If you can't wait until the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval, L.A.'s biggest cavalcade of dudes who look like ladies, there's always Best in Drag Show, which proves that it takes a real man to walk around in Lucite heels. The annual pageant spoof, benefiting nonprofit Aid for AIDS, features contestants from the country's six most important states, plus Puerto Rico — that's California, represented by Miss California Beverly Center (Sash Carl), Michigan, New Jersey, the District of Columbia and Wisconsin — once again will compete in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview rounds. Past celebrity judges include Kathy Griffin, Charlie Sheen and Anna Farris, but this year, the hopefuls — plucked and tucked to perfection — will be answering tough questions about education, equality and world peace from Melanie Griffith, Dot Jones (Glee), Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Mireille Enos (The Killing), Bellamy Young (Scandal), Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and Kathy Kinney (The Secret Life of the American Teenager). The lucky winner who snatches the dollar-store crown away from 2012's Miss Washington Typsy Rose Lee can look forward to a year of kissing babies, waving from parade floats and spending a fortune on duct tape. Somewhere out there Anita Bryant is crying orange juice tears. Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, dwntwn.; Sun., Oct. 6, 7 p.m.; $40-$500. (323) 344-4880, bestindragshow.org.

Sun., Oct. 6, 7 p.m., 2013

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