Marlena’s Bar was packed to capacity on Saturday night March 5^th for the “Mr Sash Queen” Competition, a tongue-in-cheek “contest” put on by Jay Harcourt, Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2005 to benefit Magnet, the Gay Men’s Community Health Center in the Castro.  

Four “celebrity” judges who know a little about wearing a sash: Leather Daddy XX, Tony Koester, Miss Gay SF, Galilea, Mr. San Francisco Leather, Dodger Allen, and the newly crowned Reigning Empress of San Francisco Tiger Lily, volunteered their time to “judge” the contestant pairs who vied for the sash.

Three past SF Leather Titleholders, Scott Brogan, Mr. Edge Leather 2002, Michael Dumont, Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2003, and Darryl Jansson, Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2004, “switched places with” and were made over by three of our community’s hard-working drag queens: Cher A-Little-Smith, Empress 20 of Spokane, WA, Chablis, Empress 36 of San Francisco, and Chanel Colone, Miss Gowgirl 2002.

While the contestants were getting ready, the usual entertainment, raffle and auction took place with Ray McKenzie, Mr. Golden Gate 2005 and Jorge Vieto, SF Leather Daddy’s Boy XXII helping with raffle and judge’s boy duties. Daddy Tony Koester got in a little over his head while helping Jay Harcourt with auctioneer duties and ended up wearing a fetish skirt from Madame S when Donna Sachet and Dodger Allen combined forces (and wallets) to meet Tony’s challenge of: “If I get a bid of $200, I’ll put on the skirt!” 

When the transformations were complete, the crowd went wild as “Doris Clitoris” (Darryl Jansson) performed a searing Nina Hagan number complete with a towering green wig and dress made from a “Twister” mat, and was escorted off the stage by hot leather sir, Richard (Chanel); “Lily Mars” (Scott Brogan) performed a tongue-twisting, back-to-back Garland/Minnelli number and was escorted from the stage by Jonathan (Cher) looking like trouble in backless chaps; and “Audrey” (Michael Dumont) shared a duet from “Little Shop of Horrors” with David (Chablis) wearing spiked wrist gauntlets and a harness.

In the end, only one could win the title of “Mr. Sash Queen” and the judges’ decision was announced.  The dynamic duo of “Lily Mars” (Scott Brogan) and Jonathan (Cher) were announced the winners, Lily was sashed with a “leather” and rhinestone sash and Jonathan presented with a beautiful bouquet of roses.  And Magnet was presented with a whopping check for $1000.00!