Ambush Magazine Volume 37 Issue 14

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTHâ„¢

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 37 ISSUE 14

TUESDAY, July 2, 2019

www.AMBUSHMAG.com

Gay Appreciation Award Voting, 4th of July & Essence Festival

THE “OFFICIAL” DISH

by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, Voting in the 31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards is still underway and we are on pace to break all records. Votes have been pouring in from all over the Gulf South in support of the honorable nominees of the 2019 GAA’s. Voting will continue until midnight on July 9th so be sure to go online and cast your vote for your favorite nominees at GayAppreciationAwards. com.

Once the votes are counted, we will be announcing the Top 5 in each category. The winners will be announced at the 31st Annual GAA Gala on Saturday, July 20th at Oz. We are very excited about this year’s event and hope to see each of you at the Gala. As is tradition, the Top 5 show clubs will be asked to provide the entertainment for the Gala. Tickets are $10 for the event and half of the proceeds will be donated to Southern Decadence 2019.

GAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD With much excitement, Ambush and the GAA Board of Directors are pleased to announce that the recipient of this year’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award is Larry Bagneris, Jr. Bagneris has dedicated his life’s work to promoting equal rights

for all starting with his participation in demonstrations protesting segregation in New Orleans at the age of 16. He has recently retired after serving several Mayoral administrations in New Orleans as the Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission.

He has been a champion for equal rights for the LGBTQ community and is one of the founders of the Houston Gay Pride Parade. We are very excited to present Larry Bagneris, Jr. with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s GAA Gala.

ELECTION SEASON IS HERE Last week marked the first debates for the twenty plus Democrats running for President of the United States.

Each hopes to win their party’s nomination and take on President Trump in the fall of 2020. Before we get to 2020, however, we have a full slate of elections here in Louisiana this coming fall. Every statewide elected official and every member of the Louisiana Legislature are on the ballot in October 2019. Qualifying for those elections takes place in early August and the primary election is on Saturday, October 12. The deadline to register to vote in the election by mail or in person is September 11 and the deadline to register via the GeauxVote online registrations

Inside this Issue of Ambush Community Announcements

6-10

Obituary: Lee "Bunny" Brasseaux

11

Obituary: Barry Rutherford

11

Trodding the Boards

12-13

The Importance of Freedom: Is Inner Freedom Like Inner Peace?

14

Book Review: The Stonewall Reader

16

Is Fuchsia the new color of hate?

Conflicting Thoughts on Rainbow Police Badges The Historic New Orleans Collection

18-19 20 20-21

Matt Skallerud Is Embracing His Inner Marketing Pink Banana Magic

21

Sharing the joy and sharing the struggle SOLIDARITY!

22

Police Can Be So Adamant

22-24

Hep C treatment to become widely available in Louisiana

26

Playing Smart – It’s About Sexual Health & Wellness

27

Red Wine: Can it Lead to Better Sex & Health?

28

Book Review: Brown White Black

30

Five Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Beneficiaries

30

Spider-Man: Far From Home

31

Party Down

32-33

Hot Happenings

34-43

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory

43-47

Puzzle & Local Gay Bar Comic Sports

48 49-50

Gulf South LGBTQ Entertainment & Travel Guide Since 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana | info@ambushpublishing.com | (504) 522-8049

system is September 21. If you are not registered to vote, I would strongly encourage you to do so. I would also encourage each and every one of you to take the time to get to know the candidates and their positions, especially positions that are important to you and the LGBTQ community.

As we have done in the past, Ambush will make endorsements in key races. We will also keep you informed on candidates’ positions on the issues that matter most to the LGBTQ community. At a time when many of our rights are under attack from the current Presidential administration, it is important to help elect allies of the LGBTQ community who can expand LGBTQ rights on the state level. It is a sad and tragic state of affairs that in 2019 many states, Louisiana among them, have no protections for LGBTQ people against discrimination in the workplace, housing or public accomodations. Together we can work to change that and it starts in 2019 with you! Make sure you and your friends are registered to vote and cast your ballot for candidates who support equal rights for all!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS As you know, Southern Decadence takes place over Labor Day Weekend with the highlight being the Parade on Sunday. But there is more to Decadence than just the events during the holiday weekend. There are many events and fundraisers throughout the summer to keep you busy and entertained. You can find a complete listing of events in Ambush but here are some of the many highlights that you don’t want to miss!

31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards at Oz. Join members of the LGBTQ community as we honor many individuals, businesses and nonprofits who support the community and go above & beyond to advocate for equal rights for all.

Nearly Naked Pool Party - yes, you read that right! What exactly does “nearly naked: mean? I’m not sure but there is an easy way to find out! The event takes place on July 27th from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The cost of admission is $25 and tickets can be purchased online at SD2019.ticketleap.com/ nearly-na-ked-pool-party/ One of my personal favorites is always the Former Southern Decadence Grand Marshals Drag Show.

This year the event is on Friday, August 30th at The Golden Lantern at 8 pm.

This is a show you don’t want to miss!

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 - Birmingham, 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 Adam Radd, Brian Sands, Catherine Roland, Crescent City Sports, Frank Perez, Jim Meadows, Kevin Assam, Rev. Bill Terry, Rodney Thoulion, Robert Fiesler, Ryan Rockford, Scot Billeaudeau, Tony Leggio, & Tyler Rosebush PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Hopkins, Dwain Hertz, Persona Shoulders, 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 · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 5

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kern Studio on the World Stage in New York Pride celebration

by Rodney Thoulion After World Pride New York is over on June 30, our King of Mardi Gras float builders, Kern Studios, will have been showcased to the world with three entries in the World Pride March.

Mardi Gras meets Pride has been long overdue especially in the Big Apple.

Netflix’s Queer Eye, MAC Cosmetics, and the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) will have reigned in a big way with Mardi Gras style floats that will have added a sparkle to the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall.

Walking into a Kern float den is like entering the Land of Oz from a sepia-toned world. Vibrant colors pop and floats sparkle with much greater intensity than Dorothy’s ruby slippers.

One hundred and fifty pounds of glitter highlight the floats.

Jake Lawton, manager of retail events for MAC Cosmetics, has been working with Kern for months on this project. He was there at the den to check out the spectacle that was built for his company’s philanthropic arm that has pumped millions upon millions of dollars into HIV/AIDS projects around the world.

“I am very pleased with what I am seeing. This is going to be epic,” he said, gazing upon the MAC float headed with a rainbow arch that looks through to a large heart that says, “MAC Loves Pride.” The sides of the float says, “All Ages. All Races. All Genders.”

Lawton proclaims that MAC Cosmetics is the largest non-pharmaceutical funder of HIV/AIDS since it launched its Viva Glam lipstick 25 years ago. At present, the company has donated more than $500 million to the cause. Recently the MAC AIDS Fund changed its name to the Viva Glam Fund.

Just seven months ago, Joe Mazzotta began working with Kern Studios in business development. He kept contemplating where he could make the most impact with his new job. He reached out to Zoe Gorringe, a New Orleans girl working for Heritage of Pride for World Pride New York and soon “the magic began to happen,” according to Mazzotta.

“It is the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall, World Pride is happening in New York. How could New Orleans enter the parade and make a statement in a big way?” Soon Mazzotta had three entries in the parade and he is bank-

New Orleans’ riverboat themed float in World Pride in NYC (Photo: Chris Leonard | Ambush)

ing that when people see these floats, more companies will be knocking on their door next year for Pride entries in other major cities across the country.

The MAC Cosmetics float had drag sensations Peppermint and Teyanna Taylor, and saw as many as 500 walkers behind the float representing MAC. The 35-1/2 foot Netflix Queer Eye Float featured all of the Fab Five and Honey Davenport with 150 walkers. It debuted just in time for the show’s new season premiere. The float featured a huge tissue box with a rainbow tissue on the front to signify the show’s theme: “I’m not crying, you’re crying.”

A 55-foot steamboat represented the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corporation. Deepa Soul adorned the top spot on the float. More than 100 walkers from New Orleans joined in the parade. New Orleans local Tony Leggio was one of them.

“I am so excited about being part of this global celebration about diversity and pride,” Leggio said. “I am proud that New Orleans has decided to play an important role. Showing our city as an inclusive and accepting haven for LGBT travelers is amazing and I am just ecstatic about being a small part of it. I feel like I am participating in something that truly is global in scope. It is very special!”

NOMTC also sponsored a booth with a Flower Wall built by Kern Studios. Hansen’s Sno Blitz was there as a sponsor as was Krewe eyewear. The booth disseminated information about New Orleans as an LGBTQ destina-

tion.

Mark Romig, CEO for NOMTC, said, “We are so elated with the opportunity to take the message that New Orleans is welcoming ALL people and that we are a loving and tolerant city for visitors from around the world. Bringing a little bit of Mardi Gras to the Big Apple is exciting. We think that the lasting impression of our riverboat float will be an exciting memory for all parade participants, and will help show how we know how to celebrate life.”

The floats took “20-25 people and six solid weeks of production,” said Mazzotta. Elexa Dixon, Group Sales Manager for Mardi Gras World, explained that the floats are conceptualized and built for clients on-site. “Any float that is shipped must be built and disassembled for shipping,” Dixon said.

“It’s rebuilt at its destination and then disassembled to come home which means Kern Studio artists are with the float every step of the way. I am very proud for us to represent New Orleans in this parade and proud to come from a city where inclusion is a way of life.”

Seven months ago being a part of World Pride was just a dream for Mazzotta. “I had a vision and I wanted to deliver in a big way,” he said. “As a member of the LGBTQ community I was hoping to gain traction in the Pride market. I am excited about our floats being placed on a world stage. Our designers and builders are top notch.

Millions of eyes will be upon us and I hope that gets us the recognition we so deserve.”

6 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Grand Revelers’ Conclave About a dozen people gathered recently at the corner of Royal and St. Ann Streets to witness the release of black smoke at the conclusion of the Mystik Krewe du Rue Royale Revelers’ inaugural conclave.

The conclave is held on the third Thursday of each month to deliberate the selection of the krewe’s next Grand Reveler. All Grand Revelers—Jeff Palmquist (GR I), Will Antill (GR II), Felicia Phillips (GR IV), and Frank Perez (GR V)—cloister at Lord of Misrule Frank Perez’ apartment to suggest and debate names for the honored title.

Proceedings of the monthly conclave are highly secretive. During the conclave, the building is protected by the Swiss Guard. According to rumor, the vigorous discussion is fueled by copious amounts of alcohol.

After the conclave concludes, the Lord of Misrule and the previous Grand Revelers, along with two Swiss Guard

officers, emerge on Perez’s corner balcony overlooking Royal and St. Ann Streets to release either black or white smoke. Black smoke indicates a Grand Reveler has not been selected.

White smoke indicates a Grand Reveler has been selected.

Carnival enthusiasts, interested parties, hopeful revelers, and the general public are invited to gather at the corner of St. Ann and Royal Streets during the conclave to await the decision of the Conclave. Anticipants should expect the smoke to be released at 8:45pm. The next conclave takes place on Thursday, July 18.

The revelation of the Grand Reveler is the highlight of krewe’s legendary 12th Night Party, which kicks off the Carnival Season each year. The Mystik Krewe de Rue Royale Revelers was founded in 2013 and held its first 12th Night Party in 2014 at Perez’s home.

The first Grand Reveler was crowned

Black smoke rises from the balcony at the corner of Royal and St Ann Streets indicating six more weeks of winter (just kidding) a Grand Reveler has not yet been chosen. (Photo Credit: Frank Perez | Ambush)

in 2015. By 2018, the party had outgrown its humble origins and is now

held at various venues in the French Quarter.

Larry Bagneris, Jr. To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award Larry Bagneris, Jr. will receive the Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 32nd annual Gay Appreciation Awards.

A native of New Orleans, Larry Bagneris began his Civil Rights activities at the age of 16 as a student at St. Augustine High School. He took part in pickets in front of Maison Blanche Department Store protesting the Jim Crow policies of the retail giant. He participated in sit-ins at Walgreens in Gentilly Woods and other New Orleans mainstays such as the Frosty Top on Canal Street and Woolworth’s.

He was arrested for his efforts to seek equal treatment for people of color. More than once, Larry was taken to the Juvenile Center because he was too young to be booked into Central Lockup with the adult population. Larry took part in many mass rallies including a nighttime march from A. L. Davis Park to City Hall.

In 1963, he attended the National Conference for International Justice in Memphis, Tennessee with other students and priests from St. Augustine High School. He challenged the Monsignor of the Diocese of New Orleans to explain why Catholic Schools were still segregated. Several years later, when Archbishop Rummel was to receive an honor from the Vatican, Larry led a protest outside the hotel where the accolades were presented.

Larry served as President of the Negro Betterment Council of St. Augustine and worked with ‘Chink’ Henry and the Longshoreman’s Union during the Johnson-Humphrey bid for the Presidency. While demonstrating for the Voter Rights Act he was confronted by opposing, angry demonstrators and was taunted with the Confederate Battle flag. In 1967 he was the first Black

elected to serve as Vice-chair of the Young Democrats of New Orleans.

As an out gay man, Larry experienced homophobia during a raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969. It was perhaps this incident that altered his course in the Civil Rights movement from emphasis on the rights of racial minorities to that of the gay community.

It was also during this time that Larry worked as a volunteer for the first Annual Women’s Conference in Houston.

Larry’s gay activism included his participation in the campaign to ‘Stop the Briggs Initiative’ in California, which was aimed at firing gay teachers. He served on the Board of the First and Second March on Washington, D.C. for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Larry was a two-term president of the Gay Political Caucus of Houston, the chairperson of Gay Pride Week and the founder of the Gay Pride Parade in Houston. He also served on the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Larry was the first openly gay person elected as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in NYC in 1980.

The 1990’s found Larry immersed in the confusion, turmoil and grief as the Gay community responded to HIV/ AIDS. After accepting a job as a lobbyist for the N. O. AIDS Task Force, Larry organized a network to meet with every Senator and member of the House of Representatives in Louisiana seeking to educate political leaders and the public about HIV/AIDS. Larry enjoyed a highly successful career in insurance and investments before becoming the head of the City’s Human Relations Commission.

As Chair of the Commission, which is housed under the Mayor’s Office, Larry was responsible for receiving and

mediating complaints of discrimination in Housing, Public Accommodations, and Employment for the city of New Orleans. Most recently Larry was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Conference for Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials. He secured

New Orleans as the meeting place for the International Conference. Recently retired, Larry continues the fight for equality.

The Gay Appreciation Awards Gala will take place on Saturday, July 20, at Oz.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 7

Important Facts About DOVATO This is only a brief summary of important information about DOVATO and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment.

What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO? If you have both human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • Resistant HBV infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV infection before you start treatment with DOVATO. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B, the hepatitis B virus can change (mutate) during your treatment with DOVATO and become harder to treat (resistant). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in people who have HIV-1 and HBV infection.

• Worsening of HBV infection. If you have HIV-1 and HBV infection, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking DOVATO. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. Worsening liver disease can be serious and may lead to death. ° Do not run out of DOVATO. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your DOVATO is all gone. ° Do not stop DOVATO without first talking to your healthcare provider. If you stop taking DOVATO, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver.

What is DOVATO? DOVATO is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults: who have not received antiretroviral medicines in the past, and without known resistance to the medicines dolutegravir or lamivudine.

HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in children.

Who should not take DOVATO? Do Not Take DOVATO if You: • have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or lamivudine.

• take dofetilide.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before using DOVATO? Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: • have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection.

• have kidney problems.

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) may harm your unborn baby. ° You should not take DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine if you are planning to become pregnant or become pregnant during treatment with DOVATO. ° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider will perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO. ° If you can become pregnant, you should consistently use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO. ° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO.

©2019 ViiV Healthcare or licensor.

DLLADVT190005 May 2019 Produced in USA.

Learn more about Alphonso and DOVATO at DOVATO.com

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: (cont’d) • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take DOVATO. ° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. ° One of the medicines in DOVATO (lamivudine) passes into your breastmilk. ° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Some medicines interact with DOVATO. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

• You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with DOVATO. • Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take DOVATO with other medicines.

What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO? DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO?” section.

• Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with DOVATO. Stop taking DOVATO and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; problems breathing.

• Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with DOVATO. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without a history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis: feel very weak or tired; unusual (not normal) muscle pain; trouble breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or lightheaded; and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Lactic acidosis can also lead to severe liver problems, which can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the signs or symptoms of liver problems which are listed above under “Liver problems.” You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female or very overweight (obese).

SO MUCH GOES INTO WHO I AM HIV MEDICINE SHOULD BE THE LEAST OF IT. Reasons to ask your doctor about DOVATO: DOVATO can help you reach and then stay undetectable* with just 2 medicines in 1 pill. That means fewer medicines† in your body while taking DOVATO You can take it any time of day with or without food (around the same time each day)—giving you flexibility DOVATO is a once-a-day complete treatment for adults who are new to HIV-1 medicine.

Results may vary. *Undetectable means reducing the HIV in your blood to very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL). † As compared with 3-drug regimens.

ALPHONSO‡ Living with HIV

What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO (cont’d)?

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO. • The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; diarrhea; nausea; trouble sleeping; and tiredness.

These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where Can I Find More Information?

• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Go to DOVATO.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling.

Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

Compensated by ViiV Healthcare

‡

Could DOVATO be right for you? Ask your doctor today.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Up Stairs Lounge Victims Remembered Leather Community Organizes Memorial

Monday, June 24th marked the 46th anniversary of the Upstairs Lounge Fire in New Orleans. A small memorial was held by the Crescent City Leathermen, Renegade Bears and the Lords of Leather to honor those whose lives were taken in this horrific landmark event in New Orleans’ LGBTQ+ history.

Members of the clubs and local community, including Frank Perez and Tinderbox author Robert Fieseler,

gathered around the plaque located on the Iberville Street side of Jimani Lounge (141 Chartres). A beautiful spray of flowers was presented that included 32 white roses in remembrance for each of those who lost their lives in the fire. The arrangement was designed by Joey Landry of Arbor House Floral & Fragrance. Funds for the flowers were provided by the Crescent City Leathermen, Renegade Bears, Lords of Leather and Bruce Orgeron.

Kyle Pollio, CCL Lieutenant, led the service that included a reading of the names of the fallen. The service concluded with a prayer by Lonnie Cheramie, the current Associate Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans (MCC). MCC lost onethird of its congregation in the fire that fateful day including its pastor at the time.

As Pride month draws to a close, CCL, the Bears, and the Lords were

proud to show our pride on the 24th in observance of those who could not.

Learn more about the Crescent City Leathermen by visiting their website at https://crescentcityleathermen. org/.

Photographer Credits: The Crescent City Leathermen

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

OBITUARY

Lee “Bunny” Brasseaux

Long-time French Quarter resident Lee “Bunny” Brasseaux passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 17. He was 58.

He was born January 1, 1961, to Roy and Marjorie (Duhon) Brasseaux.

He was a native of Abbeville but resided for over 30 years in his beloved adopted city of New Orleans.

Preceded in death by his parents, he is survived by a brother, Roy “Joey” Brasseaux and wife Eva (Prine) of Carville, LA; a sister, Mary Brasseaux Safford and husband Jim of Gross Tete, LA; nieces and nephews, JC Safford, Ali Safford and fiancé Wyatt LeJeune, Jimmy Brasseaux and wife Sarah, Kathryn Brasseaux Miller; seven great-nieces and nephews; and an

abundance of friends.

Lee was a kind and generous soul with a boundless sense of humor, always giving of his time and labor whenever he saw a need. He was loved by many who shared his caring attitude, his humor, and his desire to make his community better any way that he could.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, June 29, at Our Lady of Guadalupe / The Shrine of St. Jude. A Second-Line followed the service and concluded with a celebration of life gathering at the Golden Lantern bar.

The family would like to thank all of Bunny’s friends for their love and support at this time.

OBITUARY

Barry Rutherford

On Saturday, June 22, Dr. William Barron “Barry” Rutherford, loving brother and friend, passed away at the age of 71.

Barry was born on April 29, 1948, in Shreveport, LA, to Horace and Jacqueline Rutherford. He received his B.A., M.A., and finally his Ph.D. in Secondary Education. He taught in various secondary and elementary schools during his career. He lived in many states, but his favorite was California, where he worked for the Department of Cultural Diversity at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He traveled extensively, working to support cultural diversity among universities. After retiring from education, Barry began a second career working at Who Dat and

Kajun’s Pub in New Orleans. This new career was perfect for Barry because he had such a loving and caring personality. Barry served as Amon Ra’s Ball Captain in 2011 and reigned as Queen Amon Ra XLVII. He is preceded in death by his father, Horace, and his mother, Jacqueline. He is survived by his sister, Anne Bounds (and her husband Don), his niece Megon Smith (and her husband Mike), his nephew Thomas Bounds (and his wife Tina), and a host of other relatives and friends.

A celebration of Barry’s life will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 3:00pm at Kajun’s Pub. The celebration will feature a memorial show followed by a second line and then repast.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 11

Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

1776 at Playmakers Theater thru July 7

When 1776 opened on Broadway in 1969, it was a turbulent time.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy had been assassinated less than a year earlier.

The Vietnam War was raging.

Nixon had just been inaugurated that January.

A musical dramedy about the signing of the Declaration of Independence did not appear likely to be embraced be audiences when Hair, “The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” seemed to be charting a new course for future musicals.

Yet 1776 went on to a successful 3-year run and won three Tony Awards including Best Musical. In 1972, it was turned into a popular movie and enjoyed a critically-acclaimed Broadway revival in the late 1990s.

Nowadays, however, despite a fine book by Peter Stone and an alternately delightful and moving score by Sherman Edwards, 1776 can be somewhat problematical. As Hamilton has proven, even if a show is about a bunch of dead white guys (and a few gals) a little (or a lot) of creative casting makes sense.

Which brings me to Playmakers’ current production of 1776 in Covington.

Whether through artistic choice or casting necessities (I suspect it’s tough to find 23 guys on the North Shore who can act and sing and are willing to commit to rehearsals and performances), Playmakers’ version of the birth of our nation features mostly women and a few men as our Founding Fathers in its mixed-gender cast.

And you know what? It doesn’t really matter. These days we’re so used to gender-bending casting (and the actors are all quite convincing in their

manliness) that we easily accept such an approach. In addition, following NOCCA’s superb all-female production in 2016 as well as other such revivals, doing 1776 with all or mostly women isn’t even a big deal any more (tho I would kill to see an all-star, all-female Broadway revival; how about Patti LuPone, Kelli O’Hara, Audra McDonald, Jessie Mueller, Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, and Bette Midler as Ben Franklin?).

Director Mark Leonard delivers an entertaining production; nuances may be lacking and one wishes Leonard could’ve enlivened things a bit during the long stretches of debate in Act One, but he builds to a stirring finale.

Rachel Swords leads the Continental Congress as John Adams, determined to break America free from England. Sporting a proper Boston Brahmin accent and a suitably vinegary disposition, Swords, tho slight of stature, makes Adams a force to be reckoned with by creating a multidimensional portrait of this most complex character from exasperating statesman to wily politician to loving husband.

Swords sings with potency although her voice thins out at times. Her angelic timbre, however, adds a quality to Adams that no man could provide.

Beth Harris creates a vivid Benjamin Franklin, sly and randy, but also witty and wise. Suzanne Richoux galvanizes the stage as a fiery Edward Rutledge, the South Carolinian who reveals his colleagues’ hypocrisy in the boldly unsettling song Molasses To Rum. Also noteworthy are Paula Leffmann as Thomas Jefferson (tho I’d wager it’s the first time Jefferson has been played by someone who’s also appeared as Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?); Stacie Eirich who not only conveys Abigail Adams’ intelligence but also a tender love for her

Paula Leffmann, Beth Harris and Rachel Swords in 1776 (photo by Kimberly Meng)

husband John; Kathy Gibbs, unwavering as the Loyalist John Dickinson; and James Michel as James Wilson who ultimately decided the course of history--it’s a small but vital part and Michel plays it extremely well. Group numbers, when the two dozen voices come together as one, are especially good.

Perhaps the most memorable part of Stone’s script is the fierce debate about slavery among Adams, Rutledge, Jefferson, Franklin et al. and the terrible compromise that was made which still resonates today. Recently, as the House passed the Senate’s necessary but imperfect $4.6 billion Border Bill, I couldn’t help but think that not that much has changed.

As you watch our nation take shape on Playmakers’ stage, knowing what’s going on in Washington today, you may rightly conclude we have a flawed--deeply flawed--system of government. But it’s arguably the best one to come along in the last 243 years.

Happy 4th!

Greenwich (Mean) Time

They say “He who is tired of London, is tired of life.” I say “He who is tired of London, hasn’t been to Greenwich yet.”

If you’ve seen most of the things in the center of London, a visit to Greenwich, one of its outer boroughs, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable day trip. It’s easy to reach via overground trains, tho it does help if you go with someone, as I did, who knows exactly how to get there.

In addition to spectacular views of the Thames and the ever-changing skyline on the other side of the river, Greenwich offers five major points of interest, though you should leave time for exploring the town itself and, especially, its open air market filled with tchotchkes to buy and yummies to eat.

Of those five tourist destinations, two stood out for me.

The Old Royal Naval College had been where Britain’s naval officers trained from 1873-1998 but, before that, it had been the Royal Hospital designed by Sir Christopher Wren at the request of Queen Mary II. This grandly imposing charitable institution housed and cared for men who had served in the Royal Navy. Its magnificent scale was intended to reflect the wealth and power of Britain as the world’s dominant maritime force.

The centerpiece of the Hospital is the Painted Hall, known as the United Kingdom’s Sistine Chapel and built as a huge, dazzling ceremonial dining room. Painted by James Thornhill, the large main ceiling celebrated Britain’s political stability, commercial prosperity

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James Thornhill’s ceiling in the Painted Hall

Yours truly in the Painted Hall

Yours truly straddling the Meridian Line

and naval strength.

We took a tour of the Hall and lucked out with a lady who really made it come to life. She told how Thornhill had to fight to get paid, described all the symbolism (religious, mythological, etc.) in the imagery of the Baroque ceiling, and clearly laid out the history and court intrigue (some involving Queen Anne of The Favorite) behind the Hall’s creation. What was supposed to be a half hour tour turned into an hour-long one, and we hated to see it end. Before leaving, of course we tried on some of the “handling objects” that reference items in the painting, a great photo op.

From the Hall, we went to Skittle Alley, a basement area similar to a bowling alley, which came to be in the 1860s to give Pensioners some relief from the boredom of life within the Royal Hospital. Little has changed in over 150 years and, if you don’t mind setting up the skittles (pins), you can bowl a few frames with heavy bowling balls that were once practice cannon balls on lanes made from the decking planks of old ships. Very cool.

We then made our way to the beautiful neoclassical Chapel that features a nautical motif design that made the Naval Pensioners, some who had started service as teenagers, feel at home. There’s a sleekly stylish oak, mahogany and lime-wood pulpit; a marvelous organ that’s still used on a daily basis; and a splendid altarpiece by the American artist Benjamin West depicting St. Paul’s shipwreck on the island of Malta, the only one of West’s paintings to remain in the same place for which it was commissioned.

We finished with lunch in the café, part of a two-year, $10 million renovation that was just completed in 2017.

Near the café, you can glimpse the foundations of Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII’s former royal home; the remains of one cellar room seems to be where beehives were kept during winter months.

We left the College and passed through the National Maritime Museum and saw a fabulous Royal Barge (if you’re into boats, by all means explore

all its holdings) en route to the Royal Observatory where I was able to straddle the iconic Meridian Line with one foot in the east and one foot in the west. If you’re a fan of timepieces and telescopes, you’ll want to tour the Observatory and perhaps check out one of its planetarium shows.

Instead, we opted to head to The Queen’s House, a small but stately 400-year-old royal villa designed by architect Inigo Jones, which houses a remarkable collection of portraits of Tudor and Stuart Kings and Queens (Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, the aforementioned Queen Anne plus lots of noblemen with hair so big as to make any of those ‘80s bands like Twisted Sister, Whitesnake or KISS look tame by comparison).

Sprinkled throughout The Queen’s House are contemporary artworks which subtly comment on and enhance their surroundings. For example, a stunning and atypical Kehinde Wiley canvas, Ship of Fools, of four people adrift in a small boat, makes a damning point about current migration policies.

Knowledgeable docents, a gorgeous spiral staircase, mid-century portraits of hunky seamen, and a free admission policy all add up to make The Queen’s House an absolute gem.

Greenwich also houses the Cutty Sark, the world’s fastest tea clipper currently celebrating its 150th anniversary, but we just enjoyed views of it from afar; I figured I could tour such a ship the next time the Tall Ships come to town.

While some of the things you may see in Greenwich might hark back to the time when the British were the enemies of us Americans, nowadays it makes for a fun and fascinating visit in the friendliest of surroundings. Happy 4th!

be Hamlet (Lupin Theatre, July 12– 28), arguably the greatest play ever written (tho King Lear has my vote).

Clare Moncrief directs a cast including James Bartelle, Casey Groves, Sam Malone, Cassie Worley, and Patrick Bowen as the melancholy Dane.

The Shakespeare Festival will also be bringing back Leslie Castay’s delightful musical cabaret, The Food of Love, for two Sunday evening performances, July 14 and 21. Food of Love features songs from musicals and other works inspired by the Bard.

Next door at Dixon Hall, the Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane continues its season with She Loves Me (July 11-14), directed by Michael McKelvey and choreographed by Jaune Buisson. This delicious musical has lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music

by Jerry Bock, the team responsible for Fiddler on the Roof.

Inspired by Miklós László’s Parfumerie, the same play which was the basis for the movie You’ve Got Mail, She Loves Me tells the story of perfume shop employees Georg and Amalia who, despite constantly bickering at work, are unaware that each is the other’s secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads. Rich Arnold, Bob Edes, Jr., Meredith Owens, Dody Piper and Bryce Slocumb star in this charming show.

Very different from Shakespeare and classic musicals is Clean Squad: An Antiseptic Adventure in which an intrepid team of cleaning supplies--savvy Spray Bottle, grouchy but wizened Uncle Sponge and mighty Detergent--battle against Evil Germ.

Prescription Joy, a New Orleans organization that brings healthcare clowning, which uses humor and human connection to aid in healing, to patients in hospitals and other such institutions, will present two public performances of this original work at Trinity Episcopal School (1315 Jackson Ave.) on July 19 and 20. Sounds like fun!

Curtain Up

It seems like it will be an especially quiet July theater-wise, but here are some shows that will be providing cool entertainment in this hottest of months.

Next up at The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane will

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

The Tulip Stairs in The Queen’s House

Sonya gets ready for a game of Skittles

“W.M. Ladbrooke, Able Seaman, Merchant Navy” (1943) by Bernard Hailstone

The “Armada Portrait” of Queen Elizabeth I

The front facade of The Queen’s House

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MUSINGS BY CATHERINE

The Importance of Freedom: Is Inner Freedom Like Inner Peace?

Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com You will probably be reading this the first week of July, when we will celebrate the Fourth of July. Historically, freedom is the overarching theme of this holiday. We celebrate freedom in all of its forms--for the opportunity to achieve at the highest levels; to worship in any way you would choose; and freedom to be who you are, love who you love, and act accordingly.

The political climate at this time doesn’t seem to be encouraging freedom as much as I’d like to see for any marginalized community, and that means us, members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the past few years, we have seen some bizarre things, such as cake bakers who’ve refused service to members of the LGBTQ+ community who requested a wedding cake, and staff members in city halls across the USA refuse to issue marriage certificates to gay people.

Military service men and women who identify as trans have been ostracized, banned, and had lives ruined, interrupting the performance of their assigned duties. Consistent hate crimes against Black trans women continue to result in murder and serious injury, and there are renewed efforts that mirror

past decades, to rid school districts of out LGBTQ+ teachers and counselors, as well as anyone living in a samesex partnership or marriage. And this is only what is reported, so I suspect there are many more frightening and backward examples of discrimination and bullying.

So, what’s the concept of freedom mean to some people, to some communities? That leads to a discussion on inner freedom, or personal freedom as we conceptualize life. My question: Is inner freedom like inner peace?

There are many newscasts and media outlets that continue to relate the very darkest of the happenings of the day, with all of the gory details.

Sometimes I wonder what motivates us to watch the news, to listen to the political pundits discuss our world and how dim the future may be.

There is positive news of course, but sometimes it seems that we gravitate toward the negative, perhaps because it often seems more exciting at first glance. The old saying may be true, that people would rather complain about something they don’t like than remark on something that’s good that they do like.

There are people who take the news that’s broadcast as 100% truthful and based in reality, allowing themselves to be lulled into thinking it’s so bad, nothing can be done and there is no power or influence that can effect change.

At times, the news may seem very discouraging, even demoralizing. On the other hand, and there’s always another hand, there are ways around the bad news, the disturbing actions taken by others, that may allow you to rise above and see more clearly. And that just may be the path that can lead to positive and hopeful thought processes and attitudes, and create ways in which our freedoms, and indeed our personal freedom, can remain unharmed.

Inner freedom, which includes the level of ego strength, self-esteem or personal confidence we hold, and with which we have pushed through trauma, bad relationships, family drama and dysfunction, is the type of freedom we can control.

Political freedom is sometimes a fast-moving bullet, ricocheting from high to low, which is what we are viewing, in part, currently.

Personal freedom is a sustained and vital aspect of who we are as humans, combining our dreams, talents, strength of conviction, values, and resilience. Add hope and the description is of a strong individual who believes in personal inner freedom.

I believe we can get to that state, all of us, through careful meditation on what we value and love, and what is really important in life. Everyone’s most important value is not the same. It’s completely personal when it’s drilled down a bit. Many will say that the most important thing in life to them is human rights, social justice, family, health, wealth, or one of the many other generalities that captures only a small part of meaning in a life.

That’s why it’s important to take some time by yourself, quiet time if it can be managed, and consider the meaning in your life. Age and stage are

most important when looking at what means the most; developmentally we may have different passions and goals at 30 years old than at 55, and that’s actually appropriate. As long as there is a fluidity there, and not a rigid concept of what we are supposed to value, inner freedom can prevail.

Your inner peace, which can be regarded also as peace of mind, can be instrumental in reducing stress, noticing more satisfaction with life, feeling valued and needed, and acknowledging that throughout your life, your strength and sense of inner freedom will sustain you. There may be contentment, even bliss, as the concept of “HOPE” emerges as a constant in your life.

But there may be some work to do before that stage, in part because there are freedoms that are lost, or there is fear of that loss. How can we be content when we may feel that our very lives and livelihood, are in danger of negative and traumatic change.

That’s really where hope, and personal inner freedom can prevail. Achieving a sort of peaceful, non-stressed existence sounds out of reach perhaps.

Try one or two small things, to reduce stress, and to use your sense of inner freedom at least weekly. You know how you want to live your life, and inside of you, garner your right to do that, use that sense of how free you can feel.

All that you do in that way now will help get through a tough and somewhat astonishing political and social scene, so that when it spirals back, to a more rational social and political base with our freedom reborn, you will be ready. It will spiral back. Don’t allow the constant bombardment of negative news to harm your sense of inner strength; choose to believe that change can come, will come, and that our collective hope will sustain our inner peace and inner freedom. Cherish your power to choose what’s important in your life.

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SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & Abouth with Ambush AT WORLD PRIDE IN NYC | PHOTOS BY CHRIS LEONARD | AMBUSH

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COMMUNITY VOICE

Book Review: The Stonewall Reader Jim Meadows Executive Director, NOAGE info@noagenola.org The Stonewall Reader Edited by the New York Public Library 336 pp. Penguin Classics There are already a great many books on the subject of the Stonewall uprising. Perhaps the best-known and most widely-read are those by Martin Duberman and David Carter, but many others have been published in recent years. With 2019 marking the 50th anniversary of the events, it was inevitable that even more would flood the market.

But Penguin Classics’ The Stonewall Reader, compiled and edited by Jason Baumann of the New York Public Library, is a very welcome and invaluable addition. Instead of the usual (and frankly, impossible) attempt at creating a “straight” narrative of what exactly happened, Baumann has instead given us access to what may be the richest, most diverse and inclusive anthology of pre- and post-Stonewall-related writings and interviews ever assembled.

In the first section, “Before Stonewall,” we are granted an inside view of the formation of some of the earliest American groups and organizations seeking gay and lesbian liberation. (Acknowledgment of, and words describing, other sexual and gender minorities would not come for many years.) If you are not familiar with pre-Stonewall groups like the Mattachine Society and the Daughter of Billitis, or with key figures like Audre Lorde, Barbara Gittings, and Frank Kameny, this and the following sections will give you a good introduction.

The shortest of the book’s three sections is the one devoted to the riot(s)/uprising itself (“During Stonewall”), and that was a wise choice on Baumann’s part. All of these eyewitness accounts conflict with one another to some degree, and that is not at all surprising given the chaos. But these contradictions are still being argued –

heatedly – to this day. Who threw the first brick? (No, wait, it wasn’t a brick, it was a glass. No! It was a Molotov cocktail…It was a drag queen. No! It was a transgender woman. No! It was a butch lesbian. It was because Judy Garland had just died. No, that wasn’t that at all...etc.)

In the aftermath, and for decades to come, the most-ignored voices from Stonewall were those of trans women, gender-nonconforming folks, and people of color. In 1992, a set of (literally white) statues that depicted two cisgender men and two cisgender women were installed across the street from Stonewall Inn. It wasn’t until April of this year that statues of two trans women of color (Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both of whom actively resisted police at Stonewall) were erected nearby. Better late than never.

Nevertheless, some readers might be surprised by what both women said about what happened, since it has become common lately to hear that either Johnson or Rivera were singularly responsible for starting the rebellion.

Johnson herself, however, said that she wasn’t there at the start of the riots: “I was Uptown, and I didn’t get downtown until about two o’clock, because when I got downtown the place was already on fire.” And at a 2001 meeting of the Latino Gay Men of New York, Rivera said (somewhat blithely): “I have been given the credit for throwing the first Molotov cocktail by many historians, but I always like to correct it; I threw the second one.”

There are also contradictions between Rivera and Johnson’s description of the Stonewall Inn’s clientele. Johnson describes the crowd as “eclectic.”

Rivera states: “The Stonewall wasn’t a bar for drag queens. Everybody keeps saying it was…If you were a drag queen, you could get into the Stonewall if they knew you. And there were

The cover of The Stonewall Reader

only a certain number of drag queens that were allowed into the Stonewall at that time. This is where I get into arguments with people. They say, ‘Oh, no, it was a drag queen bar, it was a black bar.’ No, Washington Square Bar was the drag queen bar.” Ironically, the account by Edmund White (a white gay novelist, memoirist, and essayist who also wrote this collection’s Foreword) is much more insistent that “it wasn’t all those crewnecked white boys in the Hamptons and the Pines who changed things, but the black kids and Puerto Rican transvestites who came down to the Village on the subway…”

I don’t quote any of these as an argument, one way or another, for who was responsible for initiating the Stonewall uprising. What seems most clear, even with all of the contradictory statements, is that Stonewall was that rarest of events in the LGBT+ community: a group effort. It was accomplished by the people who were there initially, and by those who showed up in the subsequent hours and days.

From an interview with Jay London Toole: “[T]hose that were arrested did not make that riot, did not make that rebellion, did not make that uproar. It was every fucking person that showed up in the thousands that made it…It was everybody as a community coming together and saying that’s enough…I’d seen every shade, every color, every body image there that night. It was all of us together, you know? And don’t let any history book tell you different.”

But Miss Major Griffin-Gracy probably said it most succinctly: “I don’t

know what happened! All I know is, a fight ensued. And we were kickin’ their ass.”

In the final section of the book (“After Stonewall”), Baumann includes a wide range of accounts to describe events like the first Pride marches.

Who knew that “Homosexuals for Ronald Reagan” marched just a few groups away from the most radical gay groups in the first Los Angeles pride march?

The Rev. Troy Perry (founder of the Metropolitan Community Church) did.

Other notable entries include writings by Audre Lorde, Harry Hay, Craig Dodwell, Martha Shelley, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, Mark Segal, Penny Arcade, John E. Fryer, Mario Martino, and Jonathan Ned Katz, and interviews with Ernestine Eckstein, Kiyoshi Kuromiya, and Martin Boyce.

If there is a pattern in this collection, it is that of shifts in tension. First the struggle for self-acceptance, then the quest for tolerance from mainstream Americans, followed by the group schisms between the relatively conservative members and those who would not settle for mere assimilation and conformity. Other than the monumental changes in public opinion and law, some things haven’t really changed so very much, and the most glaring divisions among LGBT+ people in the past are still with us today.

But at least we now have some access to our documented history. The sooner you can learn about it for yourself, the better, and The Stonewall Reader is an excellent place to start.

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THE ROCKFORD FILES

Is Fuchsia the new color of hate?

Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com I have a dog. Her name is Brenda. Actually, her full name is ‘Brenda, from Accounting’. Why? Because dog owners feel obliged to engage in some sort of small talk while our hounds are sniffing each other’s buttholes. The standard, “I really don’t give a fuck” question most often asked is, “So, what’s her name?” I thought a fun response would be, “This is Brenda, from Accounting.”

Turns out, it was more than a “fun” idea. “Brenda, from Accounting” often leaves unsuspecting strangers with a quizzical look of bewilderment on their face and fumbling for something to say in return. From a spectator’s perspective, the entire interaction is very entertaining.

My favorites though, are those that are coherent, not on an Ambien-induced coma stroll, and clever enough to “get it”. They fire back with: “Oh, this is Muffin, from H.R.” Or, “nice to meet you Brenda. This is Lou. He just transferred to catering and, over there, the one peeing on your bike is Jake, from State Farm.”

I’m always surprised, almost on a daily basis, by how many dog-owning

individuals have absolutely no sense of humor. Dogs, and animals in general, are amazing creatures that can provide so much joy and happiness to our lives if we let them. I always feel a little sad whenever I come across a person who seems like they could be having so much more fun in life, if they just let go a little.

I love to laugh and a sense of humor has always been, in my opinion, one of the four sexiest traits a man can possess. The others in no particular order are: ass, eyes and lips. However at the end of the day, a man with a sense of humor, and the ability not to take himself, or life, too seriously will be the keeper of my heart.

Brenda is a rescue dog, so her exact breed is unknown. She seems to have herding instincts and her coat is a shimmering copper color infused with an abstract array of white blobs.

Weighing in at around 55 pounds, all things considered, my best uneducated AKC guesstimate would be that she’s some sort of Border collie mutt.

I know that some dog owners obsess over bloodlines and other K-9 bullshit, and maybe the ‘perfect’ parent

would be more aggressive in discoverI knew that naming my best friend ing their dog’s lineage but, honestly, I ‘Brenda, from Accounting’, was going don’t care what breed she is, or isn’t. to cost me a little, in sideways glances, The fact that she is the kindest, gen‘overheard’ comments or just the evtlest and most affectionate pet I’ve ever eryday ritual of shady, two-faced cunts owned is enough for me and more than who love to grope you up the front beI deserve. fore stabbing you in the back. We all I think that rescue animals someknow one or two of these types and the how know that they’ve been given a best way to handle them is to kill them second chance with kindness. at life. Balk if Queens be Some might classify the damned! Even on you must.

I’m not asking you same color as “Hot Pink” our darkest day to agree with together, nothing but what self-respectme and, unless could replace the you’ve never ing homo would say ‘Hot amount of joy and owned a rescued selfish amusement animal, it’s a hard Pink’ when they could say I get with Brenda argument to sell, and our doggie “Fuchsia”?! Seriously. but I think they introduction gag. know. There are People go ape-shit days when I catch Brenda, from Acwhen they are thrust out of their regcounting looking at me and she knows imented and rehearsed way of being, that Daddy’s got her back. and are caught off guard and forced Brenda and I are as close as any to think on their feet. Some look as Daddy/daughter K9 relationship can be though they are having a mini-stroke, without being illegal. It’s been said that all the while the devil on my shoulder is she’s a chip off the ol’ block. She is about to shit himself from laugher. very popular with the boys in the neighAfter two solid years of working borhood, just like her old man. ‘Atta girl! the bus and truck circuit of dog runs;

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puppy playdates and the occasional after-work spa sessions, our act had grown stale. My self-amusement had begun to wane and at this point it was too late for Brenda to switch departments. She will always be ‘from Accounting‘. Brenda, has always been popular but I knew we had to shake things up a bit if we were going to keep our top billing (free bacon) at the Tenth Avenue bodega. We needed fresh material; a new buzz to keep my bitch on top. Time to push my self-amusement.

Now, every June, for the last four years, I dye the bright white sections of Brenda’s coat fuchsia, in honor of Gay Pride. Not baby doll pink, or rose or ruby mist, but FUCHSIA. I mean, the bitch glows.

Some might classify the same color as “Hot Pink” but what self-respecting homo would say ‘Hot Pink’ when they could say “Fuchsia”?! Seriously.

Without fail, when we hit the streets that first week in June, Brenda is a superstar. People light up when they see her trotting down the street and I get immense satisfaction watching the sidewalk traffic do doubletakes and erupt into laughter. At the very least, she puts a smile on people’s faces.

Girls and straight men snap the most pictures of her and Brenda has graced more than a few Instagram pages over the years. In my Gayborhood, the gays will be gays and either love the idea and the camp value of it or hate it and rip me to shreds, hissing to each other like snakes in a pit when Brenda and I stroll by. Fuck ‘em if they can’t take a joke.

I will concede that it takes a certain personality and mindset to walk the streets of New York City with a bright fuchsia dog in tow. Before we leave the house I need to make sure I have my ‘game face’ on and my personality in check. I want to appear friendly and approachable but also have the confidence to exude a force field around that lets people know “I love my dog and I don’t give a fuck about what you’re thinking” Here’s why: Two weeks ago, while walking home, we passed a group of about five adolescent boys, presumably from the

high-school down the street. I thought I had smelled pot a few yards back and now I was certain. It was a Friday, after-school and judging by the clouds of smoke they were cranking out, they were getting ready for the weekend.

Normally, when we pass a group of high-schoolers one of two things happen. Either they all whip their camera phones and try not to let me see that they are taking pictures of Brenda, or the group will start to giggle and collapse within itself as they cackle and say whatever it is they say to each other.

Not that day. That day, as Brenda strutted past this group, there were no phones or giddy laughter. In fact they were quiet, No one said anything. Except for one, and all he said was; “Faggot”.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I’m not sure why. After a moment I turned around so I could face the young men. I don’t remember making the conscious decision to approach them, but reflexively my body started walking towards them. Two of the five boys took off running. Of the three that remained, the ‘Alpha’ of the pack, the name caller, became obvious as he stepped forward.

He was the one I zeroed in on.

“Do we know each other?” I asked.

“Nah man, I don’t know you, “ he said.

“Well, I’m pretty sure that you just called me faggot. So unless I’ve sucked your dick, what makes you think…?”

“You got a pink fucking dog, bro,” a second one chimed in.

“Actually, the color is fuchsia. And it’s the same color as the bandanna you have wrapped around your ankle.”

I quipped. “So maybe there are two gay guys here.”

“Fuck you. That’s my girl’s bandanna, man. I ain’t gay,” he exclaimed as he began to bounce around as young men do when they get embarrassed and don’t know how to harness their energy.

“Well, I am. So what?“ I asked to no one in particular.

“So what?” I asked again.

“Huh?” The Alpha asked.

“I’m gay. So what?” I asked, this

time a little more emphatically.

“So, nuthin’, man,” the wing man muttered.

“Exactly. Nothing. My personal life has absolutely nothing to do with yours,” I said.

Just then, Brenda, from Accounting began to bark. It startled the young men into gear, exciting Brenda in the process. I tugged at her leash dramatically, as if I were barely restraining a vicious beast. The truth was, it was past her dinner time and Benda doesn’t like to be kept waiting.

“C’mon, let’s get outta here,” the wingman suggested.

“Fuck this shit,” the Alpha replied as the three of them began walking towards the opposite end of the corridor, lighting up a blunt in the process.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this incident lately. Approaching a group of teenagers with harassment on their minds can go all kinds of sideways.

And I’m not sure what I was hoping to accomplish in doing so. I was determined not to be confrontational but I wasn’t backing down either. I think I approached those boys because I wanted to see for myself the young faces of prejudice.

The real crime in ‘Hate crime’ is where it begins – at home. Hate is not something any of us are born with. It is a learned behavior and it begins in the same place where it could end, at home. Children are sponges. So why

are we surprised to hear words like “fag”, ‘dyke”, “chink”, “slut” come out of the mouths of six-year-olds, when they are simply repeating dialogue regularly heard around the house?

By the time you read this, World Pride will have come and gone. But if the past fifty years have taught us anything it is that we need to take pride in who we are as individuals, every day of the year. That pride begins at home too. Supporting our children’s interests and curiosities, despite how different they may be from our own, instills confidence and security in them. Those are the traits we want in future generations. Being an adult has responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to secure a future for those who come behind us. A future that is tolerant, welcoming, productive and conducive to living a life free from hatred and bigotry. It’s up to us.

It’s important that Gay Pride doesn’t expire on July 1st. Now more than ever we need to keep the drive alive and lead by example. Be the change you want to see in our world and above all, be proud of who you are. Recognize your self-worth. Make choices that will make your child, brother or sister proud of not only who you are, but proud of who they are. We can make America Great(er) if we want to. It’s up to us.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 19

COMMENTARY Conflicting Thoughts on Rainbow Police Badges Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Take a flight of fancy with me for a moment. The scene is the 8th District police precinct in the French Quarter.

It is a pre-shift meeting for beat cops.

The Captain announces that since it’s Pride month, they have rainbow badges for everyone. The reaction in the room is varied. Many roll their eyes.

A few make jokes under the breath.

Some are genuinely happy at the announcement. The one lesbian and one gay male cop in the room are swelling with pride and can’t wait to don the badges.

As the cops, and badges, hit the streets, the public reaction is even more varied. Imagine: A white gay male sees the badges and thinks: “That’s awesome. We’ve made so much progress. I need a latte.”

A young black trans man sees the cops walking and, badge notwithstanding, thinks: “I better watch myself and not get in trouble. Don’t make eye contact. If I get arrested, they’ll put me in the male population in jail. When they discover I have a pussy, they’ll gangrape me.”

A non-binary college student ma-

joring in social justice sees the badges and thinks: “What a croc of shit! Those assholes have no business wearing those badges. They hate us!”

A young trans woman of color sees the badges and thinks: “The cops weren’t wearing any rainbows when they arrested me last month for no damn reason.”

A trans activist sees the badges and thinks: “Is that for real? If so, why do they keep misgendering trans women who are murdered?”

A middle-aged lesbian sees the badges and thinks: “I wonder if that’s just a cheap PR stunt. Anyway, I guess that’s better than having them raid our bars and tear gas us in the streets.”

All of the aforementioned reactions are valid for, after all, perception is based on individual experiences and biases. And since everyone has different life experiences and varying degrees of privilege (or lack thereof), it’s no surprise that the reaction on social media last week to the debut of the NOPD’s rainbow pride badges was mixed.

When a rival publication posted an article titled “Why the NOPD’s rain-

bow badges are an insult to queer liberation,” some people went ballistic.

LGBTQ+ groups on various social media platforms lit up with heated threads.

Cynics claimed it was all bullshit and argued the badges were meaningless.

Others pointed out that the idea for the badges came from a gay officer.

Those who didn’t like the badges pointed to the long history of homophobic oppression within the NOPD. Still others rebutted that change has to start somewhere. Some asked the question at the heart of the matter—how do you show support without being patronizing?

As a realist, I think that is a very good and very difficult question. As a historian and pragmatist, I would have probably advised the NOPD brass to do things a little differently. For example: • Before rolling out rainbow badges, issue a formal apology for previous wrongs—especially a history of financial shakedowns and bar raids as well as the horrific response to the Up Stairs Lounge fire • Meet with trans advocates to really hear their grievances

• Provide training and adopt policies to address trans issues • Don’t wait to the end of the month to roll out the badges • Make wearing them optional Many people are angry with the police and that is understandable.

If that anger is ever to subside, the NOPD needs to acknowledge the harm they have and continue to impose on LGBTQ+ people. Acknowledging the problem is the first step in solving it.

I realize some will say most cops are good and invoke the “few bad apples” metaphor. And while that is true, let us not forget the federal Consent Decree that the U.S. Department of Justice recently imposed on NOPD. It takes more than a few “bad apples” to earn a Justice Department Consent Decree.

Rainbow badges are a nice gesture but the vehement backlash against them illustrates it will take much more than a rainbow badge to gain the trust of many within our community.

MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT

The Historic New Orleans Collection The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

Founded in 1966, THNOC has grown to include 11 historic buildings making up three French Quarter campuses. The Royal Street campus, located at 533 Royal Street, serves as the museum headquarters, housing a main space for rotating exhibitions, the Williams Gallery; a permanent installation, the Louisiana History Galleries; and a house museum, the Williams Residence.

The Chartres Street campus, located at 400 and 410 Chartres Street, comprises the Williams Research Center, the Boyd Cruise Gallery, the Laura Simon Nelson Galleries for Louisiana Art, and an on-site vault for the Collection’s many items. The Collection’s most recent exhibit space is the Seignouret-Brulatour Building at 520 Royal Street.

Researchers—whether dedicated scholars or casual history buffs—can access THNOC’s materials through the Williams Research Center. THNOC’s holdings comprise 1,000,000 items

that document everyday life as well as momentous historical events spanning more than three centuries. The Collection includes 35,000 library items, shelves of documents and manuscripts that extend more than two miles, as well as 350,000 photographs, prints, drawings, paintings, and other artifacts.

The museum’s four exhibition spaces are free of charge and present multicultural stories of the region, from permanent displays exploring the development of Louisiana to rotating exhibitions showcasing history and fine art. Through docent-led or cell-phone tours, visitors can learn about the architectural styles of the city’s oldest neighborhood, the Vieux Carré, and enter the private residence of THNOC’s founders, General L. Kemper and Leila Williams.

As a publisher, THNOC produces award-winning original books exploring the history, art, music, culture, and decorative arts of the region. Its magazine, the Historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly, surveys the region’s history as it relates to THNOC’s projects and programs.

Lewis Kemper Williams (1887– 1971) was born in Patterson, Loui-

20 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

siana, in 1887. As a young man, he entered the family lumber business, becoming secretary-treasurer and, later, president of the F. B. Williams Cypress Company. From 1949 until his retirement in 1971, he served as president, director, and then chairman of the board of Williams Inc., a company with broad interests in land, mineral royalties, and investments. Williams served in the US army in World Wars I and II, rising to the rank of brigadier general.

In 1920 shortly after his tour of duty

in World War I, Williams married New Orleans native Leila Hardie Moore (1901–1966) in New London, Connecticut. During their life together, the Williamses demonstrated a keen sense of civic and philanthropic responsibility.

Beneficiaries of their generosity included the University of the South, Boy Scouts of America, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Anna’s Asylum, the Junior League, and the New Orleans Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. In 1937 Kemper Williams received one of the

city’s highest honors; for his leadership of the New Orleans Housing Authority, he was awarded the Times-Picayune Loving Cup. In 1938 the Williamses bought two properties in the French Quarter—the Merieult House on Royal Street and a late 19th-century residence contiguous to the Merieult House, facing Toulouse Street. The latter property was their home for 17 years, during which time they amassed a substantial collection of important Louisiana artifacts—the

founding holdings of The Historic New Orleans Collection.

With the goal of making their collected materials available to the public for future generations, the couple established The Historic New Orleans Collection. With their deaths—hers in 1966 and his in 1971—the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation was established to ensure stable, long-term financial support for The Collection.

INTERVIEWS FROM KEY WEST

Matt Skallerud Is Embracing His Inner Marketing Pink Banana Magic Kevin Assam kevin-assam@hotmail.com Matt Skallerud is the President Matt: We should always be open of Pink Banana Media. He has been to evolution and change, including in the LGBTQ online marketing world some of what we think of as traditions for almost 25 years, having started in the LGBTQ community and moveGayWired.com in 1995. He now helps ment. Remember when it used to be companies navigate online campaigns GLBT? One drink was a cosmo, as a and social media amongst other marthrowback to a simpler time, and the keting channels. He will also help you other was a Tito’s vodka-soda, the gay navigate your hypothetical scenarios in man’s drink of choice. a digital world. Let’s see what advice I have $100 left to pour into my we can rattle from him. marketing campaign for my Bear I’ve recently been elected the Weekend event. Should I spend it on first openly gay mayor of a southern titillating Facebook ads or branding city populated almost exclusively by several dozen teddy bears to dislesbians and civil war re-enactors. tribute on the street?

Should we move Matt: All deour Pride festivipends on where ties from June to We should always be open you can most a less scorching reach to evolution and change, efficiently time of the year? the maximum Matt: Yes, for including some of what we number of bears a variety of reawho could actusons. First, having think of as traditions in the ally attend your it outside of June LGBTQ community and event. If you’re allows more people Big Bear, CA movement. Remember in to enjoy your Pride and you’re on without being dis- when it used to be GLBT? the street at the tracted and having last minute tryto choose from all ing to identify the the others happenings in June. Secgay bears in the crowd to encourage ond, weather is a huge factor. That’s them to come to your event, guess why Phoenix and Palm Springs both what? They’re already coming. But if have their Pride festivals outside of the you’re targeting gay bears in LA or Orsummer months. ange County on Facebook, encouragAs one of the largest manuing them to come up for the weekend, facturers of personal lubricants in you’re probably doing a more effective North America, is it smart business job at spending that $100. for my company to endorse any I’ve heard that the color green LGBTQ presidential candidates in on a magazine cover is a tough sell.

2020’s elections?

Should we put our ginger cover boy Matt: Corporate business and takin a green speedo or not? ing a political stand don’t always mix.

Matt: Yes, for Irish-focused camI would say in this case, the personal paigns or theme. It’ll match their flag lubricant company should stay out of well. politics and political endorsements. In I want to use gay adult entertain2019, it’s just too divisive. ers to be social media influencers Last week, I saw two partners for my line of organic honey prodfrom a local business throw drinks ucts. Is it better to have them shirtin each other’s faces over whether less or fully clothed in my online the pride flag needs more colors for campaigns? inclusivity. Should we support such Matt: If you’re going for adult enchanges and what do you think tertainers, you’re tapping into their authose drinks were? dience, who have already ascertained

Photo of Matt Skallerud

they like to see [adult entertainers] with as little clothing as possible.

I’m sitting behind a major adbuy client I want to land on a flight to Boston. He’s clearly inebriated.

How should I approach?

Matt: I’d steer clear. There are too many unknowns that can work against you on this. If you do end up schmoozing the hell out of this potential client, he may never even remember what you two said to each other. Plus, he may be potentially embarrassed if you remind him of this encounter.

Bananas have long been co-opted by the gay community to great marketing success. What fruit can our non-binary community use to similar results?

Matt: Papayas?

How did we get tangled up with unicorns as our de facto mascot as opposed to anteaters or sloths?

Matt: They’re magical beings with superpowers, just like how we sometimes perceive ourselves.

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.

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A COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Sharing the joy and sharing the struggle SOLIDARITY! The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ fr.bill@stannanola.org This past week I had the pleasure of going to the San Diego area for a gathering of Kellogg Fellows. This group is made up of about 80 selected individuals from all over the country. New Orleans, the only city cohort, has 11 Fellows and 2 mentors, and we each have an individual coach. The idea is to improve the leadership skills of identified community leaders, and to provide a forum for deep discussion of social justice and what that looks like in very practical ways.

In this group of members, I am the absolute minority. I’m a WASP male born to a middle class family. My family origins are from the East Coast and Midwest. My DNA shows that I am basically and almost exclusively from Northern England and Southern Scotland. Ya can’t get whiter than me.

The rest of the cohort, nationally, looks a lot different. Male/Female is split about evenly with a few more women than men. About 10 out of 80 identify as LGBTQ. The majority are people of color, mostly brown and black, with approximately 25% who are Native American, and, I guess, about 10% Asian. So, yes, I am in the minority and it was quite different. In a good way.

The weather in San Diego never got over 70 degrees (Eat your hearts out.). Most of the time we were in conference, but the evenings were a delight. One afternoon we took a field trip to Chicano Park and heard storytellers share their experiences of that park.

The neighborhood had been a Chicano neighborhood forever. Many of the residents could well claim to have arrived several hundred years before

the Anglos moved in. It immediately reminded me of the North Claiborne corridor.

It was also a working class neighborhood. So, when “Urban Renewal” hit, the city decided that this neighborhood was the right place to rezone as Industrial/Residential. They then built a bridge and elevated expressway that divided the community and destroyed the fabric of the place.

The real story is in the response of the people. It was the era of civil rights the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

El Movimiento was birthed during this time. Some of us older folks may remember names like Felix Longoria who was a U.S. Service member who was denied a burial in his hometown in Texas because he was Chicano.

Our guide was a grizzled man who started life off in the farm workers movement. The entire experience seemed so old and so forgotten--ideas like Unions, Workers Rights, and Community Organizing. Yes, even socialism.

The history of these groups, of civil disobedience, and of pushing back against formidable odds, however, seems so timely. Perhaps the game-changing riots of the 1960’s began to ring in my ears. Clearly, the display of murals in that Chicano neighborhood in San Diego harked back to a deep history for that community.

Do we have a mural of Oscar Wilde for instance? Do we have any memorial to Harvey Milk beyond a t-shirt? Like Longoria, there are so many names not remembered but they are important to their respective communities and for the larger world. What names are be-

ing forgotten that are important to our Community? How will larger communities begin to appreciate what we can claim in bricks, mortar, steel and paint?

I left that little park somehow transformed with what in our tradition we call “The Prophetic Imagination” afire.

Does this sound familiar in any way? It should because it is about human dignity, human rights, and the right to stand with dignity. We should be mindful of all this history as we approach a touchstone of this Community’s own history, Stonewall (June 28, 1969) . Yes these various movements were unintentionally parallel.

In that same year, over 500,000 people marched in “The Moratorium” in D.C. to end the Viet Nam War. In 1963, only a few years before, was the great march on Washington convened by black leaders and highlighted by Dr. King’s most famous speech. The people were rising, shouting for justice within their own communities. Indeed Justice worked out by Law is Justice worked out for all of us.

The question then arises how vested are you, we, in the justice for others? How concerned are we with deportation policies that intentionally or unintentionally split families and remove human resources from our communities? How vested are we in undoing racism in America? Exhausting work this social justice stuff.

Even taking in the whole of it is exhausting emotionally and spiritually.

Yet if we are true to what we say about our own community -- that we demand respect, dignity, and acceptance under the law for who and what we are or choose to be -- then we must be true

to our brothers and sisters who ask for nothing less.

For the immigrant fleeing oppression, economic poverty, violence (like queers living in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Angola, Egypt and many other places) simply to have a place to live and feed one’s family in reasonable safety, we must stand in solidarity.

For workers in a “Right to Work State” that cannot get a living wage because erroneous data says that business will lose out when facts show the opposite. We must stand in solidarity for a living wage for all workers. Black Lives do matter and saying White Lives matter is like saying we want “Straight Pride.”

This Community must stand in solidarity with those who seek justice, peace, and a full place at the table.

This is true with religion, politics, and social issues of empowerment and acceptance. We must rediscover our “radical roots” and stand in solidarity.

From 1962 to 1972 the whole American landscape changed, yet there is still work to be done.

I say all of this with such fervor because the faith that I know and the scripture that I believe says the same thing. There once was a church that could often be found located in the back of a bar. The Pastor was a disenfranchised gay Anglican priest. The name of the church is what I am talking about--Christ the Liberator.

Christo el libertador!! Solidaridad con el pueblo!!! Solidarity with the people!!!!

Reinas del mundo se unen !!!

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY Police Can Be So Adamant Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Now that Pride month is over and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising has come and gone, the marking of this milestone year will now be written into the history books. The most significant—perhaps “remarkable” is the better word—legacy of this year’s celebration is the official apology issued by the NYPD. Commenting on the raid that helped spark the modern LGBT+ rights movement, Commissioner James O’Neill publicly stated, “I do know what happened should not have happened. The actions taken by the NYPD were wrong — plain and simple.

The actions and the laws were discriminatory and oppressive, and for that, I

apologize.”

Better late than never. But there is much more to apologize for. Especially in New Orleans.

Police raids of gay and lesbian bars were de rigueur in New Orleans until the 1980s. In the 1930s, the Wonder Bar had to move out of the French Quarter because of incessant police raids. Owner Emile Morlet sought an injunction against the police; when it was denied, he moved his club to the Lakefront, which in the 1940s became the Club My-O-My! In the 1950s, the city officially adopted a “climate of hostility” toward gays and lesbians and Police Chief

Provosty Dayries actively and aggressively sought to rid the city of gays and lesbians.

1958 witnessed multiple raids of Tony Bacino’s bar, which resulted in an unsuccessful civil suit filed against the city. The infamous raid of the Krewe of Yuga Ball occurred in 1962. In 1971, Lynn Frank and her short-lived Gay Liberation Front marched on City Hall demanding an end to police harassment. Throughout the 1970s, the vice squad regularly entrapped gay men at the public restrooms at the swanky department stores on Canal Street as well as at the bathroom at the French Market near the intersection of Du-

maine and Decatur Streets. And the NOPD’s response, or lack thereof, to the arson at the Up Stairs Lounge in 1973 was unconscionable.

Things began to change in the early 1980s. In the summer of 1980, a political action group called LAGPAC (Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus) was formed and one of its first orders of business was dealing with police harassment.

In October of 1980, LAGPAC officials met with New Orleans Police Chief James Parsons to discuss the issue of police harassment. In an effort to foster understanding and develop relationships, the group also participat-

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ed in a softball game organized by Skip Thibodeaux between police officers and members of the gay community.

LAGPAC was successful in ending the routine procedure of asking new hires if they were gay and in the creation of a police liaison to the gay community.

Despite these efforts, attitudes on “the Force” toward gays and lesbians were slow to change.

On the weekend of April 24, 1981, the New Orleans police conducted a massive “sidewalk sweep” outside several gay bars, including the notorious Jewels (on Decatur street) on Friday night and two lesbian bars— Diane’s and the Grog (both on N. Rampart Street)—on Saturday night, and arrested close to 100 people and charged them with “Obstruction of Free Passage.” In other words, they were standing on the sidewalk.

The mass arrests aroused the ire

of the gay community and a protest rally was held at the Catholic Community Center, of all places. The Director of the Center at the time was a gay man.

The arrests also led to the creation of the Crescent City Coalition. On May 4, LAGPAC leaders John Ognibene, Rich Sacher, and others met with Mayor “Dutch” Morial with questions and six demands: 1) that all the charges against those arrested be dropped, 2) that an independent investigation be conducted into the motivation of the arrests, 3) that disciplinary action be taken against the arresting officers for harassment, 4) that regular meetings be held between the police, the mayor’s office, and the gay community, 5) that sensitivity training be included in the Police Academy, and

6) that the mayor make a statement regarding non-discrimination in his administration.

Most of the demands were met; however, an independent investigation was never completed, and no officers were disciplined. The meeting also led to a police training program. At LAGPAC’s urging, the City Council authorized the establishment of the Office of Municipal Investigation to examine allegations of police misconduct.

Another complaint against the NOPD in the early 1980s involved the use of Field Interrogation Cards.

These were index cards that beat officers would use in the field to gather information about individuals in an effort to fight crime. Several gay men complained that they had been detained by police at random while the cards were filled out. The cards had been used in New Orleans, and other

cities, for years. According to Superintendent of Police Henry Morris, the cards had helped reduced crime in the French Quarter significantly and that homosexuals were not being targeted.

LAGPAC disagreed.

By the 1990s, police raids of gay bars in New Orleans were a thing of the past, but bigotry and prejudice lingered. Today, the NOPD has a contingent in the Pride Parade. While great progress has been made, police attitudes toward transgender folk are still behind the times. And just last month, when the NOPD debuted rainbow Pride badges, the backlash from the trans and queer community was swift and, from some, severe. This reaction demonstrates that while some progress has been made, there is still much to make. An official apology from the NOPD would be a step in that direction.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Kevin Hemenger AT THE A-LIST PARTY AT GRANDPRE’S | PHOTOS BY KEVIN HEMENGER

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About at GrandPre’s PHOTOS BY KEN GRANDPRE

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Hep C treatment to become widely available in Louisiana Rodney Thoulion Director of Development for CrescentCare rthoulion@gmail.com If Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards have their way, they are going to make hepatitis C history in Louisiana.

The Secretary and the Governor were in New Orleans on June 26 at CrescentCare to roll out a statewide initiative with Louisiana Department of Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc and representatives from Asegua Therapeutics, LLC, a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences.

“Our goal is to eliminate this disease in Louisiana, and we have taken a big step forward in that effort,“ Governor Edwards said.

According to CrescentCare infectious-disease doctor Jason Halperin,

hepatitis C has dire consequences if left untreated. It affects more than two million people across the United States.

“The hep-c crisis in the country is incredibly urgent,” Dr. Halperin said.

“People die of hep C more than any other infection that exists in the United States whether it be HIV, TB, influenza so it is an urgent need to treat and cure.”

According to Dr. Gee there are 39,000 people in Louisiana’s Medicaid and prison system who suffer from the viral infection which attacks the liver.

The cost of treatment is expensive, and the cost of generic drugs cost as much as $30,000 for a course of treatment and up to $90,000 for the brand

name.

The deal between the drug company and the state will save the state millions of dollars. Treatment estimates before the deal would have cost the health department an estimated $760 million which is “more than the state spends on K-12 education. Veteran’s Affairs and Corrections combined,” said Dr. Gee. Because of the astronomical cost to Medicaid, the state had to restrict the drug to only those who had damage to their livers already.

Last year the state only had $30 million to spend and was only able to treat 300 people.

Now for one set cost, the Louisiana Department of Health will get unrestricted amounts of the hep c medica-

tion Epclusa® for people on Medicaid and in the prison population. They will spend a pre-negotiated capped subscription price and after that price they get rebated back 100 percent of the spend.

“The state will receive an unrestricted supply of this life-saving medication while capping our expenditures at the same time,” Governor Edwards said.

Dr. Gee’s goal is to treat 10,000 people by next year and 31,000 people by the end of 2024.

The program is expected to roll out on July 15.

For more information on hepatitis C treatment, call CrescentCare at 504821-2601 or another community health center in your area.

Rodney Thoulion is the Director of Development for CrescentCare and a feature article writer with Ambush. To suggest story ideas, email him at Rthoulion@gmail.com.

Playing Smart – It’s About Sexual Health & Wellness Christopher Garnett, MD Primary Care at Ochsner Health System DrG.HIVWarrior@gmail.com Let me introduce myself. I’m a primary care physician and HIV specialist. I have been in practice for 10 years and in that time a lot has changed in the field of HIV prevention and treatment. I work at Ochsner and am a staunch advocate for innovation to address health inequities experienced by the LGBTQ+ community. It’s my goal, in this and future articles, to share inspiring examples of health care providers and community advocates alike who are at the cutting edge of promoting sexual health and wellness in the Gulf South.

In this article I’ll talk about how we’re playing our part at Ochsner in empowering patients to have fulfilling sex lives and finding ways to access medical services that can keep them healthy.

Preventing HIV and STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) Promoting sexual health nowadays is about reviewing the full scope of options and seeing what works best for you. You can have an active sex life and protect your sexual health. There’s no onesize-fits-all approach. Below are some important examples of medical services you might consider.

PrEP – a Revolution in HIV Prevention PrEP stands for “pre-exposure prophylaxis.” If you are not living with HIV, there’s a once-a-day pill to prevent HIV infection that is transmitted in semen, vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk. When taken daily, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by over 90%.

Approved in 2012 by the FDA, PrEP has helped to dramatically reduce the spread of HIV. Who Should Use PrEP? Anyone 18 years or older who is sexually active might consider PrEP. Teens age 12 to 17 may also benefit from PrEP but it may be more complex to get. An

important first step is to ask a knowledgeable medical provider about PrEP. Together you can determine if PrEP is right for you and help you overcome barriers to getting on PrEP Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) This is different than PrEP. In most cases, maximum protection from HIV requires taking PrEP medicines daily for 5-7 days. If you are recently exposed to HIV and are not already on PrEP, then seeking PEP medications within 72hrs of the exposure can dramatically reduce your chances of acquiring HIV. PEP medications are more potent than PrEP and have been shown to be a better solution for protecting against HIV when the exposure was very recent (72 hrs or less).

Accessing PEP in New Orleans has become easier and ER visits are often unnecessary. During daytime hours Mon-Fri, calling the Ochsner PEP/PrEP Hotline is a good start (855241-9347). CrescentCare offers evening and weekend coverage (504-4572711), making it possible to avoid that crowded ER. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) If you are living with HIV, you can now live a long and healthy lifespan. Getting and staying on treatment and becoming undetectable not only provides immediate health benefits to you but also to current or future partners. Twenty years of science shows that people living with HIV who take their medicines until they have an undetectable viral load have no risk of spreading the virus to sexual partners.

Know Your Options. Play Smart You can have an active sex life and protect yourself from HIV and other STDs. Having a candid discussion with a health care provider about your sex

life is a step toward promoting better sexual health and finding out what prevention strategies work best for you including how often you should check in for STI screening.

Should You Get Tested for HIV/ STIs More Frequently? Well, it all depends. Your health care provider will ask about different kinds of sexual practices you enjoy and help determine what tests should be done and how often. Oral sex allows for STI transmissions of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia but very low risk for HIV. Vaginal sex without a condom is higher risk for most STIs. Anal sex without a condom, especially if you are the receptive partner “or bottom” is the highest risk for most STIs. Discuss HIV Having frank conversations with your partners is key.

Whether someone is living with HIV or not, talk about HIV in an honest way. Support someone through HIV treatment so they can become undetectable and cannot pass it on. Know how and where to begin PrEP so everyone plays a role when it comes to HIV. If your partner is struggling to stay on meds, support them in getting back into care and soon they too will have an undetectable viral load.

Expanding Your Options Sex can often be spontaneous, and at Ochsner, we can help you make choices that are right for you and provide tools to avoid STIs and HIV. With or without condoms, it may not be possible to plan ahead and condoms are not for everyone. Condoms and other barriers such as dental dams are a great way not only to prevent HIV but also other STIs as well. PrEP could be a good fit and provide added protection.

Be Empowered Sometimes it’s

hard to have an open discussion about STIs and HIV with new partners. But keep practicing, it gets easier! Even if you don’t know much about the sexual health of a partner there are steps you can take to promote sexual health. Advocating for condom use offers a high degree of protection from most STIs. If consistent condom use is hard to put into action, PrEP is a great option because unlike condoms, you don’t need to negotiate with a partner about whether you should take PrEP. The choice is yours.

Promoting Sexual Health – Mind and Body Pleasure and intimacy are integral parts of sexual health but sometimes things can get in the way of attaining these goals. Past traumas, anxiety, depression, or struggles with drugs can lead to sexual difficulties.

Opening up to your provider about these issues can help you start on the path to overcoming these challenges.

I hope you found this article useful and thought provoking. I welcome your questions and feedback, in addition to requests for future topics – DrG. HIVWarrior@gmail.com Christopher Garnett, MD is a native of Lima, Peru. He received his medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and completed his residency at Emory’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Garnett is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Academy of HIV Medicine. He is fluent in English and Spanish. He is experienced in providing general primary care and has special training for the care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients and those living with HIV or at risk of acquiring HIV.

26 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 27

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Red Wine: Can it Lead to Better Sex & Health?

Chenier Reynolds-Montz Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana CReynolds@accesshealthla.org Can the type of alcohol you drink erogenous zones and perhaps inreally improve your sex life? Even your creases testosterone levels in men. Of overall health? Experts say yes. course, these effects are negated and Summertime is a time for casual even depressed if too much alcohol is getaways, hitting the beach and fitting consumed.” into that bathing suit you’ve been eyeAlcohol impacts our body in difing up all winter. Before you head out ferent ways. With each sip of alcoto look for love, hol, “triggers” are remember knowlset off inside our According to an Italian edge is power body. The first few study published in the when it comes to sips gives us the giving romance a National Center for Bio- liquid courage we boost and keepto feel more technology Information, need ing your health in relaxed, yet conficheck. the compounds in red wine dent to take a risk Courvoisier like saying hello says red wine is enhance the levels of sex- to that handsome the wine for love. ual desire for both men guy across the Pair that with the bar. Studies show and women. soundtrack from that after consumFifty Shades of ing two glasses of Gray and you have the makings for a red wine, the receptors in our brain are great night with your partner. So why is stimulated. This is when most people red wine an aphrodisiac for love? feel the most pleasure and in control of “Alcohol in general is considered their situation. a ‘social lubricant’,” explains Dr. SujaAccording to an Italian study ta Chava, Internal Medicine Physician published in the National Center for with Access Health Louisiana. “Red Biotechnology Information, the comwine increases blood flow to women’s pounds in red wine enhance the lev-

Photo Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

els of sexual desire for both men and women. For ladies, this stimulation causes increased blood flow, which in turn increases levels for sexual desire.

Men see similar effects; however, they also experience a boost in their testosterone levels. Testosterone is the key hormone that gives men their craving for sexual companionship.

Dr. Chava agrees but says some people must proceed with caution. “A person who does not drink alcohol, is not encouraged to start drinking red wine purely for health benefits, especially if they have a personal history or family history of alcohol abuse. However, for those who do drink alcohol, red wine contains a polyphenol called resveratrol which may have heart healthy benefits. Although studies are not fully conclusive, resveratrol may reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), decrease inflammation of blood vessels and raise HDL (good cholesterol).”

Unlike spirits, red wine also contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are packed with antioxidants that can improve your digestion, help balance weight, prevent cardiovascular disease and even help avoid diabetes. Polyphenols and resveratrol work together to protect the body. “Resveratrol (the heart healthy ingredient) comes from the skin of grapes,” explains Dr. Chava. “Red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than white wine, so red wine has more resveratrol than white wine. However, simply eating grapes or drinking grape juice may be a way to ingest resveratrol without drinking alcohol.”

Another benefit has to do with sug-

ar intake. Just one glass of red wine (250ml) contains just under one gram of sugar (1/4 teaspoon). Compare that with hard alcohol like vodka, gin, rum, brandy and tequila. Each drink ranges between 80 and 100 calories per shot.

If you’re not into wine or hard liquor, then mixers may be your game.

A game you may want to re-think. Take gin and tonic. Tonic water can add up to four teaspoons or 18 grams of sugar to your diet. Vodka-cranberry drinks are a bar favorite, but not at 30 grams of sugar.

Consider the daily recommendation for sugar intakes for men and women before you place your bar order.

Most men can handle an average of 70 grams of sugar daily, while experts recommend just 50 grams for women.

(If you’re diabetic or have other chronic illnesses, check with your doctor for your recommended daily intake.)

Low-sugar diets can keep your bikini trim and help you find love on the beach. It can also lower your risk for developing diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the American Diabetes Association. So, remember, when heading out to look for love, a drink in a long stem glass may benefit you and your relationship far more than a mixer in a “go-cup”.

Chenier Reynolds-Montz is Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana, a registered 501(c)3 organization. She can be reached at creynolds@accesshealthla.org. For information about our services, log onto our website at accesshealthla.org

28 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Sipps Bar Gulfport, MS PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 29

BOOK REVIEW

Brown White Black Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com

The Drama of Celebrity.

Sharon Marcus. Princeton University Press, 2019. 328 pages.

The Drama of Celebrity by Sharon Marcus, the Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, is a must read for anyone interested in an intellectual understanding of how celebrity works.

Why do so many people care so much about celebrities? Who decides who gets to be a star? What are the privileges and pleasures of fandom?

Do celebrities ever deserve the outsized attention they receive?

Marcus, a founding editor of Public Books, explores these questions with a queer theoretical bent.

In this fascinating and deeply researched book, Marcus, author of the award-winning Between Women: Friendship, Desire, and Marriage

in Victorian England, challenges everything you thought you knew about our obsession with fame. Icons are not merely famous for being famous; the media alone cannot make or break stars; fans are not simply passive dupes. Instead, journalists, the public, and celebrities themselves all compete, passionately and expertly, to shape the stories we tell about celebrities and fans. The result: a high-stakes drama as endless as it is unpredictable.

Drawing on scrapbooks, personal diaries, and vintage fan mail, Marcus traces celebrity culture back to its nineteenth-century roots, when people the world over found themselves captivated by celebrity chefs, bad-boy poets, and actors such as the “divine” Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923), as famous in

her day as the Beatles in theirs. Known in her youth for sleeping in a coffin, hailed in maturity as a woman of genius, Bernhardt became a global superstar thanks to savvy engagement with her era’s most innovative media and technologies: the popular press, commercial photography, and speedy new forms of travel.

Whether you love celebrity culture or hate it, The Drama of Celebrity will change how you think about one of the most important phenomena of modern times.

Essentially a history of popular culture, The Drama of Celebrity is sure to become a classic in the field of Cultural Studies.

FINANCIAL & BUSINESS Five Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Beneficiaries Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com If you’ve ever spent time working through your estate plan with a professional, you know how important it is to select and update your beneficiaries.

Failing to do so can result in costly mistakes – for you and your loved ones.

Here are five common mistakes that can easily be avoided with a bit of proactive planning: Mistake #1 – Not naming a beneficiary on all accounts. Ensure you have beneficiary designations on all of your retirement, investment and banking accounts, as well as your insurance policies. If you don’t name a beneficia-

ry on one or more accounts, your estate becomes the beneficiary of that account and your loved ones will need to go through the probate process (a legal process most families want to avoid for financial and emotional reasons). If this happens, your relative can lose their ability to use “stretch” payouts based on their life expectancy because the tax-advantaged status for retirement assets is lost.

Mistake #2 – Forgetting to name a contingent beneficiary on all accounts. Many people list the same loved one – usually a partner or parent

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– as the primary beneficiary on most or all accounts. If this is how you’ve handled your assets, it is important for you to also name a contingent beneficiary. This is because if your primary beneficiary passes away first and no contingent beneficiaries are listed, it’s comparable to having no beneficiary designation. If you both die at the same time, funds go into probate.

Naming contingent beneficiaries also gives the primary beneficiary the option to execute a qualified disclaimer so some assets can pass to nextin-line loved ones. For example, a primary beneficiary may not wish to claim the assets because of tax implications or because they don’t need the assets and prefer instead to pass your gift onto another beneficiary.

Mistake #3 – Not using specific names. One mistake many people make is listing a generic term – such as children, parents or aunts – instead of specific names in their beneficiary selections. This can be problematic, especially if you are part of a blended family. Many states won’t include or recognize stepchildren when the word “children” is listed. Another risk of vagueness is that a family member you’ve lost contact with may enter the picture and try to claim a piece of your remaining assets. With this in mind, make sure you use full names of each person when naming beneficiaries.

Mistake #4 – Failing to review your beneficiary selections regularly.Beneficiary designations override your will, so it’s crucial to keep them up to date. You may need to update your choices every few years due to life changes, such as if beneficiaries have died or your relationship with them has changed. This is particularly applicable if you’ve gone through a divorce or re-

married. If your ex-spouse inadvertently remains the designated beneficiary of an account, he or she may have the upper hand if the case winds up in court.

Mistake #5 – Not communicating your preferences with your partner and family. Communicating your legacy wishes is an important step to helping your loved ones know what to expect upon your death. While it can be tough to initiate the conversation, doing so can help reassure loved ones that you have a plan. Keep in mind that you don’t need to share the exact amount of money you plan to pass down to respective family members, unless doing so is your preference. Instead, share high-level details that give your family insight into how you intend to share your hard-earned wealth.

Estate planning isn’t the most enjoyable part of planning for your financial future, but it is crucial to helping ensure that your assets are handled the way you desire after you no longer have control. Beneficiary designations can be complex, and depending on your situation, it may be hard to decide who to list as the recipient of assets.

If you want a second opinion or help assessing the implications of your options, consult an estate planner and financial advisor in your area.

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.

30 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

AMBUSH AT THE MOVIES Spider-Man: Far From Home Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Are your spidey senses tingling or, better yet, your Peter Tingle? They will be soon with the release of the newest entry to the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man: Far From Home. Directed

by Jon Watts and written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, this latest entry is the sequel to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and the twenty-third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The super hot Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and he plays the role to the hilt mixing the naivety of a high schooler with

the bravado of a superhero. Holland demonstrates he can hold his own in a movie that showcases his comic timing, boy-next-door looks, and action star persona. Rounding out the cast is Samuel L. Jackson returning as Nick Fury, along with Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

I have to admit I went into this film a little skeptical after the disappointment of Men in Black International, but my hopes were lifted with this movie.

The film picks up shortly after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Peter Parker is still mourning the death of his mentor Tony Stark as he goes on a school trip to Europe with his classmates. It is genius how they weave the storylines into each other from movie to movie with the disappearance of half the world now being coined as “The Blip.” Everyone who has come back has never aged, but those who did not disappear are five years older. While abroad, Peter is recruited

by Nick Fury to team up with Quentin

Beck, also known as Mysterio, a master of trickery and illusion, to battle the Elementals, some very nasty and destructive creatures.

His adventure literally takes him around the globe with gorgeous locations filmed in England, the Czech Republic, Italy, and the New York metropolitan area. To go into more would spoil the plot, so suffice to say, I enjoyed Spider-Man: Far From Home tremendously. Now this is what you would call a summer blockbuster!

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Tony Leggio AT THE ELTON JOHN LOOKALIKE CONTEST FOR NOAGE AND AARP AT ELMWOOD CINEMAS SHOWING OF ROCKET MAN

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 31

Party Down Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I always know my week is going to start off well when I get the opportunity to attend the NOAGE Walking group on Monday. Once a week, the New Orleans Advocates for LGBT Elders walks the track at Audubon Park starting at 6:45 p.m. It’s not so hot in the evening and the park is just gorgeous.

Something about exercising in a beautiful environment that just uplifts your spirit. Not to mention I have met some great men and women while walking.

You need to check it out.

The following day, I attended the Men in Black: International premier at Elmwood (my review was in the past issue). I forgot how much fun going to the movies can be. I have become a streaming-at-home junkie, but nothing truly replaces that big screen experience. And even though the movie was ultimately forgettable, it did help reignite my love for going to the cinema again.

Wednesday found me attending a totally different event when I went to the LGBT+ Archives membership meeting at Hotel Peter and Paul. This particular venue was aptly suited for an organization that collects information about our community’s past since it is so filled with history itself. The evening started with a reception, followed by the board members discussing what is happening with the group and upcoming events. Then Wayne Phillips, Curator of Costumes and Textiles/Carnival Collections at the LA State Museum spoke about the current exhibition that just opened at The Presbytere. The LGBT+ Archives Project educates the community about saving LGBT+ historical materials so as to make them available for future generations. NOLA’s LGBT community has such a rich history, it’s important we preserve it. To find out more information on the organization and how to become a member, go to www.lgbtarchiveslouisiana.org.

Thursday was all about the wine (and food) when I attended the Sail Away with Cloudy Bay Wine Dinner at Copper Vine. The evening’s fivecourse pairing in the landmark building at 1001 Poydras Street included some delectable tastes such as grilled stone fruit with Irish cheddar and bird seed brittle (clever), black cod with miso honey butter bean succotash, porchetta dumplings, duck breast and their version of a Kit Kat bar that was to die for. Enhancing the evening was the pairing of the New Zealand wines from Cloudy Bay that made the food taste better. After the dinner, I went out and added some Cloudy Bay wines to my home bar.

Since we were in a mood for more

cocktails, we went to the new Bar Marilou in the Maison de la Luz located at 544 Carondelet. The bar itself has the look and feel of a grand library in an estate home. The walls are lined with orange decor and plenty of bookshelves. They have a superior craft cocktail menu and wine list.

And for the lucky ones who stay at the hotel, there’s a secret door in one of the bookshelves that brings you to a private little hideaway. Talk about your secret passageways!

Still celebrating Pride month, my friend Matt and I partied like rock stars on Friday. We started off attending the Hard Rock Cafe’s reception introducing some of their new menu items. It was a very cool soiree and a great way to jumpstart the weekend festivities.

They even had a second line through the Quarter. Now I cannot wait to see the new hotel when it opens.

Next we went to dinner at Mahoney’s Po-Boys’ newest location in the Quarter. The award-winning restaurant combines fresh local ingredients and family recipes to recreate po’ boy classics and also offer new, creative and exciting versions of New Orleans’ favorite sandwich.

Then after a happy hour cocktail stop at The Crossing we went to see Kinky Boots at the Saenger. It was a great show with an amazing cast who sang and danced their way across the stage in some fabulous numbers. This was my third time seeing the show and it still is one of my favorite musicals.

I returned to the movies on Saturday when I attended the AARP and NOAGE ‘Movies for Adults’ series when they showed the Elton John biopic Rocketman. I was honored to be asked to judge the costume contest and was very impressed with the amount of people who came out in Elton John regalia. I mean the suburbia people’s eyes almost popped out of their head with all the glitter, sequins and feathers. It’s always nice when we can bring downtown fabulousness to suburbia, although our suburban areas tend to be a little more glitzy than other cities. As expected, the movie and soundtrack were great. I am almost a new fan of the hottie Aaron Egerton. I mean swoon. Elton you chose well.

I ended the week on Sunday with a fabulous brunch to celebrate Father’s Day. Even though my father left this Earth over ten years ago, my Mom and I still celebrate his memory and his day.

I find that just because a person is not physically in front of you, he still is a part of your soul, so you might as well take him out and celebrate with him.

Corny, but I like to think he enjoyed

32 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

the day. After a delicious steak brunch with cocktails, my friends, Mom and I went to have coffee at Cafe NOMA in the New Orleans Museum of Art and then explored the new addition to the sculpture garden. The new garden is architecturally stunning with great new pieces and beautiful landscaping.

Congratulations on the impressive remodel--love the space!. It was also a perfect way to finish off a day of remembrance for my father.

My second week was a lot less exciting than my first, spending almost every evening working late with clients I had in town. Between work and trying to shake off getting sick, I

was only able to venture out two times.

The first was for my good friend, Beaux Church’s birthday celebration dinner at Liuzza’s and it was quite the celebration. Family-owned and operated since 1947, this Mid-City landmark is the epitome of a neighborhood bar and restaurant. Their delicious cuisine can best be described as down-home Louisiana, Cajun, authentic Italian and seafood dishes. The food was amazing – who doesn’t like onion rings and fried pickles? They also have frosty mugs for beer on tap and they make a mean dessert drink called the Bushwacker, pretty fabulous. People think that great dining experiences are just

for upscale restaurants. But the truth is, it’s all about the company and food that make the experience worthwhile.

On Sunday, I attended the first show in Tulane Summer Lyric’s season, 42nd Street and it was a huge hit!

I cannot say enough about the production and the cast. First off, the show itself is a classic musical, and the cast sang and danced their way into the audience’s hearts, I have not heard as much cheering before in a show like this one. Each number was choreographed to perfection. The dance sequences rivaled anything I have seen in a Broadway show and the singers just gave it their all. I walked out feel-

ing elated, singing the tunes with a bounce in my step. Congratulations to all involved, you did real good!

And with that Lullaby to Broadway, I end my two weeks. I am excited about the next article which will incorporate my adventure in New York City for World Pride. Until then keep the party going.

Do you want your party or event covered? Invite me! ledgemgp@gmail.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Tony Leggio AT NYC / WORLD PRIDE WITH TONY AND FRIENDS

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 33

UNDER THE GAYDAR

New Orleans Hot Happenings

Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

Go 4th and celebrate the independence of America and all the hot happenings in New Orleans. Here are just a sample of some exciting happenings.

(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 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.

777 Happy Hour: Kajun’s Pub; 2556 St. Claude Ave.; 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Happy Hour: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7 days a week from 8 a.m - 8 p.m.

Happy Hour: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (except Monday) 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.

Kajun’s Karaoke: Kajun’s Pub; 2556 St. Claude Ave.; Karaoke from 5 p.m. until.

Happy Hour: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (except Sunday)

WEEKDAYS

Happy Hour: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Happy Hour: The Phoenix Bar; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

MONDAY

Martini Mondays: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; (all day) Tito’s and Deep Eddy martinis will be $3.

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.

Happy Hour All Night: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; Open to close.

Well, domestic, and wine.

Mexican Monday: The 700 Club;

700 Burgundy St.; Open to close. $3 Coronas, $3 Cuervo Shots, 2 for 1 Margaritas Primal Nights: Bacchannal Wine; 600 Poland Ave.; 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. $20 donation. Guest Chefs grill a personalized menu and the plate donations go to the charity of their choosing.

NOAGE & Stonewall Sports Walk/ Run Club: Audubon Park; 6:15 p.m.

Join Stonewall Sports New Orleans and NOAGE starting at 6:30 p.m..

Meet for the walk/run at Audubon Park by the Magazine Street entrance parking lot. The Stonewall Run Club joins 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.

If you need assistance or have questions, call Jim at (504) 228-6778.

Karaoke Monday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy happy hour prices all night long. Host-

ed 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.

Lazy Susan Karaoke: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 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.

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.

Pool Tournament: Rawhide 2010; 740 Burgundy St.; 9:45 p.m. $2 PBR and $50 gift certificate for Rawhide S.I.N.: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 1 a.m - 4 a.m. 2 for 1 drinks.

TUESDAY

Tequila Tuesdays: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; (all day) Tequila drinks $5.

Tunes Tuesday: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. Free Jukebox credits with a $4 drink purchase.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy:

34 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Sipps Bar Gulfport, MS PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 35

The AllWays Lounge; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m There’s no cover for this grown-up game show where everyone’s a winner! 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!

Trivia: Cutter’s; 706 Franklin Ave.; 7:30 p.m. Join your host, bartender and local music legend Johnny Sketch.

Join a trivia team or bring your own and test your knowledge across multiple categories to win an often odd and useful assortment of prizes!

Tito’s Tuesday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 St Ann St.; 8 p.m. - close. $5 Tito’s cocktails Country Dance Lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 8 p.m.

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.

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.

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.

Happy Hour All day and Night: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Every week on Tuesday from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am the next day.

WEDNESDAY

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.

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.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

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.

Show Tunes Night: The Bourbon Pub; 801 St Ann St.; 8 p.m.- Midnight 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.

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 popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean.

THURSDAY

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

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.

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.

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

FRIDAY

Fireball Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. $4 Fireball Shots.

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

Beat The Clock; 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; 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 Take It Off Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; 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.

New Meat Amateur Dance Contest: Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 6:30 p.m. Anyone can enter - $100 cash prize.

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.

Bayou Blues Burlesque: The Allways Lounge and Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 8-10 p.m. An intimate night of live blues music accompanied by burlesque and variety acts. Drink specials and comfy seating to enjoy the art of the striptease. Music by The Delta Revues; burlesque by Andrea Louise Duhe´ (Ooops C.) Cherry Brown and special guests. Doors: 7:00pm; Show: 8:00pm; Cover: $10.

Jock Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave; 9 p.m. Happy hour prices for wearing a jock or singlet.

Misc4Misc: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. Enjoy this wonderfully weird drag show hosted every week by Apostrophe. Cover is $5.

Play Girlz: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Drag show featuring Gia GiaVanni and special guests.

Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; 10:30 p.m.

- 2 a.m. Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi & vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae serve delicious drink specials and amazing food during late night happy hours. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard.

SATURDAY

Queer Meditation: Mid City Zen; 3248 Castiglione St.; 10:30 a.m. A queer and trans centered meditation group meeting regularly on Saturday mornings. Open to all LGBTIQ+ people, and all folks interested in holding and sharing an intentionally queer-centering mindful space. Join for a sit, breathe, notice, rest; to cultivate presence and kindness together. Free/by donation.

Burlesque Brunch: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; Join the incomparable Angie Z and friends for a boozy, burlesque brunch every Saturday from 11-3pm. For reservations, go to www. opentable.com.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Beer Bash: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. $10

36 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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

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

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 37

pitchers of beer, $9 pitchers of Miller Light draft (upstairs only) 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 St.; 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 and goes till 8 pm in the upstairs bar with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long!

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 top 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 special guest stars.

Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; 10:30 p.m.

- 2 a.m. Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi & vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae serve delicious drink specials and amazing food during late night happy hours. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard.

SUNDAY

Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin St.; 11 a.m. Va-

nessa Carr presents Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch featuring Chef Marlon Alexander’s amazing menu and the phenomenal talents of Vanessa Carr Kennedy and Friends! For tickets, go to www.crunola.com 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.

Happy Hour: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 1 p.m. - 11 p.m. $3.75 well drinks and domestic beer.

The Half Assed-Straight Boys: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 3 - 5 p.m.

Beer Bash: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. $10 pitchers of beer, $9 pitchers of Miller Light draft (upstairs only) Happy Hour/ Drink Til You Drop: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; Happy Hour 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Drink Til You Drop $12 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The Original Trash Disco: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 4-10 p.m. Includes the original napkin toss and the best music videos to sing along with.

Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests.

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 St.; 5 - 8 p.m. Unlimited well drinks, Bud Light and Miller Lite draft $10 Drag Dingo: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 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 the upstairs bar with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long.

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.

Zingo: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis St.; 6:30 p.m. Play Bingo followed by the Barry BareAss Dancer of the Week Contest.

You Better Sing Karaoke: GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m.

Join DJ Dereesha as he plays Karaoke.

Sunday Swing: The Allways Lounge and Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; starts at 8 p.m. Every Sunday, local swing dance instructors offer a community class from 8-9pm. From 9 till midnight there is live, local music and social dancing! There is NO cover, but a one drink minimum is required per set.

Jock Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave; 9 p.m. Happy hour prices for wearing a jock or singlet.

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.

SPECIAL EVENTS WEDNESDAY 7/3

Uncle Sam Jam: Lafreniere Park; 3000 Downs Blvd.; 3 - 11 p.m. Uncle Sam Jam is an annual celebration of our Nation’s Independence Day that takes place in the Al Copeland Concert & Meadow Stage of Lafreniere Park. Featuring 4 bands, over 20 food & beverage vendors, arts & crafts vendors, and the main event being the most spectacular fireworks show in town! LINEUP: 4pm-– Amanda Shaw; 5:30pm -– 10,000 Maniacs; 7:15pm -– The Orchestra starring ELO Former Members; 9:00 PM – Fireworks Show; 9:35pm -– The Topcats. General Admission--FREE! Parking inside of Lafreniere Park is $5 per vehicle (cash only). For more information, go to http://www.unclesamjamjefferson.com.

Happy 3rd of July: City Park; 59:15 p.m. Bring your chairs and blankets to enjoy patriotic music from The Marine Corps Band New Orleans on the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn and fireworks from the top of the Peristyle. Arrive early to get a great spot

on the lawn.The first 3000 guests can receive red, white, and blue glow necklaces. Concessions will be available for purchase, see below for menu, or guests may bring their own picnic. Due to large crowds and noise from the fireworks, we encourage you to leave your pets at home. This is a free event.

Crescent City Leathermen Monthly Board Meeting: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields; 7:30 - 9 p.m. This meeting is open to the public.

Let’s Art with lefty Lucy: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 - 8 p.m. LET’S ART! with Lefty Lucy is an original Drink’n’Draw where everyone is invited. DRAW Lefty in poses that tell a story across two hours! WRITE your own story inspired by what you see!

PHOTOGRAPH poses & ENJOY a burlesque act that will reveal the final chapter in this slow-motion play or just drink and enjoy a custom playlist in a low key cabaret environment.

THURSDAY 7/4

Go Fourth on the River: New Orleans Riverfront; 5 p.m. From Crescent Park to Woldenberg Park come out and experience music, food and fireworks.

Star Spangled 4th of July Reading of the Mueller Report: Happyland Theatre; 3126 Burgundy Street; 6 a.m. - 2 a.m. Or for short, #ImpeachableYou! An all-day marathon of local celebrities reading 20 minute excerpts from the report. All will read at some point. Jacob Germain of Krewe of Vaporwave will provide cool visuals. Jeff Mattsson of Happyland Theater will provide good breakfast. Baba Yaga will play The Redactions. For more information, contact cloveproductions@gmail.

America: F*ck Yeah! Volume 3: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 10 p.m.m. - 1 a.m. It’s that time of year: the third installment of America: F*CK YEAH! This year it’s all about our charming little ashtray of a nation’s storied history, scheming politicians, big pharma, radical action, patriotism, battlefields, and diamond tiaras. Cover? $10 Cast: Candy Snatch; The Darling; Franky Canga; Kimberly Clark; Saint Salomé; Siren; Versula Bottom and hosted by Dede Onassis.

FRIDAY 7/5

Stonewall Sports First Friday Happy Hour: Phillip’s Bar and Restaurant; 733 Cherokee St.; 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.

MAKE Up Presents Road Trip: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 9:30 - 11 p.m. MAKE UP is the world’s first and only improv show starring an entire cast of drag performers. Every moment of this road trip - from the games to the drag num-

38 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 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 · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 39

bers - is drunk-driven by their devious audience. There will be laughs. There will be joy. There will be gas station snacks. There will be ridiculous ways to get discounted tickets likely involving gas station snacks.

Strip Roulette: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.. - 1 a.m. Strip Roulette consists of 2 teams of burlesque performers who will have to strip for the lives of their g-strings! They will have to improv a burlesque act to music that they have not picked out and will be carefully curated by DJ Ajent O to be as awkward and hilarious as possible!!

And, on top of that, they will be given an uncomfortably obscure prop that they will have to incorporate into their striptease. Fun, games, prizes, stripping and more! Doors at 10pm. Show at 11pm. $15 cover per person.

The Shop: Jonathan Ferrara Gallery; 400A Julia St.; 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

We would like to cordially invite you on July 5th and 6th to ‘The Shop’ at the Jonathan Ferrara Gallery (400A Julia St. New Orleans, LA 70130) to celebrate the #powerofus through beauty, community, and sisterhood as we advocate for game-changing legislation alongside CROWN Act and Dove Men+Care’s Pledge for Paternity Leave. This is a FREE two-day celebration full of empowering workshops!

SATURDAY 7/6

OUTClimb| LGBT+ Climb Night; New Orleans Boulder Lounge; 2360 St. Claude Ave.; 7 - 10 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’re 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, TBD. This is to be a safe space for the LGBT+ community--a space for conversation, inclusion, education, and of course, climbing! Free climbing lessons 8:009:00 p.m. Raffles 9:30 p.m.

GirlSpot | Grrl’s Trip: Santos Bar; 1135 Decatur St.: Starts at 9 p.m. Your favorite pop-up lesbian bar is popping up at the former home of one of New Orleans favorite lesbian bars! Drink specials, DJ’s and other surprises.

Crescent City Leathermen Beer & Gear Night: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. The theme this month is Fetish Shorts & Kilts. $10 all you can drink keg beer; $1 jello shots / 6 for $5. Buy into the beer bust AND wear the theme gear, get one free jello shot.

It’s Showtime on Rampart Street; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Come out and catch this excit-

ing drag show starring Moanalot Fontaine and special guests.

SUNDAY 7/7

Wine, Just Add Fruit; Location disclosed upon ticket purchase; 6 - 9 p.m. Join your Southern Decadence Grand Marshals for a Sunday afternoon of Sangria, nibbles, and swimming (clothing optional) benefiting Southern Decadence and its charity. $25 donation. Please bring your own towel. There is a limited number of tickets available. Contact Joey Landry @ 504-330-7566 for further info and tickets.

Mystic Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans rush party; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 3-6:00pm. Mystic Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans is back after a 32 year hiatus. Established in 1969, the first Bal Masque was held in 1970 in The Hotel Monteleone. Resurrection Ball 2020 is happening back where it all began at the Hotel Monteleone in February. Be in a Krewe that was groundbreaking in the Gay Carnival Krewe community. Come learn the many other “First’s” this Krewe has achieved historically and currently. See ad for Rush Party details.

TUESDAY 7/9

The TransSiberian Nightmare: The Russian Invasion; Siberia Lounge; 2227 St. Claude Ave.; 9 p.m. - midnight.

Come see five incredible ladies salute this great country of ours, and America, too! Hosted by Carina Von Tuna and ST!NK, featuring some of your favorite dolls: Laveau Contraire; Luna Rei and Quinn Laroux. PLUS experience an amateur lip sync smackdown!

WEDNESDAY 7/10

Forum For Equality Annual Meeting; New Orleans Jazz Market 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.; 6 - 8 p.m.

Come join Forum for Equality as we give our annual update, elect board members, catch up with old friends, and meet new faces! There’ll be some sweet treats and cash bar. Members receive one free drink of choice.

Crescent City Leathermen Monthly General Membership Meeting: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 7:30 - 9 p.m. Meeting Open to the Public and all are welcome to attend.

THURSDAY 7/11

Southern Meets Decadence Soiree: PalmMesa Mansion; 928 Bourbon Street; 7 - 11 p.m. It’s that time of year again! Time for the annual Southern Meets Decadence Soiree, the event that makes the stories that are talked about the rest of the year! Help SDGM’s William Antill and Countess C Alice celebrate their reign and raise funds to produce the parade and benefit Odyssey House. This year’s Soiree promises a pleasant Southern evening

with a full open bar, passed hors d’ oeuvres and a live DJ. The courtyard pool promises decadent pool boys whose focus is to ensure everyone has a “memorable” evening! A VERY limited number of tickets are available and usually sell out! Tickets for this year’s event are $125. Contact Jeffrey Palmquist, Coca Mesa, William Antill or Countess C. Alice to secure your ticket!

Honor Thy Mother: A Drag Tribute to Gloria Estefan: Three Keys; 600 Carondelet St.; 9:15 p.m. - 12:15 a.m. Harlequeen presents: Honor Thy Mother, a drag tribute to Gloria Estefan. A cast featuring the best Latina Queens working in the South and a few allies will be serving you Miami Sound Machine in English and Spanish and Spanglish! Join them for a night of fierce drag, musique romantica and be ready to do the Conga. Your Honor Thy Mother MC - FRANKY with Gracias Denada, Lash Wednesday, Luna Rei, Mela Pelas, DeDe Onassis and the New Orleans Drag Workshop Mezzanine hosted by Sofia SugarStar. $10 general admission standing room, $20 VIP reserved seating. Doors at 8:30 and show promptly at 9:15

FRIDAY 7/12

The Graduates: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 10 p.m. A monthly show featuring students and graduates of The New Orleans School of Burlesque!

Each show will feature a rotating cast of current and past students who have studied extensively to perfect their craft and develop new acts! These performers work hard to take the next step in their performances and are ready to show you what they’ve got. Doors at 10pm. Show at 11pm. $10 cover.

SATURDAY 7/13

Dykes Do Deadlifts: Vitality by Kristin; 4304 Firestone Rd.; 11 a.m. 12 p.m. Join in for another fun workout for a good cause! A space for queer women to get our pump on in a judgement-free zone. This event’s proceeds will benefit Girls Rock New Orleans, a camp which is dedicated to building self-confidence in girls, transgender, and gender non-conforming youth through music education. Don’t let the words “deadlift” freak you out. Dykes Do Deadlifts, and all programming at Vitality, is first-timer friendly.

NOLA Gaymers Party - July: LGBT Community Center of New Orleans; 2727 S. Broad Ave.: 2 - 6 p.m.

LGBTQ GAMERS OF THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS REGION - COME OUT! Join them at the LGBT Community Center to socialize, game and generally geek out! There’ll be board games, party games, card games, and snacks to share! Bring your own favorite games as well. Donations of $3 or more towards future Gaymer events will be split with the LGBT center. +1

40 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 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 · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 41

Gaming will be our sponsor again and those who donate will be entered into a drawing to win a prize from their store!

Femme Fatale: The Drifter Hotel; 3522 Tulane Ave.; 2 - 8 p.m. FEMME FATALE PT. 3 goes poolside featuring LEGATRON PRIME, DJ EDGE SLAYER, and BINX, CLUSTERFUNK. Prayerbook for the Religiously Troubled: Suis Generis; 3219 Burgundy Street; 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. Hero Photographs Presents: Prayerbook for the Religiously Troubled stills from a sci-fi angel | vampire film by Kate Adair with: Gary CupCakez Scorce, Liz Honoré and Moe Amon. Each actor came up with a character based on the treatment for this fictitious film. These film stills convey prayers of longings and cheekinesses against a backdrop of vines and diner neon. For more visit: Herophotographs.com.

Rabbits By Bryce: Mimi’s in the Marigny; 2601 Royal Street; 7 p.m.

Come and check out some of Bryce Landry’s rabbit art.

Johnny Passion’s 6th Annual Smatch Game: The Allways Lounge and Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 10:15 p.m. - midnight. Last Breath Production Presents Johnny Passion ‘s Smatch Game for Southern Decadence! Tables and chairs always sell out !! VIP 4-seat table $80. There’s only one 6-seat VIP table for $120. Contact Misti Gaither for reserved seating! All proceeds go to Southern Decadence

2019. The charity this year is The Odyssey House. $10.00 cover at the door.

SUNDAY 7/14

National Mac & Cheese Day: The Civic Center; 510 O’Keefe Ave.; 12 - 4 p.m. Join the Krewe of NOLA Mac n’ Cheese Fest at the Civic Theatre for Mac’n’Cheese Tastings, drag queen bingo, Game Alley, a raffle, Bloody Marys/Beer/Mimosas included with admission, full cash bar and more! $30 in advance; $40 day of. Each ticket purchased includes 4 drink tickets (applicable to Bloody Marys, Mimosas, and ** Domestic Beer), 4 ma’n’cheese tasting tickets, 1 raffle entry and 1 bingo card. For tickets, go to https://nola-mac-n-cheese-fest. square.site.

MONDAY 7/15

Drag Bingo: Mimi’s in the Marigny; 2601 Royal St.; 7:30 p.m. Vanessa Carr Presents Drag Queen Bingo at Mimi’s in the Marigny! Join them for some fun and excitement with bingo and prizes and, to top it all off, some outrageous Drag!

WEDNESDAY 7/17

Let’s Art with lefty Lucy: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 - 8 p.m. LET’S ART! with Lefty Lucy is an original Drink’n’Draw where everyone is invit-

ed. DRAW Lefty in poses that tell a story across two hours! WRITE your own story inspired by what you see!

PHOTOGRAPH poses & ENJOY a burlesque act that will reveal the final chapter in this slow-motion play or just drink and enjoy a custom playlist in a low key cabaret environment.

THURSDAY 7/18

Talk. To The Hand! 3rd Thursdays Totally ‘90s/00’s: GrandPre’s 834 N. Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Join the fun at GrandPre’s for their monthly Third Thursday Totally ‘90s (and early ‘00s) Dance Party! It’s gonna be a retrolicious rewind. No cover!

FlamBOYant: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. The new Revolution of Boylesque returns to get this summer scorching HOTT, bringing you all the GLAM, all the BOYS, and all the FLAME!!! Starring your flamBOYS Danny Girl, NOLA’s very own naughty Mistress, T.J. Michael, the beefcake of the South, and featured entertainer, the rufftastic Teddy Bareback, a VERY furry delight. Hosted by the NonBianary Wonder of New Orleans Atomyc Adonis. $5 cover.

FRIDAY 7/19

Miss Primavera New Orleans 2019: Cristal Nightclub; 1100 Stumpf Blvd.; 9 p.m. Come and join the Spring beauty contest, which is more than a beauty contest; it’s an opportunity to build a stronger LGBTQ youth community in New Orleans. Each year, 5 to 6 contestants, often young transgender Latina women, compete for the Miss Spring New Orleans crown and a cash prize in front of a panel of community judges. This is also a fundraiser for BreakOUT’s Trans Defense Fund, which provides financial support to LGBTQ youth to keep them safe. This year the funds will support LGBT migrant or undocumented youth by paying bonuses, immigration lawyers and other emergency support needed to keep young people in their communities. Join us and make sure this year is a big success and that we can further support LGBTQ youth. With deportations and the increasing criminalization of our communities, it is a critical mo-

ment for the most vulnerable communities.

SATURDAY 7/20

Drag Queen Story Hour: Alvar Library; 913 Alvar St.; 1 - 2 p.m. Come listen to the beautiful and talented Vanessa Carr Kennedy and friends read stories. Open to all families, caregivers, and children of all ages.

Bear Yells Bingo: Phillips Bar & Restaurant; 733 Cherokee St.; 3 - 7 p.m. Join Big Easy Animal Rescue (BEAR) for a chill, relaxing time as they play BINGO. $5.00 at door gets you a playing card. You can also buy additional cards. Proceeds go to BEAR. Win prizes for your fur baby...and even some prizes for yourself. There will be drink specials.

Ambush Magazine 31st Gay Appreciation Awards: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 6 - 9 p.m. Gay Appreciation Awards thanks those in the LGBTQ community who are often not recognized for the outstanding services and efforts they perform.These individuals and businesses have made the LGBTQ Community into the viable, successful and powerful community it is today across the Gulf South. Event starts at 6pm SHARP, but come early and walk the Red Carpet with Felicia Phillips and Tiffany Alexander. Who will win the Marsha Delain Red Carpet Award?

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.

Dirty Dime Peepshow: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. The Dirty Dime Peepshow is the most outlandish burlesque show in all of New Orleans, produced by Bella Blue and hosted by Ben Wisdom. The core cast consists of the artistic genius of The Lady Lucerne, Tarah Cards, Bella Blue, and more. Since 2009, the Dirty Dime has been feeding audiences raw, dirty, and boundary-busting burlesque. Cast aside judgement and preconceived notions of what burlesque should be, and join them for a walk on the darkside.

11pm doors. Midnight show. $15 cover at the door.

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

42 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

UNDER THE GAYDAR

Mobile Hot Happenings WEEKLY AT B-BOB’S 213 Conti St., Mobile, AL (251) 433-2262

THURSDAY

Amateur Drag Night 11PM

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

TUESDAY

Gay Bar BINGO 9:30 & 11PM

Midnight Drag Show

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

LAFAYETTE BOLT BAR & PATIO 114 McKinley St

THURSDAY

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

FRIDAY

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

SATURDAY

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

WEEKLY AT FLIP SIDE 54 S. Conception St., Mobile, AL (251) 431-8819

SUNDAY

Funday with Karaoke

MONDAY

Service Industry Night

WEDNESDAY Rock n Roll Bingo 8PM

THURSDAY Karaoke

SATURDAY SEC Football

TUESDAY Karaoke

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

THURSDAY

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

FRIDAY

Drag Bingo with Monica Heart; 6 p.m.

- 8 p.m. Win cash and prizes

GALVESTON 23RD ST. STATION 1706 23rd Street

Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

MONDAY

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

Texas Hold ‘Em 7pm

PENSACOLA THE ROUNDUP

Tube-ular Tuesday with Jim 8pm

560 E Heinberg St

TUESDAY

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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Ladies Night w/ Piano 6pm

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. www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 43

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory NEW ORLEANS

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Burgundy Bed and Breakfast, 2513 Burgundy St, (504) 261-9477, theburgundy.com Aaron Ingram Haus, 1012 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 949-3110, ingramhaus.com Blues60 Guest House, 1008 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 324-4311, blues60guesthouse.com The BEARigny Suites, 2226 N Rampart St, (504) 309-0062, thebearignysuite.com

BARS & CLUBS

Four Seasons & Patio Stage Bar, 3229 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 8320659

(504) 523-4517

Bourbon St, (504) 593-9761

Friendly Bar, 2301 Chartres St, (504) 943-8929

700 Club, 700 Burgundy St, (504) 5611095, 700nola.com

Golden Lantern, 1239 Royal St, (504) 529-2860

Black Penny, 700 N Rampart St, (504) 304-4779, facebook.com/ blackpennynola

GrandPre’s, 834 N Rampart St, (504) 267-3615 Kajun’s Pub, 2256 St Claude Ave, (504) 947-3735 Mags 940, 940 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 948-1888 Oz New Orleans, 800 Bourbon St, (504) 593-9491, ozneworleans.com Phoenix Bar, 941 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 945-9264, phoenixbarnola.com Rawhide 2010, 740 Burgundy St, (504) 525-8106, rawhide2010.com

Bourbon Pub/Parade, 801 Bourbon St, (504) 529-2107, bourbonpub.com

The Page Bar, 542 N Rampart St, (504) 875-4976

Café Lafitte in Exile, 901 Bourbon St, (504) 522-8397, www.lafittes.com

VooDoo Lounge, 718 N Rampart St, (504) 265-0953

Corner Pocket, 940 St Louis St, (504) 568-9829, www.cornerpocket.net

The Country Club, 634 Louisa St, (504) 945-0742, thecountryclubneworleans. com

Cutter’s Bar, 706 Franklin Ave, (504) 948-4200 Crossing NOLA, 439 Dauphine St,

Phillips Bar, 733 phillipsbar.com Lafitte’s

Blacksmith

Cherokee

St,

Shop,

941

Big Daddy’s, 2513 Royal street, (504) 948-6288 Big Easy Daiquiris, Several locations throughout the French Quarter Good Friends Bar, 740 Dauphine Street, (504) 566-7191, goodfriendsbar.com Napoleon’s Itch, 734 Bourbon St, (504) 237-4144 Tropical Isle, 721 Bourbon St, (504) 529-4109, tropicalisle.com Allways Lounge and Cabaret, 2240 St. Claude Ave

BOOKSTORES

Faubourg Marigny Art and Books, 600 Frenchmen St

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Gay Easter Parade, Easter Sunday, gayeasterparade.com Gay Mardi Gras, gaymardigras.com

New Orleans Pride, June 7-9, 2019, NewOrleansPrideFestival.com Southern Decadence, Labor Day Weekend, SouthernDecadence.com Halloween New Orleans, October 25-27, 2019, HalloweenNewOrleans. com Gay Appreciation ambushpublishing.com

Awards,

GALLERIES

Casell Bergen Gallery, 1305 Decatur St, (504) 478-6744, casellbergengallery.com

GROCERIES

Matassa’s Market, 1001 Dauphine St, (504) 412-8700, https://www. matassas.com Quartermaster Deli, 1100 Bourbon St, www.quartermasterdeli.net Robert’s Fresh Market, 2222 St. Claude Ave, (504) 207-0162, robertfreshmarket.com

GUIDES

Official Gay Easter Parade Guide, gayeasterparade.com Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, gaymardigras.com

44 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory Official Gay New Orleans Guide, gayneworleans.com Official Pride Guide, neworleanspridefestival.com Official Southern Decadence Guide, southerndecadence.com

HAIR SALONS

FiFi Mahony’s, 934 Royal St, (504) 525-4343, fifimahonys.com Head Quarters Hair Salon, 906 Bourbon St, (504) 522-2666 Micky Nolan Salon, 717 Toulouse St, (504) 587-7782, mickeynolansalon. com Two Guys Cutting Hair, 2372 St Claude Ave #125, 215.519.5030, (504) 239-2397

2000 Canal Street, 4th Floor, 4C Clinic, (504) 702-4344, umcno.org/ infectiousdisease CrescentCare, 1631 Elysian FIelds Ave, (504) 821-2601, crescentcare. org

MUSEUMS

Krewe of Mwindo, PO Box 51031, (504) 913-5791 Krewe of Stars, 1010 Conti St, kreweofstars.com Krewe of Narcissus, PO Box 3832, (504) 228-9441

com P-Flag New Orleans, (504) 617-5987, alberto.oliver@cox.com Mystic Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, mkaneworleans.com

PHARMACY

Mystic Krewe of Lords of Leater, 1000 Bourbon Street #B415, lordsofleather.org

ORGANIZATIONS

Mumfrey’s Pharmacy, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., (504) 279-6312, mumfreyspharmacy.com

Renegade Bears of Louisiana, PO Box 3083, renegadebearsoflouisiana@ gmail.com

Avita Pharmacy, 2601 Tulane Ave Ste 445, (504) 822-8013

NOLA Softball League, nolasoftball. org

Crescent City Leathermen, 941 Elysian Fields Ave, crescentcityleathermen.org

G Douglas Photography, LLC, Wedding and Portriat Photography, By Appointment Only, gdouglasadamsphotography.com

Mardi Gras Museum, 813 Bienville St, (504) 523-5433 Louisiana Trans Advocates, (877) 565-8860, latransadvocates.org

Crescent City rougarouxrugby.org

Rougaroux,

NOAGE, noagenola.org

PHOTOGRAPHY

Stonewall Sports, facebook.com/ groups/stonewallneworleans

The Krewe of King kreweofkingarthur.com

Arthur,

Craig Fremin Photography, By Appointment Only, craigfremin.com

Mary’s Ace Hardware, 732 N Rampart St, (504) 529-4465, acehardware.com

Krewe of Petronius, PO Box 1102, kreweofpetronius.net

LGBT Community Center, 2727 S Broad Ave, (504) 333-5412

Graham/ Studio One, By Appointment Only, grahamstudioone.com

HEALTHCARE

Krewe of Amon- Ra, PO Box 7033, kreweofamonra.com

Gulf South Chamber of Commerce, (504) 754-5279, gulfsouthchamber. com

Parker Studios, By Appointment Only, halle.parker15@outlook.com

Friday Night Before Mardi Gras, fridaynightbeforemardigras.com

Steve Richards Properties Latter & Blum, 712 Orleans Ave, (504) 2581800

HARDWARE

Odyssey House, 1125 North Tonti Street, ohlinc.org Access Health Louisiana, 3300 South Broad Street, 234 Loyola Ave. Ste 300B, accesshealthla.org UMC - HIV Outpatient Program,

Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, P. O. Box 770973, www.mkaneworleans. com Krewe of Armenius, 433 N. Broad St, armenius.org

Krewe of Queenateenas/ King Cake Queen Royalty Club, gaymardigras.

REAL ESTATE

Michael

Styles

Realtor,Engel

&

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 45

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory Volkers, (504) 777-1773, nolastyles. com, Michael specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and real estate investors find the perfect New Orleans properties.

Gene’s Po-Boys, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 943-3861, genespoboys. com

Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails, 337 Chartres Street, (504) 598-5005, kingfishneworleans.com

RELIGION

ILYS BISTRO LLC, 2128 St Claude Ave, (504) 947-8341 Lousiana Pizza Kitchen, 615 S. Carrollton Ave, (504) 237-0050, louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, 720 Orleans Ave, (504) 5231930, Orleansgrapevine.com

St. Anna’s Espicopal Church, 1313 Esplanade Ave, (504) 947-2121, stannanola.org Metropolitan Community Church New Orleans, 5401 S Claiborne Ave, mccneworleans.com

RESTAURANTS

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop , 2309 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 835-2022, gumbostop.com Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St, (504) 598-1010, www.clovergrill.com Dat Dog on Frenchmen, 601 Frenchmen St, (504) 309-3362, datdog.com EAT, 900 Dumaine St, (504) 522-7222, eatnola.com Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe, 1241 Decatur St, (504) 524-3689, cafeenvie.com Cru, 535 Franklin Ave, (504) 446-0040, crunola.com

Mona Lisa, 1212 Royal St, (504) 5226746, monalisaneworleans.com, NOLA Poboys, 908 Bourbon, (504) 655-3312, nolapoboys.com Santa Fe Restaurant, 3201 Esplanade, (504) 948-0077, santafenola.com The Ruby Slipper Café, 2001 Burgundy St, (504) 525-9355, therubyslippercafe.net The Bombay Club, 830 Rue Conti, (504) 577-2237, bombayclubneworleans. com Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard,

819 Rue Conti, (504) 581-3866, broussards.com

Cafe Sbisa, 1011 Decatur Street, (504) 522-5565, cafesbisanola.com Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa Street, (504) 945-0742, thecountryclubnreorleans.com

Royal House Oyster Bar, 441 Royal Street, royalhouserestaurant.com 801 Royal, 801 Royal Street, (504) 581-0801, 801royal.com

RETAIL

Mr. Binky’s Boutique, 107 Chartres St, (504) 302-2095 QT Pie Boutique, 241 Dauphine St, (504) 581-6633 Skully’z Recordz, 907 Bourbon St, (504) 592-4666 Bourbon Pride, 909 Bourbon Street, (504) 566-1570 COK (Clothing or Kink), 941 Elysian FIelds, Located inside the Phoenix Bar XXX Shop, 1835 N. Rampart St, (504) 232-3063

SERVICES

Formal Connection, 299 Belle Terre Blvd, 985.652-1195

Washing Well Laundryteria, 841 Bourbon St, (504) 523-9955 Bear Hebert Yoga and Life Coach, bearteachesyoga.com NOLA Healer: Lawrence Gobble, nolahealer.com , Massage Therapy A&B Errand Services, (504) 3197227, aandberrandservices.com Flambeaux CrossFit, 505 N Causeway Blvd, Metairie, flambeauxcrossfit.com

THEATERS

Cafe Istanbul, 2372 St. Claude Ave #140, (504) 974-0786, cafeistanbulnola.com Southern Rep Theater, 2541 Bayou Road, (504) 522-6545, southernrep. com

TOURS

Crescent City Tours, 638 St. Ann, (504) 568-0717, Gay New Orleans Walking Tours

HOUSTON

BARS & CLUBS

Rich’s, 2401 San Jacinto Street, www. facebook.com/richshouston JR’s, 808 Pacific Street, (713) 5212519, jrsbarandgrill.com

46 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory Eagle Houston, 611 Hyde Park Blvd, (713) 523-2473, houstoneagle.com

Rouge, (225) 242-949, splashbr.com

Guava Lamp, 570 Waugh Drive, (713) 524-3359, guavalamphouston.com

George’s Place, 860 St. Louis St, Baton Rouge, (225) 387-9798, georgesplacebr.com

Pearl Houston, 4216 Washington Ave281.757-3229, facebook.com/ pearlbarhouston/

The Park Pub & Bar, 4619 Benningotn Ave, Baton Rouge, Facebook @ theparkbr

Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon, 11410 Hempstead Rd, (713) 6770828, neonbootsclub.com

Bolt, 114 McKinley St, Lafayette, (337) 534-4913, facebook.com/boltlaffy

Ripcord, 715 Fairview St, (713) 5212792, theripcord.com The Ranch Hill Saloon, 24704 Interstate 45 Ste 103, (281) 298-9035, ranchhill.com Axelrad, 1517 Alabama St, (713) 5978800, alexradbeergarden.com Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge, 1641 Westheimer Rd. Ste B, (713) 5279929, poisongirlbar.com

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Houston Pride, June 22, pridehouston. org The Woodlands Pride, September, thewoodlandstxpride.wordpress.com QFEST, Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, q-fest.com

ORGANIZATIONS

UH LGBTQ Resource Center, 4465 University Drive, (832) 842-6191, www.uh.edu/lgbtq The Montrose Center, 401 Branard Street, (713) 529-0037, montrosecenter.org AIDS Foundation of Houston, 6260 Westpark Dr. Suite 100, (713) 6236796, aidshelp.org

PHARMACY

Avita Pharmacy, 6800 West Loop South Ste 225, (713) 592-0211, avitapharmacy.com

SOUTH LOUISIANA ACCOMMODATIONS

Apartments Available for Rent in Baton Rouge. Friendly, quiet, small apartment complex with one and two bedroom apartments available now.

Pool, free parking, gated property, centrally located, owners live on site.

Please contact us today for a tour: (225) 505-6531, @ChateauJacques, facebook.com/chateaujacques Mid City Baton Rouge. 1 or 2 Bedroom for rent: Furnished or Unfurnished $450/month per bedroom. Includes all utilities, internet, and full use of the house with washer and dryer. No smoking or drugs in house. Richard Clement rpcgemcajun@hotmail.com or text (225) 666-9194

BARS & CLUBS

Splash, 2183 Highland Rd, Baton

Crystals, 112 W. Broad St, Lake Charles, (337) 433-5457

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Baton Rouge Pride, June 15, brpride. org Acadiana Pride, acadianapride.org

Date

TBA,

Pride of SWLA, Date TBA, prideofswla. org, info@prideofswla.org

HEALTHCARE

HAART (HIV AIDS Alliance Region Two, Inc), 4550 North Blvd. Ste 250, Baton Rouge, (225) 927-1269, haartinc.org

ORGANIZATIONS

Krewe of Apollo de Baton Rouge, apollobatonrouge.com Krewe of Apollo kreweofapollo.com

de

Lafayette,

PHARMACY

Avita Pharmacy, 5551 Corporate Blvd, Baton Rouge, avitapharmacy. com

NORTHERN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI & ALABAMA BARS & CLUBS

Club Pink, 1914 Roselawn Avenue, Monroe, myclubpink.com Central Station, 1025 Marshall St, Shreveport, (318) 222-2216 The Korner Lounge, 800 Louisiana Ave, Shreveport, thekornerlounge. com Wonderlust, 3911 Drive, Jackson, (337) wonderlustjackson.com

CAMPING

Wildwoods Hideaway, Eutaw, AL, (205) 860-0836, wildwoodshideaway. com

Rumors Biloxi, 3540 Bienville Blvd, Biloxi, (228) 875-4131 Just Us Lounge, 906 Division Street, Biloxi, (228) 374-1007

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Sipps Bar Gulfport, 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, (228) 206-7717, sippsgulfport.com

Oxford Pride, April 28-May 5, Oxford MS, oxfordmspride.rocks

Mobile Pride, October 5, 2019, Mobile, AL, mobpride.org

Central Alabama Pride, June 1-10, 2019, Birmingham, AL, facebook. com/centralalabamaprideinc

Gulf Coast Pride, June 29, 2019, Biloxi, MA, gcpride.org

CENLA Pride, May 31 - June 2, Alexandria, LA, facebook.com/ cenlaclasspride

Druid City Pride, October 2019, Tuscaloosa, AL, druidcitypride.org

ORGANIZATIONS

The Spectrum Center, 210 S 25th Ave, Hattiesburg, (601) 909-5338 Krewe of Apollo mkabirmingham.com

Birminham,

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Sexacola, May 23, Pensacola, FL, sexacolabeach.com Memorial Weekend Pensacola, Pensacola, FL, johnnychisholm.com Pensacola Pride, June 15-16, facebook.com/pensacolapride

HEALTHCARE

Oasis Florida, 25 E Wright Street, (850) 429-7551, oasisflorida.org

RELIGION

Safe Harbor Family Church, safeharborfamilychurch.org Joshua Generation joshuageneration.rocks

MCC,

GULF COAST BARS & CLUBS

The Midtown Pub, 153 Foorida Street, Mobile, (251) 450-1555 Gabriel’s Downtown, 55 South Joachmin Street, Mobile, (251) 4324900 B-Bob’s, 213 Conti Street, Mobile (251) 433-2262, b-bobs.com Flip Side Bar & Patio, 545 S. Conception Street, Mobile, (251) 4318819, flipsidebarpatio.com The Roundup 560 East Heinberg Street, Pensacola, (850) 433-8482 Cabaret, 101 S Jefferson Street E, Pensacola, (850) 607-2020

Coastal Family Health Care, 1046 Division St, Biloxi, coastalfamilyhealth. org

HIV CARE AND SERVICES

My Brothers Keeper, 407 Orchard Park, Ridgeland, MS, (769) 257-7721, mbkinc.org

ORGANIZATIONS

Order of Osiris, PO Box 1991, Mobile, AL, orderofosiris.com Order of Dinoysus D’Iberville, MS, https://www.facebook.com/Order-OfDionysus Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance, (850) 332-8416, gulfcoasttransgenderalliance.com, gctransgenderalliance@gmail.com Gay Grassroots, 6847 N. 9th Avenue, Ste A, Box 317, Pensacola, ggnwfl. com

Northview 378-9003,

Our Place, 2115 7th Ave Birmingham, (205) 715-0077

S,

Al’s on 7th Street, 2627 7th Ave S, Birmingham, (205) 422-4218 Quest Bar, 416 24th Street S, Birmingham, (205) 251-4313, info@ quest-club.com Chapel Bar, 620 27th Street S, Brirmingham, (205) 703-9778, chapelbarinfo@gmail.com

Get Listed for $10 per Issue Want to see your business, organization, or event in our next issue?

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Club 322, 322 N Lawrence Street, Montgomery, club322.business.site Icon, 516 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 47

WORD SEARCH Ambush Columns

Locate the given words in the grid, running in one of eight possible directions horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

CHALLENGE: How many can you find? Tag us and your completed puzzle on Facebook @AmbushMag S

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48 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Saints defensive end Hendrickson eyes important third pro season ahead Rene Nadeau, Crescent City Sports Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (No. 91) attempts to rush the passer during the 2018 regular season finale against the Panthers (Photo: Parker Waters).

No football team can ever possess too many quality pass rushers. It’s a coveted skill set valued at every level of the sport.

The New Orleans Saints finished third in the NFC in 2018 with 49 sacks, behind only the Bears and Vikings. AllPro defensive end Cam Jordan tallied 13, tackle Sheldon Rankins had eight and linebacker Demario Davis chipped in five more. Despite the solid production, it is an area of the defense that the Black and Gold hope to upgrade this season.

Defensive end Trey Hendrickson arrived in the Big Easy as a late third round draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Saints also had two additional picks in the third round, finding Alvin Kamara and Alex Anzalone before taking the Florida Atlantic product.

On the college level, Hendrickson flashed special talent, particularly in his junior season when he earned firstteam All-Conference USA acclaim with 14 1/2 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and five forced fumbles. The following season, he was tabbed C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. He is Florida Atlantic’s all-time sack leader with 29.

There is no quit in his game. He is

relentless as a pass rusher, using his hands exceptionally well to ward off blockers.

As a pro, Hendrickson has constantly tried to fine tune his technique throughout the process. His football IQ is impressive. The third year veteran knows the significance of 2019 as an NFL player yet to establish himself as a regular.

“There is a learning curve when you arrive, your rookie year,” Hendrickson assessed. “You don’t see things as fast.

Year three is a completely different environment.”

Looking to take full advantage of his experience so far, Hendrickson has spent this off season reshaping his body.

“I have much better weight than I was carrying before. It’s about 265 pounds, but it’s leaner muscle mass (by) getting rid of body fat. I really feel good flying around.”

Hendrickson continued, “Every year, seeing things, learning from Cam (Jordan) and Alex Okafor, was really enlightening on what a premiere defensive end looks like.”

Studying successful ends around

the NFL is also part of Hendrickson’s routine. “Chris Long, Ryan Kerrigan, those guys were inspirational to me.

They paved the way as a pass rusher with run stopping power. They were fun to watch,” Hendrickson noted.

In his pro debut against the New England Patriots in week two of the 2017 season, he had three tackles. His first NFL sack came the following week against Carolina when he dropped Cam Newton. The Saints prevailed that day, 34-13, to launch a long winning streak that led to the first of two straight NFL South titles.

It’s not only how well the defensive line performs that determines a good pass defense. The back seven have a profound impact on the success of the down linemen and vice versa. The Saints have been a complete defense from front to back to fuel the past two seasons of success.

“There are 11 guys on the field. If one unit is lacking, the whole defense is off,” Hendrickson explained. “At the end of the day, you just have to do your job.”

The Saints have fallen shy of their

Any Saints observer knows that the team has a chance to win every time Drew Brees takes the field. So do his teammates.

ultimate goal the previous two seasons, but Hendrickson feels that the past adversity in the postseason will make this group stronger.

“This team has handled adversity really well. Bouncing back is our strong suit. You take everyday with a grain of salt and you move on to the next play.

That’s our mentality here,” noted Hendrickson.

Any Saints observer knows that the team has a chance to win every time Drew Brees takes the field. So do his teammates.

“It’s an honor to have a leader like that. A guy that is all class on and off the field. He will go down as one of the greatest of all time,” said Hendrickson.

The fondness and respect for his quarterback extends to the fans and the city that he represents.

“I love the fans. I love the culture.

Experiences that you have here have been interesting,” Hendrickson said with a wide grin.

Keep an eye on No. 91 this season. He knows how important the months ahead will be for himself and his team.

This article was originally published

by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

Pelicans address shooting, big man needs quickly as NBA free agency begins David Grubb, Crescent City Sports The New Orleans Pelicans quickly attacked two areas of need and kept their financial flexibility in the early hours of free agency on Sunday, signing veteran shooters Nicolò Melli and JJ Redick to a pair of two-year deals.

David Griffin followed those moves up with a coup late Sunday night, nabbing 6-10 center Derrick Favors from the Utah Jazz for a couple of second round draft picks; picks that the team acquired from the Golden State Warriors during last month’s NBA draft.

By acquiring Favors, the Pelicans filled one of their few remaining holes in the roster, and did it by playing their position perfectly.

At 28 years old, Favors is a nineyear veteran and former top-five selection of the then New Jersey Nets. Over the last five seasons he has emerged as one of the league’s most efficient interior scorers and one of its best interior defenders.

While he may not be a household name, Favors is a favorite of basketball junkies and an advanced stats superstar. He makes plays that help teams win basketball games.

Since the 2014-15 season, only Anthony Davis (5) and Karl-Anthony Towns (4) have more seasons with a Player Efficiency Rating better than 21, a true shooting percentage of at least 55 percent, a total rebounding percent greater than 14 percent, and seven or more win shares than Favors’ three in that span.

Favors can slide right into the start-

ing lineup at center, having played out of position at power forward with the Jazz due to the giant shadow cast by Rudy Gobert.

He can play 25-30 minutes per night protecting the rim, and starting the Pelicans fast-break with his elite defensive rebounding.

Playoff experience is an added bonus with Favors. He’s reached the

postseason four times, including each of the last three seasons.

Favors has one year remaining on his contract, paying him $16.9 million.

Melli averaged 7.3 points on 47.5% shooting and 4.1 rebounds in just under 26 minutes per game for Fenerbahçe Beko Istanbul last year. He made 37 of his 96 three point attempts (38.5%).

Over his last four seasons, Melli

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 49

has been a 42.1 percent shooter from deep.

A 6-9, 235 pound stretch four, the 28 year old Melli helped Fenerbahçe advance to the 2018 EuroLeague Final Four. His 28 points in the deciding game were the most by any EuroLeague player since 1985.

In New Orleans he can be a weapon used in a similar manner as Niko Mirotic was during his tenure, though Melli is not as good a rebounder as Mirotic right now.

He also possesses the ability to operate out of the post, either as a scorer or passer.

Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon had been watching Melli since his days with the Nets according to several reports, and he finally landed him.

New Orleans will pay Melli $8 million guaranteed over the next two seasons.

JJ Redick joins the growing Duke contingency (Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Frank Jackson, Jahlil Okafor) in the Pelicans locker room after spending the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

At 35 years old, Redick should be in decline, but he was able to post career highs in scoring (18.1 ppg) and three point attempts (605). His 2379 minutes were the second most of his career.

Redick has long been one of the NBA’s premier three-point shooters,

making better than 41 percent of his attempts during his 13-year career. He currently ranks 18th all-time in threepoint percentage and 21st all-time in made threes with 1704.

New Orleans will pay Redick $26.5 million through the 2020-21 season.

Almost as valuable as his shooting is the experience he brings to the roster. Redick has played 110 playoff games, including 70 starts.

With Redick, Melli and the recently acquired Josh Hart; David Griffin is surrounding his racehorses on the wings with some snipers to create enough space to allow them to attack the rim.

By limiting the deals to two years, Griffin is betting that Melli and Redick will help make the Pelicans competitive on the court immediately, and that by the time the team’s young core begins to mature, New Orleans will still have the cap space to potentially pursue a big name down the road.

The 2021 free agent class, which potentially includes Jrue Holiday, could be filled with both big names and rising stars.

Giannis Antetokoumpo, CJ McCollum, Bradley Beal, Blake Griffin, Victor Oladipo, Rudy Gobert, Steven Adams, Otto Porter Jr, and Joe Ingles could all be available, and depending on how the Pelicans progress in that time, New Orleans shouldn’t be counted out as a possible destination for a true difference maker.

The signing of Reddick alone

shows that the perception of the franchise is changing. After being a shooter’s bounce away from the NBA Finals a few months ago, Reddick could have signed with a number of teams poised for deep playoff runs.

He chose New Orleans. He chose the Pelicans.

Though there have been a flurry of moves announced in just a matter of hours, the few decisions that the New Orleans brain trust has made in the last 24 hours are clear wins, making the Pelicans sudden media darlings.

David Griffin is doing exactly what he was brought in to do, and has avoided any missteps thus far. Right about now, I’d be surprised if Griffin isn’t able to walk across the Mississippi River, eating a shrimp po’boy, while wearing

a white suit, and still come out clean.

When Zion Williamson was drafted, Pelicans fans were hoping for an entertaining team that could compete on a nightly basis. With the additions of Redick, and now Favors, expectations will be that this team could compete immediately and challenge for a spot in the playoffs in a rapidly changing Western Conference.

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind for New Orleans basketball. I just have two questions: How did we get here? And how long can we stay?

This article was originally published

by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

Todd Graffagnini new Pelicans radio play-by-play announcer Matt Ryan, Crescent City Sports NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that Crescent City native Todd Graffagnini has been named the team’s new radio play-by-play announcer.

“I cannot tell you how honored, proud and excited I am to usher in this new era of Pelicans basketball to the entire community of New Orleans, the Gulf South and our loyal fans around the world,” said Graffagnini. “I would like to thank Mrs. Benson, Dennis Lauscha and Greg Bensel for giving me this extraordinary opportunity in my hometown. I would also like to thank the Tulane Athletics administration, head coaches, staff and student-athletes that I’ve had the pleasure of working with for the last 27 years. You all have been my extended family and I will continue to pull for the Green Wave from outside the radio booth.”

“There are few people that can match Todd’s passion and enthusiasm on the radio,” stated Pelicans Senior Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting Greg Bensel. “He has a

strong affection for Pelicans basketball and the New Orleans community. We look forward to hearing his voice broadcast across all Pelicans radio networks and affiliates for years to come.”

In addition to serving as a full-time baseball radio play-by-play broadcaster at Tulane University since 1994, Graffagnini has been known as the “Voice of the Green Wave” for the last 12 years calling men’s basketball, football and baseball games for Tulane. He also hosted the Tulane coaches’ television and radio shows.

A graduate of Jesuit High School and Loyola University in New Orleans, Graffagnini has also served as the studio host for the New Orleans Hornets (2002-05), as well as a play-by-play announcer and color analyst for Minor League Baseball’s New Orleans Zephyrs in 2001.

This article was originally published

by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

50 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · July 2 – 15, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com