Doo Dah Queen Susann Edmonds Crowned in Elaborate Ritual at American Legion Post 280

Newly crowned Doo Dah Queen, Susann Edmonds Celebrates with a fellow contestant who sported a rather more skimpy outfit – Photos by Terry Miller

Doo Dah Queen Susann Edmonds Crowned in Elaborate Ritual at American Legion Post 280

By Terry Miller

The annual rite of passage for any self-respecting Pasadena resident is witnessing the event whereby a handful of select, semi – solid citizens interview, nudge and otherwise interrogate the candidates who have the inner strength and livewire persona to try-out for the coveted Doo Dah crown.

These eccentric Doo-Dah judges are hand-picked from and fairly far-reaching list of nonconformists in town from cops to cowboys, millionaires to paupers and anyone in between.
There are no red coats or white suits here as with another famous parade held in Pasadena. No Corporate sponsors. It’s not called the “Doo Dah Parade, presented by ….. blah blah blah” like another occasional parade usually held in the colder months. Instead, witnesses to this age old tradition will see a plethora of polyester, a myriad of mammary glands, and huge number of Elvis impersonators…and that’s just the warm up act.

Susann Edmonds was given the royal nod by a motley assembly of 50 judges and 250 spectators at the American Legion Bar in East Pasadena Sunday. She got stiff competition from Mia Bonadonna who incorporated four large pizzas into her performance and another contender who danced in burlesque style with pasties set to a punk rock tune. Susann, an Altadena resident, woowed judges with her singing enthusiasm plus homemade cocktail elixirs.

Her royal majesty and her royal court, comprised of all the queen hopefuls, will entertain the parade on Saturday, April 27th, at 11oclock in the morning. Queen Susann will lead the Queen’s Court, made up of her friends and royal followers.

No one really knows what qualifies the particular candidate such as Susann Edmonds for such regal honors, expect perhaps for the payola a certain Judge might receive. But then it could have to do with talent. We’re not sure.
In fact, no one cares. It is all about exuberance and that’s the splendor of not only the Doo Dah Queen Tryouts but the parade which the new queen will lead in a few short weeks.
Doo Dah is self-expression at its basic core. Artists from all over the world have recognized the influence of the activities leading up to and including the parade.
Sunday’s ritual was perhaps one of the largest of such gatherings in recent memory.
One contestant, Angel, held the memory of dear friend Ric Johnson who passed away at Christmas. Angel told us Johnson was the reason she tried out last year fro Queen and the sole reason she did so this year sporting a photo of herself with Johnson. Johnson was a Vietnam veteran and member of the American Legion Post 280.
Another popular entrant Friday was a young model who wore only condom pasties over her nipples while giving her unique performance.
But ultimately, the judges favored Susann Edmonds for the royal duty this year, again we’re not sure why other than there was a lot of beer flowing at certain judges’ tables. We’ll leave it at that.

Those light Bringer folks, who manage to pull this off every year, are extraordinary in every sense of the word. Patty Hurley and Tom Coston deserve tumultuous tributes and tips for the mere and nauseatingly necessary dealings with the establishment each year in pulling off this cross between Mardi Gras and Halloween on Sunday.

There was one “poll-watcher” during this election, Sierra Madre Sue. She, clad in her vintage referee outfit, she’ll control used her famous whistle on more than one occasion.
Attending the soiree were legendary Snotty Scotty and the Hankies, Horses on Astroturf, Many former Queens, including the reigning Queen Patrizzi Intergarlactica, Skittles, Mickie, Tequila, Sue the Ref, Grand Marshal Alan Zorthian, Goofball Judges, Andrew, Duke of Doo Dah, will inspire royal mayhem at this, the party of all parties last Sunday.
Contestants were outnumbered by equally-costumed judges, who included many former queens, and another hundred or so parade entrants, tryout supporters, Legion members, and some ‘hangers-on’
The Doo Dah Parade is April 27 in East Pasadena.
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 36th Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade will be held on Saturday, April 27 stepping off at 11:00am on the streets of East Pasadena.

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