Queen of Southern Comfort
She was the queen of the ball, the siren of the slime. And, frankly, Scarlett, Food for Lane County didn’t give a can. But it will accept them. And that’s the idea.
Eugene’s 2004 reigning SLUG Queen, Scarlett O’Slimera, hosted her Queen’s ball at the Veterans’ Memorial Building as a benefit for FOOD for Lane County. But she hasn’t stopped there. This southern belle has kept her ball rolling by campaigning against hunger at every opportunity. At her coronation, Queen Scarlett – aka Joan Gold Cypress of Eugene – promised that “as God is my witness, there will never be hunger for food, frolic, or fun” on her watch for the Society for the Legitimization of the Ubiquitous Gastropods.
Seems she’s keeping her promise.
“I’m hoping to benefit the whole community … by doing random acts of kindness,” the queen said in her Nashville twang, dressed in a “Gone With the Wind”-like gown.
As if channeling her Vivian Leigh alter ego, Queen Scarlett can make things happen with her sheer determination, sassy charisma and homespun pluck—like being crowned Slug Queen for instance. When Ms Cypress found herself in full costume, with her 9 member Slug Queen entourage (including a dog and child), trapped in an elevator for 30 minutes just before she was due to compete on stage for the crown and title, she declared in true Scarlett fashion: “Fiddle de Dee! I can’t think about this right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. As Goddess is my witness, they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I will be Slug Queen!!!”
Just minutes before her bid for Slug Queen was “gone with the wind”, the Eugene fire department arrived and pulled Scarlett and her crew to safety. After a mad dash to the event she stole the show at the coronation stage. Literally, she stole the show. When she exceeded her time allotment for the talent portion of the completion, she was bodily lifted (for the second time that day) and carried off by Queen Bananita and Queen Margaret, while yelling, “There are no rules!”
Queen Scarlett also holds the distinction of being one of only two Slug Queens that qualify as a work of art. Disguised as a Fairy, she appears twice on the late distinguished artist/photographer, David Joyce’s wall of “flyers,” at the Eugene airport. Her lovely visage greets travelers at the start and finish. Being only one of two people to hang on the walls twice! (She and Fairy Shawn Fontain share that honor.)
An avid supporter of the earth and all things green (a slug needs to keep it green and leafy), Queen Scarlett has donated generously to BRING recycle. To learn more about following in her slick trail see: http://www.bringrecycling.org
Queen Scarlett, aka Joan Gold Cypress, is proud as punch to announce that she is the author of 2 children’s songbooks: THE NAP RAP & HAVE A GOOD ROAM. They are available on the website queenscarlettproductions.com