KING TUT HIMSELF would have enjoyed the elaborate Egyptian-themed coronation of Tanya Joy Phillips and Kurt Josephs, the 39th king and queen of the Krewe of Venus, on Jan. 10.
"We've been planning this night for a year-and-a-half," Josephs said. "It was incredible."
The royals dressed in exquisite replications of Egyptian finery. Queen Tanya stood 11 feet tall in her $5,000 peacock-like velvet costume, dotted with mirrors, crystals and beads.
At 36, Orlando businessman Kurt Josephs is the krewe's youngest king. Named Nike Retailer of 2003, he is known for driving a yellow Hummer and founding the Florida Hummer Club.
Queen Tanya, 24, a graduate of the University of Florida, started her own marketing company, Joy Promotions Inc., specializing in motorsports. She was a debutante in 1997 and a maid in 1999 and 2001, when Josephs was her duke. Her mother, Sharon Phillips, is past-president of the krewe and her father, Elvin, is former captain of the King's Guard. Her sister, Natasha Sherwood, was the krewe's 36th queen.
The krewe, a private social club with a membership of 100 families, had 500 guests enter the India Conference Center through a dark tomb covered with hieroglyphics painted by the queen's brother, Trey Phillips.
President and former king Dr. Richard Rasmussen was opening the program when his twin sons, Matt and Mark, 17, stormed the stage and took him hostage. They were aided by some of the King's Guard who left the audience to defend King Venus XXXVIII Robert Valdez Sr., who refused to abdicate. It took a little girl sprinkling fairy dust on the king to get him to surrender his throne and bid farewell.
Valdez was surprised to hear What a Wonderful World, sung by Megan Staily, fianceeof Ron Weaver Jr., son of longtime krewe members and brother of Queen XXXIV Alison Weaver Alexander.
The effects of dry ice and blue lights turned the center aisle into the Nile as the new court entered in their Egyptian-style costumes, featuring the Sphinx and the pyramids.
* Duke Ron Sherwood and Maid Christina Emery
* Duke Allen Stathas Sr. and Maid Megan Ricker
* Duke Michael Smoots and Maid Julie Reyes
* Duke and Duchess Phil and Janet Henderson
* Duke and Duchess William and Elizabeth Katz
* Duke and Duchess Ricky and his mother, Angela Rasmussen
* Duke and Duchess Bill and Dianne Calderazzo
Rick Rasmussen and Ball Chairwoman Jackie St. John were named Duke and Duchess of Cochran in memory of the founder of the krewe, Lucille Cochran. St. John agreed to chair the ball again next year.
This year's king and queen will be the first to reign over two krewes. On Jan. 31, Phillips and Josephs will be crowned emperor and empress of the Corps de Napoleon in New Orleans. The two krewes have participated in each other's events for three years.
CLOWNING FOR A CAUSE: Tampa General Hospital Foundation hosted its 13th patrons party, Night of the Circus, with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus at the St. Pete Times Forum on Jan. 8.
The patrons' party started in the XO Club two hours before the circus, with almost 300 guests munching popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy and kid-friendly buffets of pizza and chicken fingers. Ringmaster Kevin Venardos charmed chairwoman Toni Hoover and her committee. No wonder People magazine chose him as one of the Hottest Bachelors of 2003.
Clown David Larible and Nicole Feld also stopped by the party. Feld, daughter of circus owner Ken Feld, travels the world looking for circus performers. She should get a raise if she discovered the amazing Upside Down act, which appeared to walk on the Forum ceiling.
The event raised $130,000 for the Pediatric Emergency Care Center.
QUEEN OF THE PIRATES: Who will be the 91st queen of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla? Most throne-watchers could easily predict, but we won't know for sure until votes for the five candidates are tallied before the coronation ball on Feb. 28.
The candidates were introduced at the Jan. 10 tea dance at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club. Brian Funk, Julian Lane III, Julian Lifsey Jr. and Matt O'Brien were appointed 2004 courtiers.
Meet the candidates for queen:
* Caroline Annis, daughter of Pirate Mike and June Annis, is prevention program coordinator at the Breast Cancer Care Center at the University of California in San Francisco.
* Lindsay Carlton, daughter of Pirate Leffie and Alice Carlton, is a sales manager at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Sabal Park.
* Lisa Companioni, daughter of Pirate George and Pat Companioni, sells medical equipment for Johnson & Johnson Endo-Surgery Inc.
* Isabelle Krusen, daughter of Pirate W. Andrew and Jessie Krusen, is a banker with the Bank of Bermuda in New York.
* Ashley McMichael, daughter of the late Frank McMichael Jr. and Martha McMichael, is a pharmaceutical recruiter for Kforce.
- To pass along tips to Amy Scherzer, reach her at 226-3332 or scherzer@sptimes.com
DATEBOOK
SATURDAY: To Life, award dinner benefits the Florida Holocaust Museum; 7:30 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Downtown; $200; guest Jon Voight; (727) 820-0100, ext. 249.
SATURDAY: Krewe of the Knights of Sant' Yago Coronation Ball; 6:30 p.m.; invitation only; Tampa Convention Center; 248-3088.
JAN. 24: Ye Loyal Krewe of Grace O'Malley Gala; 7 p.m.; invitation-only; Cuban Club; 837-9761.
JAN. 24: Tapas Live! buffet, music, art auction to benefit Friends of the Arts of the Tampa Museum of Art; 8-11 p.m.; Spain restaurant, 513 N Tampa St.; following opening reception of Crosscurrents at Century's End; $75 or $125 per couple; 274-8534.
JAN. 25: Ebony Fashion Fair, Color Splash benefits Tampa-Hillsborough Urban League Guild; 5 p.m. Tampa Theatre; $30 for adults, $15 for students; 229-8117.
JAN 31: Einstein on Wine, wine tasting, samples from local restaurants, silent auction benefits MOSI; sponsored by BEAM (Be Enthusiastic About MOSI); $60, or $50 for MOSI members; 4801 E Fowler Ave.; 987-6313.
