I received this press release from the Light Bringer Project and thought I should share it so you can learn a little bit about the woman who will be carrying on my legacy.
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PHOTOGRAPHER, JULIE KLIMA, SELECTED QUEEN
OF THE 23RD OCCASIONAL
PASADENA DOO DAH PARADE!
24-year old, Julie Klima (aka “Skittles”), with her signature pink doll-like hair, won over judges’ hearts on Sunday afternoon at the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade Queen Tryouts. The eclectic event was held at the American Legion Hall in east Pasadena. A current resident of Glendale, Klima, confesses she hardly remembers her presentation. “It was very noisy,” she said, “and people loved that I love colors and dress colorfully.”
An Art Center Photography Graduate (2006), she brought camera and props, and spent most of the afternoon playing with the judges who posed for her pictures. She also schlepped their beers.
A freelance photographer, Queen Julie will be taking her own self-portrait as queen, and is starting a series of Official Royal Portraits of the Doo Dah Queens. She also plans “show some love” to the people camping out the night before the Rose Parade, where she also plans to “have a fun party that everyone’s invited to.”
More about the Tryouts: As anticipated, individuals of all genders, shapes, ages, and persuasions tested their fate to become queen. Twenty one contestants were outnumbered by equally-costumed judges, including many former queens, and another hundred or so parade entrants, tryout supporters, Legion members, and the curious public.
The town-hall setting with long tables in beer-fest style, crock pot chili, and legendary Doo Dah House Band, Snotty Scotty and the Hankies on stage, set the mood for the lively caucus. Among those who tried out were, Count Smokula, Santa’s Bad Elf, belly dancer, Narayana, a smoking Amy Winehouse, Queen Mother Teresa Kennedy, the Swami from El Monte, Sabrina the Stimulus Package, Second-Hand Rose Queen, Crystal, Gopher Girl, Buffy the Dog, Ms. Laurel, Pinball Lizard, Mama “J”, and Miss Boy Frances.
1st Runner up and second place went to bass guitarist, Eric(a) Valentine, also of Glendale.
2nd Runner up was a tie between Roobie Breastnut, former burlesque star, as Sarah Palin, and Crystal Lightner, local diva of Altadena.
Even More Info: Organizers staged the first public tryouts in 1998 at a Gothic house on stilts.
It then moved to the famed Zorthian Ranch, in Altadena. This and other parodies of Pasadena’s ‘Other Parade’ have fueled Doo Dah’s colorful and controversial life on Colorado Boulevard. The 32nd Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade will be held on Sunday, January 18th stepping off at 11:30am on the streets of historic Old Pasadena. To enter the parade simply go to the website and fill out a form, or call for more information (626) 205-4029.
PHOTOS, courtesy of Terry Miller.
