E.T. in a Tutu? No, Thank You, the Judges Decide

It was sort of “ ‘The Gong Show’ Meets Fellini” is the way producer Tom Coston described the tryouts for queen of this year’s Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena.

Take the male entrant in the space alien suit who danced a ballet number.

Well, actually the judges didn’t take him.

Chosen to reign over the wacky Nov. 21 bash was Cherry Capri, who threw out Ping-Pong balls with an image of her face stamped on them, sang so softly no one could hear her, and mentioned that she was the illegitimate daughter of Ginger and the Professor on “Gilligan’s Island.”

The judges included Lily, Queen of the Hereafter, a deceased fan whose ashes were on hand at the tryout. “Someone channeled Lily’s questions [to the entrants],” Coston explained.

Alas, her ashes were not available for comment when I phoned on Monday.

And the runners-up were: Aside from the balletic space alien, Coston said, entrants for queen of the Doo Dah Parade included:

* A white Don King, exhibiting the boxing promoter’s finger-in-a-socket hairstyle, who, Coston said, “utters nonsense while throwing candy all over.”

* One rejected entrant from the Rose Queen competition, “a beautiful girl,” Coston said, “who just wanted to be a queen -- it didn’t matter what parade.”

* Count Smokula, a sort of Yiddish Dracula, who plays the accordion and exhibits the longest tongue this side of Gene Simmons of KISS.

Some of the entrants made Coston vaguely apprehensive.

“Luckily,” he said, “we always have more judges than entrants -- for protection. There were 22 entrants and we had 30 judges. I think next year we’ll have 40 judges.”

Dueling signs: In Nova Scotia, Janet Ellis of Hidden Hills snapped a building whose warning didn’t seem in keeping with its name (see photo).

Food for thought: As for the “souring ceilings” ad shown here the other day (see accompanying), Joel Robbins of North Hollywood theorized that it referred to “ ‘cottage cheese ceilings’ past their expiration date.”

Talk about a strict editor! Danny Gould of Studio City came upon a note from one publication that apparently doesn’t want you to write to it while you’re wearing pajamas (see accompanying).

miscelLAny: Miss all those political speeches that helped put you to sleep? Well, Katherine Jensen of Altadena found one church in Imbler, Ore., that’s trying to make sure you get enough rest on Sundays (see photo).