Miss Gay America 2020 Pattaya Hart by Tios Photography.
On the night of Saturday October 5 in St. Louis, New York City female impersonator entertainer Pattaya Hart was crowned Miss Gay America, considered the most coveted national title in drag pageantry.
Established in Nashville in 1972, The Miss Gay America Pageant is the world’s first, longest running and most prestigious nationwide female impersonator (aka drag) competition.
Known as the “Symbol of Excellence,” Miss Gay America winners represent the utmost in professionalism and entertainment in the art of female impersonation. Each October, dozens of contestants from over one hundred city, state and regional preliminaries across the country compete over four nights for the Miss Gay America crown.
Winning on her first attempt, Pattaya Hart is the second consecutive winner to be from New York City, following in the footsteps of Manhattan entertainer, Miss Gay America 2019, Andora Te’tee of Hell’s Kitchen. Also from New York City is the Miss Gay America 2020 Fourth Alternate, Fifi DuBois.
This is not Pattaya Hart’s first drag title. In 2017, she won Miss’D America, the campy but classy fundraising drag show that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for LGBTQ causes. Fifi DuBois was Miss’D America 2015.
Above: Miss Gay America 2020 Pattaya Hart on Thailand TV!
Pattaya Hart is Methawee “Plu” Sayampol, a native of Thailand who moved from Bangkok to New York City in January 2009 to study dance at Steps on Broadway, where he is now a faculty member, teaching jazz dance classes. Plu lives in Washington Heights and can be seen performing as Pattaya Hart at Lucky Cheng’s at Stage 48, Voss Events Drag Brunch at The Iridium, QUEEN at Industry bar, BlackOut Friday’s at Suite bar, and various events around town.
Plu’s mother, sister and aunt flew all the way from Bangkok to St. Louis to cheer him on and watch him compete for the very first time. “Having family in the audience, supporting you, is such a wonderful feeling, he says. “I was so happy and grateful I got to share this incredible moment in my life with them and show them my hard work that I take so much pride in.”
Finally, when asked where she got her drag name, Pattaya says, “‘Pattaya’ came from a famous city in Thailand known as the land of the world’s most beautiful ladyboys.”
Below (7 photos): New Yorker Pattaya Hart wins Miss Gay America female impersonation pageant. Tap any image to view as a slideshow with captions, credits. Follow Pattaya Hart on Instagram.
