rate event. However, even more incredible than her performance is the story behind it.
It was not so long ago that Martina battled a much stronger force than her competition in the 2008 WVAS QUEER NEWS pageant. After undergoing a very serious brain operation in 1992, the entertainer was competing for her life! She spent over three months in the hospital and had to literally learn to walk and talk all over again. After witnessing her incredible performance at Woodstarr on March 15, this seems nothing more than amazing and miraculous.
Hats off to the incredible talent, grace, beauty and miracle of Miss Martina Dezarea!
She was born June 3, 19XX. Let's just say she is not quite old enough to enter Miss Classic USA yet. Her birth name is Chris Morrison, but she is much more recognized by her stage name, Martina Dezarea.
Martina grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina and has been a professional female impersonator for 17 years.
Martina is often asked about her nationality and tells us to set the record straight, that she is Native American.
"The first time I did drag was on a dare. It was our DJ's birthday party at my hometown club, CLUB OZ. I was a senior in high school. Terry Vanessa Coleman of Louisville, KY and Shanna Brooks of Atlanta, GA are my 'drag mothers'."
Jim: What and who inspired you to make your first appearance on stage and where did it all happen?
Martina: My first performance was in Fayetteville, NC at a club called Reunions. I performed to Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out", followed by "The Right Stuff" by Vanessa Williams. The reactions from the audience was great, but when asked if I was going to start performing as a female impersonator, I answered, no. Now look at me, 17 years later!
I have always been inspired by my Grandmother, because she worked and raised four girls and me on her own.
Jim: Tell us about the current most significant people in your life.
Martina: There is my Dad, William (my husband of 17 years), and Frankie LaVallee (Mr. Valentine 2008).
My dad, William and myself, bought my first gown. My dad said "I don't like it, but if you are going to do it, then do it right."
My sister was and always is there for me. Tub and Normia S. of Castlewood, VA; Dena J. of St. Paul, VA and Brogan J. of St. Paul, VA; Roger Legg here in Charleston, WV and many, many more are in my thoughts right now.
Jim: Describe your early journey in the business.
Martina: See, where I am from, there are a lot of "island girls", that work in the area of Brag Boulevard that leads into Ft Bragg. SC, if you did drag, people thought you were an island girl. So there is a social stigma involved; people think you are a prostitute. That is what people around my town thought.
Jim: List titles and events since moving to West Virginia.
Martina: Starting with the most current, Miss WVAS QUEER NEWS (Woodstarr, Parkersburg, WV) and a partial list below:
Miss Huntington, WV (Polo Club, Huntington, WV); Miss Gay Knox County (Rainbow West, Knoxville, NC); Miss Polo Club (Huntington, WV); Miss Broadway (Charleston, WV); Miss Trax Pride (Charleston, WV); Miss WV Pride (Charleston, WV); Miss Gay Tri-State (Huntington, WV); Miss Ohio Metro Entertainer of the Year (Cincinnati, OH); Miss WV USA at Large ((Huntington, WV); Miss Mountain State Entertainer of the Year ( Trax, Charleston, WV); Miss Foot Hills North Carolina, Female Impersonator (Hickory, NC); Miss Beckley Tri-States (Beckley, WV)
Jim: What organizations and charities are closest to your heart?
Martina: I became involved in Rainbow Pride Of WV after I won Miss Pride 2002. I had only lived in West Virginia for eight months at the time. I was the fifth Miss WV Pride; the first minority to win and the first person from Charleston, WV to win.
I served as Vice President of Rainbow Pride of WV for three years and am still a member.
I am involved in the Randall Turner American Cancer Benefit every year at Trax Nightclub in Charleston, WV. This year will be the seventh year of this benefit. It takes place in October.
I have participated in events of CAN (Charleston AIDS Network and Tri-state AIDS Task Force in Huntington, WV.
Jim: Martina, you were crowned Miss Rainbow Pride of WV in 2002. That is a very coveted crown. What was it like to wear it and reign with that title?
Martina: I have won many competitions and crown, However the moment that crown was placed on my head, I could feel it. It was incredible!
Jim: How do you envision your role as Miss WVAS QUEER NEWS?
Martina: I wear this crown with considerable PRIDE. Publications like WVAS QUEER NEWS are vital to the LGBT community.
Jim: Who would you most like to meet and why would you like to meet this person?
Martina: Actually, I just recently met the person that I would most want to meet, Hilary Clinton. I met her when she was here in West Virginia, and yes, I am all about a female president.
Jim: What are your priorities within the LGBT community?
Martina: My primary focus in the community is to promote harmony within the community. We cannot accomplish anything else, until we can get along with each other.
Jim: What single issue would you place a the top of the LGBT Equality Agenda?
Martina: Once again, it would have to be the need to get along as a community. Our community is divided and that is so sad to me.
Jim: What qualities make a great entertainer in your eyes?
Martina: Professionalism, earning respect and showing respect, intuit, dependability, and entertaining (talent). Coincidentally, these qualities spell the word PRIDE.
Jim: Is there a quote that best describes your philosophy on life?
Martina: "Always be a first-rate or yourself, instead of a second rate version of someone else."--Judy Garland
Jim: I know your pets are dear to you. Tell us about your pets.
Martina: I have three pets. Solly Molly, (a Yorkie), Srub (Yorkie), Shilo (cat) and Shelby Lynn who passed in 2006. There will never be another like her.
Jim: What are your personal goals and what are your goals for Martina (the entertainer)?
Martina: My goals are to help the WVAS QUEER NEWS pageant strengthen and grow. I think it would be wonderful to have preliminaries to the title of Miss WVAS QUEER NEWS in the individual cities and towns and then bring them all together to compete for the title. I also would like to someday hold a national title.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this pageant and those who have helped me get to this point in my career. I am honored to represent WVAS QUEER NEWS and look forward to meeting many of you, the readers in the coming year.
Love Martina
Below is a partial list of some of previous titles and pageants that Miss Dezarea has participated in around the region and beyond:
~Fourth runner up Miss USA @ Large (Dayton, OH)
~ Second runner up Miss National @ Large 2000 and Most Beautiful (Electric Ballroom, Knoxville; TN
~Second runner up Miss National @ Large 2001 Presentation Winner (Parliament House, Orlando;FL
~ Miss Kentucky National @ Large 2001 (Lexington, KY)
~ Miss Tennessee Female Impersonator (Knoxville, TN)
~ Miss Tennessee National @ Large 2000 (Knoxville, TN)
~ Miss Zippers (Florence, SC)
~ Miss North USA @ Large (Dayton, OH)
Jim: You can catch Martina @ Trax Nightclub in Charleston, WV http://www.myspace.com/traxniteclub this Friday night (28th) and Saturday, April 5 and WVQN will keep you posted as she travels and entertains around the country.
Check out Martina's personal myspace: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=46046513
Interviewed by Jim Lawson
bravenet.com