Prior to the S.O.T.C. showcast, the only drag queens I saw were the hard looking ones on the talk shows, or at the club. Never seen them in this light. Packed out club every Monday with celebrities stopping by. In 2003, I attended my first drag show and was blown a way by the beauty and talents of Necole, Stasha, Niesha. Monte and Jasmine. I was in the presense of the LEGENDARY Stars of the Century showcast. Here is where I was introduced to so many other fabulous entertainers who appeared as guests and heard terminology that I did not understand. The host would always say A former MBU or a Former MBA, Continental or USofA. I had know idea what that was, but who knew that I would soon find out. Prior to the S.O.T.C. showcast, the only drag queens I saw were the hard looking ones on the talk shows, or at the club. Never seen them in this light. Packed out club every Monday with celebrities stopping by. Janet Jackson, Da Brat, Lisa Raye, etc... I saw somone recording the shows, but then it stopped. Week after week, I religiously attended the show. Sophia Mcintosh would have me in tears and was the main reason I attended. So when she started her own show, a block up the street, I was quick to support. I remember getting the opportunity to meet her and expressed my interest in recording her because she was hilarious and maybe even recording the Monday night show, because people need to see all this talent and beauty on this show. Sophia introduced me to Niesha, she agreed to the recording, and just like that, BAM!!! D'wess Productions was born. Sophia also gave me my first pageant experience, by asking me to record her at the Miss Gay Atlanta Pageant in 2005. I've never seen a pageant DVD, or a gay pageant, but somehow I knew what to do, how to edit and how to make the product look good. I was just learning as I go, but my focus was always quality. Meanwhile, I'm still recording the shows and the selling DVD's, became HIGHLY POPULAR and in high demand. Everyone was blowing me up and selling me out of the Monday night show. Afterall, this was considered the #1 drag Show in the country. Soon after local promoters inquired who I was after seeing the Quality that I was producing. Prior to me, the Atlanta pageant scene was flying videographers in from other states to record. My 2nd pageant opportunity was Peach State Continental, then Renaissaince, and then in 2006 I scored big with MBA and then MBU. It didn't take long for word to get out and soon I was the one being flown out to other cities to record. D'wess productions became high in demand.
I eventually caught the pageant bug and started my own system, WESSLAND PAGEANTS in 2009. Unfortunately after 10 years of recording, I got burned out and this no longer became fulfilling. I had stopped recording the Monday Night Shows and slowed down recording pageants that were not creating revenue. This combined with where I was personally in my life, I had to step back. In 2017 I found my purpose again when I became an employee for the #1 Airline in the country. At that moment in my life, I walked away from the system I created, the countless number of pageants I've recorded, and I focused on me. Over the next few years, I would get settled in my job and continue to record select pageants. Fast foward to 2021, I have slowly started to pick back up on recording more pageants, but it's still limited and few and far between, by choice. I love pageants, and the wonderful people I have met along the way across this country and abroad. As technology and times change, I admit, I'm usually the last one to the table as I am behind the curve, but I'm still here doing what I love thanks to the customers and the clients. God Bless you all and thank you for your patronage and support.
Dupree Wess (D'wess)
