MR. GAY SA FINALISTS TO BE JUDGED ON CRUISE

The 14 finalists in the Mr. Gay South Africa™ 2011 competition will go through stringent judging on a five-day cruise to Maputo and Imhambane in Mozambique from 14 to 18 November.

According to Mr. Gay SA organisers, the judges will only be revealed to the finalists on the second night of the cruise, by which time several judging rounds would already have been concluded.

The finalist will be expected to report back on their activities building up to the cruise, such as their charity fundraising and ticket sales, to the three judges.

They will also be judged on tasks such as a talent competition and a written exam on general knowledge, LGBTI history and current events as well as a one-on-one interview with the judges.

Entertainment on the cruise will be provided by one of the officially best dressed “women” in South Africa, the well-known Cathy Specific, award winning singer and LGBTI icon Melanie Lowe, and Shannin Brown, a well-known drag artist.

The judging on the cruise counts for 50% of the finalists’ total score. The rest is made up of votes from the LGBTI community through SMS voting (25%) and by scores from five international judges during their interviews and appearance on stage at the Grand Finale (25%).

The Grand Finale takes place on Saturday 26 of November at The Lyric theatre, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg. Tickets, priced from R150 upwards, are available at any Shoprite and Checkers or online via Computicket.