Jack, a 24-year-old gay man living in New York and working as a
drag queen named
Flawless Sabrina, is the
mistress of ceremonies for the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest. The competition operates on a points system: a maximum of five points each for walk, talk, bathing suit, gown, makeup and hairdo; and ten points for beauty. The event was sponsored by George Raft, Huntington Hartford (the Woolworth heir) and
Edie Sedgwick. In the jury were songwriter
Jerry Leiber and writers
Terry Southern and
George Plimpton.
Andy Warhol was also a guest jury member. In between rehearsing and performing, the contestants discuss topics such as
draft boards,
sexual identity,
sex reassignment surgery,
transgender identities, and being a drag queen. One contestant,
Pepper LaBeija, recounts receiving a draft notice and being turned away because of her feminine appearance, despite requesting to serve and protect her country. Jack's protégé,
Rachel Harlow enters the contest. Also competing is
Crystal LaBeija (who would later become the founder of the
House of LaBeija). Rachel and Crystal both make it into the top five, with each finalist completing a final runway walk into the audience. Crystal places fourth, to her displeasure, and storms off the stage. Rachel is ultimately crowned as the winner. Some contestants are shown protesting Rachel's win; Crystal states that the contest was fixed and that she may sue Sabrina. As they leave the building, Crystal runs into Rachel and Sabrina on the stairs where Sabrina denies the allegations. The film closes on Rachel out of drag, walking through the
Port Authority Bus Terminal and twirling her crown on one hand. == Reception ==