The Triumph of Persistence

Contrary to the old saying, “the fourth time’s the charm” for Chloe Knox (neé David Sarty). That’s how many times it took her to win Miss Gay Texas. The stunning lip-syncer and gorgeous beauty is the latest Houston drag artist to bring the crown home to Houston. While she has captivated OutSmart audiences for years, she is an ingenue who has paved her own path to success.

Knox was first featured in this magazine as Wigging Out’s premiere interview, and she described the good, the bad, and the in-between that goes into being a performer. Since then, she’s taken the pageant world by storm.

“Susan Lucci was definitely my moniker for a little bit during my first couple of years competing in pageants,” she says, referencing how she came this close to winning the pageant, only to see someone else usurp the title. The statuesque blonde secured podium finishes but barely missed out on the gold finish—at least for the first couple of tries.

But as another old saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Knox took that adage to heart, and she resiliently returned to the pageant system, each time with a more polished package and a competitive spirit.

“It was really cathartic each time I competed, because that was what I needed. I proved to myself that my top two or top three placements were not a fluke. I was able to go in and repeat my results instead of sliding back,” she explains.

Coming close but not winning the cigar did not deter the female illusionist, although it did sidetrack her for a moment. She took a self-administered break from drag, which allowed her the time to collect her thoughts and come back even stronger.

“I took a break, and then I came back for my fourth attempt at Miss Gay Texas. I had unfinished business,” she comments. We’re glad she did.

“I’m very grateful that I was able to deliver my best. The math was on my side going into finals, because that’s really what it comes down to. You can put out your best, and then it’s up to the judges,” she adds.

The result? A clear-minded Chloe and a Texas-sized crown atop her head. And she still has not yet reached the age of 30. Just imagine what the future has in store for this boisterous beauty with the world at her well-heeled feet.

So what does Miss Gay Texas do in her downtime? It turns out, she is just a normal person like the rest of us.

“I live my day-to-day life in my messy apartment with my cat and go to work at my office job. It’s just doing normal things like getting groceries, and I think that’s what most people’s experience is,” she says. “Then, if I want to do something fun and exciting, I drive up to the RV park where my parents are staying, spend the night, and hang out with them. I watch South Park with my brother and then take a nap on the couch. I do very mundane things, but those are the things that are really fun and that I really enjoy.”

You heard it here first, folks. When she’s not busy advocating for world peace, Miss Gay Texas naps on a couch in an RV park, which is probably the most relatable comment to ever cross a pageant winner’s lips.

Keep up with Chloe Knox on Instagram @chloeeknox.