A luminous red light set the stage as Jags quickly began to fill the Event Center with anticipation. This wasn’t any ordinary pageant. Some may compare it to the well-known Miss Thicker than a Snicker Pageant, but it allowed the spotlight for plus-size men on campus to reset the standard.
As host, Kelvin Powell emphasized, the show is to empower plus-size men and build their platform, so the crowd was enthusiastic with cheers as the show began.
The contestants performed a group dance to the famous New Edition songs: “Can You Stand the Rain” & “If It Isn’t Love.” The crowd filled the room with shouts and cheers watching them dance.
As the lights dimmed, each contestant, one by one, introduced themselves. Contestant 1, Jaden Cheatham, announced himself as a Donaldsonville native majoring in Culinary Arts.
Contestant 2, Nicholas Brown, presented himself as a Pre-Nursing student from Society Hill, South Carolina.
Contestant 3, Richard Johnson, greeted the crowd and introduced himself as a Music Performance major from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Contestant 4, James Robinson, New Orleans native, presented himself as a Mass Communication major.
Contestant 5, Traveon Newsome, described himself as a junior Criminal Justice major from Houston, Texas. He is also a part of Southern’s football team student-athlete. Last but certainly not least, Contestant 6, Cherson Paul, also known as CP, represented Haiti as a first-generation immigrant majoring in Sociology from Golden Gate, Florida.
Afterward, all the contestants exit the stage and prepare for the following three categories: Date Night, Late Night, and Talent. During the brief intermissions, Jags showed their dance moves by doing line dances and participating in the trending TikTok dances.
The pageant was described by Alyssa Nunn, a junior, majoring in nursing from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. “I felt the pageant was very cute and gave our big boys a chance to hold the spotlight. Things got a little crazy, but overall I think this trend should definitely keep going. Our big boys need love too,” Nunn stated.
Shortly after a brief intermission, each contestant dressed in style and charm for the first category date night. Contestants strutted across the stage with their escorts showing off their fashion taste. Next was late-night, where the guys could grab the audience’s attention by displaying their sex appeal. The crowd went wild from the frenetic cheers and screams; everyone was astonished by the contestants’ charisma.
As the contestants prepared for their Talent category, the audience was overjoyed to have Code Blue perform a stomp-and-shake routine. The atmosphere was euphoric as the crowd cheered them on. Soon, each contestant came out and displayed different talents, from dancing to singing.
The pageant was illustrated by Gabrielle Anderson, a freshman majoring in Business Administration from Dallas,Texas.“The pageant was very interesting to watch. Throughout the show, it was nice to see everyone so hyped and coming together for one event. I loved how for intermission we got to dance line dances while we waited. The show itself was a lot to take in but at the same time I liked it,” Anderson stated.
The lights slowly dimmed, and all six contestants appeared on stage. Judges asked each contestant specific questions based on individuality during the final category of the pageant. After the judges contemplated hearing the contestants’ answers, the crowd screamed about who they thought should win. The judges return the verdict as a tie between Contestnat 3, Rick Johnson, and Contestnat 6, Cherson Paul. To break the deadlock, judges ask one more final question to each contestant.
When the judges determined a winner, the crowd was still in uproar between both contestants. Finally, the hosts announced contestant number 6, Cherson Paul, as the winner. He shouted joyfully as he was crowned the first ever 2023-2024 Mr. King Size.
It was a night to remember for those who attended the first ever Mr. King Size pageant presented by the Southern University’s Residential Life & Housing department.
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One For The History Books: Southern’s First Mr. King Size Pageant
May 1, 2023
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