New queen gets a slug of r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard

Where else but in Eugene would an Aretha Franklin impersonator edge a puppet to be crowned the 2006 Eugene Celebration Slug Queen?

About 250 people watched the contestants parade around in taffeta, sequins, feather boas, big dresses and wigs during for the 24th annual Slug Queen coronation Friday night at the Saturday Market stage downtown.

Contestants participated in a three-minute talent skit and had to answer a question from a pageant judge in the event produced by the Society for Legitimization of the Ubiquitous Gastropod.

But in the end, the judges respected the stellar performance of Slugretha Latifah Uleafa Gastropodia Jackson.

After pageant officials placed a lime green sash over her fire engine red, sequined gown, Jackson approached the microphone to give her acceptance speech.

"I feel good," she sang as the crowd cheered on. "You know that I would. I feel good. So good. So good. I am queen."

During the talent portion of the contest, Slugretha sang "Chain of Slugs" to the Franklin tune "Chain of Fools." She was accompanied by six backup singers - the Slimettes - and two small girls who tended to the 12-foot train of her dress. When she's not tending to her regal duties, Slugretha, whose real name is T.K. McDonald, works as the office manager at the University of Oregon philosophy department.

Departing Queen Frank Slug-snotra, whose real name is Shandi Sinnamon, opened the show with a rendition of Ol' Blue Eyes' signature song, but lyrics appropriate for the pageant.

"And we did it sliiiiiiiime wayyyyyy," she crooned.

Five other royal hopefuls entered the contest, which was hosted by former Queen Bananita Sluginsky, also known as Sarah Ulerick.

Kim Still, the pageant director, said six is a manageable number of contestants vying for slug queen.

"One year we had nine and that was a nightmare," Still said. "That's too many crazy people in one place at one time."

The first runner-up was Monster Tzu, who wore a flowing purple-sequined gown and a papier-mache hat.

Monster Tzu is a 15-inch puppet representing a 500-year-old alien from Mars, said Tzu's creator and puppeteer, Jarrett Arnold.

"I got the idea for Monster Tzu from reading bedtime stories for my children,"' Arnold said of his one-eyed alien.

Other contestants included Sigi Symphona Slug, Gimping Gastropedic Goddess, Radula and Slugawarma Hereta- warnya.

And what would a pageant be without celebrity judges. This year's celebrity panel included Nancy Staff of KOPT radio, Nancy Steel of KPNW radio and Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant, a local comic and author.

Previously crowned slug queens, including 2000 Queen Accordionna, had a say, too.

"What can I say, Slugretha has the most queenly attitude," she said.