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the "official" dish by Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain RipandMarsha.COM E-mail: marsha@ripandmarsha.com
Denny Summors & Elizabeth Bouvier to be Crowned Mr. & Miss LSGRA March 7 at All-Ways Lounge
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he Mr. and Miss LSGRA Coronation Show will culminate with the crowning of 2009 royalty, Denny Summors and Elizabeth Bouvier, on Saturday, March 7 at All-Ways Lounge, 2240 St. CLaude Avenue. Summors and Bouvier were the only two candidates to qualify to represent the Louisiana State Gay Rodeo Association. As part of the qualification process, each had to raise $150 for their chosen charity and $100 for the rodeo association. Summors charity is the Louisiana SPCA and Bouvier's is the New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus Scholarship Fund.
Mr. LSGRA 2009 Denny Summors
DEADLINE: Tuesday, March 10
inside trodding the boards sappho psalm the pink pastor cookin' with auntie dee everybody's a critic amon ra paparazzi satyricon paparazzi bead toss, bsa paparazzi hot tails of red stick/baton rouge red stick paparazzi/baton rouge
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Big Mama to MC 1st Eggstravaganza & Auction at Billy's on Friday, March 13 in Slidell he Gay Easter Parade is proud to announce that Northshore celebrity Big Mama will emcee the 1st Eggstravaganza and Auction fund-raiser on Friday, March 13, 10:30pm, at Billy's, 2600 Hwy. 190 West in Slidell. Door donation is $3. Big Mama The parade minus expenses benefits Food For Friends, a vital service of the NO/AIDS Task Force. Past parades have raised over $48,125 for charity. Tony Leggio and Marcy Marcell lead the 10th Official Gay Easter Parade on Easter Sunday, April 12, as Easter Grand Marshals X, beginning at 4:30pm sharp. The show and auction, under the direction of GEP Board of Director Opal Masters, will also feature the talents of EGM X Marcy Marcell, GEP Board's Electra City and Tittie Toulouse; EGM V Princesse Stephaney; Queen Amon Ra XLIV Rhonda Roget; C. Alice and other guests. Other fund-raisers and events include. Friday, March 20, 9pm, 7th Annual Spring Fever: A Star Studded Benefit Gala & Auction, under the direction
classifieds allons acadiana/lafayette acadiana paparazzi mobile paparazzi spotlight, out & about in mobile e-mail, letters lords of leather paparazzi one last song obituary/rowdy mardi gras paparazzi/nola
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Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 828-A Bourbon St. • New Orleans, LA 70116-3137 • 504.522.8049 info@ambushmag.com of Electra City & Tittie Toulouse, 4 Seasons, 3229 N. Causeway, Metairie; Saturday, March 28, 8-10pm, 8th Annual Super Star Studded Drag Extravaganza & Auction, under the direction of Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain, JohnPaul’s, 940 Elysian Fields, New Orleans; Saturday, April 4, 8-10pm, 10th Annual Purple Party: Official Easter Grand Marshals Reception, Buffet & Auction, hosted by the Gay Easter Parade Board of Directors, The Double Play, 439 Dauphine, New Orleans; Easter Sunday, April 12, 3-4:30pm, Pre-Parade Party, Line-up & Buffet, Starlight By The Park, 834 N. Rampart St., New Orleans; 4:30pm, 10th Gay Easter Parade, through the streets of the French Quarter; and 5:30pm til, Post-Parade Party & Buffet, 700 Club, 700 Burgundy, New Orleans.
Miss LSGRA 2009 Elizabeth Bouvier
The coronation show is held in conjunction with LSGRA's 1st Saturday Cowboy Roundup which includes the monthly general meeting at 6pm, $5 beer/soda bust 711pm, and coronation show 8-9pm. Reigning Mr. and Miss LSGRA Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain will emcee the affair. In addition to performances by LSGRA's newest royalty, Easter Grand Marshal X Marcy Marcell and the legendary Donnie Jay are slated to perform with other guest celebrities. There is no cover charge, and all stage performance tips will benefit LSGRA. LSGRA has scheduled some of its annual events as well. On Saturday, March 21, it's the 2nd Annual Wacky Wagon Race beginning at 12noon. This year the grand prize is a large screen LCD TV, and the 2nd place prize is 2 tickets to the LSGRA Rodeo Roadtrip. Contact President Lance Pippin 504.915.3339 for additional information. In April, it's the LSGRA Angola Rodeo Roadtrip III planned for Sunday, April 19. Tickets are now available. There will be only two busses limited to 100 people. Included in the package is transportation to/from New Orleans to Angola on a Party Coach Bus, entry to the rodeo, dinner at the Roadside BBQ and lots of fun on the bus ride - all for $60. As in the past, alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase on the bus. Contact President Lance Pippin 504.915.3339 for tickets and information. 2009 membership dues are due - $25 for full members, $15 for associate members and $150 for corporate members. To renew or become a member, get your form at LSGRA.COM.
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Pre-Easter Edition due out Tuesday, March 17
EGMs X Marcy Marcell & Tony Leggio (Photo: Larry Graham, GrahamStudioOne.COM)
Sponsorships are available at $2,500-Presenting, $1,000-Platinum, $500-Gold, $250-Silver and $100-Bronze. Carriages are available for 2-4-6 passenger carriages at $340; 8-10-12 passenger carriages and wagons at $420; and 15-20-25 passenger wagons and
Counseling and Psychotherapy Couples, individuals, communication skills, coming out, relationship issues, grief and substance abuse. Gay therapist for Lesbian and Gay Issues.
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trolleys at $650. You can get your sponsorship and parade entry forms on-line at [continued on 6]
THE OFFICIAL MAG
GulfSouthEntertainment/TravelGuideSince 1982 • Texas-Florida Official Gay Easter Parade Guide Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide Official Gay New Orleans Guide OfficialSouthernDecadenceGuide OFFICE/SHIPPING ADDRESS: 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137 USA OFFICE HOURS: 10am-3pm Monday-Friday [Except Holidays] E-mail: marsha@ripandmarsha.com PHONE: 1.504.522.8049 • 1.504.522.8047 ANNUAL READERSHIP: 650,000+ in print/3.5 Million+ On-line NATIONAL CIRCULATION: USA... Alabama-Birmingham, Foley, Mobile Florida - Pensacola Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Shreveport, Slidell Mississippi - Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Jackson Texas - Austin, Dallas, Houston
STAFF: PUBLISHER/EDITOR R. Rip Naquin-Delain, New Orleans PRODUCTION DIRECTOR M. Marsha Naquin-Delain, New Orleans GULF SOUTH/NEW ORLEANS AD SALES Rip Naquin-Delain • 504.522.8049 LESBIAN/POLITICAL ISSUES Toni J.P. Pizanie, New Orleans THEATRE/PERFORMING ARTS CRITIC Brian Sands, Patrick Shannon AD REPS/JOURNALISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Brad Benedict-Baton Rouge, LA Patrick Clinton-Lafayette, LA Rev. Clinton Crawshaw, Donnie Jay, Gary Glitter-New Orleans Bob Brunson, DJ Chromatic, David Long, Craig Powell, Leon Weekley-Mobile, AL Roy Williams-Pensacola, FL NATIONAL ADVERTISING REP Rivendell Media~212.242.6863 AMBUSH Mag is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush, Inc., R. Rip Naquin-Delain, President. Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 4pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: marsha@ripandmarsha.com, except for special holidays. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and has the right to reject any advertising. The inclusion of an individual's name or photograph in this publication implies nothing about that individual's sexual orientation. Letters, stories, etc., appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher or Staff of AMBUSH Mag. Subscription rate is $45 for 1/2 Year; $75 for 1 year. Sample Copy is $3 First Class Mail. ©1982-2009, AMBUSH, INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS and PHOTOS. AMgrant - AMbush Advertising Grant Donation
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the "official" dish ...from 4 GayEasterParade.COM or by contacting Rip Naquin-Delain, 504.522.8049, or picking one up at Ambush, 828-A Bourbon Street,10am-3pm, Monday through Friday. The Board of Directors of the Gay Easter Parade includes Electra City, Tom "Rona" Conners, Opal Masters, Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain, and Tittie Toulouse. Past Grand Marshals include EGMs I Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain, EGMs II Larry Bagneris and the late Miss Do Moreland, EGMs III Timm Holt and Teryl-Lynn Foxx, EGMs IV George Simons and Electra City, EGMs V Brett Messmer and Princesse Stephaney, EGMs VI James Swire and Lisa Beaumann, and EGMs VII Doc Reed and Opal Masters. EGMs VIII Michael Elias and Tom "Rona" Conners, and EGMs IX Orlando Aloe and Safonda Peters. Visit GayEasterParade.COM for more information.
The Glass Managerie On The Boards at Marigny Theatre
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he Marigny Theatre and To Do Productions are proud to announce the first show of their 2009 season, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie starring Lyla Hay Owen as Amanda Wingfield. The production, directed by Glenn Meche, also features Keith Launey as Tom, Liz Mills as Laura, and Leon Contavesprie as the Gentleman Caller. Lighting Design is by Timm Holt, and Costume Design by Donald James. Performance dates are March 19, 20, and 21, and March 26, 27, and 28 at 8pm Thursdays through Saturdays, with a Preview/Final Dress Rehearsal on Wednesday, March 18. The theatre is located at 1030 Marigny St. For more information or reservations, call the theatre box office at 504.218.8559, or 504.948.9608. To order tickets on-line, please visit ToDoProductions.ORG.
LSGRA Wins Big in IGRA Dance Competition in Las Vegas
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his past weekend, the 2009 IGRA (International Gay Rodeo Association) Dance Competition was held at IGRA University in Las Vegas, Nevada. Six members of LSGRA (Louisiana State Gay Rodeo Association entered the competition. The six are collectively called Louisiana Hot Sauce. While they live in Atlanta, they are all members of LSGRA and have ties to the New Orleans area. Louisiana Hot Sauce won second place in team competition. Pam Simmons and Leigh Broschat won first place,
Team LSGRA: Louisiana Hot Sauce Team Competition 2nd Place Winners
buckled in Division II. They were the IGRA 2007 Dance Competition winners in Division III. Jeff Haller and Rick Robinson won first place, buckled in Division IV this year. The couples contest had four (4) divisions of competition. Divisions IV, III, and II were a Classic format. The Classic format should demonstrate the basic character of the specified dance. Division I was the Showcase format. The Showcase format should establish the basic character of the dance. Division I music is pre– released no later than six (6) months prior to the competition. This allows for pre–planned choreography and embellishment of “signature” aspects of the song.
Piccadilly Provides Meals for LPB Fund-raiser
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aton Rouge - Masterpiece Theater meets macaroni and cheese as public television and Piccadilly Restaurants, LLC team up for Festival 2009. The annual fund-raiser for the Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) brings up to 60 people at a time to the Baton Rouge Studio to handle pledges and donations. Piccadilly is doing its part in donating meals to the LPB volunteers on March 8 to help fuel their good works.
“Piccadilly values quality in all things,” said Ken Campbell, general manager of the restaurant chain’s Essen store. “Over the years Louisiana Public Broadcasting has provided Louisianians with some of the most memorable moments on television. We’re always glad to return the favor and provide them with a meal as tasty as their programming.” LPB airs critically acclaimed and award-winning shows such as Frontline, Nature, Antiques Roadshow, and the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Piccadilly regularly donates meals to the thrice-annual LPB fundraiser. The live pledge drive runs through Thursday, March 19. Louisiana Public Broadcasting is a state network of six non-commercial television stations licensed to the Louisiana Educational Television Authority (LETA), established in 1971 by the Louisiana Legislature. About 90 staff members at the LPB Telecommunications Center in Baton Rouge direct network program acquisition and scheduling, production, promotion, broadcast and technical operations, educational services, development, and revenue producing activities. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Piccadilly Restaurants, LLC has been serving Louisiana families since 1944. Currently, Piccadilly operates approximately 120 food service operations with more than 5,000 team members primarily located in the Southeastern United States. For more information visit www.piccadilly.com.
Tales of the Cocktail Announces 2nd Annual Cocktail Film Fest
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ales of the Cocktail and W New Orleans invite movie buffs and libation lovers to indulge in celebrating the cocktail with three films. Cheryl Charming aka Miss Charming™, cocktail author and founder of MissCharming.com, plays hostess for the silver screenings. [continued on 8]
Leigh Broschat & Pam Simmons Division II 1st Place Winners
6 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
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the "official" dish ...from 6 Miss Charming™ has been in the food and beverage industry since 1976: tending bar, authoring cocktail related books (9 so far), teaching bar tricks to Walt Disney World bartenders, and cocktail consulting. Currently residing in Downtown Orlando, Miss Charming™ is a member of The Bartenders Guild, The Museum of the American Cocktail and maintains the website www.MissCharming.com. Chef Roberto Bustillo, Jr. of Zoë Restaurant will prepare inspired hors d’oeuvres for the day. Chef Bustillo has won two Gold Fleur de Lis Awards from New Orleans Wine and Food Experience in 2006 and 2007 and a Silver Fleur de Lis Award in 2008. Zoë Restaurant and Lounge is located on the second floor of
the W New Orleans. The Film Fest schedule is as follows: Saturday, April 11, 2009 King Creole (1958) 4pm. This Elvis Presley summer hit of 1958 was filmed in New Orleans when he was 22 years old. The cast and crew blocked off the entire top floor of the Roosevelt Hotel (now Fairmont Hotel and soon to be Waldorf Astoria). King Creole was Elvis’ last B&W film and is considered by critics to be his best. Elvis plays a nightclub busboy turned nightclub singer and even though there are many bar scenes not one single cocktail is mentioned, so we will be serving famous New Orleans cocktails including the Sazerac, Hurricane and Ramos Gin Fizz. Retro candy, popcorn and Louisiana inspired small bites will be served and popular soundtracks to look forward include Trouble, Hard Headed Woman, King
Creole, New Orleans, and Dixieland Rock. Meet-n-Greet: Dean Serneels, the Mad MXologist 6-8pm. Come meet Dean Serneels as the Mad Mixologist! This Dean of Drinks is an Inventor, Hospitality Consultant, Entertainer, Motivator, Flipping Mixologist and owner of Flairco.com. Dean will be sharing his skills in a hands-on bottle flipping workshop and while entertaining you with his magic and moves on the bar. Dean has won over 22 bartending awards, appeared on the FOOD Network and has been the bartender trainer on CMT’s Search for the Ultimate Coyote. Dean is also the creative mind behind all of the Flairco brand bartending products. Join Dean as he flips, spins and tosses the Pink Squirrels, Sex on the Beaches and the fictitious Blue Turquoise from the film, Cocktail. Landshark beer will also be available. Cocktail (1988) 8 pm. Cocktail finally turns 21! And what better way to celebrate this summer hit of ’88 than with dinner, drinks and a movie New York/Jamaican style! This film kick-started modern flair bartending worldwide and introduced three hit songs, Kokomo, Don’t Worry, Be Happy and Addicted to Love. Celebrate the 21st birthday with Jamaican style food and birthday cake. Moulin Rouge (2001) Midnight. CanCan you join us for a midnight enchanting screening of this lush and visually-rich modern musical that was nominated for 8 Oscars? The Green Fairy will be upon us as we serve Absinthe in glass blown fountain. Nibbles, bottled water and French wine will also be available. Tickets are required for Tales of the
Cocktail Film Fest and can be purchased on-line at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com for $25 per showing. A special room rate of $109 at the W Hotel New Orleans available Thursday, April 9, 2009 through Monday, April 13, 2009. Please use promotion code LIF. For event guests, a rate of $12 per car will be available. For questions, please call 1-877-WHOTELS for assistance. Book a room on-line at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com. Tales of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society is a non-profit organization committed to preserving the unique culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans and the storied bars and restaurants that have contributed to the city’s world-wide culinary acclaim. This organization supports members of the hospitality industry through education and the production of events like Tales of the Cocktail and, most recently, Trails of the Cocktail, a scholarship program for emerging talent in the New Orleans cocktail industry.
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trodding the boards by Brian Sands
E-mail: bsnola2@hotmail.com
Taste at the Marigny Theater
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n Gabrielle Reisman’s Taste, six 20somethings—some old friends, some new—come together, eat,
The cast of Taste
fight, and pair off in ways from which new relationships might develop. There’s a bit of a plot involving a former roommate, one of the 20somethings and some missing possessions, but that’s like saying The Cherry Orchard has a bit of a plot about real estate. The comparison to Chekhov is not accidental. Reisman writes with a fine ear for quirky, naturalistic dialog. Her characters speak of “food orgasms” and “costume brunches,” and sprinkle their conversations with “whatever’s” and “right on’s”. One shrewdly observes that, unlike in New Orleans, “work is a priority in other places. That’s how work gets done.” In fact, such was the intimacy of the Marigny Theater, that when one character commented “You can’t make a living working at Schiro’s,” an audience member ingenuously replied for all to hear, “Yes you can.” Reisman also hits on deeper truths of the Big Easy. In one telling passage, notice is made of how here it’s “just one effect after the other...event after event” that can, in time, dull our senses to what makes such special occurrences, well, special. After all, there are usually more occasions to dress up in NOLA in an average week than most people get in a year. In this world premiere by The NOLA Project, Reisman has no shortage of other interesting things to say. Yet at times, it felt as though her characters were going off on too many tangents that detracted from the overall dramatic focus of her story. Currently played as a 90 minute one-act, Reisman might consider trimming some of the unnecessary passages from the current script and then adding on a second act as Taste is the first play I’ve been to in a long time where, when it was done, I wanted there to be more. For by the time the lights came up, I had really come to care about the characters Reisman had created and wanted to find out what would be happening to them six months or a year, or two, later. As director, that fine actress Ashley Ricord might have given a little more shape to the proceedings but if she was after a wholly naturalistic feel she certainly achieved it. Regardless, the NOLA Projectiles operate so well together it’s like watching a well-oiled machine at work. As the guys, A.J. Allegra, James
Bartelle, Richard Alex Pomes and James Yeargain nicely portrayed various aspects of manhood with Allegra especially funny as a would-be guy-on-the-make who gets confused between Paris and Romania. It’s a shame we’re losing Claire Gresham, one of our finest young actresses, to New York. Here she gave a beautifully calibrated performance slowly simmering until she finally boiled over upon discovering the full duplicity of her ex. Angela Papale brought her natural charm to the script’s least showy role; were there to be a second act, I’d like to see further development of her character as well as Bartelle’s and Yeargain’s. Taste ends with its cast and crew serving the audience the yummy food that had been prepared by the actors/characters as part of the performance. How many other shows can lay claim to satisfying the heart, mind...and stomach?
A Purrfect Evening: The Songs of Eartha Kitt at Le Chat Noir
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mere six weeks after the great Eartha Kitt’s passing, Anaïs St. John unveiled her tribute show A Purrfect Evening: The Songs of Eartha Kitt at Le Chat Noir. Yet this was no rush job, but a wonderful celebration of the life and art of a singular performer. Incorporating fifteen songs identified with Kitt into an hour long program, St. John did not rely solely on her sultry voice to make her Evening a success. Rather, she clearly had done her homework and gave a running commentary on Kitt’s life and the challenges she faced and overcame to make for as perfect a cabaret as I’ve ever enjoyed. Dressed in a mink coat and a leopard print dress, St. John effortlessly captured the purr of Kitt’s voice. Informing us that Kitt was dedicated to “money, men and mischief” St. John hit just the right note of straightforward, almost innocent goldiggery in An Old-Fashioned Girl, and didn’t overplay Apres Moi nor Monotonous allowing the songs’ humor to come through even more effectively.
Anaïs St. John in A Purrfect Evening: The Songs of Eartha Kitt
But St. John also gave us the less mischievous side of Kitt with a beautiful, heartfelt In the Still of the Night and showed what sophisticated elegance is with a playful C’est Ci Bon. And with exquisite musicianship she evoked the fearless determination of Here’s to Life. Harry Mayronne led a trio that included Nathan Lambertson on bass and Michael Skinkus on percussion and together they expertly brought out all the different shadings in the music. An innately warm and likable performer, St. John wisely didn’t try to duplicate Kitt’s quasi-evilness until the very end as the temptress in Whatever Lola Wants by which point she could do no wrong. Word has it that A Purrfect Evening may be returning to Le Chat in April. Whenever it does, do not miss this absolutely delightful evening.
The Scene at Loyola’s Lower Depths Theater
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harlie is an actor, a former sitcom star, now unemployed. Stella is his wife who books talent for a talk show. Lewis is Charlie’s best friend. They are in their late 30s or early 40s or maybe even late 40s. Clea is from Ohio, as she reminds everyone regularly, and just arrived in New York City. Clea’s in her early 20s. She meets Charlie and Lewis at a swank cocktail party. And that’s when the trouble begins. In Theresa Rebeck’s dramedy The Scene, power and status shift very quickly. And love? What’s love got to do with it, baby? Mid-life crisis maybe. Animal lust, perhaps. But love? Artemis Preeshl directed a well-paced and well-staged production of The Scene at Loyola. But there’s no avoiding that the script’s effectiveness was diluted by having all the actors be of the same (college) age; part of the fun and the pathos is the generational difference between Clea and the others. Nevertheless, Rebecca Elizabeth Hollingsworth, seen so memorably in Sylvia and The Bug, seemed to age before our eyes into a middle-aged woman. Hollingsworth was not afraid to play up Stella’s sense of self drama but could also give subtle looks that could kill. And when she discovered her husband and Clea together, her crestfallen face was heartbreaking. As Clea, Sarah Jordan Stout had an easier job playing someone her own age. With her purring voice, if her Clea was a manipulative bitch she was not wholly without some redemptive qualities. Or rather Stout made us wonder just how consciously this she-devil of a spider plotted as she slowly spun a web in which Charlie got hopelessly entangled. Stout took chances with Clea’s idiosyncratic way of speaking (“crap” became “ka-rap”) that paid off mightily adding further dimensionality to an already unique character. And when she and Hollingsworth confronted each other in the second act, the fireworks that resulted were incredible. Andrew de la Peña captured Charlie’s lust for and frustration with Clea but his boyish charm and good looks precluded his marveling at the mere fact of Clea taking up with an older guy like him. Also, I wish director Preeshl had reined in de la Peña’s performance a bit which, with backflips and leaps over furniture, at times
bordered on the expressionistic. As for Rolando Andre López Torres, his mannered Lewis had a long way to go to match his colleagues’ level of performance but he is just a freshman. Then again, so is Stout. Having read The Scene a few years ago and dismissed it as sitcom-y, it is a credit to Preeshl and her cast, as well as Rebeck’s script of course, that I enjoyed it much more on the stage than the page.
Mahalia! A Gospel Musical at JPAS’ Westwego Performing Arts Theatre
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t is entirely possible that some day when those of us who saw Danielle Edinburgh Wilson in Mahalia! A Gospel Musical are settling into our seats at the Metropolitan Opera, we’ll be able to say for the entire audience to hear “I saw her back in Westwego and I knew she’d make it big!” With a multi-octave range supported by solidly imposing lower notes, Wilson’s rich, smoky voice is a gift that nature bestows on a few rare individuals. As Mahalia Jackson, Wilson shone in songs somber (Let Us Go Down To Jordan) and uplifting (Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho). Notes in her upper register seem to come from a place full of joy, and I could listen to music emanating from her honey-coated lower register endlessly. That Wilson is only a junior at Xavier University speaks to a long and, with some luck and the proper guidance, successful career ahead of her. That Wilson only made her stage debut in October 2008 as one of the nuns in Nunsense, makes her achievement in Mahalia! that much more remarkable for someone so young and so new to the stage. Wilson brought out Jackson’s innate goodness and sense of wonder that her talents had taken her so far from her hardscrabble upbringing in New Orleans. She revealed her grit by supporting Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement with her celebrity by performing at various rallies and functions as well as with much-needed financial aid. And her deep religious beliefs came through with the awe in which she beheld the Holy Land during a late in life trip there. Still, even a talent such as Wilson’s couldn’t save Tom Stoltz’ moribund biography of the great gospel singer’s life. While it certainly was an interesting life, it wasn’t a very dramatic one; Jackson met with success early on upon moving to Chicago and just kept adding to her prestige with recordings, a Carnegie Hall debut and international touring. There is no hint of a personal life (Was she ever in love with anyone?) and so the second act is taken up with too much time spent on King’s I Have A Dream speech and Jackson professing her thrill at visiting Jerusalem. Director Troy R. Poplous did what he could with this diorama of a musical, keeping the pace flowing and injecting humor where possible. Playing assorted men and women in Jackson’s orbit, Vickie Thomas and Jay Van Hall displayed beautiful operatic voices and, Thomas in particular, good comic senses. But it’s only when the focus stayed on the music that Mahalia! came to life, a tribute to Wilson and the superb Musical Director Albinas Prizgintas. To them I say “Hallelujah!”
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sappho psalm by Toni J.P. Pizanie E-mail: Psalmwrite@aol.com
LGCCNO
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hiney!! – Have you read last issue’s letters to the editor? I can only hope that Crystal Little gets some maturity on the Center’s Board now that there are a few opening. People who give up so easily should never run for office – too sensitive. As for me, I’m writing what I see, hear and believe to be true. I don’t try to change opinions. I just share mine. I’ll share a phone call with you – one reader called me to say he loved the joke. I didn’t like that reaction because this isn’t a joke for the Center. Leo Watermeier wrote me to agree that I am working for the Center’s good. We all read the same thing and take it
differently.
Recuperation
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don’t do bed rest well. No matter how poorly I might feel, I still want to get out and do something. Luckily, Ray Bates is a tyrant about doing things correctly when he isn’t making me laugh. Randy Trahan comes by each day to make sure I’m improving, and he makes me laugh a lot. And there are several friends like Stewart Butler, Crystal Little, Paul Killgore, Richard Rowley and cousin Arvilla who call often with funny stories and jokes. The importance of all these people is that they make me laugh. When I laugh, I feel better and more positive. I told that to
Dr. White, and he said, “haven’t you heard that laughter is the best medicine?” So I am expecting to be up and out much more often and very soon. I am facing more tests but that’s just to keep the doctors in practice. I expect a clean bill of health. Until that day comes, friends have been bringing books to keep me busy since I am learning to hate television. Randy brought me Kevin Sessums’ Mississippi Sissy. Kevin like Randy is a Mississippi boy so they understand each other. Kevin has had book signings in New Orleans. He lives in New York City where he is a contributing editor at Allure magazine. He held the same position with Vanity Fair for fourteen years. His credits also include Andy Warhol’s Interview, and Elle, Travel & Leisure, Playboy, Out and Show People. Impressed? You will also be entertained, saddened, joyful, shocked and giggling while you make your way through the story of Kevin’s life from childhood to college. I highly recommend this touching account of this very different child as he grows into
an exceptional Gay man. Not only does Kevin grow into reveling in being Gay, he also grows into a man of character. He understands his need for self-discipline in a world that does not understand him or want his kind. In his late teens, Kevin becomes involved with the cream of Mississippi’s literary world – his reward for the difficulties he was forced to endure as a child. And still with this blessing, there is more pain, more loss. But no pain is great enough to keep him from success and New York City. It was from Stewart Butler and our friend Stephen Willey that the next excellent work came my way. Stewart shared with Stephen the stories of my misspent young when I wanted to be a sports car racing driver. After college, I joined the Sports Car Club of America where I learned to work races – first as a corner worker doing flagging and communications and finally as timing and scoring worker. Years passed and I met a great mechanic/driver. I had saved enough money to purchase a racing Alfa Romero. It was a relationship made in heaven – I owned the car and he had the experience to make it fast. We decided to trade off races and diving school. My first teacher was from Bob Bondurant’s School of High Performance. He was the son of the Indianapolis 500 winner Wilber Shaw. Wilber Shaw, Jr. was a good teacher who filled me with confidence. I did very well and won the few races that I could afford to enter before I’d spent all the money I had set aside for this exciting hobby. A race car is a hole in the middle of the road into which you throw money. The disappointment at having to give up racing was painful but I never lost my love for sports cars only my finances. So when Stephen found Bugatti Queen by Miranda Seymour about the great Helle Nice, I was thrilled at the chance to read it. Helle Nice was born Helena Delangle in France in 1900. She was to racing as Amelia Earhart was to flying. Helle fought to enter the male racing world and was hailed as the fastest woman in the world. She was a competitive skier, a Parisian cabaret dancer, a Montmarte stripper and a famous race car driver. The book takes us from her early childhood until her death. From the earliest records of her youth, Helle excelled at everything she undertook—her education, dancing, social life or racing. As an old woman, all she had was her memories and scrap books of her days of success. During WWII she was mysteriously denounced as a Nazi collaborator and was exiled from her spectacular life. Her great skills as a driver took her from Europe to North Africa to America where she was loved and honored for her successes. Seymour’s sub-title is In Search of a French Racing Legend. This is an appropriate title for the life of Helle Nice, and I thank Stephen for making it available to me. Waiting in the wings is a gift from cousin Arvilla, David Wroblewski’s The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Even though this was on the 2008 list of Oprah’s Book Club, I’ve been told by everyone that has read it that I will love this book. In the past, I’ve been a little disappointed by some of Oprah’s selections although most are excellent. Most of my friends know that I love and write mystery novels so there is also a [continued on 14]
12 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 13
the pink pastor by Rev. Clinton Crawshaw, 504.214.4340 E-mail: pastor@bigeasymcc.com www.bigeasymcc.com www.thebigeasymccblog.blogspot.com
Throw me something Mr!!!
O
ver Mardi Gras, I, like every one else, found myself spending a lot of time begging total strangers to throw me something I never knew I wanted and could live perfectly well without. All around me were scenes of vigorous competition as people vied for everything from coconuts to pumps! Of course, I am not about to denigrate the divine Muses, whose throws were both creative and faaabulous, but you get my point! Human beings are suckers for ‘stuff’. Much of the present economic pickle is due to the consequences of an entire economic system that relies on pushing people to buy ever more ‘stuff’, whether or not they can afford it. Thankfully, the majority of the stuff we now cannot afford is no more real use to us than a string of beads with an Orpheus medallion attached – If we are truthful with ourselves then our needs are simple; shelter, food, water and healthcare. It should be relatively easy for America to provide ALL its people with a guarantee of these basics, and still give plenty of opportunity for business folk to earn enough to grow rich. America is a productive, industrious country whose people work a great deal harder than most Europeans. America spends double the proportion of its income on healthcare than does The United Kingdom, but gets a terrible deal in return. The poorest folk in Britain have a higher life expectancy than the richest folk in America. There is a pattern here – a pattern of Americans being misled about what they can and should expect from business and government. Americans are sold cars that get appalling mileage and are persuaded that there are no alternatives except expensive hybrids when Europeans can drive large comfortable cars that get over 45 miles per gallon highway (I know, I used to drive one!) with regular engines. Often it is the European divisions of AMERICAN companies that are selling these cars! Americans are told that everything that involves the public good is socialism and that anything that involves working them to death and giving them a third of the vacation that Europeans expect is freedom! I have fallen in love with both America and Americans over the last few years, and I get very angry indeed to see people exploited by economic snake oil salesmen who use fear words like ‘socialism’ to keep people in their place. President Obama’s stimulus pack-
sappho psalm ...from 12 small stack of mysteries waiting for my attention. I do dislike bed rest but reading is something I enjoy a lot so I am being a good patient and following the rules. I hope you all enjoy Mardi Gras more than I am anticipating the big day. I will miss my time on the Ambush balcony while my nose is in a book. Have a great day!
serve a great deal better - you earn it as a nation, and you deserve it therefore as a nation. Any U.S. state that pays into central government in good times but refuses to accept money in bad times is surely not a state; it is a colony – just a glorified oil well! Of course, I have no particular place in mind….. Well, I am sure you have all written me off as a socialist, but actually I believe that a dignified and civilized system of universal healthcare – free at the point of need,
is essential lest the burden of venal private healthcare companies suffocate not just individuals, but businesses as well! Rev Clinton Crawshaw is the fulltime pastor of The Big Easy Metropolitan Community Church – a church founded in, and with a special outreach to the LGBT community. They meet every Sunday at 5pm at 1333 S. Carrollton Avenue. Check out the website at www.bigeasymcc.com or phone Pastor Clinton on 504.214.4340.
cookin' with auntie dee by Donnie Jay E-mail: auntiedeej@hotmail.com Photo©GrahamStudioOne.COM
Lent
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age is being touted as mindless profligacy at the moment – as if the only thing to do in a recession is to tighten the belt as President Hoover did in the 20’s. In fact, borrowing to stimulate economic activity has been seen as economic orthodoxy by conservative and progressive governments the world over for the last seventy years, and at the moment the governments of China, Germany and The United Kingdom, amongst others, are all pump priming their economies with massive government spending – much of it borrowed. The other stimulus approach – tax cuts – has the nasty habit of going straight under people’s mattresses as they are reluctant to spend during a recession, and furthermore it increases deficits whilst decreasing tax receipts just as more and more people become dependant on federal and state disbursements to stave off hunger and homelessness. I also have a moral objection to the principle of ever more and more tax cuts – it is a basic Christian tenet that just as the rich man was denounced by Christ for allowing Lazarus to wallow in poverty on his doorstep so we are not supposed to cling to our comfort when faced with real need amongst our fellow human beings. I do not think it unreasonable that an oil C.E.O. should pay towards healthcare for the children of the working poor. I do not think it unreasonable that a civilized society lays a safety net for those who fall, or those who are sick, or maimed, or simple, or foolish – the alternative is the sort of place no civilized person would want to live in. There but for the grace of God go I – and if it had not been for National Health System in my country of birth I would have died for want of care myself. It is possible to provide dignity for the poor and needy and still give rich soil to commerce – London is the second largest financial centre in the world (after New York); having to pay for universal healthcare did not destroy its entrepreneurial spirit, nor would it in America. President Hoover thought that helping individuals would corrupt them; he did not have the same problem with large businesses and banks – sound familiar? All you kind, hard working Americans I have come to know and love de-
ell here we go again, it is that time once again when many of our New Orleans’ residents begin a period of atonement, that will last for forty days known as Lent. It is that time of year when as the saying goes the piper must be paid. After all we have just finished with Mardi Gras when we have over indulged and sated our most basic instincts. During this period all Catholics and many other Christians give up many of their most cherished worldly things in order to repent. For many it is a period of fasting and abstaining from the eating of meat. Here in the Gulf region it basically means indulging in one of our most plentiful bounties, seafood. Now when I say seafood of course I am referring to shellfish, fish and such and not any members of certain branches of our armed services. In the next few issues I will be giving recipes for cooking the bounty from the sea; and for those of you who don’t care for seafood I will also include some meatless main dishes.
CRACKER BREADED FRIED SHRIMP 2 pounds peeled large shrimp 1 ½ cups crushed butter round crackers (about 24) ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon pepper, divided ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup buttermilk 2 drops hot sauce 1 large egg Vegetable oil for frying Combine crackers, flour, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Mix well. Stir together buttermilk, hot sauce, egg and remaining pepper in a bowl until well blended. Dip shrimp in buttermilk mixture; dredge in cracker mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a large deep cast iron skillet; heat to 375 degrees. Fry shrimp in batches until golden. Drain on wire racks and keep warm till serving. Yield: six servings
FRIED CATFISH 6 (4-6 ounce) catfish fillets 2 cups milk 2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 tablespoon seasoned salt 2 teaspoons pepper ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt
Peanut oil for frying Place catfish in a single layer in a shallow dish, cover with milk, Cover, and chill for one hour. Remove catfish fillets from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove from milk, allowing excess to drip off. Sprinkle evenly with salt Dredge catfish fillets in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess. Pour oil into large iron skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch; heat to 375 degrees. Fry in batches, about three minutes on each side. Drain on wire racks over paper towels. Yield: six servings.
TIPS FOR FRYING FISH: Remove excess moisture from fish before soaking in milk by patting dry with paper towels. Keep one hand clean for dredging and the other hand available for frying. Select oil with a high smoke point. Use a large Dutch oven or deep castiron skillet to keep the hot oil from popping out. Use a deep-fat thermometer to maintain a proper temperature. Don’t overcrowd your pan, fry in batches. Bring remaining oil back to proper temperature before adding another batch of fish. Remove fish from skillet with a wide slotted spoon. To keep warm, lace fried fish on a wire rack, with a foil lined pan underneath; place in a 250 degree oven. For a crisp texture, do not cover fish.
FRIED OYSTERS 1 cup corn meal ½ teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 24 oysters, freshly shucked Vegetable oil, for frying. Combine first four ingredients, mixing well. Do not rinse oysters; dredge each one in cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or castiron skillet to a depth of two inches. Heat to 375 degrees. Shake off excess cornmeal and fry oysters in batches about one or two minutes on each side until lightly golden. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on paper towels. Keep warm till ready to serve. For crisper oysters fry till deep golden brown. Yield: six servings. [continued 16]
14 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 15
everybody's a critic By Gary Glitter ust returned from the Grand Opening of the All Ways Lounge, formerly Cowpokes. A $5 cover charge at the door and a free first drink, what a deal. The start of a good evening of entertainment. And the crowd was out in force, a very mixed crowd I might add. The entertainment for the evening started pretty much on time at 9pm as was advertised. (Take notice people, start when you advertise you are going to start) No drag time here! It started a little quietly with Morella and the Wheels of If. Piano, drums and two young lady singers. I must say I thought they went a little long, as the crowd got a little restless. Next up was Lester, a pole dancer, who proceeded to strip as he twirled and spun on his pole. He seemed to be very experienced at working a pole. Zelda HairyMan was the hostess, and while she did her thing to keep the crowd entertained, they were removing the pole, I’m assuming so no one would run into it. Incidentally, Zelda was very good and the epitome of the dirty old broad. She looked like if Carol Channing and Donnie Jay had a child, Zelda was it. Next up, we had the Tally Ho Daredevils, who did a comic number about rabbits, to the song, What the World Needs Now. Cute number, but, at the end they mutilated the rabbits. Out comes the janitor to clean up the rabbit mutilation, and during the course of
J
his cleaning proceeds to take advantage of the fact that he is on stage, and does a hip-hop number, and works his way into a strip number to I Put a Spell on You. And he did as he stripped down to a womens bikini. He was excellent, and one of the most inventive numbers in the show. (There should have been more of him.) Time for some good old accordion music and Mary GoRound was just the gal to do it. But, I wanted to hear some chanteuse music. Maybe next time! Alright, what I had been waiting for, the Naked Balloon Dance. Three men, six balloons and they danced and kept losing them, cute!!!!!!! But the best was after the number the guy that come out to the audience, balloonless. Oooh nice!!!!! Cammie West made her appearance, and did a song from One Piece, that little ditty, Just Wanna Grow Up, about that tart Shirley Temple grown up. And what would be a show at the former Cowpokes without the Cowpokes Cowboys line dancing. Yeeeah haaa!!!!! For a serious side to the show, there was a reading called, Tale of Sylvia Post which was very well done by the NOLA Project. Now for my second reason for coming here tonight. The fabulous talents of Trixie Minx from the Fleur de Tease revue. As lovely as ever she was the fairy princess all in white and proceeded to strip to Some Day My Prince Will Come, with the help of a 5 foot blow up penis. And he did come, all over her.
Like they said, “Every show needs a drag queen,” and they had none other than the beautiful, Miss D. She sang, in her own voice, If I Can’t Sell It, and she did and they loved her. Zelda HairyMan’s monologue with backup dancers was a hoot, and then the dancers morphed into a number of their own, It’s A Hard Life For Us. And with that the show ended. And not bad for a first time performance, but they promise to be back with a new revue every month. Dennis Monn, who is the manager of All Ways Lounge and the director of Boylesque did an outstanding job. Just a few hints, better lighting, it was way too dark, and the music was too quiet in places. Granted this is not a drag show with bright lights and music to make you deaf, but, it needs to go up just a notch. Over all excellent for the first time. See you next month.
cookin' with auntie dee ...from 14 FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS WHITE WASH: 1 egg 2 cups milk ½ cup all-purpose flour Wisk all ingredients together well.
wash. Dredge in the cornmeal. Fry in a Dutch oven or a deep skillet with the vegetable oil heated to 375 degrees two inches deep. Fry about two minutes on each side or until golden brown. For crisper crabs fry a little longer, Yield: four servings.
FRIED CALAMARI 1 (2.5 pound package cleaned calamari, tubes and tentacles), rinsed 1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon salt 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano 1 ½ teaspoons paprika ½ teaspoon pepper Cut calamari tubes into ¼ inch rings. Soak calamari in cold water thirty minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine flour and next four ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Pour oil to a depth of six inches in a Dutch oven. Heat to 400 degrees. Dredge calamari in flour mixture. Shake off excess. Fry calamari in batches about three minutes, until golden. Do not over-cook. Allow oil to reheat to 400 degrees between batchs. Drain on paper towels transferring to a foil lined baking pan to keep warm in a 250 degree oven. Yield: six servings.
½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 4 large soft-shell crabs, cleaned, lungs removed Vegetable oil for frying
All fried seafood whether served in combination or alone are best served piping hot with a choice of sauces; tartar, cocktail and remoulade. Best served with crispy French fries, coleslaw and hot French bread.
In separate bowls put flour in one, cornmeal in the other and ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning in each; combine well. Dust each crab in flour and dip in the white
Next issue broiling and baking seafood. You may contact me at donniejay@hotmail.com.
16 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
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paparazzi
18 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
Krewe of Amon Ra Bal Masque XLIV: Sunset Limited Amon Ra Express ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Ambush
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Mystic Krewe of Satyricon Bal Masque VII: Cocktails at 7 ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Ambush
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22nd Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss led by The Grandee Queen, King Cake Queen XVI of Gay Mardi Gras Tami Tarmac ~ Ambush Headquarters
ambush
22 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
45th Bourbon Street Awards sponsored by Oz & Bud Light ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Ambush: Best Drag: Armeinius’ Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary; Best Leather: The Tin Man; Best Group (tie): Armeinius’ Mary Kays and King & Queen Petronius XLVIII; Best of Show: Lords of Leather’s Pyramids of Giza; Best Overall (tie): Armeinius’ Mary Kays and King & Queen Petronius XLVIII
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GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 23
Remembering Greg, Recalling Mardi Gras, Reactions to the STP
hot tails of red stick by Brad Benedict E-mail: bradhottails@hotmail.com
Remembering Greg
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reg Bell was one of the most beloved of all the bartenders working here in Red Stick. I spent lots of time with him when he was at the Blue Parrott. I like to visit the bars around town early in the evening before the crowds arrive, and often I got to have long chats with Greg – just the two of us. I think it was called Bogart’s when he worked at what was formerly the old Mirror Lounge, but he fit in there beautifully. Even after he started to work at Splash, we found time to recall old times, and I guess I was as shocked as others when I learned of his condition. Although he is no longer with us, his memory remains in the minds and hearts of many of his friends. DJ Karen at Splash was instrumental in working with Greg’s mother, Mrs. Karen Bell, to form the Greg T. Bell AIDS Foundation (of which she is president), and each year, he is honored in what has become one of the biggest AIDS fund-raisers in the capital city. This year, Karen has lined up a wonderful group of entertainers for the occasion, namely the fabulous Nicole Dubois, Nicole Foxx, Chelsea Devine, Arilyn Roberts, Jade Lawrence, Mia Bonnet, Miranda Mann, Alyssa Andrews, Veronica Andrews, Mary Jane Sparks, and Chica LaRouge. All donations garnered from this evening of entertainment go to St. Anthony’s House here in Baton Rouge. The funds carry a wide range of helpful areas, such as once a month special lunches, Christmas baskets and certificates, batteries for wheel chairs, fares for buses or vans, and many other things that improve the lives of those residents of St. Anthony’s House. Karen has also lined up a group of sponsors who are supporting this event. These include Mestizo Restaurant, All About Flowers, Mac Cosmetics, Roy Paul, Nathan Brooks, and Nicole Dubois. In fact, Nicole will also serve as emcee along with Splash’s own Trixxie. All of this will take place on Thursday, March 12, and this is something that not only needs your support but deserves your support because of what it means for the local community. If for some reason you can’t attend, you can still donate to this very worthy cause. If you want to contribute and can’t attend, please contact Karen at 225.405.4600 to make arrangements for getting your donation into this year’s collection. Greg Bell was a beautiful human being, and he will live in my memory forever. I think a lot of his friends and fellow workers feel the same as I do. We loved you Greg. We always will.
Recalling Mardi Gras
I
guess Hound Dogs is on its way to recovery after staying packed during all the parades that passed by their location. It was one of the favorite corners to hang out in spite of all the street work taking place now to update with new lighting standards. It just goes to show that gays and straights can have fun together when Mardi Gras rolls around, and it would seen now that the favorite place in the CBD is Hound Dogs. One reason for this is the way things are being controlled with the great leadership not only by Kyle and James, but the expertise and responsible controls
being designated by Joy, Johnny, and Howard. I can certainly vouch for Joy first hand. I was there one afternoon when some example of local riff-raff came walking in, and he walked out even faster than on his arrival. Way to go Joy. I like a woman with a firm hand – and a man’s too – but you wouldn’t know about that, would you? George’s also managed to make it through the holiday season with packed days and nights. It just seems that everyone was either in town and out or from out of town and in for the fun. The guys there stayed busy along with Chansley, who does such a fine job along with the gorgeous and expert leadership of that man of magnificent proportions, Luther. I won’t even bother to explain the proportions, but I’d certainly give him a 15 out of 10. This one just takes my breath away. I’m panting right now just thinking about him. I have to also tell you that Splash is setting attendance records too, and it isn’t necessarily because of Mardi Gras, although this helped after the fact, but their anniversary party a few weeks ago really brought out the numbers. The themes they use for their fun nights often make the difference in the larger than normal attendance counts. When you get 1,500 people into that building, you know you are doing something right, and Cory and Jeff are doing just that with the help of Quentin, David, and all those sexy bartenders. I have to tell you that the capital city now claims a spectacular young man formerly with the Pub in New Orleans. His name is Devlin, and he was here after Katrina for a while then back to the University of New Orleans. Now he is back to pursue his landscape architecture goals at LSU. I love his eyes. With the blue to hazel coloring, they seems to glow with the enthusiasm that this young man exudes. It was Lance who told him about the job opening at Splash, and this graduate student is going to make a big difference at this entertainment emporium. I could just sit and look at him. Wow! He’s really a nice one. My Lance has finally found his true love, and it looks like he may end up in Austin after graduation from LSU instead of California. He seemed happier than I’ve ever seen him before, and I suppose one would have to say that it is true love blossoming in midwinter. I’m pleased for him. He really is an exceptional person. I’ve known him a long time, and I’ve been pulling for him to succeed in his endeavors especially that degree work. Now that it is nearing closure, I guess I’ll have to take a trip now and then to Austin. The last time I visited Austin, it was to go with a friend to Hippy Hollow. Now, I’ll have to return to visit one of my favorite young friends and maybe even do the HH thing again. At the time, I had a friend living in San Antonio, and it was his idea to introduce me to HH. I’m glad he did. I also learned that Ty was off big game hunting again – with straight friends I’m told. I also found out that these hunting trips are not that fruitful when it comes to bringing home the goods. Maybe this time, a deer or wild boar will make its way to home base. I’m sure Stephen would enjoy a little meat to chew on. Nourishment is always a plus after a big hunt, and I’m sure Ty can handle that with perfection – or Stephen can. News Flash – I just learned that Ty got a ram and a wild boar, so it looks like Stephen really got some strange meat this time. Congratulations, Ty, you are the man! And before I forget it, thank Stephen for me. He made my night when he let me feel those chest muscles. I’ll check you out later, but I do have to say that I like the facial hair. It looks great on such a gorgeous young man.
Reactions to the STP
A
s usual, the Spanish Town Parade brought thousands into downtown Baton Rouge. I was sitting on my porch after the parade and got to watch five women drop their drawers and piss in my landscaped area between the sidewalk and the street. Now why couldn’t it have been five good-looking studs hanging their weenies through the fence? Oh, well! The corner of Spanish Town Road and 7th Street is gay central on Spanish Town Saturday. Splash always sets up an area where their customers and friends can drink and enjoy the scenery – and the scenery was absolutely fantastic. Of course, when you have Stephen and Ty, it has to be great. These two guys are just the greatest, and I enjoy their company tremendously. Big boss Jeff is such a hoot too. He always manages to wear these great and outlandish costumes much to Cory’s distaste, so I’m told by him to post it in Ambush and threatened bodily damage by Cory if I did. Guess what? Jeff wins, and I’m just going to have to take my punishment. Be gentle, sweet Cory. After all, you have to be careful with those who are older and more fragile. Forget those whips and chains and go for something of a nicer nature. I met so many new people with names that I can’t recall at the moment. I’ll have to post some of these pictures I took in the next issue, especially the one of that sexy Old Miss stud and his other half. I actually know the names but not sure of the spellings, so I’m getting Little Corey to help me out here. I always enjoy spending time with Little Corey, the best drink mixer in the business, and his parents. It’s an annual ritual of greetings and recalling old times. It’s also the time when I take the annual picture of Corey and favorite cop Dwayne with the Spanish Town Road sign in the background. That always starts off my picture-taking spree. I also got to spend some time with Jason, none other than Belinda Botox, and as I stated in a previous column, this one goes a long way back with me. Gosh - if I could only spill [continued on 32]
24 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
celebrazzi (celebrations-paparazzi)
K
ing Cake Queen XVI Tami Tarmac (center) kicked off the 22nd Official Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss hosted by the Krewe of Queenateenas at Ambush Headquarters, 828 Bourbon Street. The annual affair followed the 45th Bourbon Street Awards right down the street sponsored by Oz and Bud Light. Reigning as The Grandee Queen over Gaudy Girls, Tarmac was joined by 50 invited guests including fellow Carnival royalty tossing thousands of beads to the crowds below on Mardi Gras, February 24. For more on the Krewe of Queenateenas, visit GayMardiGras.COM/KCQ.
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ord Consort XXVI Bruce Orgeron and Lord King XXVI Gary Vandeventer reigned over the 26th Mystic Krewe of Lords of Leather Bal Masque: A Lordly Celestial Evening as The Moon and The Sun. With some 18 presentations, the krewe raised $2,300 for Food For Friends during its charity appeal. Hosted at the Alario Center in Westwego, more on the krewe is available at LordsOfLeather.COM.
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he Mystic Krewe of Satyricon’s 7th Bal Masque: Cocktails at 7 brought forth Queen and King Satyricon VII Wedon Brown and Richard Reed at the Sugar Mill in New Orleans. Featuring some 22 presentations, this ball was laden with entertainment. In the charity portion of the ball, $1,485.87 was raised for the NO/AIDS Task Force. For more on the krewe, visit MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM.
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he presentation of Queen and King Amon Ra XLIV, Rhonda Roget and Nick Olivares, as Los Angeles and The Pacific Ocean brought the 44th Krewe of Amon Ra Bal Masque: Sunset Limited Amon Ra Express to a fabulous end at the Alario Center in Westwego. The ball featured some 19 presentations including a charity number raising over $1,000 for NO/AIDS Task Force performed by Amon Ra member and reigning King Cake Queen Tami Tarmac. For more on the krewe, visit KreweOfAmonRa.COM.
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 25
Krewe of Hedon members
Red Stick’s most handsome duo Stephen & Ty
Scott & Heather EJ, Tim & Michael
King Apollo John in vampire shirt Annual Dwayne & Little Corey picture
Alan & Todd Aaron & his famous 21st birthday shirt
Robert & Brandon Chad showing his best side
Splash’s Cory & Aaron
Splash boss Jeff makes big splash
Edmund, James & krewe Quentin & Chris Mark & Michael Pryce, Carroll, Tom & Don
John, Phil & Stephen
Chris & Jonathan
Robert holding up another sign
Chef Barry ready for the crowds
26 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
Spanish Town Parade ~ Baton Rouge, Louisiana ~ By Brad Benedict
red stick paparazzi
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 27
CANAL STREET
100 IBERVILLE
200 BIENVILLE
300
600
RAMPART
500 TOULOUSE
BURGUNDY
ROYAL
ST. LOUIS
DAUPHINE
400
CHARTES
DECATUR
CONTI
BOURBON
ST. PETER ORLEANS ST. ANN
800 DUMAINE
New Orleans, LA [504] HOT, MASCULINE STUD FOR SENSATIONAL BODY RUBS & MORE 24/7, 6'0, 182#, hard gun & magic hands. 4 hands avail. w/ muscle stud or 21 y.o. GQ model. In/Out/Hotels. Call Charlie 504.430.7413 [is509]
GOVERNOR NICHOLLS
1200 BARRACKS
1300
classifieds
1800
23 ES TR R FR 2 A A 500 CH N K L 2 6 0 LIN YA 0 O R E LO IN UI PH SA U A D
24
00
22
00
00
00
EN 2 0 0 0 C 2 1 HM E 00 N
FI EL D S RT PA M RA
New Orleans, LA [504] ORLEANS DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP, 13000 I-10 Service Rd., Sales Mgr. Bob Miller, 207.3000
bars Mobile, AL [251] B-BOB'S DOWNTOWN, 213 Conti St., 433.2262, b-bobs.com GABRIEL'S DOWNTOWN, 55 South Joachim St., 432.4900, gabrielsdowntown.com VISION'S TWIST, 266 Dauphin St., 431.9002, visions-mobile.com Foley, AL [251] CLUB EVOLUTION, 8380 Highway 59, 251.943.5557, myspace.com/ evolutionclubdance1 Pensacola, FL [850] EMERALD CITY, 408 E. Wright St., 433.9491, EmeraldCityPensacola.COM THE ROUNDUP, 706 E. Gregory St., 433.8482 Alexandria, LA [318] UNIQUE, 3217 Industrial St., 448.0555 Baton Rouge, LA [225] GEORGE'S, 860 St. Louis, 387.9798, GeorgesPlaceBR.COM HOUND DOGS, 668 Main St., 344.0807 SPLASH, 2183 Highland Road, 242.9491, splashbr.com
CITY NEWS STAND & VIDEO, North Blvd., 343.2606; Jones Creek, 751.7494
New Orleans, LA [504] AIRLINE ADULT BOOKS, 1404 26th St., Kenner, LA 70062; 468.2931 CHARTRES ST. CONXXXION, 107 Chartres St., 586.8006 FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700 MR. BINKY'S OF KENNER, 96 West 26th St., 466.1870 PARADISE ADULT VIDEO, 41 W. 24th St., Kenner, LA 70065; 461.0000 PARADISE #2 IN ELMWOOD, 5608 Heebe, Harahan, LA, 733.7780 SLIDELLADULT SUPERSTORE, Slidell, LA, 985.646.2616
cable shows
French Quarter/Faubourg Marigny/Bywater
autos
bookstores Baton Rouge, LA [225]
ESPLANADE
M AR IG NY
counseling
1000 1100
EL YS IA N
Shreveport, LA [318] CENTRAL STATION, 1025 Marshall St., 222.2216 KORNER LOUNGE, 800 Louisiana, 71101; 222.9796 Slidell, LA [985] BILLY'S, 2600 Hwy. 190 West, 847.1921
body rubs
URSULINES
19
Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2009, Halloween 26, benefiting Project Lazarus, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by AmbushMag.COM, halloweenneworleans.com Dec. 30, 2009-Jan. 3, 2010, Gay New Year's in New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, GayNewOrleans.COM Feb. 12-16, 2010, Official Gay Mardi Gras, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by Ambush, GayMardiGras.COM
900 ST. PHILIP
FR
NAPOLEON'S ITCH, 734 Bourbon, 371.5450, NapoleonsItch.COM OZ NEW ORLEANS, 800 Bourbon, 593.9491, OzNewOrleans. COM PHOENIX/EAGLE, 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264, PhoenixNewOrleans.COM RAWHIDE 2010, 740 Burgundy St., 525.8106, Rawhide2010.COM RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE, 1135 Decatur St., 373.5431, myspace.com/RubyfruitJungleNOLA SOCIETY PAGE, 542 N. Rampart St., 299.0156 STARLIGHT BY THE PARK, 834 N. Rampart St., 561.8939, StarlightByThePark.COM TUBBY'S GOLDEN LANTERN, 1239 Royal, 529.2860
Lafayette, LA [337] BACK SIDE, 209 Jefferson St., 269.0430 THE SOUND FACTORY, 209 Jefferson St., 269.6011 Lake Charles, LA [337] CRYSTAL'S, 112 W. Broad, 433.5457 Metairie, LA [504] 4-SEASONS / PATIO BAR, 3229 N. Causeway, 832.0659, www.4seasonsno.com CLUB TRIBUTE, 3202 N. Arnoult Rd., 455.1311, myspace.com/clubtribute New Orleans, LA [504] 700 CLUB, 700 Burgundy, 561.1095, 561.1098, 700ClubNewOrleans.COM ALL-WAYS Lounge, 2240 St. Claude, 947.0505 BIG DADDY'S, 2513 Royal, 948.6288 CAFÉ LAFITTE IN EXILE, 901 Bourbon Street 522.8397, Lafittes.COM CORNER POCKET, 940 St. Louis, 568.9829 COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 CUTTER'S, 706 Franklin, 948.4200 THE DOUBLE PLAY, 439 Dauphine, 523.4517 THE FRIENDLY BAR, 2301 Chartres, 943.8929 GOOD FRIENDS BAR, 740 Dauphine St, 566.7191, GoodFriendsBar.COM JOHNPAUL'S, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 948.1888 LE ROUNDUP, 819 St. Louis, 561.8340
New Orleans, LA [504] THE GAR WILLIAMS SHOW, Every Wed. &Sat., 8:30am & 8:30pm, Access Television Channel 78
casinos New Orleans, LA [504] HARRAHS NEW ORLEANS, Canal at the River, 800.HARRAHS
chiropractic New Orleans, LA [504] DR. MICHAEL LECHLEITER, D.C., St. Charles Chiropractic, 1529 Jackson Ave., 566.1833 [is409]
circuit/events Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009, Official Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, sponsored by Ambush & Queen Fashions, GayEasterParade.COM May 22-25, 2009, Memorial Day Weekend, Pensacola, FL, sponsored by Ambush, GayPensacola.COM June 4-7, 2009, One Mighty Weekend, Gay Day Weekend at Disney sponsored by Ambush, OneMightyWeekend.COM Sept. 2-7, 2008, 38th Official Southern Decadence-A Celebration of Gay Life, Music & Culture, end of Summer Blowout including the Southern Decadence Parade & loads of activities, bringing over 125,000 revelers to New Orleans, LA, sponsored by Ambush & SouthernDecadence.COM
construction New Orleans, LA [504] HISTORIC RENOVATIONS, 432.3786, Jim 344.4664
Scott
New Orleans, LA [504] DAVID WAGNER, M.Ed., Counseling & Psychotherapy, 3001 Fifth St., Metairie, LA 70002; 836.0000 WILLIAM C. AUSTIN, LCSW, Individual & Family Therapy, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LA Lic # 8042, 1532 Ursulines Ave., 504.586.7400, 225.571.5964
florists Baton Rouge, LA [225] FOUR SEASONS FLOWERS & GIFTS, 3482 Drusilla Ln., Drusilla Shopping Center, 924.1386, 1.800.237.5381
framing New Orleans, LA [504] ANGLE CUSTOM FRAME, 4422 Magazine St., 269.3726
galleries New Orleans, LA [504] ARTICHOKE GALLERY, 912 Decatur St., 636.2004, www.ArtichokeGallery.COM FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700
gardening/landscaping New Orleans, LA [504] AMERICAN AQUATIC GARDENS, 621 Elysian Fields, 944.0410
guides America Damron Travel Guide, 800.462.6654, www.damron.com Gulf South/United States AMBUSH Mag, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, ambushmag.com; email: info@ ambushmag.com International GayBars.COM, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, webmaster@gaybars.com United States/Canada GAYELLOW PAGES: Informing the US/ Canada LGBTG Community since 1973. Separate sections for Women and Ethnic/Multicultural focus. PO Box 533, NY, NY 10014-0533; 212.674.0120, http://gayellowpages.com gayellowpages@earthlink.net. Sold at Alternatives/New Orleans, LA
groceries/delis New Orleans, LA [504] QUARTERMASTER DELI, THE NELLIE DELI, 1100 Bourbon, 529.1416 VERTI MART, 1201 Royal St., 525.4767
hair salons New Orleans, LA [504] BOBBY BLUE CONTEMPORARY BARBER & BEAUTY PARLOR, 906 Bourbon St., 527.5100 HEAD QUARTERS HAIR SALON, 900 Dauphine St., 522.2666 MICKEY NOLAN'S SALON, 815 Toulouse St., 587.7782
28 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 29
SALON D'MALTA, 1233 Decatur St., 565.5555
laundries New Orleans, LA [504] RALPH'S QUARTER LAUNDERETTE & DRY CLEANING, 1101 Bourbon St., 522.9274 WASHING WELL LaunDRYteria since 1949, City Wide Pick-up, Fluff Dry or Finished, 1 Hour Service, 841 Bourbon St., 523.9955 or 525.3983 [is409]
lodging/accommodations New Orleans [504] BURGUNDY BED AND BREAKFAST, 2513 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE/ FAX: 504.942.1463, Toll Free (Continental US only): 1.800.970.2153, theburgundy.com, Email us at theburgundy@cox.net. Gay owned and operated in newly renovated 1890's double. Four guest rooms with private baths, guests' parlor and "half-kitchen", courtyard and halfopen tubhouse with spa (hot tub/whirlpool). Clothing optional in sunbathing and hot tub area. Walking distance to French Quarter. Immediate vicinity of gay and lesbian bars/venues. CRESCENT PALMS MOTEL, 3923 Martin Luther King Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70125; PHONE: 504.821.7773, FAX: 504.267.7366, CrescentPalmsMotel.COM, E-mail us at crescentpalmsmotel@yahoo.com. The Crescent Palms Motel is located in the heart of New Orleans, minutes from the French Quarter and other famous attractions. Our newly renovated, vintage motel offers 24 spacious guest rooms, large bathrooms, ample closet space, a cocktail lounge and complimentary off-street parking. Each room features two brand new double beds, complimentary high-speed wireless internet, a refrigerator and more. Please come visit soon! MARIGNY MANOR HOUSE, 2125 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70116, PHONE: 504.943.7826, Toll Free: 877.247.7599, marignymanorhouse.com, E-mail us at info@MarignyManorHouse.COM. 1840’s Grand Greek Revival guest house, large spacious bedrooms, private baths, antique 4 poster queen beds, wireless internet access, tv/vcr/dvd/ cable, telephone, complimentary continental breakfast and off street parking. BON MAISON GUEST HOUSE, 835 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.561.8498 BOURGOYNE GUEST HOUSE, 839 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.524.3621
massage New Orleans, LA [504] 4 HAND MASSAGE, Butch/Kevin, Nat’l Board Certified, 908.2069, License #LA3355, #LA 4230 [is409] RIGHT TOUCH MASSAGE -- Christopher - Full body therapeutic massage; heated table; private studio; tropical garden; Faubourg Marigny Area, French Quarter. Upgrade (Salt Scrubs Bodywork). Call 504.458.5996 / website www.righttouchnola.com for pictures, location & special. License #LA4553 [is1509]
media New Orleans, LA [504] AMBUSH Mag, Official Gay Easter Guide, Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, Official Gay New Orleans Guide, Official Gulf South Guide, Official Southern Decadence Guide, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; email: info@ ambushmag.com AMBUSHonLINE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8047, ambushonline.com, email: info@ambushonline.com
models/escorts New Orleans, LA [504] MIKEY-HOT, HANDSOME, HARD-BODIED MUSCLE STUD very friendly. 35, 5'10", 175#, USDA Prime! In/out/hotels, 24/7. Body rubs and 21 y.o. model avail. Pics at m4rn.com, ID #190508, 504.756.9443 [is509]
museum/arts Baton Rouge, LA [225] LOUISIANAARTS AND SCIENCE CENTER / RIVERSIDE MUSEUM, 100 S. River Road, 344.5272 LOUISIANA GOVERNOR'S MANSION, 1001 Capitol Access Rd., 342.5855 LOUISIANA STATEARCHIVES, 3851 Essen Ln. LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL, State Capitol Dr. LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HILLTOP ARBORETUM, 11855 Highland Rd., 767.6916 LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY RURAL LIFE MUSEUM, I-10 at Essen Lane, 765.2437 LSU MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE and MUSEUM OF GEOSCIENCE, LSU Campus, 388.2855 MAGNOLIA MOUND PLANTATION, 2161 Nicholson Dr., 343.4955 OLD ARSENAL MUSEUM, State Capitol Complex, 342.0401 OLD BOGAN FIRE STATION, 427 Laurel St., 344.8558 OLD GOVERNOR'S MANSION, 502 North Blvd., 344.5272 OLD PENTAGON BARRACKS, State Capitol Dr. at River Road, 342.1866 OLD STATE CAPITOL, 100 North Blvd. at River Road, 342.0500 or 342.4479 USS KIDD/NAUTICAL HISTORICAL CENTER, Government St. at River Rd., 342.1942 New Orleans, LA [504] BEAUREGARD-KEYES HOUSE, 1113 Chartres, 523.7257, Mon-Sat 10am-3pm CABILDO, 701 Chartres, Jackson Square, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm CAC [Contemporary Arts Center], 900 Camp St., 528.3805, cacno.org 1850 HOUSE, 523 St. Ann, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm GALLIER HOUSE, 1132 Royal, 523.6722, Mon-Fri 10am-3:30pm GERMAINEWELLSMARDIGRASMUSEUM, 2nd Floor Arnaud's, 819 Bienville HERMANN-GRIMA HISTORIC HOUSE, 820 St. Louis, 525.5661, Mon-Fri 10am-3:30pm HISTORICAL PHARMACY MUSEUM, 514 Chartres, 524.9077, Daily 10am-5:30pm HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION, 533 Royal, 523.4662, Tues-Sat 10am-4:45pm LONGUE VUE HOUSE AND GARDENS, 7 Bamboo Rd, Metairie, 488.5488, Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm, Sun 1-5pm MUSEECONTIHISTORICALWAXMUSEUM, 917 Conti, 525.2605, Daily 10am-5:30pm NATIONAL D-DAY MUSEUM, 945 Magazine, 527.6012 NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART, City Park, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, 488.2631, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERNART, 925 Camp St., 539.9600 OLD U.S. MINT, 400 Esplanade, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm PRESBYTERE, 751 Chartres, Jackson Square, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL, Jackson Square, Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1:30-5pm
music New Orleans [504] SKULLY'Z RECORDZ, 907 Bourbon St.
organizations Mobile, AL ALABAMA PRIDE FEST, MobileAlabamaPride.COM AQUA, THE PARTY, PO Box 145, Mobile, AL 36601, TheAquaParty.COM BAY AREA INCLUSION, BayAreaInclusion.ORG FUSION, MobileFusion.ORG GULF COAST BEARS & LEATHER ASSOCIATION, b-bobs.com/gcbla.htm Pensacola, FL [850] APPETITE FOR LIFE, INC., provides 2 nutritionally balanced meals a day-lunch & dinner, for some 60 men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, 1842 West Cervantes St.; Mail: P.O. Box 308, 32592-0308; 470.9111, Fax:
470.0201, gaypensacola.com/appforlife GULF COAST TIDE, INC. w w w . G u l f C o a s t T I D E . o r g ; info@GulfCoastTIDE.org Alexandria, LA [318] CLASS [Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services], 103 Bolton Ave., 71301; 1.800.444.7993, 442. 1 0 1 0, FAX: 443.5216 Baton Rouge, LA [225] HAART (HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region Two), 4550 North Blvd., #250, 927.1269, Fax: 927.7367, haartinc.org, haartinc@aol.com GBLSU [Gays, Bisexuals, Lesbians & Supporters United], glsapres@unixl.sncc. Isu.edu, Kristy Price, President, 388.5160 KREWE OF APOLLO / BATON ROUGE, PO Box 3591, 70821; kreweapollobr.org KREWE OF DIVAS, kreweofdivas.com, 343.0380 LAMBDA GROUP, 2937 Greenwood Dr., PO Box 82775, 70884-2775, 907.3665, www.lambdabr.org, info@lambdabr.org LEWIS HUMPHREY’S FOOD FOR FRIENDS, 387.9798
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF BATON ROUGE, 7747 Tom Drive, 70806, Worship Sunday, 11am, Bible Study Wednesday, 7pm, 225.248.0404, mccbr.org MYSTIC KREWE OF ROYALTY, PO Box 66571, 70896; 926.1698 PFLAG Baton Rouge, President Harold Truax, 225.218.8320 Lafayette, LA [337] ACADIANA CARES [Concern for AIDS Relief, Education, and Support], PO Box 386, Lafayette, LA 70502; 203 W. 3rd St., 70501; 233.2437, FAX: 235.4178; 800.354.2437 KREWE OF APOLLO / LAFAYETTE, PO Box 53251, 70505 LEAGUE FOR EQUALITY, PO Box 53425, 70505 PFLAG/LAFAYETTE, PO Box 31078, 70503 ROYAL ORDER OF UNICORN, PO Box 3985, 70502 Monroe, LA [318] GO CARE 2121 Justice, 71201, 325.1092 New Orleans, LA [504] AIDS HOTLINE, 821.6050 in New Orleans, 1.800.99.AIDS[2437]-9 toll free statewide ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, 828.3399 BELLE REVE NEW ORLEANS, AIDS Residence for Families, PO Box 3305, 70177; 945.9455 BIG EASY M.C.C. (Metropolitan Community Church of Greater New Orleans), Sunday Worship at St Matthew’s UCC, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave. at Willow. Fellowship after service. Mailing address: 1333 S. Carrolllton Ave. New Orleans, LA, 70118; 213.4340, p a s t o r @ b i g e a s y m c c . c o m , www.bigeasymcc.com BROTHERHOOD, INC., To decrease the spread of AIDS and HIV among African Americans, 1661 Canal St., Suite 3230, 70112; 566.7955 CAVALIERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB: Gay motocycle group sponsors monthly day rides and other riding events in New Orleans area. Visit www.cavaliersmc.comc or call 782.5625 or e-mail info@cavaliersmc.com. CHURCH OF CHRIST THE LIBERATOR, Sun. 11am Service, 607 Marigny St. (behind The Friendly Bar), ChristTheLiberator.ORG COMING OUT SUPPORT GROUP, meets 1st Wed. of each month, 7:30-9pm, Info: Liz 482.4012; Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 2114 Decatur St., 70116; 945.1103 COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, a project of the NO/AIDS Task Force which works with the gay community to implement HIV prevention activities, 507 Frenchmen St., 945.4000, noaidstaskforce.com COPS 8 (Citizens' Organization for Police Support in the 8th District), 840 N. Rampart St., #51, 70116; 588.COPS (2677), cops8.org DRAMA! [A Gay & Lesbian Arts Organization], PO Box 52565, 70152; 948.9924, DramaNO.org, DRAMA@DramaNO.org FOOD FOR FRIENDS, 944.6028 FORUM FOR EQUALITY, 336 Lafayette, Suite 200, 70130; 947.2981, ForumForEquality@aol.com
FOUNDATION FOR MACRO BIOTIC WAY, enjoy-life.com GAY APPRECIATION AWARDS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049; AmbushMag.COM/GAA GAY COUNSELING LINE, 833.1500 GLSEN [Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network], 482.4081, Fax 595.8587, E-mail: glsenno@hotmail.com, glsenno.org GULF GENDER ALLIANCE [GGA], NonProfit Support Group for Transgender persons. Monthly meetings, socials and political activism. Privacy respected and expected. Interview required. Nondiscriminatory. Call 504. 324.4035 or write PO Box 56836, New Orleans, LA 70156-6836; gga.org, E-mail: info@gga.org HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS, INC., PO Box 52171, 70152-2171; halloween neworleans.com HATE CRIMES HOTLINE, c/o Family Service of Greater New Orleans, 504.202.2131. The Hate Crimes Project offers to assist those who feel that they may have been a victim of a hate crime. The project provides advocacy for persons victimized due to race, religion, gender and gender identity, age, disability, and/or sexual orientation. IN THIS TOGETHER, HIV/AIDS Case Management, 2511 Bayou Road, Suite B, 70119; Office: 504.962.3245, Fax: 504.962.3246; 962.3245, www.inthistogetherinc.org, michael@ittnola.org KOCKTAIL BUNCH BOWLING LEAGUE, Contact Glenn Culp, 504.861.0233 KREWE OF ARMEINIUS, PO Box 56638, New Orleans, LA 70156-6638, cetubby@cox.net, KreweOfArmeinius.ORG KREWE OF AMON RA, PO Box 7033, Metairie, LA 70010, KreweOfAmonRa.COM KREWE OF MWINDO, PO Box 51031, 70156; 913.5791, KreweOfMwindo.ORG, krewe@kreweofmwindo.org KREWE OF PETRONIUS, PO Box 71665, 70172, Pres. Arthur Alarcon 451.9507, Capt. Bill McCarthy 430.6695, Sec. Mae Falgout 484.6045, http://kreweofpetronius.tripod.com KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS / KING CAKE QUEEN ROYALTY CLUB, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM/ KCQ LaCARP [Louisiana Community AIDS Research Program], 584.1971 LA-LIFT, Social Club for Lesbians, age 50+, who have fun together on weekends. Email: armyvet20@webtv.net LAMBDA CENTER, 831 Elysian Fields Ave., 70117 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEW ORLEANS, 234 Loyola, Suite 421, 70112; 581.9106 LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY CENTER OF NEW ORLEANS, 2114 Decatur St., 701162013; 945.1103, Fax 945.1102, Email: info@lgccno.net LORDS OF LEATHER, P.O. Box 770435, New Orleans, LA 70071-4035, LordsOfLeather.COM LOUISIANA STATE GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION (LSGRA), 915.3339, lance@lsgra.com, LSGRA.COM MCLNO HOP Clinic, 136 S. Roman Street, 4th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112; Appts.: 504.903.6959, www.hopclinic.org METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS, Sunday Friendship Hour 4:15pm, Worship/Celebration, 5pm at St Matthew’s UCC, 1333 Carrollton Ave. at Willow; Mailing Address: PO Box 71024, 70172; 945.5390, www.mccgno.com MYSTIC KREWE OF SATYRICON, 1021 Gov. Nicholls St., 70116, 525.4498, MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM NEW ORLEANS BEAR & BEAR TRAPPER SOCIAL CLUB, PO Box 740894, 70174-0894; 529.6975, www.neworleansbears.com NEW ORLEANS GAY MEN’S CHORUS, 948.6884, nogmc.com; nogmc@aol.com NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL, nojazzfest.com NEW ORLEANS WOMEN’S MUSIC COLLECTIVE, 2903 Jefferson Ave., 70115; Ann 838.7918, Sydney 833.2834 NO/AIDS TASK FORCE, 2601 Tulane Ave., Suite 500, 70119; 821.2601; NOAIDSTaskForce.COM
30 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
N'R Peace, 3201 Gen. DeGaulle Dr., Suite 201, 70114, 364.1950 MOC/NO [Men of Color/New Orleans], 482.5341 OFFICIAL GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, info@gayeasterparade.com, GayEasterParade.COM OFFICIAL GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM OFFICIAL GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM OFFICIAL SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM PEOPLE OF SUBSTANCE, INC. (POS), 7210 Arbor Dr., 70126, 244.1920, posnola.com PFLAG/NO [Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays/ New Orleans], PO Box 15515, 70175; 895.3936, 392.0001, pflagno.org, info@pflagno.org PROJECT LAZARUS, A Residence for PWAs, PO Box 3906, 70177-3906; 949.3609 REGIONALAIDS INTERFAITH NETWORK [RAIN], 523.3755 TAU HOUSE MINISTRIES, 1029 Governor Nicholls, 70116, roddyssnd@aol.com, 529.3569. Mass on Sunday 4:15pm; Vespers on Monday, Wednesday, Friday 6pm. Everyone is welcome! TO DO PRODUCTIONS, 948.9608, www.todoproductions.org VOLLEYBALL NEW ORLEANS, PO Box 13306, 70185-3306; volleyballneworleans.com, postmaster@volleyballneworleans.com WILLIAM J. FANNING FOUNDATION [Buzzy’s Boys & Girls], 2301 Chartres, 70117; 943.8929 Shreveport, LA [318] KREWE OF APOLLO/SHREVEPORT, PO Box 4918, 71134 PHILADELPHIA CENTER, PO Box 44454, 71134-4454; 222.6633 YWCAAIDS MINORITY COMMUNITY OUTREACH, 700 Pierre Ave., 71103; 226.8717
pets CHI-WA-WA GA-GA, 37 French Market Place, 70116; 581.4242; chiwawagaga.com FRENCH QUARTER PET ASYLUM, 510 Dumaine St., 274.0810
pharmacy New Orleans, LA [504] MUMFREY'S PHARMACY, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, LA 70043, 504.279.6312
photography New Orleans, LA [504] GRAHAM/STUDIO ONE NEW ORLEANS, by appointment, grahamstudioone.com
plumbers New Orleans, LA [504] AVALON PLUMBING, residential & commercial repair & remodeling, call Michael
237.0888
printers New Orleans, LA [504] SIR SPEEDY, 343 Carondelet, 586.9812
real estate New Orleans, LA [504] GREEN FIELDS REAL ESTATE, Agent Mary Lind, 874.4905, 598.1700 PRUDENTIAL GARDNER REALTORS, Agent Brett A. Rector, Cell: 453.2277, Office: 861.6400, brettinla@aol.com PRUDENTIAL GARDNER REALTORS, Agent Cathy Espenan, Cell: 344.2116, Office: 861.7575
restaurants New Orleans, LA [504] Bywater Restaurant, Deli & BBQ,3162 Dauphine St., 944.4445 Cafe Amelie, 912 Royal St., 412.8965 Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, CloverGrill.COM Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 Krystal, 116 Bourbon at Canal, 523.4030 La Peniche, 1940 Dauphine St., 943.1460 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Pl., 522.9500 Magazine Perks, 4332 Magazine, 899.2911, MagazinePerks.COM Marigny Perks, 2401 Burgundy, 948.7401, MarignyPerks.COM Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746
Orleans Grapevine, 720 Orleans, 523.1930 Petunias, A Restaurant, Cajun, Creole, Crepes, Cocktails, 817 St. Louis, 70112; 522.6440 Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St. , 529.1416 Tomatillo's Restaurant, 437 Esplanade Ave., 945.9997
retail/shopping New Orleans, LA [504] ALTERNATIVES, 907 Bourbon St., 70116; 524.5222 BOURBON-STRIP TEASE, 205 Bourbon St., 70130; 581.6633, bourbontease.com ESTATE TREASURES CONSIGNMENT SHOP, 2014 Magazine, 679.6600 THE HERB IMPORT COMPANY, 711 St. Peter [in French Quarter], 525.4372; 5055 Canal St. [near City Park Ave.], 488.4889 PANDA BEAR, 415 Bourbon St., 529.8064 QUEEN FASHIONS.COM, queenfashions.com, exoticfashionmall.com RAB DAB CLOTHING AND GIFTS, 918 Royal St., 525.6662 SERENDIPITOUS MASKS, 831 Decatur St., 522.9158 SECOND SKIN LEATHER, 521 St. Philip St., 561.8167
GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 31
TOP DRAWER ANTIQUES, 4310/18 Magazine St., TopDrawerAntiques.NET
hot tails of red stick ...from 24
allons acadiana
spas New Orleans, LA [504] CLUB NEW ORLEANS, 515 Toulouse, 581.2402, www.the-clubs.com FLEX NEW ORLEANS, 700 Baronne St., 598.FLEX [3539] SPA ATLANTIS PROFESSIONAL SPA & SALON, 740 Gravier St., 566.8088, SpaAtlantis.NET
tattoos/piercings New Orleans, LA [504] AARTACCENT TATTOO & PIERCING, 1041 N. Rampart in French Quarter, 581.9812
theatres New Orleans, LA [504] LE PETIT THEATRE DU VIEUX CARE, 616 St. Peter, 522.2081 MARIGNY THEATRE, 1030 Marigny St., 947.0505
websites CRESCENT CITY, CrescentCity.COM GAY AMERICA, GayAmerica.COM GAY AUSTIN, GayAustin.NET GAY BARS, GayBars.COM GAY PENSACOLA, GayPensacola.COM OFFICIAL GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayEasterParade.COM OFFICIAL GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM OFFICIAL GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM OFFICIAL SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM
by Patrick Clinton Email: BlondAtULL@aol.com
A
s always, Mardi Gras in downtown Lafayette was an incredible event. From breakfast at Back Side in the wee hours of the morning to a special Carnival Karaoke that night at Sound Factory, John and Mark and the rest of the crew at Acadiana’s favorite gay bars made sure everything went off without a hitch. I believe they actually succeeded in making this year’s celebrations the best yet, and if you missed out, all I can tell you is you missed one hell of a party. But don’t worry, just because the Carnival Season is over doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Sure, Lent is upon us, but that won’t be stopping Sound Factory and Back Side from making sure the lull between Mardi Gras and Easter isn’t fabulous. To help bring in the warmer weather, Sound Factory is hosting a sizzling hot show packed full of some of the best entertainers around. On Friday, March 13, the club is providing the unforgettable talents of Kofi and Stephanie Stevens. These two impressive entertainers will be performing with some of their most talented friends, showing once and for all, this Lent you don’t have to give up on fun. The event is the perfect way to kick off Spring, and I know you surely don’t want to miss it.
Besides hosting the best shows and entertainment in Acadiana, don’t forget the Sound Factory and Back Side have a weekly line-up that makes every night seem like a special celebration. With their daily Happy Hour specials, they always make sure that every night of the week is its own special party. And since they are open seven days a week, they always have something incredible planned. Whether you’re looking for a quick drink after work or a wild night on the town, their separate weekly line-ups make even the most uneventful night fresh and new. From Show Night every Sunday and Karaoke on Tuesday to their unforgettable dance parties every Friday and Saturday, when you plan a night out at Sound Factory and Back Side, you know it’s going to be an adventure. And with ever changing drink specials, you’re sure to get a great deal. I know a lot of you are all partied out from Mardi Gras, but don’t think for a moment the end of Carnival represents the end of fun. Over the next few weeks, there’ll be all new celebrations. So don’t get too comfortable sitting around the house. You might just miss some of the wildest nights of the year. Until next time, have fun and be safe. I’ll see you around downtown.
the beans, so to speak. I didn’t realize that one of the Chris guys I’ve been posting pics of was the reigning Mr. Apollo. In fact, Belinda is the current Miss Apollo. They are a great choice to hold these titles. Michael, Tim and EJ came by my house and spent some time. Several friends leave their beer packs on my porch and stop in frequently to replenish their supply. John and Phil brought by a king cake, and we enjoyed that before the parade started. I usually have a lot of snacks out on my porch, but I’ve been kinda’ under the weather, so I didn’t go all out this year. I did appreciate the flamingo from Tim and Michael to hang on my porch. So many people head to the LSU lakes to retrieve those large ones, but they are a little too gaudy for my taste. I like the small ones standing in my flower pots, and now this one that looks great and means more to me than sneaking out into the lake and coming up with one. Mark and Michael looked great in their masks giving me those Mardi Gras waves. This is another of the finest couples in old Red Stick. I go back a long way with Mark, and I dare not reveal the secrets here either. It might indicate how old we are. And I don’t want to embarrass other half Michael who is such a youngster. One or my favorite sights this year was the shirt that Aaron was wearing. The message stood out vividly, and I hear that a certain policeman gave it to him on this 21st birthday. At any rate, it looked great on this handsome young stud. It was also nice to see all the [continued on 38]
32 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
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Chad enjoying Mardi Gras at Back Side
Natalie relaxing at Sound Factory
Travis laying low at Sound Factory
Ross all dressed up at Sound Factory Lisa before the parades at Back Side
Alex being festive at Back Side
Bud waiting for drinks at Sound Factory
Brian getting wild at Sound Factory Chris bartending at Sound Factory Tony bartending at Back Side
Stephanie showing her spirit at Back Side
Daric hanging out at Sound Factory
Reed is always happy at Sound Factory
Dallas returning to bartend at Sound Factory
Mitch visiting Back Side
Eddie is all smiles at Sound Factory Kevin doing Mardi Gras at Back Side
Micah & John at Back Side for Mardi Gras
Mark perusing Ambush at Sound Factory
34 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
Mardi Gras in Acadiana ~ Lafayette, Louisiana ~ Photos by Patrick Clinton
Macky all decked out at Back Side
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Bob takes a drive on the Jaeger Trike Bob with the Widow Cain & Gabriel’s owner Carl
mobile
Floats travel thru the Fruit Loop in Mobile
DJ Robbie spins at B-Bob’s
Corey attacks David for the beads
Bacchus owners Stevie & Rick
Dueling pianos at Dahlias on Dauphin Captain Morgan & his Crew at Vision’s Twist
Sam & the Boys with Ms. Loretta at Vision’s Twist
Bartenders Joe & Jerry slingin’ cocktails at B-Bob’s
36 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
Mardi Gras by the Bay ~ Mobile, Alabama ~ Photos by Bob Brunson
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GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 37
spotlight Celebrated Hollywood Actor, Equal Rights Advocate, Wilson Cruz, featured at Mobile’s Community Unity Awards
H
e’s been a tireless opponent of California’s discriminatory Proposition 8. He’s also co-starring with Drew Barrymore in the recent number one box office smash He’s Just Not That Into You. And now actor and human rights advocate Wilson Cruz is coming to Mobile, Alabama. “I know very little about Alabama, that’s the thing!” says Cruz, speaking on the phone from California. “Your perception of a place is based on what you see in the media, and that’s something that’s probably 40 or 60 years old!” But Cruz’ reason for coming to Mobile, Alabama is something that could not even have been imagined six decades ago - an annual awards ceremony to acknowledge the port city’s gay and lesbian leaders and their achievements. AQUA’s “Community Unity” Awards Saturday, March 14 is the city’s third such presentation. And it comes at a time of both disappointment and celebration for the 35 year old Brooklyn, NY native. Cruz is celebrating because his new movie, He’s Just Not That Into You recently soared to number one at the box office. But the actor is still feeling the bitter sting of the passage of Proposition 8, a measure passed by California voters that wiped away the rights of gay residents to marry in that state. “Those of us who knew what was happening were worried. But the gay population didn’t think it was going to be the slap in the face it ended up being. I think that we forget that change takes work... I don’t think we did that work here to the extent that we needed to.” But it’s unlikely that Cruz will abandon hope for the repeal of Prop 8, or any other cause he believes in. His appearance at events like Mobile’s Community Unity Awards is an indication of his passion for the lesbian and gay community. “It’s important for me,” says Cruz. “I’ve been doing them (events) from the beginning of my career. It keeps me grounded and reminded that I’m part of a bigger struggle. If I wasn’t an actor, I’d be doing activist work.” Cruz even took a year off from acting to work for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “I get to live this very fun life and I’m reminded that there are people out there doing very hard work. That work allows me to do this. It keeps me humble, honestly.” Cruz’s energy toward activism doesn’t come by accident. He’s taken on the challenge of helping homeless gay teens because he knows how they feel. He was once a homeless teenager after his father discovered he was a homosexual. “My dad threw me out. But we reconciled a year later,” he’s quick to add. But Cruz knows that’s not always the case. ”When we were kids and were young we were focused on the right now and the immediate. And that can be overwhelming. Issues to teens can seem like the end of the world! They won’t love me, I’ll never find love... And so, when I hear this, I want to
hot tails of red stick ...from 32 Hedonites out and about. I used to be a member of this krewe that was started by handsome lawyer Possa. In fact, I recall that first Krewe of Hedon ball I attended vividly. I danced the night away with a beautiful lesbian, who I can’t name here, but she is still around and still as lovely as ever. Another of the beautiful L members was absent this year, or at least I didn’t run into her. I speak here of that very handsome and outstandingly gorgeous Suzanne. I barely knew her when she came begging to use my bathroom, which of course was fine. At least she didn’t bare all for the street people to view like those five women I mentioned earlier. Class is always better than ass – well, most of the time anyway. I told Sam that his favorite Splash guy was out in skimpy pink shorts with that weenie hanging to the left. Every now and then, I noticed that he would tweak it to keep it in the semi state. Well, it was a sight to behold – and so was his stud partner Chris. Oh, my goodness – now you are going to know I’m talking about Quentin. The crowds this year were nice, but it is still a nuisance in a way. There was a big party in the driveway across the street, and the lawyer and his friends down the street had a band and blocked everything off. As I eased out the back way after everything settled down, I noticed so many young people staggering around. I just hope they were all ready to go home and had a safe
journey. I wish I could have seen my Lafayette friends Kenny and Garland, but I know they were here because I saw my computer buddy’s pictures. Today, as I drive around the downtown area, the litter is still there, and people were out cleaning up the mess. That always amazes me that people can come in and have no regards for what they are doing. They party, and they leave. The mess they leave behind is left for residents to clean up. Thank goodness the rain started about dark, and at least a refreshing cleanness came. The urine deposits were gone, and the plants didn’t have to suffer through all that mess. Now we have the memories of another great day in historic old Spanish Town. The sounds of the bands all over the area are gone. The smells of the cookouts are nowhere. The animals can not get back to living normal lives in a residential area – and I speak of the furry creatures here although I have to admit that sometimes the description applies to humans as well. So from Party Central at the corner of Spanish Town Road and 7th Street, I commend Jeff, Cory, and his workers for putting on another great time for their workers and friends. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see David, Brad, or Lance, but if they came it was after I returned to the safety and comfort of my bungalow home in the heart of old Red Stick. Thanks guys! You do a great service to the gay and lesbian community. Now that I’ve said that, maybe Cory won’t “whoop up on me.” Okay?
remind them that there’s a whole ‘nother world out there. And suicide is NOT an option! We need you to help us fight for the future.” The fight. Unity. Those are themes that often surface during a conversation with Cruz. He’s conscience of the sometimes fragile allegiances that exist in the gay community. And he says those must be strengthened to gain future measures of success and equality. “I think it’s the culture of political work,” says Cruz. “There are so many personalities and passions. And that’s necessary! That kind of dialogue and emotions are necessary. But when it comes down to it, you have to keep your eye on the prize... We have big egos! But you have to be selfless and ego-less and get the job done. We have to be willing to remember it’s not about us as individuals but us as a group.” And it’s here where Cruz returns to the beginning of our conversation... perceptions of Alabama and the South in general spawned by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s.
“The Civil Rights Movement. Those were big personalities, big egos. But in the end, they understood they weren’t going to live the lives they envisioned for their children... I may not have the career I think I deserve or any other gay person deserves, but my younger brother will derive opportunity form my sacrifice. You have to remember, it’s not about the immediate, but the future. If you’re capable and willing to do that, your own ego and needs are pushed aside.” Cruz says he already sees that kind of attitude opening doors for those younger than himself. “Sometimes,” he says, “you have to be the first domino to fall to get the rest to follow.” Wilson Cruz is the 2008 GLADD Award Recipient, and currently stars in the animated “Rick and Steve: The Happiest gay Couple in the World” on the Logo network. Cruz will be guest speaker at the AQUA Community Unity Awards on Saturday, March 14 at the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel in Downtown Mobile, Alabama. 6:30pm. Tickets are $35. For more information, visit www.AquaHelps.org.
out & about in mobile By Bob Brunson ardi Gras took Mobile by storm with festive parties at every bar, fantastic parades all month long and balls galore! The turn out of people from across the country was incredible and Mobilians and all their guest are partied out... but that will only last a day or two and the parties start again! March in Mobile is filled with activities and events. FUNLUVIN will host her monthly Gem’s and Fems Showcase at Vision’s Twist on Friday, March 6th at 10:30pm, and Miss Loretta will host her monthly Draggin on Dauphin at Vision’s on Friday, March 13th. On Saturday, March 14 th at the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel, the Community Unity Awards Dinner will be hosted by AQUA at 6:30pm with special guest speaker, Wilson Cruise. The following weekend the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel will become home to the 2009 Prides’ of the Southeast Conference. Pride Board Members from all over the Southeast will join together for workshops to help make all of your pride celebrations more exciting and inviting. The closing dinner on Saturday evening should be nothing less than fabulous with an incredible Mardi Gras styled party with a special surprise parade going right thru the ballroom. Rumor has it that their will be pirates everywhere so hold on to your jewels! Rumor also has it that a special guest appearance will be made by International Recording Artist Abigail, so this is definitely a DON’T MISS event! If you are unable to attend the POSE dinner on Saturday, you might want to make a quick trip on Friday night to the new Baldwin County nightclub, Club Evolution, where Abigail will also be performing on Friday evening March 20th. Right after the dinner at the Radisson, Miss Loretta will be hosting her annual Anniversary Show which will be held at Vision’s Twist. Miss Loretta pulls out all the stops for this fun filled drag-a-thon with many special guest appearances from her talented friends. Also B-Bob’s will have
M
the awesome Jerry Halliday and his Puppet Sista Girl live from Las Vegas. Ani Difranco will be live in concert at the Saenger theatre on March 24 at 8pm and Vision’s will be hosting an Ani Difranco look-a-like contest right after the concert. Who knows... maybe she will stop by to check it out! The Mystic Women of Color Annual Ball will be held on March 28th with an after party at Vision’s Twist hosted by FUNLUVIN. Keep your calendars clear for April 24 – 26 and be sure to come out and support the 2009 Mobile Alabama Pride GLBT Celebration and Parade. Check out the details at MobileAlabamaPride.com.
e-mail, letters TO: The New Orleans LGBT Community, RE: Thank you! On behalf of the Board of Directors of the LGBT Center of New Orleans, we want to thank the many people and organizations who have contributed to the rebuilding of our community center. First, we are grateful to all the people who made our recent fundraising show a great success: Aletha Bryant, who singlehandedly organized the entire event; John Paul’s for hosting the show, the fabulous array of talent who entertained; and, of course, all the people who attended and made the event the Center’s largest fund raiser since Katrina. Second, we want to thank all who responded to our January appeal: the Center members who contributed; the new members who joined; and our major donors who added tremendously to our financial stability – Laura Peebles, Volleyball New Orleans, and P-FLAG New Orleans. Third, we want to express our gratitude to all the community members who have worked so determinedly to get the Center up and running in our post-Katrina [continued on 41]
38 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
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40 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • March 3-16, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM
Mystic Krewe of Lords of Leather Bal Masque XXVI: A Lordly Celestial Evening ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Ambush
snap
one last song by Donnie "Jager" Jay, SDGM XXXII E-mail: donniejay@hotmail.com
Going Home: Part Five
I
f Kirk had felt the morning hours had gone slowly waiting for Sam’s call, this afternoon’s time seemed to be at a complete standstill. It was one thing to have been impatient waiting for a phone call from a new found love, but even Sam had dropped the bombshell that he wanted him to move into his condo and give up his French Quarter pad, his mind had been racing with the possibilities of what the move would really mean. First of all it would mean giving up his own home, as small as it was, there was not a single inch of it that he had not committed to memory by heart. Everything had it’s place, everything was always in its place, nothing was ever out of place, by necessity it had to be like that always. It gave him a sense of independence, something he cherished almost more than life itself. Would Sam be able to live like this in such an orderly fashion, he rather doubted that he would. Actually he doubted than any full sighted person would be able to do so, after all they did not have to live in the shadowy blur like he did, unable to tell colors and only able to see the outline of objects in full light. The more he thought about, the more he agonized over the decision that was at hand. He wanted to say yes, desired it more than anything he had ever craved before, to spend the rest of his life in the arms of this hunk of a man and be there every night to satisfy his every desire no matter what it would be on any given occasion. He wanted to feel Sam’s nakedness covering his likewise body, to he engulfed within his sturdy frame and strong arms. His soft lips caressing every pore on his body, leaving a trail of little wet kisses ever so lower on his body, seeming to cover every iota of his skin. Oh he had been made love to before, what he had considered to be the epitome of lovemaking, but no one before Sam really in retrospect seemed to possess the knowledge that this man, his current lover did. There was just something about his execution that set him so far above all the others that had come before him. Yes indeed, Kirk had gotten his fair share in the journey through his life thus far. He had gotten more than his allotment of tops and bottoms, and those that claimed they were very versatile, which he had learned over the course of time came to mean, I really prefer to bottom but if you insist to the point of hysteria I’ll top you once in awhile. Now he had a man that lived by what he said who would take any position at the drop of a dime and not feel any less manly in doing so. The fact is someone like Sam only came along once in a blue moon. He thought about all this and he wanted to scream out loud; yes, yes I wouldn’t consider going on another day without you. Yes, yes a thousand times yes. Then just as he was sure he had made up his mind, he began to think, was this really fair asking this man to alter his life-style so drastically just so he could achieve total happiness? Was it fair to ask
him to keep things in one place, just so he could know exactly where things were? Could he ask Sam to hang things in a regimented way so when he dressed to go out he wouldn’t make a fool of himself by wearing mismatched outfits? Lord, Sam would more than likely tire of that after a short time, they all said that would not be a problem, but then most of the time when he had shared his home and bed with another, they seemed to forget, either by accident or in some instances cruelly on purpose. The phone rang, he hesitated to pick it up, that was another thing, and should he answer it? He waited for the answer machine to pick it up and then he heard Sam’s voice. “Hey babe, if you can hear me please pick up.” He did so. “Kirk?” such a silly question, who else had Sam left at his condo, then of course, he hadn’t answered. “Kirk, is that you.” Sam questioned him again. “I imagine so,” he laughed “that is unless you left someone else hidden somewhere in this huge ass place.” “You’re the only one I remember bringing home today, has anyone crawled out of a hidden room or something.” ‘”There are hidden rooms up here on top of the sky?” “Not that I’ve found as yet, but there may be.” Now he laughed. “Have you given any thought about what I asked you when I dropped you off?” There was no answer from Kirk, “Are you still on the line?” “I’m here, look Sam we have got to talk this thing out, I mean you just dropped it on me out of nowhere.” “No it didn’t just come from nowhere, it came from my heart. I couldn’t stop thinking about us since I dropped you off after last night. I thought how senseless it was having to do so; you belong here with me up among the clouds. You should be the queen of Olympus.” “The queen of Olympus?” “Or the king, if you would rather be it makes no damn difference to me, you know I don’t believe in pigeon holing people like that; hell be both if you wish to be, I will obey any command. Change who you want to be on a daily basis if that is your wish and I will be the proper consort to abide by your every desire. Think about it, I’ll be home in about half an hour, believe me when I say you will not get a better or more sincere offer of undying love, this I can promise you, and I know what I’m speaking of.” “I don’t doubt that you do, it’s just that I have these insecurities, hang-ups if you will.” “Look go get undressed and I’ll meet you in the spa and we’ll work on those insecurities as soon as I get there.” That was it, he just hung up. Kirk knew that when Sam got home he would be putty in his hands and he so wanted to just toss of his clothing and be waiting for him, but once again he started in with arguing the pros and cons again in his mind. He didn’t get undressed, instead he grabbed the light jacket he had
brought with him, reached for the phone and began dialing for a taxi to take him back to his place, his home, the one place where he knew he would be safe and secure. He was regretting this but it was being rational. Sam arrived home at exactly forty-five minutes later, and once the door closed behind him, he started stripping down to nothing. He had never gotten undressed with such speed before. He called out Kirk’s name mid way through the hallway, but there was no answer. Well why in the hell would there be if he was sitting waiting for Sam in the hot tub, he wouldn’t here him out there. Sam picked up his jacket and removed an ornately wrapped box from a pocket and walked into the master bedroom. He looked in the mirror and for once the figure in it stared back proudly, as if seeing the perfection he had achieved with his body for the first time. He swelled with pride, not in an egoistically way but happy in the fact that he was giving this perfection to the man he loved more than anyone or anything in this world. He had thought he had found it with the first Kirk, but that having ended so tragically, he had resigned himself to a life alone. Then along came this remarkable man, also named Kirk, and who would have thought brought him back among the caring and living. He had gone to his last client and stopped in route to buy a ring, he planned on giving it to his love in the buff, nothing between the two of them but their own nakedness. He was madly in love and was not going to take no for an answer. He went to the glass doors in the master suite and flung them open, flexing every muscle like a rooster strutting his stuff to arouse the hens at the first break of dawn. He wanted to crow in the worst way, but realized it may just be a bit much; instead he called out for his mate again. And again there was no answer. He strutted out onto the rooftop next to the pool where he would be in full view and turning faced the hot tub, but there was no Kirk there, it was empty. That was almost ten years ago almost to the date, when the hot tub was empty and there was no answer when he called out. Like a child he kept calling Kirk, refusing to believe he left. At first he thought he had been played a joke on. Then he began to feel he had just been played. He stretched out by the pool burying his face in his hands and began to weep. This couldn’t be happening, how cruel could fate be to lead him down this path again, only to leave him alone once again. He lay by the pool silently allowing the tears to fall until finally Morpheus came at last and carried him off unto dreamland. Dreamland where everything can be just as you always wished it could be and there he came to feel unbridled happiness. There he was able to make love morning, noon or night with his beloved Kirk, who was forever waiting and receiving him. He held him tightly afraid to loosen up lest he disappear again. Slowly he opened his eyes to make sure he was not dreaming or worse having that damn recurring nightmare he had that day he came home to find Kirk gone. But that was long ago now, Kirk had returned before dawn came to end that night, and when he found him lying naked by the pool, he undressed and laying next to him, aroused him and gave him the best loving he had ever gotten. When he had finished with Sam, Sam reached for the box that contained the ring and silently handed it to
Kirk. Kirk opened it; a single tear flowed down his cheek as he fingered the ring. “Yes.” He whispered. “Till we are able to really marry, I want to go register for domestic partnership in the morning. Will you be mine, Valentine?” Kirk nodded yes and as fate would have it the ONE LAST SONG they heard that morning, with the dawn breaking was For Once in my Life. THE END. You may contact me at donniejay@hotmail.com.
obituary Rowdy
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eloved little icon of the French Quarter, Rowdy brought a little bit of magic to everyone’s trip to New Orleans. This gentle little horse enchanted babies, the elderly, the handicapped and tourists from all over the US and abroad. After kicking off Mardi weekend on Friday night, he died suddenly and unexpectedly from an undiagnosed seizure disorder. He was dearly loved and will be sorely missed.
e-mail/letters ...from 38 world. Rebuilding has been a tremendous challenge that some thought impossible. Prior to Katrina, the Center had almost ceased to function. Funding had been lost. There were no paid members. The data base had disappeared. All the financial records had been destroyed by the storm. Bills had been left unpaid. The few remaining board members were seriously considering closing down the Center altogether. As a result, the individuals who came forth to reopen the Center three years ago had to start from the ground up. Their contributions have been nothing less than heroic. Especially valued are four individuals who volunteered to be officers of the Center’s reorganized board of directors. Mary Griggs, in addition to serving as cochair and bringing order to the chaos of the Center’s destroyed banking records, contributed her skills to reestablish a strategic plan for the Center. Charlotte Klasson stepped in as treasurer and kept our financial records with perfection, while also providing the constant voice of fiscal responsibility. Dave Haynik volunteered his IT skills and also served as co-chair. And Shawn Johnson organized support groups and took over the duties of board secretary. Because of all these contributions, the Center is now in better shape than any time in the last five years. The current board members expect the coming year to produce substantial growth in providing service to our community. But much needs to be done. Everyone is welcome. Bring your time and talents and help build a community center that is, truly, the center of our vibrant New Orleans community. You will find us at 2114 Decatur Street, between Frenchmen and Elysian Fields; at 504.945.1103: and at info@lgccno.net. --Crystal Little and Roberts Batson, Co- chairs, The LGBT Center of New Orleans
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It’s Carnival Time in The Big Easy ~ New Orleans
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