The History and Experience of Miss Amanda Knight

I'd like to take the opportunity to talk about a woman who had a great deal of influence on my formation as an adult.  She taught me many things about myself and about life in general, and I feel compelled to share her story.  The persona known as Amanda Knight came into being on October 27th, 1988 in Akron, Ohio, although the name would not be chosen until about a week later.  It began as a request and sort of a dare, to appear at several Halloween parties at various bars around town as the mother of another performer.  The costume selection included matching gowns and sashes that proudly proclaimed the title of Miss Mother-Daughter Ohio 1988.  It seems like a fun and campy idea so there was not much resistance in proceeding with the plan as suggested.  She went with her younger and smaller partner in crime to a number of different bars who were having their parties on different nights.  That year Halloween fell on a Monday so festivities were easier and more well attended over the weekend preceding the actual holiday.  She received a lot of very positive feedback and was encouraged to make further solo appearances, the first of which was a benefit show to raise money for the local AIDS task force.  The experience and adulation she received  at Halloween was like the first taste of a new and wonderful drug.  She had been bitten by the performing bug and decided to proceed into that world with gusto.  The first order of business was to select an appropriate name.  Other performers had such awesome names like Patti Cakes, Sofanda Peters, Paige Turner and the like.  Her name had to stand the test of time and be straightforward yet have an alternate meaning.  After several days in a row of being all done up, and a couple days of rest at home, she went to a local watering hole, without being all dolled up, for a refreshing beverage and some socializing.  A friendly bartender brought the customary cocktail, set it down on the bar and proclaimed "I see you're going to be a man tonight."  That was it, that was the name she had been hoping for to call her own.  From that night forward, she was forever after known as Amanda Knight.  She went on to perform at that benefit and received rave reviews.  That appearance led to more and more invitations to perform at bars and clubs around the state, and the decision was made that she would take on the role of entertainer full time, more or less.  As she continued to improve in both appearance and a performing style all her own and got more and more positive feedback and encouragement to take the next step, she started to set her sights on the pageant circuit.  She felt compelled to compete and find out what she could really achieve, especially when being judged by others.  She worked tirelessly with a fashion designer that created custom on of a kind costumes and gowns for her.  At this point she was off and running!

I remember as if it were yesterday that first pageant she chose to enter.  It was the Miss Indiana USA at Large competition held at Bullwinkle's in Bloomington.  She arrived and checked in scared nearly half to death, but proceeded to move successfully past the interview portion with the talent and evening gown competition to follow later that evening.  She didn't win, or even place for that matter, but it was obvious that this first taste of pageant life was a good one and she eagerly looked forward to the next one.  She was awarded with the honor of being Miss Congeniality, one that she would come to realize normally went to someone who didn't place so she strove to never be dubbed that again.  Several went by and she got better and better, placing higher and higher in rankings each time at bat, so to speak.  The crowning glory finally came when she entered the Miss Ohio Valley USA at Large competition in Dayton, Ohio.  It was an eight state regional competition qualifying the winner and first runner up to go to the national Miss USA at Large pageant held in Louisville, Kentucky.  When she was crowned she remembered feeling a great sense of joy and validation for the work she had done.  She was off to nationals to compete with the big girls, literally.  The week in Louisville was exciting and a lot of fun for her.  She knew deep down that she really didn't stand a chance of making finals.  She was competing against so many of the best in the business, many of them her idols and role models, that she went into the whole experience just wanting to have fun and start to get her name out there at the national level.  It goes without saying that there are a lot of politics at that level, and she was wholly unprepared for what it actually took to compete against the masters of the game.  In some ways this was the beginning of the end for her.  While there would be years of performing to come and some indescribably wonderful times to be had, she knew that she neither possessed, nor wanted to, the air and practice of cattiness and propensity for backstabbing that many at that level thrived on.  From that point forward she would be happy just entertaining people and occasionally participating in local competitions.  One of the more daring and, in hindsight, perhaps not the smartest thing she ever did was to have a cosmetic procedure done in a hotel room in Cincinnati.  There was a woman that traveled around providing services to entertainers that enhanced whatever part of the body they desired.  She used silicone gel, which had been outlawed, to inject directly into the applicable area to reshape and, subtly or otherwise, change their appearance.  Amanda decided that her cheekbones could use some work and that her lips might be better if they were fuller.  There was also a little cleft in her chin she decided to fill in.  The practitioner had been fully licensed to perform these services legally prior to silicone being outlawed, so it wasn't as if just anybody was doing the work, and she did do impressive work.  The changes made to Amanda's face were very subtle without the stage makeup used for performance, but once that makeup was applied, the difference was remarkable.  Even though in years to come she somewhat regretted her decision so proceed with such a permanent thing, she always contested that it did make a huge difference in appearance and self confidence.  That made everything worth it in her opinion and she decided not to beat herself up over it any longer.  Her experiences from that point shifted to doing shows here and there, being asked to judge pageants, and participating in fundraising benefits.  She enjoyed those years immensely and met all kinds of people including handsome male strippers and porn stars making rounds on the performing circuit, other entertainers and reigning title holders visiting from different parts of the country, and even some celebrities like Jimmy James, Ru Paul (in her early years) and Eartha Kitt.  All in all it was a pretty amazing ride for Amanda while it lasted.  Unlike her cohorts in the business, she really had no desire or aspirations to continue for the long term.  But ultimately she never had any real regrets and collected enough wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

So what ever finally became of Amanda?  Well all I can tell you is what I know and what I've heard over the years.  After her last performing hurrah she decided to retire comfortably in South America.  She sold all of her performance attire and took off for the tropics.  Sadly, the plane she was on, along with the Paraguayan soccer team, went down somewhere in the Andes mountains.  It is said that by the time the wreckage was found there was no sign of the soccer team anywhere, but Amanda had gained thirty pounds.  I guess we can all draw our own conclusions there.  The last I heard she had been taken to a rehabilitation facility in Buenos Aires and has been convalescing ever since.  I'm told she hasn't left the facility at all but is being well taken care of by an all male staff who caters to her every need.  Will she ever reappear here in the United States?  My sense is that she won't.  I'm sure she is much too content with her fond memories and plethora of experiences on which to look back with a sense of pride and sentimentality.  She'll always be remembered, though, especially for what she taught me over the years.  I could never get up on a stage and perform in front of people or entertain them, but she was a natural and I always admired that about her.  She showed me what it felt like to feel beautiful and desired, sought after and looked up to by others.  These are things I've never really felt myself, but would very much like to at some point in my life.  She set an example for me of confidence and high self esteem.  She gave me a taste of what success looks and feels like, and I'm trying to live up to these examples.  Her poise and grace, even under pressure, was an inspiration to me.  I think to this day I'd love to be more like her, how she was, how she carried herself, and how she treated others.  She also taught me to value and cherish good friendships and genuine people, and to look out for those who had other motives or meant to do me harm in some way.  She helped me to see what it would be like not to be a doormat and let others take advantage.  She was a real inspiration in my life and I continue to make attempts at improving myself to be more like what she represented.  So far I haven't been able to fully achieve these lofty goals, but I remain hopeful that diligence and hard work will eventually pay off and I will grow into my own full potential the way that she seemed to do so effortlessly.  Yes, I miss Amanda very much.  There isn't a day that goes by without thinking of her in some way, whether it's a song on the radio that she used to perform or a stunning evening gown that would have been perfect on her statuesque figure.  For many years she was such a big part of my life and I spent practically all of my time with her during that period.  I am blessed to have known her and learned from her.  Perhaps if I'm ever in Buenos Aires I may stop by that rehabilitation facility and see if she's still there, surrounded by steamy Argentine men pampering her in the style in which she had grown accustom to.  Who knows what the future might bring, but as for me she will always have a very special place in my heart forever.