Waiting for the verdict

IT'S TENSE backstage. The smiles are fixed. There's food and drink, but no one hardly wants to eat.

There are those who pace the floor as the judges make up their minds about the winner. Will it be the boys who created The Devil's Work, leaving what appears to be parts of their intestines on stage, or the duo who transform themselves into produce to portray the positives of farming?

And what about that sexy singer who performs Nice And Slow, a song which has the female patrons begging for more?

Then, there are about 20 other contestants who feel they should be in the top five, even though a few of them were dismissed with a wave of the hand.

While the Tastee contestants speculate, the judges prepare to pass judgement on the second floor of the building where the scent of patties and pastries fill the air.

The hour of decision draws near and each judge holds his/her score-sheet close to his or her chest. Some of Jamaica's best entertainers, like Junior Tucker, King Yellowman and Nadine Sutherland, have undergone such anxiety as participants in the Tastee Talent Contest.

"Ready, ready to go," says the master scorer, sitting in front of a computer. And the place becomes silent.

As each contestant's name is read, each judge gives a score out of 100.

"Next contestant", declares the score-keeper.

"Seems we could have a close contest here" whispers a judge as the names of the contestants dwindle to four or five.

The crowd cheer as the top four are announced and the judges look relieved. And everyone feels he has had a part to play in the decision-making:

"My girl win!"

"So does mine. I tipped her from she entered the stage."

"My gospel singer didn't make it eh."

"Oh, don't worry she will enter again."

The performers keep the crowd rocking, but no-one is prepared to leave before the winner is announced.

Coming in fourth is Cordel Fuller; third is Marvin Whyte; second, Fame Boyz.

And the winner is...Stavan Whyte and Andrew Roberts.

The cheers go up as the crowd agrees that they were, in fact, the best on stage for the Tastee Talent semi-final show.

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