My sincere apologies for the delay!
Having been debating with myself in my head for far too long, my phenomenonal questions are :
1. What is the purpose of awarding impersonation contests if prizes are meant to distinguish outstanding achievements?
2. What then, is the criteria of judging individuals who are trying impersonate another, when no two persons are alike in this world?
This irony and contradiction can be exemplified through an example, Cody Ray Slaughter, the winner of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest (UETA) 2011. He looks nearly 95% like Elvis Presley, and will be performing in various concerts world-wide, riding on the fame he gained from his looks. On the other hand, Denise “Bella” Vlasis, a successful impersonator, is successful in life not only because of her being a Madonna look-a-like, but is more successful due to her own capabilities in writing books, and setting up Tribute Productions, ironically, thrives on booking celebrity Look-A-Likes for events.
How were they judged to win the contest? It seems it isn't as simple as physical uncanniness (which some use to their advantage for fame), but also their authenticity- the extent to which they are true to their own personality, as well as the extent they are similar to the character of the person they are impersonating, such that they are able to outshine the others who may also be close Look-A-Likes. Another contradiction out of a distinction here... ;P
Would love to hear comments! :D
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