LOS ANGELES - Wicked Pictures contract star Carmen Hart won the Exotic Dancer National Championship on Saturday night at The Pink Pony South in Forest Park, Ga.
Hart emerged victorious against a field of the country's best feature dancers at the three-day event contested in suburban Atlanta. Exotic Dancer Magazine's feature entertainer competition is regarded as the most prestigious contest of its type in the country.
"I'm so lucky. Between Wicked and my feature career, I couldn't ask for a better life," Hart said. "It's wonderful and I'm so grateful to be blessed with all these wonderful opportunities."
Hart's latest triumph is her fourth major title in two years. She was crowned Exotic Performer of the Year and Miss Exotic International in 2007, and won Miss Nude and Exotic Dancer's Newcomer Feature of the Year in 2006.
As the 2008 Exotic Dancer National Champion, Hart earned $3000 in cash, bookings at The Masters in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and The Pink Pony South, and an automatic nomination for Exotic Dancer's Feature Entertainer of the Year honor. That award will be given out at the Gentlemen's Club Expo Aug. 25-27 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where Hart will perform on stage. It is voted on by club owners across the country before the convention. With her victory in Georgia, she also received an all-expenses paid trip to the Gentlemen's Club Expo, making her total weekend prizes worth over $15,000.
The 24-year-old starlet competed against five girls in Saturday night's finals after advancing through Thursday and Friday's action when eight girls were eliminated.
Hart danced to five songs during her championship performance that had to be limited to 10 minutes. She led off with her signature gangster routine to "Smooth Criminal," and then dazzled the judges with "Dude Looks Like a Lady" before wielding a confetti cannon to "Whoop There It Is." To close the show, she did burlesque to "Cry To Me" and then doused herself with water and milk from a sack of black water balloons hanging from the ceiling as the song "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" rocked the club.
"It was a pretty quick routine, but entertaining and action packed," Hart said. "I can't believe I pulled it off. ... I was very happy to win. I was extremely worried all week. It was very nerve-wracking."
Hart was so amped about the victory she said, "I even wore my crown to the airport."
The first runner-up was Schevelle and second runner-up was Shay Lynn. In the Newcomer Division, Gia Nova earned the Grand Champion title, while Dakota and Robyn Foxxx were first and second runners-up, respectively.
This weekend Hart will attend the Grand Opening of the Déjà vu Club in Springfield, Ill., along with actor Dustin Diamond from "Saved by the Bell" and Screeched! fame.
For photos of Hart at the competition, click here.
