Ambush Magazine Volume 37 Issue 05 by Ambush Publishing

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTH™

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 37 ISSUE 05

TUESDAY, February 26

www.AMBUSHMAG.com

OFFICIAL GAY MARDI GRAS GUIDE™ (See Page 20 for Event Guide)

THE “OFFICIAL” DISH by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, Mardi Gras is here and in full swing! We have finally reached the home stretch with plenty of fun still to be had. If you haven’t been to a gay Mardi Gras Ball this season, you still have time. The Krewe of Armeinius’ 51st Annual Ball is Saturday, March 2nd at Mardi Gras World and the Lords of Leather 36th Annual Ball is on Sunday, March 3rd at the Alario Center. Tickets are going fast to both events so if you want to go you need to act fast before both events sell out. While we are on the subject of Mardi Gras balls, on February 16th I had the opportunity to attend the Inaugural Ball for the Order of Dionysus in D’Iberville, Mississippi. It was a great event and I would like to thank all my friends along the coast in Mississippi for such a warm welcome. When talking to several of the organizers of this event, all expressed their desire to have a ball along the Gulf Coast that promoted diversity and inclusiveness

for everyone in the community. The talent included Nicole Dubois, Aubrey Synclaire and American Idol finalist Ada Vox. The Monarchs for this year’s ball were Kara Coley and Rhiannon Owens. Congratulations to both and to everyone who helped put on a very entertaining event. Be sure to flip through this issue of Ambush for more pictures from Gay Mardi Gras Balls throughout the Gulf South. Also, check out the ads in this issue along with the list of events for all the Hot Happenings this Mardi Gras. We also have a list of great places to eat so be sure to support our advertisers and be safe this Mardi Gras season! 32ND ANNUAL GAY MARDI GRAS BEAD TOSS Join King Cake Queen XXV, Tiffany Alexander, and friends for the 32nd Annual Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss in front of the home of Randy Roig & Brian Weimer located at 811 Bourbon

Inside this Issue of Ambush Community Voice: “What’s New With NOAGE?”

Literary Spotlight: Cassie Pruyn, J.M. Redmann, & Brad Richard

Musings by Catherine: The Importance of Advocacy

THE ROCKFORD FILES: Earth without art is just “Eh”

Chop Chop: Dining in the Big Easy for Mardi Gras

Snap Paparazzi Crossing

Interviews from Key West: The Five No-Good Dating Archetypes of Mardi Gras

Snap Paparazzi Out & About with the Krewe of Dionysus

Party Down

Snap Paparazzi Out & About with Tony Leggio

Under the GayDar: Mardi Gras Hot Happenings

Under the GayDar: Along the Gulf South

Announcement: A statement from Phoenix owner Clint Taylor regarding the citations fron the ATC

Moments in Gay New Orleans History: Lords of Leather

Phoenix, Renegade Bears offer free shuttle rides to Lords of Leather Bal Masque

Book Review: We & Me

Financial & Business: A Question for Retirees – Rent or Own Your Second Home?

Snap Paparazzi Out & About with the Krewe of Petronius

Trodding the Boards LGBT Owned & Friendly Business Directory

34 36-37

Snap Paparazzi Out & About with the Order of Osiris

Snap Paparazzi Out & About with the Krewe of Phoenix

A Community within Communities: Valentine’s Day Revisited

Local Authors to be Featured at Saints and Sinners Festival

Book of the Month: Top Secret Twenty-One & Tricky Twenty-Two

Bartender of the Month: Bleu Lux Rove

Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Announcement Party Set for March 15

44 44-46

Sports Gulf South LGBTQ Entertainment & Travel Guide Since 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana info@ambushpublishing.com

Street. The event starts at 2 pm and is always a highlight of the Krewe of Queenateenas Mardi Gras events. A special thanks to Randy & Brian for allowing us to use their balcony while the Ambush Mansion is undergoing renovations. On a personal note, I would like to congratulate KCQ Tiffany Alexander for being a pleasure to work with as we have coordinated all the events for the Krewe of Queenateenas. I can’t think of anyone who is more deserving to be this year’s King Cake Queen. May you have a great reign as KCQ XXV, The Silver Anniversary Queen. BIANCA DEL RIO IS COMING TO NEW ORLEANS Bianca Del Rio just announced the dates for her It’s Jester Joke tour and she will be in New Orleans at the Orpheum Theater on Sunday, November 10th at 8 pm. And once again this year, Ambush will be giving away 2 tickets to the event. The event is several months away so be on the lookout towards the end of summer for more information on the giveaway. Bianca is a native of New Orleans and was the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6. For more information visit thebiancadelrio.com MARK YOUR CALENDARS The Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Announcement Party will be held on Friday, March 15th at Crossing at 7 pm. Come join current SDGMs Frank Perez and Adikus Sulpizi as they announce who will be this year’s Grand Marshal. It’s always an exciting time of year when the new GM’s are selected. Crossing is located at 439 Dauphine Street. See you there! The 16th Annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival will be held at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, March 29-31. This event was formed to bring the LGBT literary community together to celebrate the literary arts. There are several forums, panel discussions and events throughout the weekend. For more information, please visit http://sasfest.org/#home Enter the discount code: Ambush20 for a 20% discount on your registration. The 20th Annual Gay Easter Parade will once again be held at 4:30pm on Easter Sunday, April 21st. This year the parade will once again be a fundraiser for Food for Friends. We will have more information in the coming weeks about the different fundraisers and events we will have leading up to Easter Sunday. For now, you can mark down Tuesday, April 16 as a fundraiser that will be held at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown.

Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Texas-Florida ANNUAL READERSHIP OVER 1M+ 260,000+ Print/780,000+ Online Official Gay Easter Parade Guide™ Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide™ Official Gay New Orleans Guide™ Official Pride Guide™ Official Southern Decadence Guide™

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR info@ambushpublishing.com CIRCULATION

Alabama - Mobile; Florida - Pensacola; Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Monroe, Alexandria; Mississippi - Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Jackson; Texas - Houston

PUBLISHER TJ Acosta EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reed Wendorf DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & EVENTS Chris Leonard SENIOR EDITOR Brian Sands CONTRIBUTORS Brian Sands, Catherine Roland, Crescent City Sports, Frank Perez, Jim Meadows, Kevin Assam, Persana Shoulders, Rev. Bill Terry, Rodney Thoulion, Ryan Rockford, Scot Billeaudeau & Tony Leggio LOCAL ADVERTISING sales@ambushpublishing.com Reed Wendorf NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Ambush Magazine is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush Publishing. Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 5pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: info@ambushpublishing.com. 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 Magazine. ©1982-2019 AMBUSH PUBLISHING LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS & PHOTOS.

4 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Oﬃcial Gay Mardi Gras 2019 Proudly Presents

King Cake Queen XXV of Gay Mardi Gras

Tiffany Alexander reigning as

“The Silver Anniversary Queen” 25th King Cake Queen Coronation February 26, 2019 - by invitation only

32nd Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss March 5, 2019 - 2pm - in front of the home of Randy Roig & Brian Weimer at 811 Bourbon Street

Oﬃcial Portrait by Craig Fremin Photography

Facebook.com/GayMardiGrasNOLA GayMardiGras.com www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · |The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 5

COMMUNITY VOICE

“What’s New With NOAGE?” Jim Meadows Executive Director, NOAGE info@noagenola.org

“What does NOAGE do?” “What’s new with NOAGE?” I am asked those two questions almost every day. I’m always pleased to be asked, and I never get tired of answering because there are so many great things to share about this organization that I have been so privileged to serve. It’s been a little while since I gave an update on NOAGE to Ambush readers so, without further ado, here are the answers to my two favorite questions. New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) was formed by a group of local activists, healthcare professionals, and other community leaders who were concerned about the challenges facing LGBT older adults--loneliness and isolation, discrimination and bullying in long-term care facilities, higher rates of poverty, etc. In 2015, NOAGE became a 501(c) (3) organization and had its official launch. Since then, we have trained hundreds of local healthcare and other service providers in LGBT cultural competency, and we have launched a variety of recurring events and programming for LGBT older adults and their allies.

Coffee Talk was one of NOAGE’s earliest services. Each month we get together at the New Orleans Healing Center and have a group discussion, usually about topics related to selfcare, health, spirituality, or relationships, but we also like to shake things up sometimes. A couple of months back we had a fiction-writing workshop with local author and activist, Mary Griggs. Dr. Catherine Roland, a local counselor and NOAGE’s newest Board member, has been moderating most of the Coffee Talks lately, and her talents have helped make the group stronger than ever. We host Movie Night every few months at Chalmette Movies. Some of the recent films we’ve screened include Buddies, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Ritz. Paul Metoyer, who was involved in NOAGE from very early on, and served on the Board for several years, helped make Movie Night one of our most popular recurring events. LaQuan Fields took over for him this year, and she’s been doing a great job. About two years ago, NOAGE participated in SAGE Table, a nation-wide initiative to bring together LGBT peo-

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ple of all generations for a meal and conversation. 90 people showed up for that event, and we realized what should have been obvious: New Orleans people like to get together and eat! Since then, we’ve been hosting potlucks once a month. If you’re looking for a good way to meet new friends, I can’t recommend it enough. NOAGE Board member Mike Hardie is our potluck chairperson, and his amazing work has helped make this our most popular recurrent event. Kenn Mitchell, another board member, had been wanting NOAGE to provide more fitness opportunities for some time, so in 2018, we launched a Walk/Run Group, in collaboration with Stonewall Sports New Orleans. We initially walked at Audubon Park, but moved to the Lafitte Greenway toward the end of last year once the days started getting shorter. We’ll be heading back to Audubon Park soon, and we’ll probably also try some new routes around town. This group is perfect for people who are new to fitness, or looking to make new friends while getting back in shape. From early on, NOAGE has been lucky to have some of the greatest volunteers anyone could ask for. Last year, we began partnering with Tulane University’s Center for Public Service. It’s been a great privilege to see these inspiring young people perform service work so enthusiastically. They have been putting together a resource guide, helping us with various recurring events, and providing social support to their elders. Most of them have been students of Dr. Krystal Cleary, who has been one of NOAGE’s greatest champions this past year. One of her students, Eric Strain, is now working as an intern for NOAGE. Eric has been putting the finishing touches on the resource guide, and helping us with the early stages of planning for our November gala. Our other intern this year is Jasmin Funk. Jasmin is working on her Master’s degree in Public Health, with a focus in Epidemiology. She is helping us with our community survey. The New Orleans LGBT Adult Social and Health Information Evaluation (NOLA SHINE) is a collaboration between NOAGE and LSU Health Sciences Center. NOLA SHINE is a research survey about the social and health needs of LGBT persons aged 45 or older who live or work in the New Orleans area. Jasmin has been working with Drs. Andrew Hollenbach and Ed. Trapido to make some refinements to the survey, and we are now ready for a full-scale launch of that initiative.

If you are a member of the local LGBT community aged 45 or older, we are very eager to have you participate in the NOLA Shine survey. It will help us get a better idea of what your needs are, and how can be of greater service to you. To take the survey online, please visit: www.surveymonkey. com/r/NOLASHINE NOAGE was recently selected as the winner of the 2019 Joe Norton Award by the Association for LGBT Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC), a division of the American Counseling Association. This award is presented by ALGBTIC each year to an organization that has provided “an outstanding contribution to the LGBTQQIA community.” ALGBTIC is hosting their 6th Annual Rainbow Run in New Orleans this year, and a portion of the proceeds from that event will benefit NOAGE. I’ve saved the best news for last. NOAGE recently was awarded a major grant by the Gilead Foundation’s HIV Age Positively initiative. The funds from this grant will be used to launch a variety of new programming and services for people in our community who are aging with HIV, and for their healthcare service providers. We are now planning to launch a professionally-led support group for older adults with HIV, and we will also soon be hosting the first major healthcare summit in New Orleans focused specifically on HIV and Aging. (There will more information soon about these and other HIV and aging-related services that NOAGE will be providing for the community in the coming years.) Finally, I’d like to wish locals and out-of-town visitors alike a very Happy Carnival!

I’d love to hear from you. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for other services, events, or initiatives that you’d like NOAGE to provide for the community? You can always reach me at info@noagenola.org. I also urge you to consider making an investment in your future by supporting NOAGE. www.noagenola.org/support

6 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 7

LITERARY SPOTLIGHT

Cassie Pruyn, J.M. Redmann, & Brad Richard

Cassie Pruyn The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival was founded in 2003 as a new initiative designed as an innovative way to reach the community with informa-

J.M. Redmann tion about HIV/AIDS, particularly disseminating prevention messages via the writers, thinkers and spokes-people of the LGBT community. It was also

Brad Richard formed to bring the LGBT literary community together to celebrate the literary arts. The Festival has grown into an internationally-recognized event that brings together a who’s who of LGBT publishers, writers and readers from throughout the United States and beyond. The Festival, held over 3 days each spring at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, features panel discussions and master classes around literary topics that provide a forum for authors, editors and publishers to talk about their work for the benefit of emerging writers and the enjoyment of fans of LGBT literature. The 16th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival takes place March 29—31. Ambush readers interested in attending the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival enjoy a 20% discount off the registration fee by entering the code AMBUSH20. Register or learn more at http://sasfest.org/ Three authors who will be at the 2019 Festival are: Cassie Pruyn wrote Bayou St. John: A Brief History (The History Press, 2017) and the poetry collection Lena (Texas Tech University Press, 2017), won the Walt McDonald FirstBook Prize in Poetry and was a finalist for the Audre Lorde Award. Her poems, essays, and reviews have been published in numerous publications. Born and raised in Portland, Maine, and a graduate of the Bennington Writing Seminars, she lives and teaches in New Orleans. J.M. Redmann writes two mystery series, one featuring New Orleans PI

Micky Knight and as R. Jean Reid, the Nell McGraw series, about a Gulf Coast town newspaper editor. Her books have won First Place in the ForeWord mystery category, several Lambda Literary awards. The Intersection of Law & Desire was an Editor’s Choice of the San Francisco Chronicle and a recommended book by Maureen Corrigan of NPR’s Fresh Air. Redmann is an at-large board member of the Mystery Writers of America. Brad Richard has published four collections of poems: Habitations, Motion Studies, Butcher’s Sugar, and Parasite Kingdom (winner of the 2018 Tenth Gate Prize from The Word Works). A former faculty member at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and founder and chair of the creative writing program at Lusher Charter School, he is transitioning to a life of writing and new educational endeavors. More at bradrichard.org. Enter the discount code: Ambush20 for a 20% discount on your registration.

The 16th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival takes place March 29—31. For more information, please visit http://sasfest. org/#home

8 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

MUSINGS BY CATHERINE

The Importance of Advocacy Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com

New Orleans is an extremely popular city for conferences. I’m currently attending a national conference taking place in the French Quarter for counselors and other mental health professionals called Law and Ethics 2019. While listening to a speaker this evening who offered a program on advocacy for LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults, the speaker outlined the history of the past 5 years of legal action to support various types of discrimination that continue to plague our community. While there are many profound and wonderful things that have changed for the good of our community, I couldn’t help thinking about a time here in New Orleans when many of us had little hope for acceptance or equality for LGBTQ+ people. There was a tragic period from the early to mid-1980’s to the early 1990’s, when New Orleans, like many other cities, began to face the AIDS epidemic. Sometimes it’s important to review and revisit the important times in our lives. This is one of those times for me to recall how we made a difference. That we attempted to enlighten the people in the greater New Orleans area to be open, advocate for, and love members of the community, will always be important to share. This is a piece about HIV counseling and the NO/AIDS Task Force, relationships, and a time of rage, deep sadness, and fear. He was 23 years old, a law student, and terrified. He had come to the NO/AIDS HIV counseling center, which was literally a room in a church in the Quarter, in order to find out if he had tested positive for HIV. Let’s call the young man Bob. Bob is a composite of over 100 young men I had the privilege of talking with over the course of three years as a volunteer counselor and trainer for the NO/AIDS Task Force. This is how it went pretty much each time. I was running late because the downtown office, the Safe SexHIV center as we unofficially called it, was locked and the proprietor of the

neighborhood hardware store down the block held the key. I visited with the owner, who checked my name off the list of approved counselors and gave me the key to unlock the office and open the drawer where the small white envelopes were tucked away. In the envelopes were the confidential results of HIV testing from the week before, and that morning I was to talk with those individuals. HIV counselors were acutely aware that in that white envelope was what we then thought of as “the fate” of those we counseled in our hands, with profound sadness in our hearts. Bob was in the foyer, and as soon as I arrived at the church I invited him into the small room with a long table and two folding chairs. Bob sat on one side, with me on the other, and established eye contact. He showed me his official paper with his assigned test number, so I could compare it to my first small envelope in the packet. I explained that I did not yet know his results but that I would look at them and share them after we had talked for a while. There was some concern each time a result was given that the person would react in a way that might be harmful to himself if the result was positive for HIV, and the counselors were there to assess that possibility, offer help and referral. That’s why the counselors had to be actual counselors, and trained by NO/AIDS to do this work specifically. Some of these sessions were worse than others, but they were all difficult. Bob had a look in his eyes of defeat mixed with anger, and I had seen that before in young men who knew somehow in their gut they were HIV positive. My heart pounded and I was sure for a moment that he could actually hear it; I knew he could tell I was apprehensive. “Bob” I said quietly, “I am so sorry to tell you that your results came back positive for HIV.” He closed his eyes and he whispered, “I knew it” and put his head down

on the table. I reached across and put my hand on his head, and he reached up and grabbed it, and squeezed my hand as though he were in pain. He was, of course. We sat together for a bit, just being. He reluctantly agreed to allow me to set up an appointment at the NO/ AIDS clinic for the following day, then asked me if I thought HIV was going to kill him. As I write this it is important for me to remember that this was the mid-eighties, and often, men who were HIV positive were then diagnosed with AIDS. It was a time when HIV-positive men were shunned, lost their jobs, and were evicted from their home. They were judged ‘untouchable’ by many people, people who felt AIDS was contagious, and that it was contracted as a result of some retribution from God. I stood and walked around the table. He looked at me and stated quietly, “I don’t guess you can hug me.” My arms opened, he fell in, and the tears he tried so hard to hold back poured out. So did mine. I closed the door after Bob left, not quite prepared for the next young man I would see on that humid New Orleans morning. I thought about Bob, if he would finish law school (he had just started at Tulane), if he would return to his home in New York, if he had money, if he would survive. I felt anger that we had to meet in a small room that was dreary yet clean, hidden to all except

those who were given the address and an appointment because of the fear of violence by ignorant people who were afraid we were bringing death to the neighborhood. Protecting the anonymity of the client was paramount, especially early in the AIDS crisis. Fear of AIDS was permeating the hospitals in the city, even though New Orleans, being one of the most open in which I have lived, was way ahead of its time in AIDS-related assistance. Advocacy for a particular population is necessary in order to effect change. Through the training and dedication of several therapists in the city, I was able to co-write a manual for HIV Counseling training, which was used by NO/AIDS for many years. We finally found an appropriate space for monthly HIV counselor training. A church was secured, we conducted the first trainings there, and used that space for about two years. I spoke at city government meetings and other venues, advertising the call for trained therapists to volunteer for the community. By year three, we were holding massive trainings in one of the French Quarter hotels, all donated. Over 75 HIV counselors were trained, who subsequently volunteered and conducted trainings all over the state of Louisiana. Advocacy is a privilege, a gift for being a part of social change.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 9

THE ROCKFORD FILES

Earth without art is just “Eh” Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com Some kids know at an early age exactly what they want to do be when they grow up. Since grade school my best friend, Jim, always knew he was going to be a fireman, and he was. Erika was certain that she would be a vet, and she is. David felt destined to work in the field of graphic design, and he does. I was not one of those kids. In fact I wasn’t like most kids, I felt different. Whenever anyone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I didn’t have an answer. I never planned on growing up. In the hopes of sparking an unrealized passion or ability, like most adolescents, I dutifully engaged in various prerequisites of manhood, by hunting, fishing, playing sports and summer camp. I went so far as to become a swim coach and lifeguard for extra machismo credit. There was no doubt that I was physically “growing up” but I was very comfortable not thinking about the future or any professional employment possibilities. I couldn’t place my finger on it, but I still felt different from others my age – really different.

By the time high school rolled around, I had made some bold discoveries. I discovered that I liked nice things. I also discovered that I liked rhinestones and that I liked boys. There was a world beyond my New Orleans roots of shotguns and reptiles that I wanted to be a part of. To do that, I would need a job. But, doing what? During my freshman year, I remember overhearing classmates vacillate over which elective courses would better serve their career path. “Career path”? I bounced around extracurricularly during my freshman and sophomore years, looking for a hint of what it was I was supposed to do and who I was supposed to be. I tried martial arts, played baseball, snapped a few pics for the photography club, even R.O.T.C., but nothing was landing. In my junior year, on a lark, I auditioned for my school’s spring musical. Unbeknownst to me, that year’s production was a very big deal. The selection was Battle Star, an original futuristic piece, co-written by the drama club’s resident vocal instructor and the

choreographer, two sassy, flamboyant black queens who loved musicals. They were also the first two actual gay men I had ever met, or seen, in person. Oddly, in their company, I didn’t feel so different. The show’s star was Christopher Bourgeois, a soon-to-graduate senior, in what he expected to be a tour de force. Much to Mr. Bourgeois’ disappointment, the show was a colossal pile of shit. The only thing more unbearable than the show’s lumbering book was the completely atonal and forgettable score. According to those who saw it, if the curtain was up, you were catching the show on a bad night. I, however, was having the time of my life. Somehow I was cast in a leading role, second only to Chris. Turns out I could do more than carry a tune and had a “natural gift” for the performing arts, according to Henny and Penny, the affectionate nicknames the Drama Club had given to our not-so-musical creative team. What I remember most vividly, is that after we began rehearsals, in a flash, my career woes evaporated and I never looked back. I was going to be an actor! Go ahead and roll your eyes, if you haven’t done so already, you know you want to. Pre-Battle Starr, the performing arts were completely foreign to me, but after the first performance of my first show, I knew that the theater was where I belonged. Everyone else, not so much. According to other club members, at 16 years old, it was already a little late for me to be answering theater’s call. They rarely missed an opportunity to remind me that besides the years of acting, singing and dancing technique I’d already missed out on, there were thousands of Playbills to memorize, showbiz references to research and hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to be spent at Tower Records in pursuit of original Broadway cast albums. Yes, I said “albums”. The gauntlet had been tossed and I spent the next six years in the relentless making-up for lost time. I wanted to touch, move and inspire others through the magic of theater. The life of an actor was a rather surprising and improbable idea for the son of a Marine, who literally grew up in the sticks of the Louisiana bayous. Success would be unlikely, but not impossible. Even though my parents didn’t agree with me, the universe did. I had decided that I was going see the country by land and sea, experience the world, and be an actor on Broadway. Fast forward 20 years and, in a nutshell, after my college graduation, I sold my car, moved to New York and did just that. Few things in life resonate so deeply and completely within us that they render us powerless of choice. For me being an artist was one of those things. There are drama clubs across

the globe full of young men and women, just like me, who dare to dream. And why not? For the same reason we play the lottery, because, “Hey, ya’ never know.” I don’t believe we need to M.A.G.A. America is already great. But what would make it better is an increased appreciation of the arts and those who create them. Where would we be if we actually encouraged our youth to be creative? What if we allowed them, from birth, to follow whatever it was that gave them a sense of self and purpose? What are we afraid of? It isn’t money. America has money. But much like those late night scrolls through Amazon after a few drinks, we tend to spend our money on the wrong things, like the “what if” war. Let me be clear, I support the act of war. I believe that war, as a last result, may be necessary, if we are to protect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that defines our country. But it distresses me that BILLIONS of dollars are spent on “What if?” military supplies and initiatives and yet our government can’t find a few dollars to throw towards our public schools to foster the creativity of America’s youth. Out of those BILLIONS of dollars approved for military spending, would it really put America in jeopardy if we kept a few of those bucks for ourselves and spent them on a few crayons, some craft glue and maybe a tambourine or two?? Give me a break. I am also in favor of sports and healthy competition. But, again, it distresses me that so many schools have thriving sports programs but are forced to cut art programs due to the lack of funding. Aren’t you embarrassed that many of our nation’s public schools do not have art/music departments? If they do, the funds to support them are so meager that it isn’t uncommon, for our already underpaid teachers, to dip into their salaries so they may provide their classes with the most basic of art supplies. It embarrasses me. And frankly, it should embarrass you too. History has proven that it is possible to have a society that values the yin/yang of arts/sports. Both the warriors of Rome and the Olympians of Greece managed to have a glass of wine or two and take in a play every once in a while. They were even very tolerant of homosexuality but that’s another story… The damaging effects of our education system’s cultural deficit are most noticeable at the high school level. School is a rough time for almost everyone but the combination of puberty and high school amps up the anxiety level. Sports can provide a valuable outlet for adolescent frustrations while also teaching the power of teamwork, discipline and responsibility. Athletic programs are a great way to achieve these results, but they aren’t the only

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

way. America’s children deserve a more balanced distribution of funds that would benefit our schools across the board. Not every kid dreams of kicking a winning field goal or bringing their team to victory by knocking one over the fence when you’ve got two strikes, the bases are loaded and it’s the bottom of the ninth. I didn’t. If Facebook or YouTube is any indication, America loves a challenge. Instead of following in the lofty footsteps of The Cinnamon Challenge, the Ice Bucket Challenge or the Einstein inspired Tide Pod Challenge, I propose something different and far less dangerous. The challenge is this: If you have kids, or know of a kid or a nephew or niece, who’s interested in the arts, I challenge you to encourage them. Don’t kill a boy’s dreams just because they don’t involve pigskin. I challenge you to ask them questions about their future and listen without scoffing, rolling your eyes or dismissing their fantasies no matter how improbable they may seem. Even better, if they are in a play, go see it. If they are in a band, go listen. The ballet? Go. Opera? Go. It will mean the world to them. Whether or not the performing arts become a child’s chosen profession, it doesn’t diminish the necessity and worth of having art programs be a part of the American educational system.

Personally, I think some sort of art education should be as mandatory a part of academia as P.E. (Physical Education). It’s through stories and plays that we develop our creativity, a means by which we learn of courage and possibility. Through characters, we can identify and observe ourselves, watching as they, like we do, stumble and fall only to emerge stronger than before. Witnessing and experiencing the dramatic journey of plays and musicals gives us different lenses with which to view the world and perhaps realize that there isn’t just one view of life. Bringing words to life on stage enables us to try on a myriad of personalities that can help us discover the one that’s uniquely our own. Adding music only heightens the sensation. Music is one of this world’s most powerful mediums. Through its notes and lyrics we can summon emotions and feelings that we couldn’t before. Doing so allows us to express ourselves in a deeper and more authentic way than we ever thought possible. Choreographer Twyla Tharp is famous for speaking what many teenagers are thinking when she said, “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” The arts are magical. You only have to experience them to believe it.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 11

CHOP CHOP

Dining in the Big Easy for Mardi Gras There are so many wonderful festivities to enjoy this Southern Decadence in New Orleans. But don’t forget the increadicle culinary array available to you not only in the French Quarter, but the Marigny and Bywater, and out in Metairie, as well. Ambush recommends these great eateries to curb any hunger desires you may have, and of course, many serve up cocktails, a must have in The Big Easy.

METAIRIE RESTAURANT GUIDE

CHEF RON’S GUMBO STOP & PUB, 2309 N. Causeway Blvd, 504835-2022, Gumbostop.com. The Gumbo Stop is a quaint eatery serving five different types of gumbo plus New Orleans favorites, house specials, specialty sandwiches, daily specials, appetizers and desserts all prepared by award-winning chef Ron Iafrate. Open Mon - Sat 11 am to 9 pm. Closed Sundays

NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT GUIDE

THE BOMBAY CLUB, 830 Conti Street, 504-577-2237, Bombayclubneworleans.com. The Bombay Club serves up British fare with a Cajun twist along with handcrafted cocktails and specialty martinis. Enjoy live music showcasing the most talented jazz musicians in New Orleans. Dinner Mon - Thur 4:00 - 9:30 pm. Fri 4 pm - 11 pm Sat 3 pm - 11 pm Sun 3 pm - 9:30 pm Brunch Sat & Sun 10 am - 9:30 pm

BROUSSARD’S RESTAURANT & COURTYARD, 819 Rue Conti, 504581-3866, Broussards.com. A favorite fixture in New Orleans for nearly 100 years, Broussard’s is located in the heart of the French Quarter, featuring classic French & Creole food, old architecture, and tradition. Dinner Sun Thur 5:30 - 9:30 pm. Fri & Sat until 10 pm.; Brunch Fri - Mon 10 am - 2:30 pm. CAFE AMELIE, 912 Royal Street, 504-412-8965, Cafeamelie.com. Cafe Amelie is known for having one of the most beautiful courtyards in the entire French Quarter. The menu consists of Louisiana fare, and their shrimp & grits is simply delicious! Dinner Wed, Thur & Sun 5 - 9 pm. Fri & Sat 5 - 10 pm; Lunch Wed - Fri 11 am - 3 pm; Brunch Sat & Sun 11 am - 3 pm CAFE MASPERO, 601 Decatur Street, 504-523-6250, Cafemaspero. com. Located near Jackson Square, Cafe Maspero has sandwiches, seafood, Cajun & Creole classics in a casual dining atmosphere. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open daily 8 am - 10 pm, 11 pm on Fri & Sat THE CLOVER GRILL, 900 Bourbon St., 504.598.1010, www.CloverGrill. com. Since 1939, our quirky, cozy, unique diner has been home to the best breakfasts & burgers on Bourbon Street–maybe even the whole French Quarter! THE COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa

Street, 504-945-0742, Thecountryclubneworleans.com. Located in the heart of the historic Bywater neighborhood, The Country Club offers an elegant space and specializes in modern creole cuisine. Open 7 days a week from 10 am - 9 pm. 10 pm on Fri & Sat; Brunch Sat & Sun 10 am - 3 pm CREOLE HOUSE RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR, 509 Canal Street, 504-323-2109, Creolehouserestaurant.com. Creole House serves New Orleans classic Cajun and Creole dishes in a casual atmosphere. You can find everything from gumbo to shrimp & grits, chargrilled oysters to po-boys and more. Open 7 am daily serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. EAT NEW ORLEANS, 900 Dumain Street, (504) 522-7222. At EAT, you’ll find a wide array of Cajun, Creole, and other New Orleans favorites on the menu. FELIX’S RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR, 208 Bourbon Street, 739 Iberville Street, felixs.com. The Felix’s story is the story of the New Orleans Oyster Bar. Ask any New Orleanian where their Paw-Paw (or Grandpa or Poppy or Auntie) went for oysters and the answer you’ll get is Felix’s. GENE’S PO-BOYS, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave, 504-943-3861. Gene’s is famous for its New Orleans style poboy sandwiches chock full of ingredients. Open 24 hours.

ILY’S BISTRO, 2128 St. Claude Ave, 504-947-8341. Ily’s offers home cooking and friendly service, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring plates, poboys, and daily specials. LOUISIANA PIZZA KITCHEN UPTOWN, 615 S. Carrollton Ave, 504-866-5900, Louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com. LPK Uptown is a comfortable Italian eatery serving woodfired pizzas, salads, pastas and wine in a family atmosphere. Open 7 days a week from 11 am to 9:30 pm. Open until 10 pm on Fri & Sat. MONA LISA RESTAURANT, 1212 Royal Street, 504-522-6746, monalisaneworleans.com. Features Italian specialties including salads, pizzas, sandwiches and dinner entrees. Open Mon-Sun 5 pm to 10ish. Closed Tuesdays. PORT ST. PETER, 727 St Peter Street, 504-510-5556, www.portstpeter.com. Port St. Peter is a full service bar featuring some of New Orleans finest craft cocktails local beer and mouth watering hamburgers. SANTA FE RESTAURANT & BAR, 3201 Esplanade Ave, 504-948-0077, Santafenola.com. Santa Fe is a family friendly southwestern eatery known for strong margaritas and a large covered patio on Esplanade. Open 11 am - 10 pm daily except Mondays; Sunday Brunch 11 am - 3 pm $1 mimosas $3 Sangrias & Bloody Marys

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with at Sipps Gulfport PHOTOS COURTESY OF DWAIN HERTZ

12 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Crossing PEOPLE ARE CROSSING NOLA TO SEE AND BE SEEN AT CROSSING NOLA | PHOTOS BY TEAM CROSSING

CROSSING

Neighborhood video bar with a steampunk theme in the historic Vieux Carré.

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 7 AM – 9 PM OPENING HOURS 7 AM – 1:30 AM ADDRESS 439 Dauphine Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 523-4517

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 13

INTERVIEWS FROM KEY WEST

The Five No-Good Dating Archetypes of Mardi Gras Kevin Assam kevin-assam@hotmail.com Throw that coconut! If the krewe’s aim is sharp enough it just might land with a soft thud on top of one of the following archetypes thus benefiting all of our dating lives. Harnessing my limited knowledge of Mardi Gras after years of avoiding the Caribbean’s various Carnivals, let me present five categories of men, modeled after this season’s characters and costumes, that we should avoid — at least one of which you’ve probably romped with already. SOCK AND BUSKIN These tired faces of comedy and tragedy. Certain reassuring sags and pronounced frown lines confirm these men are luckily not slaves to botox or surgical repairs. No. They’re typically gorgeous. Not in a model-esque way — thankfully — but in an au natural way and glorious waves of salt and pepper hair. Educated. Worldly. Connoisseurs of fine spirits. Able to make body hair look so sexy. They rope you in with what seems like a jackpot blend of sophistication and enough handiness to warrant a tool shed. As you’re reaching over the table at the cute Italian restaurant, you think you’ve found him. Then a glitch appears. A subtle

recoil or the drop of an unsavory comment. Now you’re peeling back layers of prescription medication abuse and probing them on why they swiftly got rid of the last three “boyfriends.” It becomes clear that their problems aren’t as terrible so much as their inability to learn from past mistakes. In addition to the manic swings in behavior behind closed doors. He looked good. He spoke with an air of confidence. Really, he’s quite distressed and alone when he’s not ridiculously absorbed with his profession and amassing huge numbers of acquaintances but very few friends. You’ll fondly remember his good side but smile bigger for fleeing his inner crazy. THE TALKING MIME An oxymoron and a moron. Beautiful to look at and positively captivating, step right up to this frustrating dichotomy. Masterful at holding your attention and skillful in attracting onlookers’ curiosity, you disappointingly figure out that for all their hunger to learn, the capacity of their brain is quite limited. Reminiscent of a fun college dorm mate, Talking Mimes make lively party guests and fun late night company

TOYS • GLASSWARE • FETISH • APPAREL Cocksox, 2(X)ist, Jack Adams, Male Power, Pink Lipstick, Dreamgirl, Adore, Spartacus, Pipedream, Gläs 504.232.3063 1835 N. Rampart St. | In the Marigny Call for Hours

Photo of Mardi Gras Masks by Llanyd Lloyd

as you binge watch Drag Race. That’s it. They cannot offer anything else. Talking Mimes are vapid and over-reliant on their looks and gift of gab to explore even quasi-serious subjects like financial literacy and personal hygiene. They want everyone else to do everything for them while they pursue their fledgling role in the fringe arts. I imagine a lot of NYC club scene kids would have fit neatly into this role. These types of gents are not careful enough to stop unnecessarily flirting and leading you on, which often results in puppy dog love at your expense. Talking Mimes know a whole lot about nothing but fancy themselves experts on everything. You’re a mime. STFU. BARON OF BOURBON STREET Earning those beads. Constantly in the gay bars. Constantly. These self-appointed “Barons” can easily be mistaken for employees or equity holders because they appear to be permanent fixtures — right till last call. You never see them eating. You know nothing about their personal life — save for that one time you threw them a night of passionless thrusting and learned what collectible dolls and hideous wallpaper lined their disheveled rooms. We can barely call them drinking buddies because they’re always outpacing us with their Vodka Cranberries. The Barons of Bourbon Street are among the first we precondition ourselves to avoid since they clearly do not have a life beyond the night’s drinks. Be careful. Our fear of being lonely makes us susceptible to them. They’re easy to get caught up with on the nights we venture out alone and dare not look friendless at the bar. Be brave. We must put physical distance between us and them. MOKO JUMBIES High up on their stilts, Moko Jumbies are fun to stare up at for a few moments before our necks ache and the view becomes repetitive and boring. A bit like flambeau carriers, Moko Jumbies are great opening acts and may warrant an initial approach. But as we struggle to bear the full load of the conversation, extracting meaningful

information from them becomes akin to pulling teeth from a serpent’s head. Awkward and excruciating for one of the involved parties. Maybe they’re just too timid or suffering from lock-jaw syndrome. Despite their boy next door looks and hidden charismatic potential that we may glimpse, they will mentally “talk” themselves out of finding love or happiness. Prone to blaming everything on their one big failed LTR, they can’t seem to get out of their own way. Stilts are great visual tools. However, if these men are always twenty feet up in the air, they will never be on our level. Let them enjoy their perilous heights alone. PIERROT GRENADE This character in other countries’ Carnivals is a satirical caricature of scholarly and pretentious men often dressed in rags or burlap. In gay culture they manifest themselves as a not too distant relative of the Talking Mime. Except, they are often older and totally lacking in charm or physical attraction. While they admittedly are more knowledgeable in many areas — often supported by a diverse background in education or travel — they too reek of egotistical hyperbole and an inability to stop talking. Pierrot Grenades pique an initial sense of curiosity before sucking us into an orbit that we soon hope to be flung out of. Talking our ears off. Dismissing our opinions. Always one-upping our experiences. They are fabulous liars or the most immodest gents of the land. Prone to drinking their asses off — that is coincidentally the same place where they should shove their lack of self awareness. Kevin routinely stayed at home during the seemingly endless Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean. He still managed to meet every character mentioned here. Ask him about that time he interviewed a closeted witch. Kevin Assam is an average writer and hilarious interviewer originally from the Caribbean. He can be best described as a forty year old imaginative mind trapped in a pint sized twenty something year old body. His upcoming book is a collection of outrageous things overheard in Key West.

14 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Dionysus ORDER OF DIONYSUS INAUGURAL BALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBUSH PUBLISHING

16 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Dionysus ORDER OF DIONYSUS INAUGURAL BALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBUSH PUBLISHING

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 17

Party Down Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Mardi Gras is almost upon us and the city is bustling with activity. From parades and Mardi Gras balls to new venue openings and parties, there is something to do literally every night. So I started my week off as I often do with the NOAGE Monday walking group. The New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders starts walking every Monday night at 6:15 p.m. at the Lafitte’s Greenway right by Bayou Beer Garden. Our city is one of excesses, many of which are unhealthy. This group helps to infuse a little fun and fitness in our lifestyle every week. It’s a great way to meet new people and get those Fitbit steps in. Ding, Dong, Hello My Name is Elder Fun! I loved The Book of Mormon that recently played at the Saenger Theatre. I saw it on Wednesday night with my friend Matt and it was awesome. The cast put on an amazing show for New Orleans. I had seen it a few years ago and it is still the hysterical, take no prisoners musical that relishes its absurdity. If you are easily offended this is definitely not the show for you. From raping babies to sexual mutilation, nothing is off limits and all is done to a poppy soundtrack. Also, I wanted to give a shout out to Deja Vu restaurant. We had dinner there before the show and the food was delicious.

I normally eat there when I have had one too many so I never realized how good the food really is. And they have great weekly specials. If you want inexpensive, good food in the Quarter, check out Deja Vu! The following night, I attended the Tops of the Town party hosted by New Orleans Magazine at Republic NOLA! The theme was Speakeasy in the Big Easy which led to an evening of roaring twenties festivities. Anais St. John and The Boogie Men were the entertainment for the night and there was over 20 fabulous local chefs and eateries as well as endless libations. There was a great turnout and the crowd costumed to the hilt. There were gangsters and flapper girls aplenty. It was a great night. I kicked off my weekend with the grand opening party of the new Fillmore New Orleans. The Fillmore, a state-of-the-art 2,200 capacity live entertainment venue sets a new standard for music clubs in the city. The venue is located at the foot of Canal Street in the second floor space of Harrah’s. With lots of unique design and decor elements, the newest Fillmore has embraced NOLA. There is a sexy VIP room and a huge concert space with gorgeous chandeliers. And do not get me started on the bathrooms, just gor-

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED, CCS COVERS AREA SPORTS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE & PRO LEVELS WITH A KEEN EYE TOWARD PROVIDING THE NEWS & ANALYSIS YOU WANT. crescentcitysports.com facebook.com/ccsdaily @ccsdaily @ccsprep

geous, some of the most aesthetically pleasing I have ever seen. The party itself was just amazing. It seemed like the entire city came out to celebrate the opening. The food was delicious and the cocktails flowed. They had a pretty amazing musical line-up for the night, but the crowning touch was DJ Biz Markie, who is affectionately known as the Clown Prince of Hip Hop, who brought the house down and had people on the dance floor to the very end. On Saturday, the parties continued with the ribbon cutting opening of the new CrescentCare building. CrescentCare’s new comprehensive health center is located at 1631 Elysian Fields Avenue and combines four of its current New Orleans service sites with added space for expanded dental, primary health and behavioral health services. The 65,000 sq. foot facility includes 32 examination rooms, another eight for dental services as well as space for behavioral health therapy and psychiatric services. Mayor LaToya Cantrell was on hand to cut the ribbon alongside CEO Noel Twilbeck. This impressive state of the art facility is open and airy and has some of the best artwork donated from some of the top artists in the city. Guests enjoyed mimosas and light snacks as they toured the facility. Congratulations to the staff and board of CrescentCare on a beautiful new home. Later that evening, I attended the Sweet Arts Ball at the Contemporary Arts Center. You can say guests painted the town red that night, as that was the color of the evening. Live art performances, DJ’s, food from top restaurants, cocktails and a lipstick bar were

just some of the highlights that guests experienced at the event. It has been a while since I have attended this event, but the artistic vibe was still strong. I ended this week with an event on Sunday for the Lords of Leather. They held their annual Soup, Salad and Dessert fundraiser at GrandPre’s. I love this event because you get to delight in the culinary talents of the krewe. Guests were able to try 12 different soups as well as an array of desserts and salads. Each attendee was allowed five tickets to vote on their top soups and it was truly difficult because all the dishes were outstanding. My favorite was the chili. They had a lot of supporters out on this gorgeous Sunday afternoon supporting this great carnival krewe. The following weekend was all about the parades. I live in the Marigny, so my neighborhood was ground zero for Mardi Gras this weekend with three parades rolling through out streets. First on Friday night was the inaugural parade of Krewe Boheme. The new foot parade had some great marching clubs such as The Merry Antoinettes, The Krewe of Hellarious Wingnuts, The Krewe of R.U.M. (really unsophisticated men), The Krewe of S.L.U.T.S. (sexy ladies up to something), The Krewe of Goddesses and The Krewe of King James, will follow a green absinthe fairy, symbolic of the bohemian spirit. The first Supreme fairy was none other than New Orleans drag superstar Vinsantos. A great parade with stunning costumes and fun throws, my favorite catch was the Marie Antoinette head I received from my friend Genevieve. I’m already looking forward to next year. The next night was one of my favorite parades, Krewe du Vieux followed by krewedelusion. My friend Laura Tennyson once again hosted a fabulous party at her house for the parades. I love catching these parades in my neighborhood because it is all about house party-hopping since so many people have soirees. Laura had lots of drinks, food and great music. Both parades did a great job of satirizing our current political state both locally and nationally. I especially loved the Lyin’ King float. God, Trump is such an easy target. And there was an overabundance of blind referees this year. I have never seen such huge crowds in my neighborhood before. Looks like the walking parades are just as popular now as the float ones. On Sunday, the Krewe of ‘tit Rəx rolled and their floats were funnier and more politically-themed than Krewe du Vieux. The floats may be small, but the artistry and festiveness was massive. Well, that ends my two weeks, Mardi Gras is almost here. Enjoy the rest of the Carnival Season. Do you want your party or event covered? Invite me! ledgemgp@gmail.com

18 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com Untitled-5 1

6/1/18 1:01 PM

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Tony Leggio CRESCENT CARE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT THEIR NEW ELYSIAN FIELDS BUILDING | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY LEGGIO

AT THE FILLMORE NEW ORLEANS OPENING PARTY | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY LEGGIO

AT THE LORDS OF LEATHER SOUP AND SALAD PARTY AT GRANDPRE’S | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY LEGGIO

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UNDER THE GAYDAR

Mardi Gras Hot Happenings

Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

It’s Carnival time and everything in our world is purple, green and gold! Here are a few hot happenings to fill up your time between the parades. (If you have a fundraiser, party, show or event coming up and would like to be listed in the calendar, please email me at ledgemgp@gmail.com).

WEEKLY EVENTS SPECIAL NOTE: Some of the daily events may change because of the Mardi Gras holiday.

EVERYDAY

Happy Hour: The Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; 7 days a week from open until 9pm (7AM to 9PM). It’s $3 domestic beer and well drinks. $1 off everything else. Happy Hour: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street.; 7 days a week from 8 a.m - 8 p.m. Happy Hour: GrandPre’s; 834 N Rampart St.; 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. $3 Well/ domestics Happy Hour: Oz New Orleans;

800 Bourbon St.; 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

MONDAY

Martini Mondays: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; (all day) Tito’s and Deep Eddy martinis will be $3. Karaoke Monday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy happy hour prices all night long. Hosted by Denny with VJ Dollabill. S.I.N. Night: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; Starting at 9 p.m. Come drink with Ashlee. Get your SIN card and receive $2.50 canned beer. Pool Tournament: Rawhide 2010; 740 Burgundy St.; 9:45 p.m. $2 PBR and $50 gift certificate for Rawhide Lazy Susan Karaoke: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Join bartender Mark and a revolving cast of drag queen hostesses for LAZY SUSAN KARAOKE with Music by DJ Lucius Riley. Mondays are a drag, so make them fabulous and sing the night away. The line-up this month is 3/11 Hannibelle Spector. NOAGE & Stonewall Sports Walk/ Run Club: Lafitte’s Greenway; 6:15 p.m. Join Stonewall Sports New Orle-

ans and NOAGE starting at 6:30 p.m., meet for the walk/run at Lafitte Greenway. This will be a weekly event for walkers and the Stonewall Run Club will join every 3 weeks. This group is for ALL fitness levels, and you can go at your own pace. Whether that’s running, jogging, leisurely walking, or using a wheelchair or walker, this group is for you. If you are worried that you’ll be left behind, don’t worry; someone will walk with you. If you are the fastest person there, we’ll see you at the finish line. Please note: We will meet in front of Bayou Beer Garden at 326 N. Jefferson Davis Parkway. If you need assistance or have questions, call Jim at (504)228-6778. Service Industry Night: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. $2.50 domestic beers; $3 well cocktails; $3.50 imported beer; $5.50 Tito’s; $6 Jameson. Underwear Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; starting at 9 p.m. The Eagle now is open EVERY Monday night. Happy Hour prices if you’re in your underwear. Doors open at 9 p.m. and NO COVER.

Primal Nights: Bacchanal Wine; 600 Poland Avenue; 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. The team at Bacchanal is happy to announce a new season of Primal Nights! If you’ve been to a Primal Night before, you know that they’re big old backyard bbqs to benefit a good cause! Guest chefs come and grill out a personalized menu, the plate donations (~$20) all go to the charity of their choosing. Primal Nights have raised over $18,000 for notable local causes. They’ve decided to donate all of Winter 2019 Primal Nights to the Calfund Wildfire Relief. S.I.N.: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 1 a.m - 4 a.m. 2 for 1 drinks. Happy Hour All Night: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; Open to close. Well, Domestic, and Wine.

TUESDAY

Kocktail Karaoke: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 9 p.m. - 1 a.m., Join us at Good Friends Bar for Kocktail Karaoke. The winner gets a $25.00 bar tab. $5 Fireball. Country Dance Lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 8 p.m.

20 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Tuesdays are Country Dance lessons with the Big Easy Stompers from 8 - 11 p.m. Bourbon Boylesque: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 8:00 p.m. See the Men of Oz like you have never seen them before. The show stars Atomyc Adonis, Bobby B, Franky, Phathoms Deep and other special guests. Hosted by Trixie Minx. Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras: Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant; 1001 Esplanade Ave.; 8 p.m. Tacos, Tequila, and Tiaras is one of New Orleans’ only family friendly drag shows! Join hostess Vanessa Carr Kennedy every Tuesday, have a taco or two, and learn a little bit about the art of drag. Tunes Tuesday: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. Free Jukebox credits with a $4 drink purchase. Trivia Night: MRB; 515 St. Philip St.; Starts at 8 p.m. Every Tuesday at 8 you can join us for Who Wants A Dollar? Trivia! Free to Play. Plenty of Prizes. Tons of Fun. Teams of 1-6 welcome. Enjoy some killer drinks, amazing food from Woodies @ MRB, and out of this world trivia. Happy Hour All day and Night: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy; 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Every week on Tuesday from 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM the next day. Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy: The Allways Lounge; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Loose Hellfire presents their free weekly grown-up game show where everyone’s a winner! There is NO COVER for this sexy and silly game. Just buy a drink from the bar & Tsarina Hellfire will give you a Bingo Card! Each round winner gets a BUCKET of prizes including exclusive prints & a grand finale prize from Abita Brewing Company! Just for showing up you get to enjoy the free BURLESQUE side of this unique game! Between every round, Lefty Lucy performs an improvised striptease to a song the crowd selects, removing only one item per round—Don’t miss your chance to win the finale prize, and to see the tassels twirl!

WEDNESDAY

WednesGays at LPK Uptown: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen; 615 South Carrollton Ave.; 5 p.m. Join us every Wednesday to celebrate diversity. See old friends or make some new ones and find out what’s happening in the Nola community. All this while enjoying 1/2 price drinks from the bar. Invite your friends. Kafe Karaoke: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. – midnight. $25.00 Bar tab and Free Shots & Givea-ways with Happy Hour All Day. Oz Show Night: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 10:30 p.m. This pop-

ular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean. Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays are Trivia with Honey Bee at 7 p.m. with free jello shots and Bar Tabs. Hump Day: Rawhide 2010; 740 Burgundy St.; 4 - 9 p.m. 2 for $4 wells, draft, and domestic beers. Wine Night: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; 5 p.m. close. $15 bottles of wine. Video Game Night: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 8:30 p.m. midnight; The bar is doing Video Game Night starting at 9 p.m. Come and compete for prizes and Grab some Drinks. Movies in the Courtyard: Flamingo A-Go-Go; 869 Magazine Street; Double-feature movie nights. Showtimes 7pm and 9:30pm Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

THURSDAY

Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Thursday is Honey Bee Trivia at 7 p.m. Four rounds with jello shots to the winner of each round and a Bar Tab to top person/team of the night. Girl | Crush: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. Girl | Crush is brings you a weekly event for girls who like girls, and their friends! This flavor of CRUSH entitled DTF is exclusive to New Orleans’ #1 Dance Club, Oz and happens every Thursday night. The Jeff D Comedy Cabaret: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 10 p.m. The Comedy Cabaret stars Jeff D. featuring Gia Giavanni. Enjoy hilarious comedians, amazing talent and the Ladies of Oz. Strip Off: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; Midnight. Persana Shoulders hosts the Strip Off every Thursday night. Sign up begins at 11 p.m. and the show features a spotlight performance by Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedes Ellis Loreal. Winners receive 1st PLACE - $100 Cash • 2nd PLACE - $50 Bar tab Prime Time Trivia: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; starts at 9 p.m. Come out and enjoy trivia with great prizes with your host Honey Bee. Retro Night: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; starts at 10 p.m. Enjoy drink special from 10 p.m. to midnight and the best hits from the 80’s and 90’s. Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

FRIDAY

Gay Mardi Gras 2019 JANUARY 6

MYSTIK KREWE DE LA RUE ROYALE REVELERS

6TH ANNUAL 12TH NIGHT PARTY

JANUARY 26 KREWE OF STARS 3RD ANNUAL BALL &

KREWE OF APOLLO, BATON ROUGE, 38TH ANNUAL BALL

FEBRUARY 1 KREWE OF MWINDO 21ST ANNUAL BALL

FEBRUARY 2 KREWE OF NARCISSUS 4TH ANNUAL BALL

FEBRUARY 9 KREWE OF AMON-RA 54TH ANNUAL BALL

FEBRUARY 16 KREWE OF APOLLO, LAFAYETTE, 43RD ANNUAL BALL &

ORDER OF DIONYSUS INAUGURAL BALL

FEBRUARY 23 KREWE OF PETRONIUS 58TH ANNUAL BALL &

KREWE OF APOLLO, BIRMINGHAM, 43RD ANNUAL BALL

FEBRUARY 26 KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS 25TH KING CAKE QUEEN CORONATION

MARCH 2 KREWE OF ARMEINIUS 51ST ANNUAL BALL

MARCH 3 LORDS OF LEATHER 36TH ANNUAL BALL

MARCH 5 MARDI GRAS DAY & 55TH ANNUAL BOURBON STREET AWARDS

www.GayMardiGras.com

Music of Senator Ken: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music with Senator Ken playing all your favorites. Play Girlz: Golden Lantern; 1239

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 21

Royal St.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Drag show featuring Gia GiaVanni and special guests. New Meat Amateur Dance Contest: Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 6:30 p.m. Anyone can enter - $100 cash prize. Fireball Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. $4 Fireball Shots. Take It Off Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway; 5 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Includes $2.50 domestic beers and $3 well drinks from 5 - 9 p.m.; $15 drink and drown from 9 - 11 p.m. all well cocktails; and Underwear Party with free well. Cocktails for those who strip down to their underwear from midnight to 12:30 a.m. Misc4Misc: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 9 p.m. Enjoy this wonderfully weird drag show hosted every week by Apostrophe. Cover is $5. Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Avenue; 10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. Come by and get to know Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi and vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae during their late night happy hours. They look forward to serving you some delicious drink specials and amazing food from our kitchen. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard. Beat The Clock; 700 Club; 700 Burgundy; 5 - 9 p.m. Well Drinks: 5 PM - 6 PM $1.50, 6 PM - 7 PM $2.00, 7 PM - 8 PM $2.50, 8 PM - 9 PM $3.00 Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Music of Vanessa Carr Kennedy; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy songstress Vanessa as she sings some of the tops hits of yesterday and today. Divas R Us; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. This wonderful drag show directed by Monica Sinclaire Kennedy includes a special guests stars. Piano Bar with Trey Ming; Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 4 – 7 p.m. Sing along with your favorite songs with talented piano player Trey Ming. Drag Dingo: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 6 - 8 p.m. Catch ChiChi Rodriquez, Persana Shoulders for Drag Bingo! 11 games of Bingo, 11 chances to win prizes! All the fun starts at 6 pm till 8 pm in their upstairs bar with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long! Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Avenue; 10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. Come by and get to know Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi and vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae during their late night happy hours. They look forward to serving you some delicious drink specials and amazing food from our kitchen. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

Bottomless Mimosas: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 1 - 4 p.m. Bottomless Mimosas are offered upstairs from 1 - 4 p.m. for $12. The Original Trash Disco: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 410 p.m. Includes the original napkin toss and the best music videos to sing along with. You Better Sing Karaoke: GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Join DJ Dereesha as he plays Karaoke. The Half Assed-Straight Boys: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 3 - 5 p.m. Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests. Zingo: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 6:30 p.m. Play Bingo followed by the Barry BareAss Dancer of the Week Contest. Oz Show Night: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean. Drink Drown and Drag: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 6 - 9 p.m. Sunday Funday upstairs at The Parade. $15 Drink and Drown from 6 – 9 p.m. with a star studded drag show starting at 8 p.m. Sunday Worship: Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans (MCCNO); 5401 S. Claiborne Ave; 10:00 a.m. New Orleans first LGBTQ church welcomes you to join us for our Sunday worship service where they celebrate God’s Love for everyone. Drag Dingo: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 6 - 8 p.m. Catch ChiChi Rodriquez, Persana Shoulders for Drag Bingo! 11 games of Bingo, 11 chances to win prizes! All the fun starts at 6 pm till 8 pm in their upstairs bar with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long. Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Street; 11 a.m. For tickets, go to www.crunola.com. Vanessa Carr Presents Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch featuring an amazing menu from Chef Marlon Alexander and awesome entertainment! Come celebrate with the phenomenal talents of Vanessa Carr Kennedy and Friends! Divas at the Dive: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave; 5 p.m. Vanessa Carr LIve. 6:30 p.m. Drag Karaoke. 8 p.m. Audience Karaoke Drink and Drown: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy Street; 5 - 8 p.m. Unlimited well drinks, Bud Light and Miller Lite draft $10 Happy Hour/ Drink Til You Drop: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.;

22 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

UNDER THE GAYDAR

Mardi Gras Special Events Happy Hour 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Drink Til You Drop $12 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENTS TUESDAY 2/26

Extra! A Political Drag Cabaret: The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret;2240 ST Claude Ave, 9 p.m. These days the news and politics are so confusing and ridiculous that the only people qualified to report the news are drag kings, queens, and in betweens. More than just a drag show, Extra is a space where drag artists and fans can come together to get empowered, get connected, laugh, and even occasionally bawl their eyes out. The show asks performers to go deep and bring out something that means something. $10 cover Mardi Gras Pet Pictures: Camp Bow Wow Mid-City; 3301 Conti Street; 8 a.m.-12 p.m. $5 cash donation with proceeds going to PAWS. Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m

– until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival.

THURSDAY 2/28

Meet The Locals with Dianella: The Country Club; 634 Louisa Street; 7 - 9 p.m. Come experience local breweries & neighborhood personalities at the Country Club. This event features live music by Dianella. ALL LOCAL beer, Shindig Vodka, Parade Rums, Crescent Vodka, and Roulaison Rum will be $5 each. The event will immediately follow happy hour. Our happy hour features $3.00 well drinks and a wonderful small plates menu. A classical violinist turned rock vocalist with her head stuck in the clouds, Dianella delivers songs of imaginative metaphors driven by compelling rhythms. This pop fusion is fueled by her powerful voice and warm energy to reward the audience with an electric performance. Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their

Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival.

FRIDAY 3/1

Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival. Mardi Gras Mask Market: French Market; North Peters Street; March 1-4; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mask vendors from around the country converge at the French Market to see their artisan masks during Mardi gras. The market will also host live music daily. Greasing of the Poles: Royal Sonesta Hotel; 300 Bourbon Street; 10 a.m. In honor of its 50th anniversary year, Royal Sonesta New Orleans is proud to announce the theme of Greasing of the Poles 2019 –Hail to Half a Century! The signature Carnival spectacle is free and open to the public, and it’s all happening the Friday before Fat Tuesday on March 1 at 10 a.m. in front of the hotel, located at 300 Bourbon Street. With host Bryan Batt

and a star-studded lineup of greasers including Ashley Hansen, Desiree Ontiveros, April Dupré and even Justin Devillier, along with a number of special guests and a toast with iconic Moët & Chandon, this is a can’t-miss event. Stonewall Sports First Friday Happy Hour: Phillip’s Bar and Restaurant; 733 Cherokee; 5 - 8 p.m. Join fellow Stonewallers for a monthly happy hour on the first Friday of every month at Phillip’s Bar, one of our Stonewall Sports New Orleans Sponsors. Lords’ Black Jock and Black Mask Beer Bust: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields; 9 p.m. - midnight. The final Friday of the 2019 Carnival Season, and, it’s The Lords’ SEXIEST BEER BUST of the year as they start off their 36th BALL WEEKEND WITH A BLAST! PLEASE WEAR A BLACK JOCK STRAP AND BLACK MASK! 9pmBeer Bust at The Phoenix! $10 gets you so much; keg beer, snacks, and the company of a fine group of leather oriented Krewe members. Donations go toward our Bal Masque XXXVI to be held two nights later, on Sunday 3/3, at The Alario Center in Westwego. The15th Annual Not So Superhe-

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 23

WARREN J. WEISS NEW ORLEANS REALTOR C. (504) 82-6105 O. (504) 949-5400 WARREN@WARRENWEISSREALTOR.COM @WARRENWEISSREALESTATE

REALTOR ON DUTY HELPING YOU FIND YOUR NEW ORLEANS HOME OR RENTAL!

PROPERTY SALES, LEASING, & MANAGEMENT

ro Party: The Hi-Ho Lounge; 2239 St. Claude Avenue; 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. Strap on that spandex and bring your B-Game.Come as your most questionable superhero or superheroine and show us your not-so-superpowers. The lineup is gonna be fierce, so get ready to do battle with these beats! 9:00 Doors open; 10:00pm Lagniappe Brass Band; 11:30pm Rotary Downs; 1:30am PYMP. Tickets are $18 at www.eventbrite.com

SATURDAY 3/2

Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival. It’s Showtime on Rampart Street; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Come out and catch this exciting drag show starring Moanalot Fontaine and special guests. OUTclimb | LGBT+ Climb Night: New Orleans Boulder Lounge; 2360 St. Claude Ave.; starts at 7 p.m. OUTclimb is a New Orleans based LGBT+ climbing club dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming space for queer & trans people to climb. With support from the New Orleans Boulder Lounge on St. Claude, they are able to offer a night of climbing FREE to the LGBT+ community of New Orleans and surrounding areas. Allies are welcome to attend and should donate $5-$15 as you are able. Donations will go to a local LGBT+ organization. Armeinius Bal Masque 51: River City Venues; 1380 Port Of New Orleans; starts promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets are at https://armeinius.ticketleap. com/armeinius-bal-masque-51

SUNDAY 3/3

Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival. Lords of Leather Ball Masque 36: Alario Center; 200 Segnette Blvd.; Tickets are on sale now via Ticketleap. com - http://mystic-krewe-of-lords-ofleather.ticketleap.com/bal-masquexxxvi/

MONDAY 3/4

Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival. Riverwalk’s 33rd Annual Lundi Gras: Riverwalk’s Spanish Plaza; 2 Canal Street.; 12 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. This FREE and open to the public event features live music from some of New Orleans’ favorite performers, local food and drink vendors, and a fireworks

display on the Mississippi. The event culminates with the arrival of Rex, King of Carnival, and his entourage aboard elegantly decorated vintage railroad cars. Upon arrival, Rex greets thousands of visitors who have traditionally gathered along the river to watch the processions, while welcoming the King of Zulu. The Mayor of New Orleans traditionally takes the stage to hand over the keys to city to Rex, who declares Fat Tuesday a day of fun and revelry for all. The ceremony is then followed by an extravagant firework display over the River, prior to Monday night parades rolling through downtown New Orleans.

TUESDAY 3/5

Boys Dancin’ on the Bar: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 3:00 p.m – until. The boys start dancin’ on the bar at 3PM and will “shake what their Mama gave ‘em” every day and all night long throughout Carnival. 55th Annual Bourbon Street Awards: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St; 12 p.m.-3.p.m. Hosted by Varla Jean Merman and Ben DeLaCreme 32nd Annual Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss; 811 Bourbon St.; 2:00 p.m. Join King Cake Queen XXV, Tiffany Alexander, for the annual Bead Toss

WEDNESDAY 3/6

Ash Wednesday Brunch: The Country Club; 634 Louisa Street; 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Join the Country Club on Ash Wednesday for a Special Brunch with our Full Bloody Mary Bar, and a la carte Mimosas. To Make Reservations: http://www.thecountryclubneworleans. com/restaurant/reservations/

THURSDAY 3/7

Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center Grand Opening; 6621 St. Claude Ave.; starts at 6:30 p.m. Grand opening of the ZEITGEIST THEATRE & LOUNGE (one block past Jackson Barracks). Opening reception from 6:00 to 7:30 pm featuring food courtesy of KITCHEN TABLE CAFE and drinks from the new ZEITGEIST LOUNGE and an art exhibition by PORSCHA DANIELLE followed by concerts from two of New Orleans’ most dynamic and exciting creative music / jazz orchestras both of whom rarely ever perform anywhere. NESLORCHESTRA from 7:30 to 8:30 pm; THE NAKED ORCHESTRA from 9:00 to 11:00 pm. For tickets, go to www.zeitgeistnola.org.

SATURDAY 3/9

NOLA Gaymers March Party: LGBT Community Center; 2727 South Brian Street; 2 - 6 p.m. LGBTQ GAMERS OF THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS REGION - COME OUT! Join this great group at the LGBT Community Center to socialize, game and generally geek out! They will have board games, par-

24 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 25

ty games, card games, and snacks to share! We strongly encourage you to bring your own favorite games as well. Donations of $3 or more towards future Gaymer events will be split with the LGBT center. +1 Gaming will be our sponsor again and those who donate will be entered into a drawing to win a prize from their store! Qruise Speed Dating and Dance Party: St. Roch Tavern; 1200 St. Roch Avenue; starts at 8 p.m. Stop swiping and start having awkward five minute conversations with different humans looking to meet/date/dance with other humans. Qruise is for non-binary humans, trans people, cis queer people, pan people, bi people, lesbian people, gay people, all of our people (but especially trans and non-binary people and the sexy souls looking to get down

with other queers). If you’re there to Qruise, get there at 8PM. Big queer dance party starts at 10ish! Qruise is a suggested contribution of $5, which will also get you into the dance party. $7 suggested for just the dance times. 2019 Weiner Dog Races: Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots; 1751 Gentilly Blvd.; 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. How fast is your wiener? Join the Fairgrounds for their annual Wiener Dog races! Wiener dog races will be held between traditional thoroughbred races throughout the day! The final race will be between race winners for the 2019 Wiener Dog Trophy! You do not want to miss out on this fun day for the whole family! $5 General Admission; $10 Clubhouse. Free for children 12 & Under

UNDER THE GAYDAR

Mobile Hot Happenings WEEKLY AT FLIP SIDE

WEEKLY AT B-BOB’S

SUNDAY Funday with Karaoke MONDAY Service Industry Night TUESDAY Karaoke WEDNESDAY Rock n Roll Bingo 8PM THURSDAY Karaoke SATURDAY SEC Football

TUESDAY Gay Bar BINGO 9:30 & 11PM THURSDAY Amateur Drag Night 11PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY Midnight Drag Show

54 S. Conception St., Mobile, AL (251) 431-8819

213 Conti St., Mobile, AL (251) 433-2262

UNDER THE GAYDAR

Along the Gulf South BATON ROUGE MONDAY

Game Night: George’s Place; 860 St. Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Chance

WEDNESDAY

Queens Karaoke: George’s Place; 860 St Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Alvin McGee Free Cover Wednesdays: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm

THURSDAY

Double Trouble Thursday: George’s Place; 860 St Louis St; 7pm. $6 Double Wells and $10 Double Calls

Show Night: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 11:30pm. Featuring the Bombshells of Baton Rouge

FRIDAY

Upstairs Karaoke: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm $1 Martinis 9-10pm

FRIDAY 3/1

March Birthday Bash: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm Birthday Birthdays during the month receive a voucher for a $25 gift card to use the Month of their birthday, free cover, & a complimentary bottle of champagne (21&up). Also featuring birthday performances!

26 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SATURDAY 3/2

The 16th Annual Pink Party: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm. Wear your pink to receive a free drink! Featuring performances by The Bombshells of Baton Rouge’s very own London Manchester & Santana Pilar Andrews With The hottest hip hop, top 40, & remixed music all night long! Also with drink specials!

PENSACOLA THE ROUNDUP 560 E Heinberg St

TUESDAY

Karaoke; 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

THURSDAY

LAFAYETTE

Speed Quizzing Trivia; 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

BOLT BAR & PATIO

Drag Bingo with Monica Heart; 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Win cash and prizes

THURSDAY

GALVESTON

114 McKinley St

Thirsty Thursday; No Cover. $4 Double Wells and $2 wine

FRIDAY

The Ladies of Bolt; 11:30pm. $5 cover

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

23RD ST. STATION 1706 23rd Street

Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

MONDAY

Dance Night; No Cover. Happy Hour 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Texas Hold ‘Em 7pm

MONDAY 3/4

Tube-ular Tuesday with Jim 8pm

TUESDAY 3/5

Ladies Night w/ Piano 6pm

Lundi Gras; No Cover. Happy Hour 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. Fat Tuesday; No Cover. Happy Hour 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

LAKE CHARLES CRYSTAL’S DOWNTOWN 720 Ryan Street

TUESDAY

Anything But Techno Tuesdays; 10 p.m. No Cover. Ladies drink half off

WEDNESDAY Drag Bingo & Show

THURSDAY

Drink & Drown Karaoke; $10 selective alcohol with $1 refill

FRIDAY 3/8

Miss Gay Lake Shore USofA 2019; 9 p.m. The inaugural Miss Gay LakeShore USofA is the LAST OFFICIAL PRELIM to qualify for Miss Gay Louisiana USofA. Contestants will compete in: Interview, Evening Gown, & Talent to showcase who has what it takes to be the FIRST Miss Gay LakeShore USofA

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

Movie Night with Chris 8pm

FRIDAY

Live Entertainment 6pm

SATURDAY

Live Entertainment 9pm

SUNDAY

Sing Along Sundays w/ Piano 4pm7pm

RUMORS

3102 Seawall Blvd. Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Show Nights 11 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY Karaoke 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

The Sunday T with Carly & Kymber 4:30 p.m.

ARE WE MISSING YOUR EVENTS? Email info@ambushpublishing.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 27

ANNOUNCEMENT

A statement from Phoenix owner Clint Taylor regarding the citations fron the ATC

February 23, 2019 We want to take this moment to thank everyone for the outpouring of support from our incredibly loyal and beloved Phoenix family. You’ve been in our corner for more than 35 years now, and we have overwhelming felt that support these past few days, too. On Thursday afternoon, ATC cited us that we were in violation of some state laws. The citations were not unlike what we have seen them recently give other gay bars. We plan on attending our hearing and stating our case.

We feel it’s important to state the bar was not raided. Patrons were not arrested. Our queer ancestors were dragged out of our safe spaces and sanctuaries by law enforcement. They were arrested. They lost their jobs, families and friends. They were assaulted. And as we saw at Upstairs Lounge and Pulse, they lost their lives. It’s important that we state clearly what happened on Thursday and what our ancestors fought for and persevered are two different things. But the fight is the same. An attack on one of us is an attack on all us.

We hope you stand with us. We hope you stand with Rawhide. Our LGBTQ+ community in New Orleans is one full of so many beautiful people. We have been so honored to be a part of this community for more than 35 years. We love hosting the local queer groups for monthly fundraisers and special events. As we work toward our hearing date, the entire bar is open, upstairs and down. While we wait for that date, there might be some slight differences to what you’re used to seeing. Most things will go on as planned. Next

weekend, Atlas Grant returns for Mardi Gras. The Southernmost Puppy Weekend is back April 5-7. And we are very excited for our Phoenix Leather Weekend April 12-13, where we welcome all folks and all expressions of leather. Thank you for all your outpouring of support. It means more than you know. We hope that you continue to do so as we navigate this moment. Clint Taylor The Phoenix Bar

28 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY

Lords of Leather Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com As a kid growing up in Nebraska, Brock Andersen tuned in to the WWL on the radio to listen to LSU football games. The broadcasts would occasionally mention that the station was based in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans, which to Anderson sounded like an exotic place. Andersen first visited New Orleans in 1983 and vowed, “I’m going to live here someday.” In 2000, he and his partner Trent began making annual trips to New Orleans for Southern Decadence and LSU football games. They would eventually move to the city from Minnesota in 2011. In 2012, they joined the Lords of Leather gay Carnival krewe and within the span of a few years, Andersen would serve as the Krewe’s Lord Consort and then President. Anderson knew of the Lords of Leather from reading Ambush online before moving to New Orleans. The Lords of Leather was founded in 1983 by a group of friends including Wally Sherwood, Don “Eagle” DuBury, Daniel Hallock, Robert Ravoira, David Robertson, and Jerry Zachary. On June 30, these five friends met at the St. Louis Crepe Shop (later Petunia’s) and laid out their vision. They met there once a month for the remainder of the year and planned their first ball. At this time, there had already been fourteen gay carnival krewes, all of which followed the precedent set by the first gay krewe, Yuga (which began in 1958); namely high camp and elaborate drag. In an effort to be distinctive, the Lords of Leather balls would be guided by a masculine, leather sensibility. For example, instead of a Queen, there would be a Lord Consort. In another departure from tradition, the royalty would be selected by secret ballot from the membership rather than appointed by the krewe captain. Before the first ball, there was even debate on whether or not to allow women to attend the ball. By a narrow margin (6 to 4), they voted to allow women to attend the ball. Drag performances by

participants, however, were strictly prohibited. The idea for a leather krewe had come to Sherwood and DuBury during an event called The deSade & Men’s Bastille I Run, a weekend event that attracted leather clubs from out of town. Both Sherwood and DuBury were involved in the vibrant leather scene New Orleans enjoyed at that time. Sherwood, who lived in the French Quarter, was something of a local celebrity not only because of his diminutive statute (he was a dwarf), but also because of his column, Sherwood’s Forrest, in Ambush Magazine. Currently, the Lords of Leather ball is held on the Sunday before Mardi Gras, but originally it was held on Lundi Gras with the presentation of the krewe’s royalty at midnight. The first ball was held at the Bakers Union Hall in the Marigny. At the stroke of midnight, as Lundi Gras became Mardi Gras, Jerry Radtke and Bob Keesee were presented as the first Lord King and Lord Consort. Radtke and Keesee were the owners of Partners, a “Western / Leather” saloon on N. Rampart Street in the French Quarter. Don DuBury was the Captain of that first ball and within a year moved to Chicago but the idea he and Sherwood had of expanding the notion of gay Carnival proved to be enormously successful. Today the Lords of Leather boasts a membership of roughly 50 members (including Lords and Barons) and its balls, especially in the last several years under the leadership of Captain Gary Vandeventer (2011—2017), who did musical theatre in his youth, have received rave reviews. In 1986, the date of the ball changed from Lundi Gras to Dimanche Gras (Sunday). Also in that year, cross-dressing was allowed for the first time. The anti-drag sentiment that characterized the early years of the krewe was further softened years later when Bianca del Rio began MC’ing the balls. The first drag queen to serve as

Mistress of Ceremonies at a Lords of Leather Ball, del Rio became a huge hit when she called out one of the member’s elderly mother (Rose) from the audience and playfully teased her, which became a tradition and continued for many years. One of the krewe’s most memorable balls was the 1994 tableau with its theme, “Magic.” Invoking ancient, pagan motifs, the ball featured a pentagram, Tarot cards, a witch doctor, warlocks, a crystal ball, and potion ingredients such as bat wings, eye of newt, frog warts, etc. Several Lords of Leather balls featured costumes designed by J. Bruce Orgeron, Jr. No stranger to gay Car-

nival, Orgeron served as the Captain of the Krewe of Armeinius seven times and, along with Nick Weber, founded the Krewe of Narcissus in 2013. He has also designed costumes for the Knights of King Arthur as well as Southern Decadence Grand Marshals. Orgeron, a lifetime member of the Lords of Leather, is currently serving as the Ball Lieutenant for the Lords’ 2019 ball. In keeping with tradition, 2019 Ball Captain Joey Landry has planned what promises to be an extraordinary evening. The Mystic Krewe of the Lords of Leather Bal Masque XXXVI will take place on March 3 at the Alario Center in Westwego and has a Chinese theme—“Forbidden,” as in the city.

ANNOUNCEMENT Phoenix, Renegade Bears oﬀer free shuttle rides to Lords of Leather Bal Masque

NEW ORLEANS — The Phoenix and the Renegade Bears of Louisiana today announced it will offer a free shuttle service to and from the Alario Center, site of The Lords’ Bal Masque on Sunday, March 3. There will be two trips to the event: one leaving from the Phoenix (located

at 941 Elysian Fields Ave.) at 5:30 p.m. and another an hour later at 6:30 p.m. At the conclusion of the Bal, when they declare open court, the shuttle will leave immediately to return to the Phoenix. Only one shuttle will go back to the bar. The Phoenix, a platinum sponsor

of The Lords of Leather, is proud to be the official host of the afterparty immediately following the Bal. The shuttles are offered on a firstcome, first-served basis, so patrons should arrive early in order to guarantee themselves a spot on the shuttles. Tipping the driver is optional, but en-

couraged. Located in the Marigny, patrons can find plenty of free street parking near the bar before boarding the shuttle. Shuttle riders will get their drinks at happy hour prices prior to boarding.

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BOOK REVIEW We & Me Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com

We & Me. Saskia de Coster. Nancy Forest-Flier, Trans. World Editions, 2018. 411 pages. $17.99. In this spellbinding novel, which has been compared to the work of Jonathan Franzen, Dave Eggers and Jeffrey Eugenides, Saskia de Coster, the author of seven novels, provides a uniquely European take on the tradition of “The Great American Novel”.

With the family unit and some of life’s most pressing questions at its center, the award-winning We & Me paints a captivatingly haunting picture of bourgeois family life. Written from the perspectives of three characters, which is sometimes confusing, We & Me covers the time period between 1980 and 2013 and focuses on the aristocratic Vandersanden family. Set in their opulent private estate located atop a mountain, neu-

roses, claustrophobia, scandal and rebellion run rife. These are not sympathetic characters. At the heart of the family and the novel is Sarah, whose coming of age is both daringly and sensitively explored in de Coster’s skillful prose. With an incisive approach, de Coster excavates the nuanced underbelly of human emotions with humor, understanding and a lightness of touch. We & Me is a remarkable and

compelling tale by one of the greatest Belgian writers of our time who is also a visual artist, playwright and regular participant in television debates. We & Me won the Cutting Edge Award (an award de Coster has won three times), and the Opzij Literature Prize, and was nominated for several other prestigious prizes; it sold over 40,000 copies in the Netherlands and Belgium alone. De Coster’s works has been translated into ten languages.

FINANCIAL & BUSINESS A Question for Retirees – Rent or Own Your Second Home? Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com The dream scenario for many retirees is to have a second place to call home. It may be a house or condominium in a warmer climate that allows you to escape the cold winters, a retreat at a lake or resort location where you can spend extended periods of time, or even an apartment in the big city that puts you in the center of the action. Regardless of the type and location, if you desire a second residence one of the most important questions to ask yourself is whether to own or rent it. Weighing your financial and emotional decision Determining if you should buy or rent rests in part on financial considerations. Buying a second home can be a large financial commitment that offers you the chance to own a property that has the potential to increase in value. On the other hand, renting doesn’t require as much of a commitment but

could also have some drawbacks. Buying or renting a second property is not only a financial decision, however. It is an emotional one that encourages you to think about why having another space is important to you. To help weigh the financial and intangible factors of the decision, ask yourself the following two sets of questions as a starting point. Five questions that can help steer your financial decision: Do you have sufficient assets available to purchase the home outright without putting your retirement security or cash flow strategy at risk? If you need to take out a mortgage to afford your second home, will it strain your monthly budget in retirement? Are you in a financial position to pay for remodeling the house to meet your lifestyle and for upkeep on the property?

Will you use the property enough to get your money’s worth? Is the property marketable as a rental unit, and how easy will it be to sell in the future? If you choose not to own, are you prepared to handle potential increases in rent? Five questions that can help you weigh the intangible factors: Is hosting gatherings with family and friends part of your retirement vision? If so, do you wish to eventually give the property to your children as part of an inheritance? Are you content to re-visit the same location regularly? Do you prefer to be among your own furnishings or are you comfortable using what’s available in a rental property? Are you physically capable of caring for a second property and willing to

do so? How far are you willing to travel between your two properties? If the answer to one or more of these questions gives you pause, now is the time to talk to a financial professional. He or she can provide an objective perspective based on your savings, income, retirement plans and other goals. Together, you can create a financial plan that can help you feel confident with the choice you make. Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA®, is a Financial Advisor with Waterfront Wealth Management, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. He specializes in addressing the unique needs of the diverse LGBTQ community, fee-based ﬁnancial planning and asset management strategies, and has been in practice for 11 years.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with at Sipps Gulfport PHOTOS COURTESY OF DWAIN HERTZ

30 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI The Corner Pocket MEET ME ON ST. LOUIS—WHERE THE BOYS ARE DANCIN’ ON THE BAR NIGHTLY | PHOTOS BY POCKET PEEPS & JEREMY WEINBERG

THE CORNER POCKET Where the Boys are dancing nightly on the bar starting at 9PM!

OPENING HOURS Everyday Noon - TILL ADDRESS 940 St Louis Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 568-9829 www.cornerpocket.net

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SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Petronius KREWE OF PETRONIUS 58TH ANNUAL BALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBUSH PUBLISHING

32 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Petronius KREWE OF PETRONIUS 58TH ANNUAL BALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBUSH PUBLISHING

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Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

Beth Malone/Broadway@NOCCA Prior to her recent Broadway@ NOCCA debut, I had known of Beth Malone solely from her Tony-nominated turn in Fun Home, the award-winning musical based on Alison Bechdel’s autobiographical graphic novel. Having already commented “the entire cast is exceptional” after seeing the 2013 off-Broadway production, I noted “Beth Malone continues to provide discerning ballast as the adult Alison looking back on her younger selves” when I reviewed the Broadway version in 2015. That performance, however, hadn’t prepared me for Malone’s tremendous range, as both actress and singer, that she displayed at NOCCA in a hugely satisfying evening. Growing up on a ranch in Colorado, Malone received hand-me-down clothes from her three older brothers something this openly gay performer seemed to have no problem with. Though she joined 4H and cleaned barn stalls, she also sent a cassette to the casting people for Les Misérables and was invited to come to New York and audition for the show. She never followed through which

Our legacy is yours.

New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) provides services and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults in the New Orleans metro area. We host regular social events for LGBT older adults and their allies, and we provide cultural competency trainings for healthcare and other service providers. To learn more, visit www.noagenola.org, or call (504)517-2345.

left host Seth Rudetsky flabbergasted. Putting her on the spot, he got her to sing I Dreamed a Dream and though she rose to the challenge with wonderful voice, especially in her lower register, it turned out that wasn’t the song she was meant to do, switching midway to On My Own which, with a little help from the audience, she performed charmingly. Such impromptu moments make Broadway@NOCCA a joy to experience. A job at a country barn playhouse, where people would be ordering food as she was trying to make an entrance for a show, allowed Malone to play “all the Annies” (Annie, Annie Get Your Gun, and Ado Annie from Oklahoma!; “I have a recurring dream that I have to play Little Orphan Annie at this age.”) and led to a lovely, jazz-influenced rendition of Lost in His Arms from the Annie Oakley musical. Malone noted that “Nothing in my life has ever gone as planned”, and told about her coming out which, she claimed, “ruined everyone’s life” (though one hopes that was an exaggeration). If Malone then “dropped out of the life I had been living,” she met her future wife in the process. She observed that it “took a long time to assimilate back into life in this new version of me.” After Malone seamlessly segued from the cute It’s A Perfect Relationship from Bells are Ringing to Funny Girl’s powerful The Music That Makes Me Dance, one had to wonder if she might’ve been nominated for a Tony years earlier if her life had taken a different path. Fascinating tales of Ring of Fire (the disastrous Johnny Cash musical), Rent (“I was getting close to being cast but then it closed”), and the heartbreak of aging out of a role she created in Sister Act before it made it to Broadway, followed. Eventually pure serendipity caused Malone’s solo “lesbian show” to be seen by Lisa Kron in Asbury Park, NJ, which led, in part, to her being cast in Fun Home for which Kron did the book and lyrics. After sharing what it was like to transfer the show from off-Broadway to Broadway, Malone sang, gloriously, her two big numbers from Fun Home, Maps and Telephone Wire. Malone brought us up to date on her career with what it was like being part of the recent Tony-winning Broadway revival of Angels in America, and Rudetsky got her to spill that Nathan Lane was a “diva” backstage. Going forward, Malone might be returning to New York in a revival of The Unsinkable Molly Brown and,

Dina Martina at Café Istanbul (photo by B. Sands) with her soaring voice, she treated us to one of the numbers from that show. (Personally, I think she’d make a fabulous Peter Pan.) In an evening during which it was a delight to discover Malone’s down-to-earthiness, she kept topping herself with luscious songs too numerous to mention. Her encore, Fun Home’s Ring of Keys, typically sung by the younger version of Malone’s character, crowned what I hope will not be her last appearance here. Concluding Broadway@NOCCA’s season on March 29 will be the very cute and very talented Jeremy Jordan, Tony Award nominee for Newsies and star of The CW’s Supergirl and NBC’s Smash. I won’t even hold it against him that he’s married (to a lovely lady if you must know).

Abduction from the Seraglio at the Mahalia Jackson Theater

Anyone perusing the program at the New Orleans Opera’s (NOO) recent production of Abduction from the Seraglio might have noticed that the synopsis for the upcoming Rigoletto had it set in “Las Vegas, 1960.” I’m not sure how that happened because a few days later, an email arrived from NOO firmly stating that “Rigoletto WILL NOT be staged in a 1960’s Las Vegas casino, but will in-

stead be a classic version of the production.” Fortunately, such tradition (some might call it stodginess) was not adhered to for Mozart’s Abduction. Instead, Director Alison Moritz, following up her inventive 2017 staging of Orpheus in the Underworld, updated it and set it in a 1930s mob-run nightclub reminiscent of the legendary Coconut Grove. Instead of the original’s two beautiful women and a servant being captured by pirates and sold to a wealthy pasha who adds the women to his harem (seraglio), here two beautiful women and a guy, Pedrillo, have wound up being captured (“it’s a long story...” as the program says) and forced to stay in this nightclub where the owner hopes Constanza, one of the gals, will forget her fiancé Belmonte and fall for him. If occasionally a detail seemed odd (e.g., a card game that came out of nowhere), this was overall a worthy concept which made this version of Abduction much more accessible than the original. It also wisely did away with inappropriate racist and sexist stereotypes while giving the women more agency. Yes, the somewhat stiff English dialog could’ve been massaged a bit. And yes, the ending’s resolution challenges believability (though its message of forgiveness is certainly a nice sentiment). But “Bravo” to NOO for al-

34 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

lowing Moritz to take a chance like this. After too many “classic versions” of operas, what a pleasure it was to see the company actively trying to engage the audience and not just doing the “same old, same old” yet again. If Abduction doesn’t occupy the same stratum as, say, Don Giovanni or The Magic Flute (hey, Mozart was just 26 when he wrote it), it still provides measure after measure of gorgeous music. That said, one wishes some of the arias could be shortened somewhat as the supertitles made clear that the same thing’s said over and over which tended to lessen the dramatic effect. Still, an absolutely beautiful second act quartet, a harbinger perhaps of a similar number from Così fan tutte, could have gone on and on. With her beguiling voice, Heather Phillips made a thoughtful and touching Constanza as she wavered between her love for Belmonte and the allure of Pasha Selim, the club owner. As Constanza’s cheeky pal Blondchen, Katrina Galka sang with an equal purity of tone and fine sense of character. Joshua Dennis’ Belmonte sounded most appealing, but I wish he could’ve brought a little more sexual oomph to the role. Matthew Grills’ wise guy Pedrillo was well-done especially in a superb duet with Timothy J. Bruno’s Osmin. As the Pasha’s enforcer, Bruno sang throughout with a firm and resonant bass voice, but a less comic and more intimidating approach might have added some needed dramatic tension. Unlike his turn as a zany Pasha in last year’s Tabasco, for this Pasha, Kenneth Weber artfully endowed this speaking part with a subtle sense of menace, making him not a brute, but one who’s used to getting his own way. If the audience for this lesser known opera seemed a bit smaller than is typical for a Sunday matinee, the reception at its end was one of the most enthusiastic I’ve ever observed here. That bodes well for NOO and new approaches to the operatic repertoire. For those who prefer “classic versions”, Rigoletto plays April 26 and 28 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Prior to that, NOO will present Lera Auerbach’s The Blind, an a capella opera for 12 voices based on a 1890 play by Nobel Prize winner Maurice Maeterlinck whose Pelléas and Mélisande inspired Debussy’s opera. I look forward to seeing The Blind.

Dina Martina’s Crème de la Dregs at Café Istanbul She’s as surreal as a dream. She operates according to an alternative realm of logic. She’ll make you laugh and you won’t even know why, as when she changes her shoes onstage.

Beth Malone & Seth Rudetsky at NOCCA (photo by B. Sands) “She” is Dina Martina, a voluptuous drag queen who thinks nothing of appearing in cat glasses and a black velvet peignoir that fails to cover her (panty-hosed) nether regions (aka “The Big Reveal” outfit). When she sings she sounds like a dying jackal. At least she never has to worry about losing her voice. When she states the obvious, e.g. drinking water “that’s moist” or observing her full house and saying “They’re looking at me”, grins emerge on faces. “My father died in childbirth.” Her stories are intricate tales that build and build and build, adding layer of humor upon layer of bizarrely funny stuff so that it’s almost hard to catch your breath as jokes, or even just phrases (“a real quiet, a real somber tailgate party”), emerge from her red gash of a mouth just as you think she’s done. (Tim Conway taunting Harvey Korman comes to mind.) When she told of a “French poodle that emerged from a car wearing a tutu and holding a parasol” I think I was weeping with laughter. “I’m modeling for Braille fashion publications.” With her Catwoman flip hair, when she sings Aretha Franklin’s Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, it’s like Marlo Thomas’ That Girl has gone gospel. Even better and more outrageous are her mash-ups that require a true talent to pull off as magnificently as she does. The Sound of Music’s Edelweiss combines with Foreigner’s Cold As Ice. Staying with the von Trapp family, Climb Every Mountain is done to the tune of I’m Every Woman. How does she come up with this stuff??? “First time I did that song was before it was written.” Never did I think someone could outdo the Tom Tom Club with a more

better interpretation of Genius of Love. But Dina did. And then she segued into Evergreen. Then the theme from Green Acres. She’s Monty Python meets Lady Bunny. She’s drama-tinged comedy. Or comic-tinged drama. She’s befuddled existentialism. So much fabulous material was packed into her 75-minute show one almost needs footnotes to get all the cultural references. Almost. Appearing at Café Istanbul, seemed to be a better venue for her than One Eyed Jacks, where she made her NOLA debut, as it allowed her to better project out while simultaneously drawing the audience in to her. Hers is a sublimely and consistently well-crafted persona that keeps hitting you from unusual angles. One cannot adequately describe Dina Martina except to say expect the unexpected. Always. I was out of town for Dina’s last two Nawlins gigs. I hope that never ever happens again.

Day will soon be upon us. For some Erin go bragh entertainment, head out to Jefferson Performing Arts Center (6400 Airline Dr., Metairie) for JPAS’ presentation of The Irish Tenors on March 16. Since 1998, The Irish Tenors have performed at such venues as Radio City Music Hall, Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, and other major concert halls throughout the world. Comprised of Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan, they’ve had five PBS specials and have put out 10 albums so far. This concert is part of their 20th Anniversary Tour. Whether they’ll be singing Danny Boy, I cannot say. Interested in joining me for Hamilton at the Saenger Theatre on Wednesday, March 13? I’m auctioning off my “plus one” ticket to benefit Covenant House on North Rampart Street that does vital work to help homeless youth. Contact me at the above email address for details. The current top bid is $1,001 and bidding continues until March 7. Hope to see ya!

Curtain Up

Please send press releases and notices of your upcoming shows to Brian Sands at bsnola2@hotmail.com.

Though, as I write this, we’re still in the midst of Carnival, St. Patrick’s

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LGBT Owned & Friendly Business Directory

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We want to hear from you if you are a working or aspiring journalist interested in covering topics meaningful to the LGBTQ community.

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Mobile, AL [251] B-Bob’s Downtown, 213 Conti St., 433.2262, B-Bobs.COM Flip Side Bar & Patio, 54 S. Conception St., 431.8819, FlipSideBarPatio.COM GABRIEL’S DOWNTOWN, 55 South Joachim St., 432.4900 The Midtown Pub, 153 Florida St., 450.1555 Pensacola, FL [850] THE ROUNDUP, 560 East Heinberg St., 433.8482 Baton Rouge, LA [225] GEORGE’S, 860 St. Louis, 387.9798, SPLASH, 2183 Highland Rd., 242.9491, SplashBR.COM Lake Charles, LA [337] CRYSTAL’S, 112 W. Broad, 433.5457 Metairie, LA [504] FOUR SEASONS & PATIO STAGE BAR, 3229 N. Causeway, 832.0659, FourSeasonsBar.com New Orleans, LA [504] 700 CLUB, 700 Burgundy, 561.1095, BIG DADDY’S, 2513 Royal, 948.6288 BIG EASY DAIQUIRIS, 216 Bourbon, 501 Bourbon, 409 Decatur, 617 Decatur THE BLACK PENNY, 700 N. Rampart BOURBON PUB & PARADE, 801 Bourbon St., 529.2107, BourbonPub.COM Café Lafitte in Exile, 901 Bourbon Street 522.8397, Lafittes.COM. Café Lafitte in Exile is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the United States. CORNER POCKET, 940 St. Louis, 568.9829, CornerPocket.NET COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 CUTTER’S, 706 Franklin, 948.4200 CROSSING (formerly THE DOUBLE PLAY), 439 Dauphine, 523.4517 THE FRIENDLY BAR, 2301 Chartres, 943.8929 GOLDEN LANTERN, 1239 Royal, 529.2860, Facebook.COM/GoldenLanternBar Good Friends Bar, 740 Dauphine St, 566.7191, GoodFriendsBar.COM. Designed for a casual night out or a quiet evening with that special someone, we offer a wide selection of liquor, beer, and the world renowned Separator. GRANDPRE’S, 834 N. Rampart St., 267.3615, Facebook.com/grandpres KAJUN’S PUB, 2256 St. Claude Ave., 947.3735, KajunPub.COM MAG’S 940, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 948.1888 NAPOLEON’S ITCH, 734 Bourbon St., 237-4144 OZ NEW ORLEANS, 800 Bourbon, 593.9491, OzNewOrleans. COM THE PAGE, 542 N. Rampart St., 875.4976 PHOENIX/EAGLE, 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264, www.phoenixbarnola.com Rawhide 2010, 740 Burgundy St., 525.8106, Rawhide2010.COM. Leather, Dark Rooms, & Bears All Around. You can feel the throb of excitement and smell it in the air. This isn’t just a bar. This is an experience! TROPICAL ISLE: Home of the Hand Grenade, 721 Bourbon St., 529.4109, TropicalIsle.COM VALIANT THEATRE AND LOUNGE, 6621 St. Claude Ave., Arabi, LA, 504.900.1743 Slidell, LA [985] BILLY’S, 2600 Hwy. 190 West, 847.1921

Biloxi, MS [228] CLUB VEAUX, 834 Howard Ave., 207.3271

bookstores

New Orleans, LA [504] FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700

circuit/events

Easter Sunday, April 11, 2018, 19th Official Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, sponsored by Ambush, GayEasterParade. com

costumes

New Orleans, LA [504] QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633

galleries

New Orleans, LA [504] CASSELL-BERGEN GALLERY, 1305 Decatur St., cassellbergengallery.com, 504.524.0671

guides

AMBUSH Mag, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; marsha@ripandmarsha.com

groceries/delis

New Orleans, LA [504] QUARTERMASTER DELI, THE NELLIE DELI, 1100 Bourbon, 529.1416

hair salons

New Orleans, LA [504] Two Guys Cutting Hair, 2372 St. Claude Ave., Suite 125, appointments: Adikus 215.519.5030, Trent 504.239.2397

hardware

New Orleans, LA [504] MARY’S FRENCH QUARTER HARDWARE, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465. More than just a hardware store, Mary’s Ace French Quarter Hardware also features an extensive selection of kitchen and bath items upstairs.

accommodations

New Orleans [504] AARON INGRAM HAUS, 1012 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE: 504.949.3110, www.ingramhaus.com/xqey, e-mail us at ingramhaus@yahoo.com. Condos with queen-size beds, private entrances; located only six blocks from Bourbon Street and walking distance to most New Orleans attractions. Several favorite bars are within one block. [0118] BLUES60 GUEST HOUSE, 1008 Elysian Fields Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117, Phone: 1.504.324.4311, www.blues60guesthouse.com, info@blues60guesthouse.com. The Blue60 Guest House with 5 suites provides a peaceful retreat in the center of the Faubourg Marigny, just blocks from the French Quarter and Frenchman St. [1115] 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, www.theburgundy.com, E-mail 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 half-open 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. [0815] The french quarter guest houses, 1005

36 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

St. Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116, Phone: 1.800.367.5858, FrenchQuarterGuestHouses.com, email: Info@frenchquarterguesthouses.com. Four meticulously restored boutique inns located in the heart of the French Quarter’s most popular LGBT neighborhood. Each building’s individual character and charm provides an unforgettable authentic French Quarter experience!

media

New Orleans, LA [504] AMBUSH Mag, Official Gay Easter Parade Guide, Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, Official Gay New Orleans Guide, Official Gulf South Guide, Official Pride Guide, Official Southern Decadence Guide, P.O. Box 2587, LaPlace, LA 70069, 522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; email: info@ambushpublishing.com

organizations

FOOD FOR FRIENDS, 504.821.2601 ext. 254 FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE MARDI GRAS (FNBMG), 504.319.8261, www.fridaynightbeforemardigras.com GAY APPRECIATION AWARDS, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049; AmbushMag.COM/GAA GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, info@ gayeasterparade.com, GayEasterParade. COM GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM HAART (HIV/AIDS Alliance Region Two, Inc.), 4550 North Blvd. Ste. 250, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, 225.927.1269, www. haartinc.org, offers a complete continuum of care to people living with HIV/AIDS including housing, primary care, medications, case management, and an array of supportive services. In addition HAART provides HIV prevention education and FREE testing to the Baton Rouge area. HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS, INC., PO Box 52171, 70152-2171; HalloweenNewOrleans.COM KREWE OF AMON-RA, PO Box 7033, Metairie, LA 70010, KreweOfAmonRa. COM KREWE OF ARMEINIUS, 433 N Broad St, New Orleans, LA 70119, www. armeinius.org KREWE OF MWINDO, PO Box 51031, 70156; 913.5791, KreweOfMwindo.ORG, krewe@kreweofmwindo.org KREWE OF NARCISSUS, PO Box 3832, New Orleans, LA 70177. Contact: 504.228.9441 KREWE OF PETRONIUS, PO Box 1102, Kenner, LA. 70063-1102, www. kreweofpetroius.net KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS / KING CAKE QUEEN ROYALTY CLUB, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, Gay-

MardiGras.COM/KCQ LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, 1308 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.475.7911, www.lgbtarchivesla.org MYSTIC KREWE OF LORDS OF LEATHER, 1000 Bourbon St #B415, New Orleans, LA 70116, www.lordsofleather.org MYSTIC KREWE OF SATYRICON, 2443 Halsey Ave., New Orleans, LA 70114, 504.906.7990 Todd J. Blauvelt / Secretary, krewe.of.satyricon@gmail.com, MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM NO/AIDS TASK FORCE, 2601 Tulane Ave., Suite 500, 70119; 504.821.2601; NOAIDSTaskForce.COM NEW ORLEANS PRIDE, info@neworleanspridefestival.com; 504.321.6006; NewOrleansPrideFestival.COM; NOLAPride. ORG; New Orleans Pride fully embraces the message of “One CommUNITY” as we celebrate our history and promote the future prosperity of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region. We use public awareness and education about the LGBT+ community as a way to combat “phobias” and discrimination. Our programs, seminars and events leading up to, and during Pride weekend, are meant to include individuals from all walks of life. RENEGADE BEARS OF LOUISIANA, PO Box 3083, New Orleans, LA 70177; renegadebearsoflouisiana@gmail.com SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM ST. ANNA’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1313 Esplanade Avenue New Orleans, LA 70116 504.947.2121, stannanola.org Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans (MCCNO), 5401 S. Claiborne Ave — Pastor Alisan Rowland: New Orleans first LGBTQ church welcomes you to join us for our weekly Sunday worship services at 10:00 AM, where we celebrate God’s Love for everyone.

pharmacy

Mumfrey’s Pharmacy, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, LA 70043, 504.279.6312, www.MumfreysPharmacy.COM. Supporting & serving the LGBT Community for over 20 years. Local pharmacy offering personalized family-like service, automatic refills & free metro wide confidential pickup & delivery. Also offering shipping for out-side our delivery area. When you call us you speak to a person, not a machine. See our ad.

photography

New Orleans, LA [504] GRAHAM/STUDIO ONE NEW ORLEANS, by appointment, grahamstudioone. com

restaurants

Metairie, LA [504] Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop & Pub, 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., 835.2022, GumboStop.com

New Orleans, LA [504] The Bombay Club, 830 Rue Conti, 577.2237, www.bombayclubneworleans. com Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard, 819 Rue Conti, 581.3866, http://broussards.com Cafe Sbisa, 1011 Decatur St., 522.5565, www.cafesbisanola.com Cheezy Cajun, 3325 St. Claude Ave., 265.0045, www.TheCheezyCajun.com Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, www.CloverGrill.com. Since 1939, our quirky, cozy, unique diner has been home to the best breakfasts & burgers on Bourbon Street–maybe even the whole French Quarter! Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., www.TheCountryClubNewOrleans. com, 945.0742 Gene’s Po-Boys & Daquiris, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave., 943.3861, www.genespoboys.com Ilys Bistro, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave., 947.8341, www.Facebook.com/ILYSBistro Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails, 337 Chartres St. 598.5005, www.KinfishNewOrleans.com Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown, 615 S Carrollton Ave, 866-5900, www.louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746 Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, 720 Orleans, 523.1930, www.OrleansGrapevine.com Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St. , 529.1416, www.QuartermasterDeli.net Royal House Oyster Bar, 441 Royal St., 528.2601, www.RoyalHouseRestaurant.com

real estate

New Orleans, LA [504] Engel & Völkers New Orleans, Michael Styles, Realtor — Michael specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and real estate investors find the perfect New Orleans properties. 504.777.1773, NolaStyles.com Latter & Blum, Steven Richards Realtor, 504.258.1800, SteveRichardsProperties.com

retail/shopping

New Orleans, LA [504] BOURBON PRIDE, 909 Bourbon, 566.1570 COK (Clothing or Kinkl), 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264 MARY’S FRENCH QUARTER KITCHEN & BATH, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465 QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633 XXXSHOP, 1835 N. Rampart St., 504.232.3063

services

New Orleans, LA [504] Formal Connection, 299 Belle Terre Blvd. LaPlace, LA, 985.652.1195

theatres

New Orleans, LA [504] CAFE ISTANBUL, 2372 St. Claude Ave., #140, 504.974.0786, CafeIstanbulNOLA.COM

tours

New Orleans, LA [504] Gay New Orleans Walking Tour, Crescent City Tour Booking Agency, (LGBT Business of the Year) 638 St. Ann St., 568.0717. follow Gay New Orleans Walking Tour @ Facebook.COM

LGBT+ Archives Project OF LOUISIANA

Getting Our History Out of the Closet www.lgbtarchiveslouisiana.org

FINAL - Ambush ad - 5 x 2.9375.indd 1

GENE’S PO BOYS & ILY’S BISTRO 1040 ELYSIAN FIELDS AVE. NEW ORLEANS, LA 70117

GENE’S: 504-943-3861 ILY’S: 504-947-8341

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NOW ON

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com 37 Untitled-6 1 6/1/18 12:49·PM

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Order of Osiris ORDER OF OSIRIS BALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBER KNOTT & GUESTS OF THE ORDER OF OSIRIS BALL SHARED BY AMBER YOUNG

38 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Phoenix KREWE OF PHOENIX BALL FEBRUARY 9, 2019 AT FORT WHITING AUDITORIUM | PHOTOGRAPHY BY VALERIE MITCHELL

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 39

A COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Valentine’s Day Revisited The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ fr.bill@stannanola.org I know that this is the Mardi Gras issue. Regrettably, I sent in my Mardi Gras missive instead of this one for the last issue. Yet I want you to read this one because I thought this a good thing to talk about as it’s about dear friends and the image of love that I hold dear. So, blast back a few weeks whilst you enjoy the revelry and think of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day, the day of hearts, chocolate, and memories. When I was a child I remember wanting to buy one of those very big, very lacy, very red heart-shaped boxes of cheap chocolate for my Mom. I also learned to send those really sweet very small Valentines in primary school to “sweet hearts” but you couldn’t sign them because Valentines were secret. Later in life came roses and Godiva and even later in life not so much. Well, the Godiva still counts. But the fondest memories I will ever have of Valentine’s Day are reasonably recent. What is Valentine’s Day all about? Well it starts off with a Christian martyr of the 3rd century. As a religious feast day it continued. Then some time around the 14th century romantics took hold and it began to be a day celebrating affection and love. I suppose that continues to this very day. Romantic it is indeed or at least it hints at romance. Romances can be equally fun and exhausting. Romance takes effort and a certain inclination toward the sentimental. Romances can make you sing, and break your spirit when they fall apart. Romance inspires art, song, poetry and even a drunk factory parts salesman yelling “Stella!” So collectively, I suppose, Valentine’s

Day celebrates Romance and perhaps love. I say “perhaps love” because love comes in so many shapes and sizes. The ancient Greeks, precise folks that they were, had about seven base words for love that when modified turned into 70 or so different nuances of the word “love.” But we are basically stuck with one simple word, LOVE. Now there are things that I love. I love this artistic piece by Larry Graham called “The Last Supper.” But I’m not in love with it. I have a long haired German Shepherd named Gretchen known to folks at The Phoenix, Mag’s, and the Golden Lantern as well as St. Anna’s. Now I am not sure what kind of love that is but I know she gives so much more back to me than I can ever give her. I have a Grandson, Levi, fairly new to the family and I truly love him. I have a most excellent wife that I am deeply devoted to and love (we are also best friends). Of close friends, intimates whom I love, I have a very few ; I can probably count them on one hand. I love them. Each a different kind of love with its own shape, dimension, and nuances. But a love that seems to represent for me the deepest and the best of human expression is undying love that is never ever lost or questioned. I get to see that rarely, but I do see it. The finest example that I can think of is why I always write about them on Valentine’s Day. If you have read the column before you will know what is coming. Stuart and Alfred. Now Stuart is still kicking. He is irascible and sweet. On occasion we

have exchange the “kiss of peace” and without any allusion to sexuality I can say that Stuart is a sweet kisser. His soul mate, Alfred, I suspect was a great kisser as well. I don’t know that though. Alfred was a delightful, whimsical, Faerie Playhouse kind of man. Born in San Francisco he found himself at one end of a bar and Stuart at the other. Love at first sight and Stuart did not put Alfred out the next day which was apparently some of Alfred’s lot in life. Instead, as far as I know, they became a couple. That was not easy in the early 1970’s. That was, in fact, risky business. But it was love at first sight. I believe that God had a plan or at least some thoughts in mind for Stuart and Alfred. They missed the Upstairs Lounge fire by less than an hour. They moved about New Orleans and finally ended up on Esplanade Avenue. Their small Creole cottage is painted a delightful color and is still adorned with hearts. Yes, hearts that are symbols of Valentine’s Day. You see Alfred’s favorite day beyond all others was Valentine’s Day. He adored the idea of LOVE and I say so writ large. His love of that day and the love between Stuart and Alfred is so large that it is infectious. Eventually, Alfred went on his journey. We know that at some point Stuart will join Alfred, and they will live in the land of LOVE so abundant that there will be room for little else. I write this now to convey just how deep their mutuality is. Stuart cannot and does not think of himself as apart from Alfred. Alfred is always present even in the middle of a hot domino game (which Stuart is very fond of).

That infectious love of two men for each other and their abundant way of expressing and showing it is too large to contain. It spills over. They took in several young men, some of whom had been hurt by life and sometimes that love brushed off of them onto the runway or stray man-child. It is so infectious that over the years a family was built around Stuart and Alfred. Stuart holds down the proverbial family fort. In fact they use just that language “family.” In that family is a lot of care. They call each other. Check on each other. Cards are sent and received and very appreciated. They invest time and affection in each other. So, my dear friends, when I think of Valentine’s Day I immediately think of a delightful salmon-colored cottage with red roses adorning it. I think of Stuart and Alfred and a love hot and eternal. I think of how such love pours itself out into a larger community that creates a “family.” That is Valentine’s Day for me. As a priest and pastor I hope, as you have read this, you understand the spiritual implications. Love can win. Love can triumph. Love finds its source beyond our imagination and ego. Love is a source that is holy and divine. When you see holy love you will know. It takes no chocolates nor candlelight nor fine meals. Not even a lace heart-shaped box of bad chocolate because this love is transparent from deep inside our very souls and from the font of all love. When that is manifested - LOVE WINS.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT Loyola University Oﬀers Non-Credit History and Professional Tour-Guiding Courses Ambush columnist and local historian Frank Perez will be teaching three courses at Loyola University in New Orleans beginning after Mardi Gras. Professional Tour Guiding One is designed for people preparing to take the New Orleans Tour Guide Permit exam or just want to learn more about New Orleans. Students participate in eleven classroom sessions and two field trips that are guided walking tours of the French Quarter and Garden District. Classroom sessions consist of instructor lectures, guest speakers, and student presentations. Students

also have the option to take the Tour Guide Permit exam for the City of New Orleans on the last night of class. This course meets Tuesday evenings from 3/12 through 5/28. Cost is $395. Research & Storytelling focuses on techniques and resources to enhance your research and storytelling skills and build better tours. Class sessions consist of lectures, workshops, and guest speaker presentations from research facilities such as The Historic New Orleans Collection, Louisiana Research Collection, New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana State Museum, and

Amistad Research Center. Students will choose one topic to investigate and give a presentation at the end of the class. The last class meeting is a field trip with guided walking tour. This course meets Tuesday evenings from 6/4 through 7/23. Cost is $195. History of the French Quarter focuses on the Vieux Carre as both the original city of New Orleans and its shifting role as the city’s flagship neighborhood. While the French, Spanish, and early American periods are covered, the emphasis of the course is on 20th century history. Topics include,

but are not limited to: architecture, historical preservation, colorful characters, the rise of tourism, literature and arts, drinking culture, crime and vice, and LGBT+ history. The last class meeting is a tour of the French Quarter. This course meets Wednesday evenings from 3/27 through 5/15. Cost is $245.00 All classes are non-credit. Registration is now open. More information here: http://pcs.loyno.edu/programs/ non-credit-courses

40 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Oz New Orleans PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ AND ANDREW HOPKINS #OZNEWORLEANS & SUBMITTED BY PERSANA SHOULDERS

OZ New Orleans 2-story, 24/7 gay dance club with DJs, drag shows, go-go dancers & a balcony for people-watching.

OPENING HOURS

FRI, SAT & SUN: 24/7 MON–THURS: Opens at 1PM

ADDRESS 800 Bourbon Street New Orleans, LA Phone: (504) 593-9491 www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 41

ANNOUNCEMENT Local Authors to be Featured at Saints and Sinners Festival Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com

Sven Davisson

Matthew Griﬃn

Mary Griggs

Greg Herren

Every year, the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival attracts luminaries in the field of queer letters from around the world to New Orleans while also highlighting local talent. This year’s festival, which takes place over the last weekend in March, will feature the following local writers. Sven Davisson is a New Orleans-based writer, photographer, and publisher at Rebel Satori Press/ QueerMojo whose most recent book, a collection of poetry and photography, is The Desire Line: Memory & Impermanence. Davisson’s previous collections of short fiction and essays are The Starry Dynamo and The Star Set Matrix. His short fiction appeared the anthologies Wilde Stories 2009: The Best Gay Speculative Fiction, Suffering From the Night: Queering Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Madder Love: Queer Men in the Precincts of Surrealism. www.svendavisson.com Matthew Griffin’s first novel Hide

was the winner of the 2017 Crook’s Corner Book Prize and an ALA Stonewall Honor Book. It was longlisted for the PEN/Bingham Prize for debut fiction, a semifinalist for the VCU/Cabell First Novelist award, and a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and a Publishing Triangle Award. He was born and raised in North Carolina and now lives with his husband in New Orleans, where he teaches at Tulane University and Loyola University. Greg Herren is the author of over thirty novels and editor of twenty anthologies. He has won two Lambda Literary Awards, an Anthony Award, and was shortlisted for the Macavity Award and the Shirley Jackson Award. His most recent collection, Survivor’s Guilt and Other Stories, will be released by Bold Strokes Books in April 2019. By day, Mary Griggs is a non-profit management consultant and a political activist. By night, she writes. Whenev-

er she can, she takes advantage of all the amenities New Orleans has to offer, especially the food! She is the author of four lesbian romance and speculative novels, published by Bella Books. Her website is http://www.marygriggs. com and her food blog can be found at http://mouthbrothels.com/ Frank Perez, B.S., M.A., is a historian, a tour guide, a public speaker, and a writer who lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He has authored three books: Southern Decadence in New Orleans, In Exile: The History and Lore Surrounding New Orleans Gay Culture and Its Oldest Gay Bar, and Treasures of the Vieux Carre: Ten Self-Guided Walking Tours of the French Quarter. He is also the co-editor of the anthology My Gay New Orleans: 28 Personal Reminiscences on LGBT+ Life in New Orleans. In addition, he writes a column on New Orleans history for Ambush Magazine. His publications also include a number

of scholarly articles in academic journals as well as a number of poems and short stories in various literary journals. He currently serves as President of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana. Ali Vali is the author of the Devil series including the new book Heart of the Devil, and the Forces series including the new Force of Fire: Toujours a Vous. She’s written numerous standalones, the newest being Answering the Call, the sequel to Calling the Dead. Ali currently lives outside New Orleans, where she enjoys cheering LSU and trying new restaurants. Ambush readers interested in attending the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival enjoy a 20% discount off the registration fee by entering the code AMBUSH20. Register or learn more at http://sasfest.org/

GAY MARDI GRAS 2019 61st Year of Gay Carnival is Underway The 61st year of Gay Carnival began on January 6 with the Mistick Krewe de Rue Royale Revelers annual Twelfth Night Party. The highlight of the annual party, which celebrates the arrival of Carnival Season, is the Procession of Previous Grand Revelers and the presentation of the new Grand Reveler. The identity of the Grand Reveler is a closely guarded secret and not revealed until the night of the party. Attendees at this year’s party, numbering over 300, were surprised when Frank Perez, the Lord of Misrule and founder of the Krewe, introduced Frank Perez as Grand Rev-

eler V, the Faux Reveler (note--same name, two different people). Previous Grand Revelers include Jeffrey Palmquist (GR I), Will Antill (GR II, the Financial District Reveler), Rip Naquin (GR III, the Award-Winning Reveler), and Felicia Philips (GR IV, the Cheese Reveler). After Lord of Misrule Perez introduced Grand Reveler Perez, the outgoing Krewe of Queenateenas’ King Cake Queen (Solitaire), accompanied by the new King Cake Queen (Tiffany Alexander), called upon the Lord of Misrule and the new Grand Reveler for a Royal toast.

This year, Carnival Season is long; Mardi Gras falls on March 5. The calendar is filled with fantastic events between Twelfth Night and Shrove Tuesday:

February 26

Krewe of Queenateenas 25th King Cake Queen Coronation

March 2

Krewe of Armeinius 51st Annual Ball

March 3

Lords of Leather 36th Annual Ball

March 5

Mardi Gras; 55th Annual Bourbon Street Awards

For more information about the Gay Mardi Gras, please visit GayMardiGras.com. 42 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Top Secret Twenty-One & Tricky Twenty-Two Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I actually have two books this month from one of my favorite authors, Janet Evanovich. Evanovich began her career writing short contemporary romance novels under the pen name Steffie Hall, but gained fame authoring a series of contemporary mysteries featuring Stephanie Plum, a former lingerie buyer from Trenton, New Jersey, who becomes a bounty hunter to make ends meet after losing her job. I am an avid fan of her Stephanie Plum series. I just finished Top Secret Twenty-One and Tricky Twenty-Two. Her novels are laugh-out-loud riots as you enjoy the misadventures of Stephanie Plum and the cast of characters in

her life. In 21, Stephanie is on the hunt for a used car dealer who skipped his bond. As she hunts for Jimmy Poletti, bodies start popping and she crosses paths again with Randy Briggs who worked as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s secrets. Soon his life is in danger and Stephanie has to protect him. Along with Lula, former prostitute turned sidekick, Stephanie stumbles around Trenton trying to stay alive. Add to this a pack of demonic chihuahuas, a boob job, a curse from her boyfriend’s grandmother, assassination attempts and a crazy bucket list, and you have one fun-filled read. Also, the sexual tension is amped up

between her on again/off again boyfriend Joe Morelli and Security Specialist Ranger making an interesting subplot. In 22, Stephanie goes to college dealing with fraternity boys as she searches for the head of Zeta House who has missed his court date. He has gone into hiding, but things don’t quite add up because everyone on campus loves him. While trying to piece the clues together on one case, she helps investigate the murder of Doug Linken who was gunned down in his backyard. She was working with Ranger to protect him since he was hated by just about everyone in town including his

family. Soon Stephanie is embroiled in two mysteries that have her attacked by geese, pelted with water balloons and beat up. Just a typical day in the office. In addition to this, her love life begins to take an unusual turn, her onagain boyfriend Morelli breaks up with her while they are in bed and is talking about quitting the force. Like the previous novels, Tricky Twenty-Two takes her similar formula from all her novels and gives it a fresh approach. To find out more about Janet Evanovich, go to www.evanovich.com.

BARTENDER OF THE MONTH

Bleu Lux Rove Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I love writing the Bartender of the Month column for a myriad of reasons. From trying new cocktails to hanging out in some of the most fun drinking establishments in the LGBT community. But my favorite is finding out the stories of the men and women who we talk to all the times (sometimes on a daily basis). Bartenders listen to other people so much, I love finding out their story, giving them a voice. I discovered my bartender of the month when I was on my Saints to the Super Bowl (sorry to bring that horrible Sunday up) pub crawl. I went into the Golden Lantern and for a little while my world turned Bleu. Yes, my bartender for the month of February is Bleu Lux Rove. Bleu started visiting the city when he was 18 and stayed for a month each time for Mardi Gras before and after Katrina. But alas he did not come to the city to sling drinks but to go-go dance. I must admit; Bleu is very easy on the eyes. In his own admission he was very wild in those days. It was then that he fell in love with the city and promised to return and work in the French Quarter. His original home was Los Angeles and he would often stray in search of belonging. Fast forward a decade, and he is working in Miami and mysteriously got pulled back to NOLA! Three years ago, he packed up what little belongings he had, bought a one-way bus ticket to New Orleans and started his drastically better life toward fulfillment and happiness. My God, someone should make

a movie out of this! Bleu is a natural behind the bar, his charming smile and demeanor make him a favorite among the locals and visitors to the Golden Lantern. And you can tell he loves his job. He said his bartending career was “sparked” in West Hollywood where he worked at a coffeehouse in the middle of Boys Town. Lots of the bartenders in the neighborhood would come in and get their caffeine fix before their shift which led him to working satellite bar gigs during larger events when he was free. In South Florida, he pursued bartending working full time at a private villa estate and Ramrod in Fort Lauderdale. In NOLA, he works between the Golden Lantern and Market Cafe. Behind the bar, Bleu’s cocktail making skills are impressive. He loves making the classic cocktails. In his opinion, perfecting the strategy of making these drinks can really impact and accentuate a customer’s experience. Superior customer service is key and one of his greatest attributes. Making Sazeracs, Manhattans, Old-Fashioneds, Martinis and Bloody Mary’s are his speciality. When he is out drinking, he personally favors Coronas with a shot of tequila, but he admits his friends can easily talk him into a good Mind Eraser! But his absolute passion is the ritual and history of Absinthe, and his special occasion treat libation. When I asked him what he loves about being a bartender, I was enamored by his fabulous answer. He says, it is definitely the opportunities

Bleu Lux Rove it provides him in all sense and form. With bartending he is able to make wonderful connections as well as have the resources to work toward his own personal goals and ambitions. As a career, his options are limitless. Overall the best part about it is the wonderful friendships and sense of community he has made. It is never a dull moment especially in this unique city he personally named “Lady Orleans.” The city and the LGBT community has been very good to him and he is immensely grateful.

I cannot say enough good things about Bleu. You need to get down to the Golden Lantern and meet this wonderful guy. He started there working graveyard shifts in December 2016 and now works the 8 a.m. - 2 p.m shift on Sundays. He is the best way to start off your Sundays, trust me. He even lives in the neighborhood, so it is also his regular first stop and where a majority of his friends hang out. The Golden Lantern is located at 1239 Royal Street.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 43

ANNOUNCEMENT Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Announcement Party Set for March 15

Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Beware the Ides of March! SDGMs XLIV Frank Perez and Adikus Sulpizi have set the SDGM Announcement Party for March 15 at Crossing. The SDGM Announcement Party is one of the most highly anticipated events in the annual New Orleans queer calendar. Because the Grand Marshals have the sole discretion to name their successors, speculation grows as the announcement party

draws near. Some years, the choices are obvious while other years the choices seem to come out of left field. The choice is significant because the Grand Marshals are responsible for not only raising the money necessary to produce the parade, but also for selecting a theme and official colors that dictate costuming and decorating choices for the big Labor Day weekend extravaganza. In recent years, the

Grand Marshals have also selected an official charity. The Announcement Party is usually accompanied by a drag show and this year is no exception. Sulpizi confirms that Analia XO, Justin Betwener, Scarlet Michaels, Glory Bea, and Countess C. Alice will perform at this year’s party. This year’s Announcement Party will take place at Crossing, formerly the

Double Play, at 439 Dauphine Street. Reserved VIP table seating (4 seats) is available for $100. Contact Frank Perez or Adikus Sulpizi to reserve a table. All money raised at the event will go toward producing the 2019 Southern Decadence Parade, which takes place on Sunday, September 1.

With Risen Star win, War of Will establishes himself as Kentucky Derby contender Ken Trahan, Crescent City Sports It was a war of will, literally. As the favorite in the 47th Risen Star Stakes, War of Will proved his mettle against a solid field in capturing the Louisiana Derby and Kentucky Derby prep Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course. With the win, War of Will garnered 50 valuable points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby May 4 at Louisville. Winning by two and a half lengths

over Country House, War of Will was clearly the best horse. Roiland finished third. War of Will proved that he can handle any situation, having to overcome the 14th pole position. To do so, jockey Tyler Gaffalione had to run War of Will early to get positioned correctly. Despite doing so, Gaffalione still had the most horse down the stretch. It was the third straight victory for

War of Will, who won the Lecomte Stakes by four lengths. The term “horses for courses” applies to some in the business. While trainer Mark Casse hopes that is not the case with his horse, Casse is most likely to run War of Will in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds March 23. By showing he can run early and still have plenty in the tank late, War of Will showed the world that he can get the distance required in the Triple Crown races to come. That is good news for horse racing fans in the New Orleans area. On the second biggest racing day of the season at the Gentilly oval, Silver Dust won the Mineshaft Stakes with Jack Gilligen aboard. Harlan Punch was second with Flameaway third. Favorite Lone Sailor of GMB Racing Stables finished a disappointing fifth. With the win, Silver Dust qualified for the New Orleans Handicap on Louisiana Derby day March 23.

Favored Synchrony captured the Fair Grounds Handicap with Joe Bravo aboard. Bandua was second with Markitoff third. The win sets Synchrony up for the Muniz Memorial Handicap. Serengeti Empress captured the 39th running of the Rachel Alexandria Stakes by nearly five lengths in a very impressive run, earning 50 points toward the Kentucky Oaks May 3rd at Churchill Downs. It was a huge bounce-back win with James Graham in the saddle. Serengeti Mpress had finished seventh most recently in the Breeders’ Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2. Liora was second with Eres Tu finishing third. Serengeti Empress is pointing to the Fair Grounds Oaks next on March 23. This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

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Potential candidates for Pelicans general manager opening Rene Nadeau, Crescent City Sports Another shoe has dropped, with the New Orleans Pelicans severing ties with longtime general manager Dell Demps. Now the process begins to replace him, although we do not know what title or overall structure the front office will have post-Demps. I can assure you that there won’t be a shortage of candidates. Front office leadership jobs in the NBA are precious, and no level of national media negativity will change the desire of many to take this job. The next decision made by the Pelicans, collectively, will be the most important in franchise history. It could either set the organization up to move into the role of an NBA contender or could put the team in a free fall from which they may never recover. This is the same spot that the New Orleans Saints were in 2006 when Sean Payton was hired. The rest is history. I’ll throw out some names we may hear connected with the job in the coming days, weeks and months. Shareef Abdur Rahim, 42 years old now, was a standout power forward in the NBA notching over 15,00 points. He was twice an NBA All-Star and won a Gold medal with the U.S. team in the 2000 Olympics. Very intelligent with a 3.8 GPA during him time at Cal-Berkley, Abdur Rahim has an executive background including time as director of player personnel with the Sacramento Kings, five seasons as Kings assistant GM and now President of the NBA’s developmental G League. Larry Harris, 56 years old, currently serves as assistant GM and director of player personnel for the Golden State Warriors. His father, Del Harris, was a very successful NBA head coach. Larry also had time on the bench as an assistant coach with the Warriors in 2008-09. Gersson Rosas, executive VP for the Houston Rockets, has been considered for a number of NBA openings. A native Colombian, he fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age. Well respected in all basketball circles, Rosas served as the GM for the Dallas Mavericks for three months but returned to Houston where he has worked for the Rockets for a total of 18 years. Mike Zarren, the Boston Celtics assistant GM, is highly regarded throughout the league. He has been heavily involved with the roster movements of his boss Danny Ainge for quite some time. Zarren, a graduate

of Harvard Law School, has previously GM. Before that, he was Director of turned down the job with the Philadeladministration and basketball operphia 76ers so he would not be an easy ations for the Cavs and a scout for catch. But he cerSpurs (2012-’15). tainly could give As a player, the Some of these potenNew Orleans a leg Alaskan Assassin up in trade negotial candidates have re- set a record for tiations regarding 3 point shooting ceived long looks and the Celtics and (later broken by JJ their desire for Angone through numerous Redick) while at thony Davis. Duke. A first round interviews with teams David Griffin, pick for the Cavs 45 years old, was searching for their front in 1999, Langdon GM for Cleveland sent 1999-’02 in from 2014 to ’17 office leadership change in Cleveland before but Cavs owner the recent past. All make playing overseas. Dan Gilbert chose He was talented not to retain him. sense as part of the start- enough athlete to Many NBA insiding point in New Orleans be drafted by the ers felt Gilbert San Diego Padres to find the right fit. made a mistake. of MLB in sixth Griffin made solid round. He has inmoves during his tenure in Cleveland, terviewed for some GM openings in the bringing back LeBron James and acNBA recently. quiring Kevin Love en route to the 2016 Brain Wright, 36 years old, is the NBA title. San Antonio assistant GM. He has a Justin Zanik, assistant GM with the great passion for scouting and been Utah Jazz, has handled Internationknown to uncover talent around the al scouting and contract negotiations world. Maybe a little soon for him in his there. His background included extencareer to be a GM, Wright may have a sive experience running a front office. mix of both good and bad working for He was an assistant GM for Milwauand against him if seeking the job with kee Bucks for three seasons as well, and man expected he was in line to be next Bucks GM. Zanik was the GM for the Indiana Pacers (2008- 2012) and worked as VP at ASM Sports, overseeing career management of players they represented. Malik Rose, 44 years old., played 13 NBA seasons, winning titles with Spurs in 1999 and 2003. Now the assistant GM for Pistons, Rose was previously named G League basketball executive of the year while with Erie Bayhawks in 2017. Overall experience is a bit of question mark so the interview process would be vital for Rose, who earned his NBA keep as a hard-nosed player at power forward. Tommy Sheppard, 49 years old, is the Washington Wizards VP of basketball operations. Having served 14 seasons in Wizards organization and 23 overall years in NBA, he has experience with salary cap management, negotiations, training camp organizing, draft preparation and talent evaluation of both college and pro basketball. Sheppard played college football at New Mexico State. Trajan Langdon, 42 years old, is currently the Brooklyn Nets assistant

the Pelicans – Dell Demps and Sam Presti came out of Spurs front office. Trent Redden, 36 years old, is currently the L.A. Clippers assistant GM. He was Cleveland’s senior VP of basketball operations before that and witnessed the highs and lows of Cavs basketball. Redden was given release from Cleveland when the aforementioned David Griffin was also let go. Troy Weaver, Oklahoma City VP of basketball operations, has spent seven years with the Thunder as VP and assistant GM. He was also Director of Player Personnel for the Jazz. Some of these potential candidates have received long looks and gone through numerous interviews with teams searching for their front office leadership change in the recent past. All make sense as part of the starting point in New Orleans to find the right fit. Other names will surface, but this list is certainly a good starting point. This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

I’ll throw out some names we may hear connected with the job in the coming days, weeks and months.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · 45

A League of Their Own: Gayle Benson among growing list of powerful women in American sports Rene Nadeau, Crescent City Sports Gayle Benson has already made her mark as owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans (Photo: Parker Waters). A League of Their Own was a successful motion picture in 1992 focusing on a real life story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1940’s. It may be the first case of women gaining a share of the spotlight as professional competitors in America. Since then, much has changed, including the rise of powerful women in sports off the fields of play. There is a faction of professional sports franchise owners comprised of women. Something you may never have thought likely many years ago is true now, and women with major control in what is still considered by many as a man’s world is not so rare anymore. These are bold, confident group with a keen sense for

business. Some of the prominent females who have the final say in professional sports include Martha Firestone Ford, Virginia Halas McCaskey, Gail Miller, Jeanie Buss, Amy Adams Strunk and, of course, Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson. Ford, 93, took over for her late husband William Clay Ford in 2004 as principal owner and chairwoman of the Detroit Lions. Her grandfather founded Firestone Rubber Company. M c C a s k e y, 96, is the daughter of the legendary George Halas. She is principal owner of the Chicago Bears. Miller, 76, took ownership of the Utah Jazz following the death of her husband Larry from diabetes at age 64. Buss, daughter of the late Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss, is controlling owner and president of the franchise today.

Miller, 76, took ownership of the Utah Jazz following the death of her husband Larry from diabetes at age 64.

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When the elder Buss passed away, he spread ownership to six surviving children but Jeanie eventually took a firm grip on the franchise and made some tough decisions. Strunk and her sister Susie Adams Smith were given ownership of the Tennessee Titans when their dad, Bud Adams, died. Dating back to their roots in the AFL when founded in 1960 as the original Houston Oilers, Adams was a outspoken and brash figure. Much less like her father, the steady Strunk maintained controlling ownership of the Titans while Smith has dropped back out of the limelight. A few others who are in power positions in major American sports are Laurene Powell Jobs (Washington Wizards), Janice McNair (Houston Texans), Denise DeBartolo York (San Francisco 49ers), Kim Pegula (Buffalo Bills) and Ann Walton Kroenke (Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche) as co-owners with their husbands or other family members involved. However, the woman on the list of most interest in New Orleans is Mrs. Benson, a one-of-a-kind lady. She is the only female in sports who is principal owner for multiple sports franchises and the first woman to be majority shareholder of the voting stock of NFL and NBA teams. Also near and dear to Benson is GMB Racing, the family’s Thoroughbred racing stable that has produced multiple Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup starters. Her late husband, Tom Benson, also took a majority role of Dixie Brewing Company, which she has maintained. Tom and Gayle Benson married in 2004. Mr. Benson died March 15, 2018. Mrs. Benson is someone who is respected throughout the memberships of the NFL and NBA owners. She is someone who could soon be the most powerful woman in sports. She closely observed as her husband purchased the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) in 2012 and was a huge fan of the acquisition. In a position where decisions can impact the landscape of sports in the Crescent City and surrounding area in

a major way, she has surrounded herself with those she trusts. She totally understands the magnitude of her decisions. Gayle Benson, like so many women owners in sports, has done so much in the communities. Her philanthropy demonstrates a tremendous commitment to supporting this entire region in a on a huge scale. Her latest donation of $5 million, announced Thursday night, went to Jesuit High School for their campus sports arena remodeling. The renovated facility will bear the name Gayle and Tom Benson Arena. Possessing a woman’s touch has certainly been noticeable already. She was a positive influence on her husband as he navigated through ownership during their relationship. The Bensons gave generously to churches, schools, universities and the cancer foundation, among others. Many agree that her influence of him bolsters his public image and the connection between the franchises and the community. Gayle Benson will sign off on upcoming changes with the New Orleans Pelicans and challenging decisions still ahead for the Saints. She has demonstrated that she will not shy away from the tough moves. It takes courage and confidence to be in that spot, and her past business experiences plus observations of her husband’s efforts will come in handy. Mrs. Benson has her trusted inner circle that will feed her input, but maintains the “buck stops here” mentality. She also has support, both vocal and in spirit, from loyal Saints and Pelicans fans who won’t sit in the boardrooms but are behind her 100 percent.

Gayle Benson will sign off on upcoming changes with the New Orleans Pelicans and challenging decisions still ahead for the Saints.

This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

46 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South: www.AmbushMag.com · February 26 – March 11, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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