Ambush Magazine Volume 38 Issue 04

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTHâ„¢

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 38 ISSUE 04

TUESDAY, February 25, 2020

Mardi Gras Highlights Part 1

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THE “OFFICIAL” DISH

by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, Another Carnival season is in the books and we hope everyone had a wonderful Mardi Gras. I also hope you had the opportunity to attend one of the many Mardi Gras balls in the Gulf South. From Mobile to Birmingham to Baton Rouge to New Orleans and Lafayette, there were many Balls for you to enjoy. If you didn’t, then you should definitely put it on your list for next year. Carnival is such a great time of year for members of our community to gather with friends and celebrate gay culture and costumes. As I’ve written here before, the costumes at the Gay

Mardi Gras balls are simply amazing.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the Krewe of Queenateenas King Cake Queen Coronation at my house on the Tuesday before Mardi Gras. It was a celebration of Felicia Phillips and her reign as King Cake Queen XXVI, The Ruby Queen. I would like to personally thank Felicia on being this year’s King Cake Queen. She was a delight to work with and had a marvelous reign over Gay Mardi Gras. As I said at the Coronation, one of the things I love about Felicia is that she always has words of encouragement. Congratula-

Inside this Issue of Ambush Magazine Community Announcements

6

Arts & Culture

8

Health & Wellness

26

Hot Happenings Calendar

32

Business & LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory

44

Comics, Puzzles & Horoscopes

51

Sports

53

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

tions Felicia Phillips, The Ruby Queen, as you have represented the Krewe of Queenateenas and Gay Mardi Gras with grace and style. In a word, your dress was fierce!

I also want to apologize to anyone who felt they should have been invited but didn’t receive an invitation. Unfortunately, the paper invitations never arrived (even though they said they were delivered) so at the last minute we had to create an Evite for invitations. This meant that some regular guests who we only had physical addresses for and not email addresses, did not receive an invite. Again, I sincerely apologize to anyone who may have felt slighted that they didn’t receive a paper invitation.

THE 21ST ANNUAL GAY EASTER PARADE Each year on Easter Sunday is the annual Gay Easter Parade. This year Easter Sunday falls on April 12 and the parade is scheduled to roll at 4:30pm. The Gay Easter Parade is an opportunity for the LGBTQ community to showcase their Easter fashion with everyone dressed in their finest Easter outfits. There are several fundraisers leading up to Easter Sunday as the money raised pays for the parade and any excess funds are donated to Food for Friends, a division of CrescentCare. In the last 2 years, the Easter Parade has donated over $25,000 to Food for Friends and since 2000 the Gay Easter Parade has raised over $300,000 for charity. For more information about the Gay Easter Parade or if you’re interested in being part of the parade either on a carriage or with a walking group, please contact Ambush at info@ambushpublishing.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS The New Orleans Pride Festival this year will be held the weekend of June 12th thru 14th. The highlight is always the Pride Parade on Saturday night. There is a weekend full of events including a party at One Eyed Jacks on Friday night, and a day festival at Robert Fresh Market on St. Claude. For more information visit NewOrleansPrideFestival.com.

The Gay Appreciation Awards will be held on July 18. This is the premier event when we recognize members of the LGBTQ community for their outstanding service. Individuals, businesses and organizations are nominated across a variety of categories and then voting takes place to choose the winners. The highest honor each year is the Lifetime Achievement Award which is chosen by Ambush. Last year’s recipient was Larry Bagneris, Jr.

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

700 Burgundy Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

info@ambushpublishing.com

PRINT 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

SENIOR EDITOR Brian Sands

OPERATIONS & EVENTS Chris Leonard DISTRIBUTION George Bevan Jr CONTRIBUTORS Adam Radd, Andrew Watley, Brian Sands, Catherine Roland, Charles Pizzo, Dorian-gray Alexander, Frank Perez, Jim Meadows, Kevin Assam, Lynn Stevens, Rev. Bill Terry, Ryan Rockford, Scot Billeaudeau, Tony Leggio & Crescent City Sports PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Hopkins, Charles Pizzo, Doug Adams, Dwain Hertz, Glenn Melancon, Persona Shoulders, TJ Boudreaux, Tony Leggio

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Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Ambush Magazine is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush Publishing.

Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 5pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: info@ambushpublishing.com. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and has the right to reject any advertising. The inclusion of an individual’s name or photograph in this publication implies nothing about that individual’s sexual orientation. Letters, stories, etc. appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher or Staff of Ambush Magazine.

©1982-2019 AMBUSH PUBLISHING LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS & PHOTOS.

4 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 5

NEWS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers The annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival will take place in New Orleans March 27-29. For registration information: Sasfest.org Ambush readers can register with a 20% discount by using the code Ambush20 when registering.

In this series, we introduce you to some of the writers in the all-star lineup for #SAS20 that takesplace in the heart of the French Quarter.

Daniel W.K. Lee is a third-generation refugee, born in Kuching, Malaysia, and raised in Chicagoland. He moved to New York City in 1996 where he earned a BA at NYU and an MFA in Creative Writing at The New School.

Daniel relocated to Seattle in 2014 and after a little over five years in the Pacific Northwest, he moved to New Orleans in December 2019. His debut collection of poetry Anatomy of Want was published by Rebel Satori Press/ Queer Mojo in November 2019.

Lauren Levin is a poet and mixedgenre writer, author of The Braid (Krupskaya, 2016), which won the SFSU Poetry Center Book Award, and Justice Piece // Transmission (Timeless, Infinite Light, 2018). They

Daniel W.K. Lee

Lauren Levin

James K Moran

are co-editing Camille Roy’s Selected Prose, forthcoming with Nightboat Books. Their gender identity is some mix of belated queer, Jewish greataunt, and aspirational Frank O’Hara.

They live in Richmond, CA, are from New Orleans and are committed to queer art, intersectional feminism, being a parent, and anxiety.

Ottawa author James K. Moran’s speculative fiction and poetry have

appeared in Canadian, American and British publications including Icarus, On Spec and Glitterwolf. His poetry recently appeared in Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology (Mansfield Press) and Bywords. Moran’s articles have appeared via CBC Radio, Daily Xtra and Rue Morgue.

In 2012, he founded the Little Workshop of Horrors, an Ottawa-based writers’ group that carves speculative and

literary work into the shape it is meant to be. Moran also runs Queer Speculations, a writers’ group that workshops queer-themed stories from far and wide. Town & Train (Lethe Press, 2014) is Moran’s debut horror novel.

He blogs at jameskmoran.blogspot.ca.

Right now, he is likely at work, editing his second horror novel.

6 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

National Youth Organizing Summit Meets in New Orleans More than 200 young people recently gathered in New Orleans for the “2020 Young People For (YP4) National Summit.” A spokesperson for the summit noted that YP4 Fellows are those “who are roughly 50% LGBTQ and 90% people of color.”

The summit, which met from Friday, February 14, to Monday, February

17, brought together people from all 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia to reimagine what progress looks like for our communities. Attendees discussed strategies for tackling social issues from police brutality to climate justice.

Recognizing the critical impact of this new decade, YP4 is challenging in-

stitutions and cultural barriers to have better vision and strategize for the future that we all deserve.

For 15 years, Young People For has been a leader in identifying, engaging, and empowering young people who are historically left out of the leadership development pipeline to take action in their community and has

grown to become the largest and most impactful youth social justice incubator of our time.

Young People For provides lifelong social justice leadership training and community building to unlock the untapped potential of young people historically left out of opportunity.

First-of-Its-Kind HIV and Advocacy Needs Assessment Launches on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day The Southern Black Policy & Advocacy Network (SBPAN) released a first-of-its kind HIV advocacy needs assessment in conjunction with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, February 7.

The report brought together often-disparate data sets in order to provide a more complete picture of HIV and advocacy needs for Black communities in the South than ever before.

The report, entitled HIV Advocacy Needs Assessment: Health Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Black Communities in the South, includes cross-comparisons of: Statewide HIV prevalence rates; HIV care continuum data; Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program data—the largest federal HIV program and the administrator of the nationwide AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP); Medicaid expansion; Statewide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage—the HIV prevention medication that can reduce HIV transmission by up to 97 percent; community mobilization and advocacy perceptions and opportunities; and the Black public health workforce.

The “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” is a 10-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative that seeks to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the U.S. by 75 percent within five years and by at least 90 percent within 10 years. All nine states included in SBPAN’s report have priority

EHE Phase 1 jurisdictions, meaning they are among the communities in the U.S. most heavily impacted by HIV. This report highlights the necessity for “A Plan for America” that is responsive to the realities of Black communities in the South who are most affected by the HIV Epidemic.

“Too often data is insufficient in enabling real comparisons,” says Venton Hill-Jones, Chief Executive Officer of SBPAN, “so we sought to fill this knowledge gap. The Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) work really necessitates a localized approach to improve health outcomes.

With this document, we are ensuring that communities have this incredibly timely and important information that they need in order to make their EHE plans and, ultimately, advance the end of HIV in the South.”

The U.S. South accounts for 51 percent of new HIV cases annually despite representing just 38 percent of the U.S. population. The region also experiences higher HIV-related deaths as well as a host of other health disparities, barriers to care, and un- or under-tapped opportunities. Black people in the South are the most disproportionately impacted in every transmission risk group, accounting for 53 percent of new HIV diagnoses.

“In addition to its data, our report is very centered on the Black experience and making information on Black communities in the South accessible. It

details what it will take for Black communities to mobilize—which is necessary to get at the root causes of these health inequities and their continual perpetuation,” says Hill-Jones. “Our hope is that this document will educate and embolden individuals no matter their previous advocacy experience to become more involved, more interested, and more engaged.”

Through the Southern Black HIV/ AIDS Advisory Council, SBPAN worked with a diverse body of advocates, community-based organization (CBO) leaders, public health professionals and persons living with HIV across all nine states represented in the report.

This is a first step in building out a broader advocacy network focused on Black communities in the South, and

advancing not only HIV but also other health and workforce disparities.

Hill-Jones left Washington, DC to return to his Southern roots and launch SBPAN so that efforts like the HIV Advocacy Needs Assessment: Health Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Black Communities in the South could be possible. “I came back to the South because I saw both the overwhelming need, as well as timing that suggested that real change was possible,” explains Hill-Jones.

The Southern Black Policy & Advocacy Network is a Black indigenous health policy and advocacy organization focused on improving health outcomes and reducing social and economic disparities impacting Black communities living in the U.S. South.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 7

ARTS & CULTURE

Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory/Mean Girls (Mar. 17-22) at the Saenger Theatre When I recently saw the musical Charlie & the Chocolate Factory at the Saenger Theatre, 20 minutes into the performance I posted on Facebook “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory stopped for technical difficulties after second song. Should be interesting...”

I later posted “Well, they got things working again. Unfortunately.” A friend replied “Your original post and the above follow-up should be your entire review.”

I am tempted to leave it at that, but journalistic integrity obliges me to add a few more lines.

Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel, David Greig’s book for the show can be summed up in three sentences: Chocolate factory owner Willy Wonka runs a contest to find five people who might take over his factory. Of the five

kids who obtain a golden ticket, four are beastly and meet their demises during a tour of the magical factory. The fifth, decent Charlie Bucket, thus wins and inherits the factory.

Both the 1971 and 2005 versions of Chocolate Factory told this tale in about 100 minutes. The musical runs nearly three hours.

That might have been okay but its first act is pure exposition. Come to think of it, the second act feels that way too what with too little dramatic tension.

By the end, I was wishing the whole of Dahl’s story had been covered in Act One and that Act Two would show us what happened when Charlie took over the factory.

Unlike another musical based on a Dahl story, Matilda, which embraced the author’s singularly sour view of childhood, Charlie’s creators don’t seem to know what they want their show to be, sunshiny or dark. To be sure, it’s tricky; we’re not sad to see the 4 nasty kids go but it is pretty hor-

504.220.4701 G D O U G L A S A D A M S P H O T O G R PA H Y. C O M

Varla Jean Merman in A Star Is Bored

rible what happens to them. Of course this is fantasy, but without the distancing effect of a movie screen and given our more sensitive age, it does seem a little weird to be satisfied by children’s deaths.

Now even this might’ve all been bearable had there been hummable songs that revealed character.

Other than a few endearing holdovers by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newly from the 1971 movie (The Candy Man, Pure Imagination, etc.), however, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s score consists of utterly generic tunes and forgettable lyrics. This team who memorably gave us Hairspray also provides one of the most underwhelming Act One finales in the history of musical theater.

Add to this a charmless Cody Garcia as Willy Wonka and a too perky Brody Bett (Ryan Umbarila alternated with him) as Charlie (I missed Peter Ostrum’s more appropriately reserved approach from the first movie) and I’m sure you can see why I wished the backstage Oompa Loompas had not overcome those technical difficulties.

And lest you think I’m being mean, just wait for those Mean Girls to arrive at the Saenger March 17-22.

Tina Fey’s book, based on her screenplay for the film, tells of one Cady Heron. Though she grew up on the African savanna, nothing has prepared her for the wild and vicious ways

of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. See how this naïve newbie tries to rise to the top of the popularity pecking order. Watch how she takes on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies.

Will she topple the Queen Bee? Or get stung? Head to the Saenger to find out.

Jersey Boys at the Saenger Theatre March 6-8

[Jersey Boys returns to the Saenger Theatre March 6-8. The following are excerpts from my review from December 2016 when it previously played the Saenger.]

In February 2013, as part of Family Gras on Veterans Boulevard, I saw Frankie Valli give an amazing two hour concert, sounding terrific and covering all his hits. I vividly remember thinking “Why do I have to see Jersey Boys when I’ve just seen the real thing?”

Having finally caught up with the Tony-winning bio-musical at the Saenger, I now know the answer: “No reason at all.”

With a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice that’s more history lesson than dramatic narrative, despite the involvement of The Four Seasons with mob bosses and assorted personal tragedies, I felt like there’d be a quiz afterwards on which Season quit first or who was the nerdy one.

8 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Admittedly, half-way through the second act, when we get to the uneasy recording and release of Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, things become genuinely involving on stage, but they soon move on to the next soap opera-y moment.

I could go on about the cheesy looking production (no cheesier than Broadway, though) and the cheesiness of bringing a recently deceased character back to momentary life to tug the heartstrings during a song, but there’s really nothing I could say that the original lukewarm New York Times review didn’t say already and which didn’t prevent an 11-year run.

The actors portraying The Four Seasons were all fine, but even if the original Broadway cast was a bit sharper, I still can’t imagine why two of them went home with Tony Awards for doing karaoke impersonations.

Certainly the score’s fantastic songs written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe are some of the greatest pop tunes ever penned and are immensely enjoyable to listen to. But theater should offer more than just that.

[Trevor Noah brings his Loud & Clear Tour to the Saenger on March 28. The Emmy-winning host of The Daily Show is known for his insightful and authentic take on politics and current events. He’ll probably have a lot more material to work with by the time he visits here.]

Curtain Up

With Carnival now over, theater can move back from the streets to our local stages. Here are some offerings for the next few weeks that promise as much entertainment as parades.

Fresh from hosting the Bourbon Street Awards, Varla Jean Merman brings her A Star Is Bored to Café Istanbul (2372 St. Claude Ave.) on February 28 at 8pm.

After 25 years of slaving over a hot stove cooking up new songs and routines, Varla is...tired. Can she find inspiration from the queens that came before her and look to a new generation of Drag Race stars to find the strength to carry on? Filled with showstopping costumes, sky-scraping wigs and a smidge of human emotion, Varla confronts her legacy in this new show written by Jeffery Roberson & Jacques Lamarre and directed by Michael Schiralli.

From Feb. 27-Mar. 15 at Southern Rep Theatre (2541 Bayou Rd.), Magnum Opus, a play about big ideas and dollhouse miniatures, will be presented.

In it, John Neisler portrays Lawrence Portendorfer, a serious man who has lost his child, Amelia, and is offering her last wishes to the public in a joint children’s party/funeral/art lecture.

Lawrence brings his skills as an art critic and appraiser to Amelia’s sprawling

lifelong creation, which includes handmade miniatures, bloodstained furniture, and the world’s ugliest unicorn. If you bring your most confusing possession, he might even appraise it for you, too.

Following that at Southern Rep will be Reykjavík (Mar. 18-Apr. 5).

This new play by Steve Yockey offers hookups, obsession, and desire in the shadows of Iceland’s capital city.

You’ll eavesdrop on queer couples, estranged siblings, sex workers...and even a really handsome bird or two.

Directed by Aimée Hayes, this dark collision of danger and mayhem journeys through an ephemeral world in which the supernatural is closer than we think.

A different sort of journey will occur from March 20 to April 4 in Fairykind: The Musical at the AllWays Lounge (2240 St. Claude Ave.).

Helmed by Kate Kuen, Trey Ming’s original musical fantasy follows the story of Emerald, a young woman of the Everworld, as she pursues a hero’s journey she hopes may be the reality of her recurring Fairykind dream. Facing countless obstacles along the way, from a wicked Enchantress to riddles in song, Emerald must discover her own identity for the sake of the Everworld.

Women also rule at the WWII Museum’s Stage Door Canteen (945 Magazine St.). From March 7–15, We’ll Meet Again pays tribute to the blonde bombshell singers who healed soldiers’ hearts and, through their songs, instilled patriotism throughout the nation.

Coming after that (March 20–29), Hedy! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr explores the Viennese-born actress’s Hollywood stardom and off-screen achievements for the war effort. Known as “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World,” Lamarr stored away knowledge of munitions while married to Austrian arms dealer, Friedrich “Fritz” Mandl. She employed this knowledge to support the US Navy’s war effort during World War II by inventing The Secret Communication System with composer George Antheil, which made torpedoes more accurate.

Le Petit Theatre (616 St. Peter St.) presents The Piano Lesson March 6-22. In August Wilson’s play, Berniece Charles is planning to bestow her family’s antique piano upon her daughter, but her brother, Boy Willie, has other ideas; he wants to sell the heirloom for cash to buy the land their family once worked as slaves. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, brother and sister struggle over how to claim their family’s legacy and when to free themselves of the past.

One of America’s other great dramatists will also soon be represented here. The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans ends its season with In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel at Loyola’s Lower Depths The-

Dina Martina at Café Istanbul (photo by B. Sands)

atre (6301 St. Charles Ave., Mar. 25Apr. 5).

Torey Hayward directs this portrait of Miriam who finds herself trapped in a crowded, futuristic Tokyo as her husband, Mark, works in a separate hotel room on what he believes is the next breakthrough in modern art. She attempts to find solace in the chic bar of the hotel as she aggressively puts forth her Western views and her entire self upon those around her.

On a lighter note, from March 6 till 29, Jefferson Performing Arts Society serves up The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) at Teatro Wego! (177 Sala Ave., Westwego).

From the high-brow to the low, this romp will cover comedy through the ages, from Aristophanes and Shakespeare and Molière to vaudeville and Charlie Chaplin to The Daily Show and Anthony Weiner...or whomever else is hitting the headlines these days.

Neil Simon rules on the North Shore with Rumors at 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville (880 Lafayette St., Feb. 29-Mar. 15) and God’s Favorite at Playmakers Theater in Covington (19106 Playmakers Rd., Mar. 13-29).

In the former, four couples arrive at the 10th anniversary celebration party for New York’s deputy mayor and his wife, only to find the mayor wounded in bed and the wife missing. This murderous farce is directed by Anna Turner.

In the latter, successful Long Island businessman Joe Benjamin is a modern-day ‘Job’ with a demanding wife, ungrateful children, and wise-cracking household employees. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse,

he is visited by Sidney Lipton, a.k.a. “A Messenger from God” with a mission: test Joe’s faith and report back to “the Boss.” Anne Pourciau directs this contemporary morality tale.

Last but not least and in a category all of her own, Dina Martina returns to NOLA with Forgotten But Not Gone at Café Istanbul on March 27. After Crème de la Dregs, her 2019 show, I described the “tragic singer, horrible dancer and surreal raconteur” as “Monty Python meets Lady Bunny” who “operates according to an alternative realm of logic.

“When she sings she sounds like a dying jackal. At least she never has to worry about losing her voice. Her stories are intricate tales that build and build and build, adding layer of humor upon layer of bizarrely funny stuff so that it’s almost hard to catch your breath as jokes, or even just phrases (“a real quiet, a real somber tailgate party”), emerge from her red gash of a mouth just as you think she’s done.

When she told of a ‘French poodle that emerged from a car wearing a tutu and holding a parasol’ I think I was weeping with laughter.”

I don’t know what Ms. Martina has in store for us this time but expect the unexpected. Always.

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

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 9

THE ROCKFORD FILES

Gym Class: How to get some Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com Every January, attendance at my local gym amps up a bit with hundreds of new members, gung-ho on honoring their New Year’s resolutions of “losing weight” or “getting in shape.” But now it’s February and, for most of those new sweaty faces, the ‘gung’ within their ‘ho’ has chilled a bit. For them, the gym, which was once seen and revered as a house of fitness and well-being – has become a lounge, with clunky furniture and bad lighting – where you can also workout, if you’re into that.

For many, it seems that the gym has become no longer a destination for physical fitness, but more of a social space, with a relaxed atmosphere that offers free pizza and candy on a regular basis. I can’t decide if a gym that offers its members free candy and free pizza should be shuttered for its insulting and flagrant contradiction to the fitness industry or is it the result of a brilliant business plan, and a stroke of marketing genius? Candy and pizza aren’t bad perqs for a monthly membership price of just $10. What’s more, if you think you’re ready for true luxe and Black Card status (yours, truly) – for 20 bucks a month you are granted

FREE and unlimited use of the on-site massage chairs and tanning beds.

Like everything, Black Card status isn’t exactly what you might think. At my gym’s location, the massage chairs have been treated for an infestation of bed bugs on more than two occasions and although I prefer to use the tanning beds in the nude, I always wear my tennis shoes due to the questionable dried, sticky matter ‘released’ and crusting on the tanning bed floor.

Of course with bargain basement prices comes a bargain basement crowd. By that, I mean men and women who, through no fault of their own, are new to fitness or inexperienced in the use of free weights; smith machines, cables and flys, etc. Although free training sessions with a personal trainer are offered to new members, few take advantage of the opportunity.

The result is similar to a spilled jar of jumping beans that bounce and ricochet across the gym floor in an unpredictable way, with no focus, or direction. If this sounds like you, I’m here to help.

As a certified fitness instructor, I applaud anyone willing to make the

commitment to improving themselves.

As such, allow me to take a few seconds to offer some unsolicited advice.

Let’s be honest, most of us go to the gym for one simple reason: we want to look better naked. And there is nothing wrong with that.

EVERYONE can improve their appearance and benefit from regular exercise, resistance training and making better choices in what foods we eat.

But what most people tend to overlook or ignore all together, is that if you want to keep those rock hard biceps and the bubble butt you’ve worked so hard to achieve, it requires a lifetime commitment, a change in your way of life.

Here is something most people don’t know: the secret to bodybuilding and getting that shredded physique that we find so attractive is diet.

What, when and how we eat is responsible for the body’s ability to transform. Yes, workouts and supplements are important but anyone who knows anything about biology, kinesiology and anabolic muscle growth will tell you that ultimately, your diet will dictate your results.

There are more qualified sources of information on that subject than this article so do a little research and get a better understanding of why food plays such an important part in your transformation.

When it comes to transforming your body, there are no quick fixes, and there is no such thing as spot reduction when it comes to the human body. Unfortunately, for women, the first place to gain and the last place to lose weight is in the butt. For men, it’s in the abdomen area.

Blame it on evolution, but that’s the way it is. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

For now, be proud that you’re taking a stand for yourself and are taking the steps needed to improve your health, exercise your body, and enjoy a better quality of life. The gym can be an intimidating place, especially if you’re gay.

The gay community has established an understanding that muscles equals hot. And who doesn’t want to be hot?

Walking into a room full of gay men in their various ‘workout ensembles’ can often feel like you’re Indiana Jones being dropped in a snake pit with all the ‘hissing’ permeating the workout area.

But don’t let a couple of pretentious queens discourage you from achieving your goals. So, let’s get to it.

Along with your workout attire, sweat rag and water bottle, don’t forget to bring along your manners and a little common sense when you’re ready to hit the gym floor. Just because you’re new to the gym doesn’t mean you have to look like it.

Here are a few things you can do to blend into your surroundings and miss being the brunt of water fountain gossip or locker room shade.

Don’t stink. No one likes to workout

next to someone who smells homeless or hasn’t seen the inside of a shower stall in over 24 hrs.

Wear deodorant, CLEAN clothes and socks. Maybe you can get away with wearing the same pair of shorts two days in a row, but when it comes to your shirt and socks, don’t be that guy who lets their ‘workout clothes’ marinate within their gym bag for several days. If you’re not sure if this applies to you, it applies to you.

Wipe down the equipment once you’re done. If you’re at the gym and you aren’t sweating, you’re doing something wrong. Muscles need to be microscopically torn apart in order to rebuild and increase in size. To do that requires effort. “Effort = sweat” or at the very least, mild perspiration. Leaving your sweaty imprint on workout equipment without wiping it down is only hot in Treasure Island videos. And since it’s unlikely that your inclined dumbbell fly routine is going to turn into a 10 person gangbang, wipe down the equipment either with the towel you brought from home or with the paper towels and disinfectant that most gyms supply. Not only is it a show of good manners, it’s also hygienically and medically important. Case in point: a buddy of mine used some gym equipment that wasn’t properly wiped.

Germs from the un-sanitized equipment permeated into an open cut on his arm. In short, MRSA developed and he lost 30 percent of the muscle tissue in his forearm. Germs are no joke. True story.

Leave your cell phone in the locker room. Most avid gym goers are looking to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible, hoping to squeeze a workout in between life’s other responsibilities. So imagine how frustrating it is when you’re in the zone, banging out your sets and reps at a nice clip until you run into ‘that guy’. The person sitting on the machine or using equipment you need. You know the one: the guy not exercising but rather lounging in place, casually talking to friends or on the phone, or worse - texting (“At the gym, pumping iron – getting huge”) while others wait for him to move on.

Sometimes when I notice this sort of abhorrent behavior, I just can’t help myself, and I have to say something.

A few nights ago, there was this twentysomething glued to his cell phone screen while relaxing on the Smith machine bench like he was sunning on the Champs-Élysées.

“Excuse me, are you using this machine?” I asked.

(Eyes fixed on his iPhone 11) “Yeah, I’m between sets.” “Are you sure? Because I’ve been working out next to you for the past twenty minutes and you haven’t moved.” “I’m resting between sets.” He quipped.

“Well, there aren’t any plates loadCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

BOOK OF THE MONTH Creating A Concierge Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Some of you may know that in addition to writing for this wonderful publication, I also work in the hospitality community, which is one of the driving industries and employers in New Orleans. I love my job and the great people I encounter on a daily basis. Do I also deal with trying people who work my last gay nerve? Definitely! But it is all part of the job and the city I love.

That is the premise for my book of the month for February - Creating A Concierge. Written by local

playwright, actor and concierge Ren French, this novel is filled with anecdotes about his job and the people he encounters. French is a passionate storyteller who obviously loves his job.

And his novel especially shines when he is regaling the reader with comical, and sometimes touching, glimpses into his work life.

The book begins with talking about his “journey to the desk.” I am always fascinated by people’s path to where they are currently in their lives and

their history. Ren lovingly (and a few times bitingly) describes how he ended up in his job as a concierge. Although he never discloses the hotel he works for, you gather from his description, it is a busy place on a regular basis giving him great fodder for his stories.

He has also added 21 really dumb questions that he is asked on a regular basis. I believe anyone in the hospitality community can relate to this chapter and even write one of their own. I remember getting a call from a client

BARTENDER OF THE MONTH Sean Weber at Who Dat Coffee Cafe Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I have decided to put a fun little twist on my Bartender of the Month for February. Instead of a lounge or bar, I turned my attention to a coffee house that has a full cocktail menu, specialty coffee drinks, food and as expected all the normal offerings you would find at a coffee house including incredible, personalized service. My choice for this month is Sean Weber at Who Dat Coffee Cafe.

Sean has worked for the wonderful Craig Nero at Who Dat for a little over a year in October. He arrived in NOLA by way of Indianapolis, Indiana.

He had been to the city before and has friends who live here, so after he graduated with a music degree, he made

his way to the Big Easy. Who Dat was his first job after moving to New Orleans and he excels amazingly at it.

I thought being a bartender was tough work, but baristas have it even more complicated. One just has to stand at a coffee counter for a few minutes to understand that. I mean why do people make ordering so difficult, seriously--it’s just coffee! But this coffee shop has a full-on bar and Sean has created some pretty cool specialty cocktails like Sick Tea which is his version of a Hot Toddy with looseleaf, lemon ginger, Jameson and fresh lemon. Another favorite of his, not only to make but drink, is an Irish Monk; “It’s a perfect combination of coffee and

Jameson,” he says.

He told me this is the first time he has worked behind the bar at a coffeehouse but he’s had lots of experience working in restaurants including as a server at a tequila bar. I can attest that, not only does Sean know how to triage a line full of impatient people ready for their caffeine fix, getting them on their way in the morning very quickly, but he still manages to be witty, personable, and professional the entire time.

Armed with boyish charm and an endearing smile, he is one of the reasons Who Dat is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. On top of his speed and ability to make a great craft coffee cocktail (and regular cocktails,

once asking me when the next “jazz funeral” will be. Since, I do not have a crystal ball, it may be a little hard to pinpoint an exact date when a musician dies, but keep pursuing those obits and who knows.

Ren’s stories are a mixed bag of characters that he has interacted with for various reasons. From the mean-spirited bridezilla to the woman visiting New Orleans after her husband died, Ren has gathered a colorful assortment of people and their tales.

Creating A Concierge is a witty expose of Ren’s life behind his desk and an interesting read. If you would like to get Ren’s book or hear about his daily adventures in his blog, go to www.creatingaconcierge.com.

too), he is also a musician, which adds an entirely new level of coolness to the mix. I mean mixing two alluring jobs (bartender and musician) into one, need I say more? As work is hard and mornings can be troublesome, who doesn’t want to see a friendly face at the start of their day?

In all seriousness, Sean says the best part of working at the cafe is definitely “the people.” He loves all his coworkers and regulars, and working at Who Dat gives him many opportunities to make new friends and become a part of the community. If you want to see Sean perform in his band, he plays bass in Epic Reflexes and Shambles, and trombone in his own band the Note Slingers. If you want him to astound you with his barista/bartender abilities, he works Wednesday through Friday 7 a.m. -2 p.m. normally. Who Dat is located at 2401 Burgundy Street.

ART SPOTLIGHT Galleries are what you make of them Ryan Leitner ryanleitner@me.com For the majority of galleries, there are three different archetypes that excite me.

--The non-profit/project-based exhibition spaces that gear their programing towards some sort of community-building.

--The for-profit galleries that make it very obvious that everything, including their furniture, is for sale. These places excite me for the wrong reasons, but I love to see what the curators think people will buy, and what the artists think people will pay. Really, it’s more of a social experiment, because I have a firm belief that thinking about the “value” of a piece of art during making it will diminish it. Unless that’s what the work is about. And in that case, I’m

not interested.

--The artist-run. These galleries are usually easy to spot because they are on the edges of neighborhoods in “unique” buildings, jump aesthetics and art practices from wall to wall, and usually have the best openings.

When I first made my way to The Front at 4100 St. Claude Avenue, it was a rare cold night in December with this crazy wind that made the New Orleans streets witchier than usual. I was going to see Chloë Brown’s video piece called “A Soft Rebellion in Paradise” in the Front’s backyard on a projector and to hear a short artist’s talk. They could easily have projected the video piece inside and had the event where it wasn’t freezing, but Brown’s piece was

perfect for the scene.

The 12-minute long video presented a large group of women in a car park (“parking lot” that is…she’s British) having a back-and-forth with a woman in a building that was giving a very stern speech to them. As her voice grew, so did the winds outside in the backyard area and it made for a very magical impromptu performance.

Since then, I’ve been hooked and try to come back to all of their shows and events because these types of happenings don’t occur in a place where the art’s “value” is thought of before the art is presented.

The Front, comprised of 18 members, has had a constantly rotating cast of artists, volunteers, jurors, and

members in its 12 years as an establishment. Each membership typically lasts around 18-24 months, and when someone leaves, they put out a call for new artists. As a member, you’re given a couple of different options of showing--you can curate a show or curate yourself or do what you do best as an artist. Luckily, all of the members are voted in so no one is looked at for their “value” that they contribute to the facility. And in being true to that word, every artist keeps 100% of their sales (which is unheard of in 99% of exhibition spaces). The space also provides a residency!

The reason for all of this backCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 11

MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture

in authentic Mardi Gras costumes & take pictures in an interactive costume closet.

The Mardi Gras Museum is also home to a gallery featuring four exhibits throughout the year, currently on exhibit are the works of local photographer Carlos Gonzalez.

The museum also hosts various special events throughout the year.

Located at 1010 Conti Street in the French Quarter, the museum is open Monday—Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.

General Admission is $12. Docent Tours cost $15 and are offered at 11 am and 3 pm.

If you still want some more Mardi Gras, the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture is open yearround and it’s amazing!

The Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture features the private collection of Carl Mack, an accomplished performer known as The Xylophone Man, an entertainment provider, costumer and the owner of Carl Mack Presents.

The collection, accumulated by Mack over many years, shows his

love and dedication to the fanfare and whimsy that makes Mardi Gras such a special event.

The Mardi Gras Museum is a contemporary celebration with its finger on the pulse of the vast array of grassroots traditions of Mardi Gras revelers, Walking Clubs, Mardi Gras Indians, Cajun Mardi Gras, Buskers and Street Performers, Kings and Queens, and pageant masquerade balls, as well as the creativity and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of these fantas-

tic costumes.

On exhibit are the regalia of Mardi Gras Kings and Queens; elaborately feathered and beaded Mardi Gras Indian suits; and Social Aid & Pleasure Club attire, as well as costumes from Carnival Krewe tableau balls, Cajun Mardi Gras riders, neighborhood walking parades and more.

Visitors can walk through the museum for a taste of the amazing creativity that goes into the celebration that is Mardi Gras as well as dress up

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

gym floor.

Presumably he fears that someone might actually want to steal his out outdated puffy jacket, Jansport backpack or his Rubbermaid lunch box.

Please, bitch – no one wants to take your shit and certainly, no one wants to step over, trip, or have to work around your personal mountain of crap because you’re either too cheap to buy a lock --or too afraid of losing your prized possessions that look more like garage sale leftovers than anything valuable. If by some miracle you are hiding the Queen’s jewels in your brown bag lunch sack – stay the fuck home. The gym in not your living room.

Respect the space and equipment as you would your own. I know this may sound like common sense but a few visits to any gym will convince you that common sense is not that common.

Be aware of personal space, especially in the free weight area. Many exercises require a lateral, front and/or backwards arc of movement.

Keep that in mind when choosing where to stand and exercise. Don’t crowd other members’ personal space.

It’s not only polite but it can prevent injury to you and others.

On the subject of personal space, don’t be a Creeper. Chances are that you will see individuals at the gym whose physique you admire, or you’ll spot your latest Grindr crush in the flesh, or you’ll see someone who is just hot af. With so many hot guys in one place, snagging one of your own may seem as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. It isn’t. I may get some clap-back on this, but the gym is not the place to

cruise and pick up guys. Yes, we’ve all done it, but it should really be the exception and not the rule. If you MUST get a closer look at the object of your affection, do it discreetly and from a distance. Don’t follow him around the circuit system or ‘coincidentally’ find yourself needing the same Nautilus machines that he’s using. Above all, don’t stare. Maybe you’re admiring a person’s form or are curious about a particular exercise but don’t stare.

Most gym goers are actually quite nice and enjoy sharing their experiences or ‘secret’ workout tips so don’t be afraid to approach them and ask them directly. Catch them at the water fountain or during a training break and you may make a new friend.

Don’t work out with a group of your besties. Plenty of gym goers have a trainer, training partner or bff that can help keep you motivated and and on track. I’m all for the buddy system. It can really help in achieving your fitness goals when you have someone who can keep you focused and accountable, and vice versa. What I am NOT in favor of is a gaggle of 4 or 5 weekend warriors who monopolize a certain set of machines, each of them alternating ‘sets’, spitting tidbits of gossip while barely completing the obligatory weight lifting rep. Be considerate of other members who may want to use the equipment you’re on. Either divide your group into sets of two, alternate workout muscle groups or leave the gym completely and go to Starbucks and gossip till your heart’s content. If you’re at the gym to workout, then do it.

Here’s the thing, no matter what

it is, whenever you’re starting a new venture, job, hobby, etc., no one knows everything and everyone has been at square zero at some point or another. If you’re serious about getting yourself in better shape, whether it’s to look better at the beach, lose weight so you enjoy a better life or just because you like working out, that’s great. Getting to the gym is half the battle. Once you establish a routine, it will become a way of life. And that is key. It is a way of life.

Not a month or year. It’s a lifetime commitment. It can take as little as 30 minutes a couple of times a week but can do wonders in improving your quality of life. Whatever your reasons for getting there, remember that your personal safety should be a primary concern.

If you have questions, ask. Don’t be afraid of looking ignorant. Better ask a question than suffer an injury because your ego got in the way.

Establish a routine, have respect for people’s space, use common sense, and soon it will be you who is helping out the newcomers learn their way around the weight room.

Having a little class at the gym will go a long way in helping you make friends, get respect from your fellow members, and blend into your surroundings with as little awkwardness as possible. When it comes to gym etiquette, the general rule is quite simple: Have consideration for your fellow members, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t be a dick.

Thanks for reading. Until next time...

RyanRockfordnyc@gmail.com

The most recent show presented the newest members to join the collective as well as artists who were asked to exhibit. No core theme existed for the month, but there was a clear notion that all of the artists had their own themes that they were working with.

The dedication in each piece showed a commitment to craft, concept, and continuity.

I got to sit down with Craig-Anthony Ismael, one of the newest members of The Front, and talk about his work that was shown in the back room. He presented analog 35mm photographs of nude men of color in different scenarios. Pulled from his own relationships, he photographed these men indoors, outdoors, on beds, all over. On one wall, the photographs of the men

were overlaid with gold leaf around their heads, giving them a halo as they sat outside in a park in Santa Fe, CA. The Front’s current exhibit runs through March 8 and presents work from one of The Front’s juried competitions. This show was juried by Ron Bechet who is Chairman of the Department of Art at Xavier University.

ed on the rack, so how much rest do you need?” I asked, with just a hint of attitude.

“Fine! Just take it”, he blurted out impatiently, and walked to the nearest empty bench and sat down, not once taking his eyes off his phone.

The truth is, I didn’t even want to use the Smith machine. I was just being cunty and felt the need to check this douchebag’s behavior so he knows that at least one person is clocking his lazy ass.

While we’re on the subject of phones, if you ABSOLUTELY must take a selfie, please be courteous enough to do it discreetly and out of the way of those who are actually working out.

Standing in the center of the gym floor or monopolizing the communal locker room mirrors trying to capture the most flattering pose for your physique to keep your Grindr or Scruff profiles current, is the fastest way to become the gym’s most hated member.

Wear shoes. I know this seems like a no brainer but I’m constantly surprised at the number of gym goers who look like they decided to swing by the gym on their way home from the beach. Do all of us a favor and wash the sand from your crack and put on appropriate workout shoes. Flip-flops are NOT in any way, shape or form, acceptable footwear at the gym. Period.

Use the lockers provided to store your belongings. A sure sign of a newbie or a paranoid schizophrenic is the gym goer who insists on carrying all of his possessions with him around the CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 ground on how the space works, is because it shows in the construction of the exhibition space. For each new exhibition, all of the walls are newly painted. The artist bios and art descriptions are readily available throughout the space. Most importantly, the art is good.

12 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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COMMUNITY VOICE We Need to Talk about Bottom Shaming Jim Meadows Executive Director, NOAGE info@noagenola.org I recently saw a vitriolic post on social media.

Of course, that’s nothing unusual, but something in the comments grabbed my attention, and I’ve been thinking about the implications of it for several days now. The original post was basically just an expression of glee over the news about a far-right radio talk show host’s terminal illness. The first commenter responded by saying that they hoped a “serious sex tape would come out. I’m talking like late 70s, the worst leather daddy porn, with him as the greedy bottom.” The “likes” immediately started multiplying like popcorn.

That comment brought up a few things for me. First, I realized – again – that I spend way too much time looking at social media. Second, I realized – again – that the days of “when they go low, we go high” are becoming an ever-distant memory.

And third? I realized that bottom-shaming is seen by way too many people as something that is acceptable, cool, and funny. And not just by run-of-the-mill homophobes. The person who made the comment I quoted above is politically on the far left, and gay.

I gotta tell you, it’s still kinda blowing my mind to realize that a gay person thought that the best way to completely humiliate someone would be to produce evidence that he engaged in anal sex. But not just any anal sex. No. To truly drive home

the humiliation, the enemy must be the receptive partner. The most complete humiliation, and the thing that’d just be so funny too, would be if the offending party were a bottom. And people were piling up to “like” this? People who are politically on the left?

And gay?

Having learned nothing from previous experiences on social media, I replied to the comment.

I wrote: “I’m tired of bottoms continually being made into objects of ridicule.

It’s upsetting to me, the idea that it’s OK to equate bottoms with something shameful or ridiculous, for a laugh. The irony is that this reinforces the stigma that [the dying homophobic talk show host in question] is so giddy to exploit.”

Of course, my response went unacknowledged, and more “likes” continued to appear for the offending comment. Undaunted, I put on my “I-need-to-speak-tothe-manager” wig and sent a private message to my friend who had made the initial post. I repeated my concerns to him, and then asked him to please remove the entire thread, because allowing it to stay up there made it seem OK, and it wasn’t OK. I should say that by this point I was almost shaking, not just from what I’d read, but from the tension of waiting for a reply that might mean the end of a friendship. I need not have worried about that because once I pointed all this out, my friend got it.

He deleted the comment, and apologized, saying, “I learned a long time ago to shut up and listen when someone who gets something more than I do is trying to tell me something.”

It’s ironic to me that the person who immediately understood that bottom-shaming was wrong was not a gay guy. But it’s a familiar irony, nonetheless.

Think about it. How many times have you heard gay men making remarks that are denigrating to bottoms? In the bars: “Too many bottoms, not enough tops.” On the street: “Oh, you can definitely tell which one’s the bottom in that relationship.” And if you really want to talk trash about another gay man? “She’s a messy bottom.”

That last one encapsulates everything that is so profoundly wrong about bottom-shaming within the gay community: “She,” used in order to denigrate a man.

“Messy,” to point out that [*gasp*] he has more sex than you, so is somehow dirty.

And “bottom,” to definitively identify the object of contempt.

Bottom-shaming in the gay community comes down to two things, and one of them is misogyny. Why would this one behavior – receptive anal sex – be the source of so much contempt and stigma among people who are having anal sex? To answer, I’ll share a quote from the 1993 film, The Cement Garden: “‘Because it’s OK to be a boy. But for a boy to look like a girl is de-

grading. Because you think that being a girl is degrading.”

In ancient Greece, one of the few early Western civilizations where some homosexual behaviors were tolerated, receptive anal sex was still frequently taboo. It was OK to penetrate because “that’s what men do.” But being penetrated was for women, and therefore detestable. (“Intercrural” sex was OK though. Look it up.)

We’ve come so far since then, in so many ways, and yet we’re still doing this.

Why? Well, that brings me to the second thing: internalized homophobia. If you want a pitch perfect reading of how a gay man feels about himself and his sexuality, listen to what he says about bottoms. The degree of contempt he uses, in the forms of either aggression or humor, will tell you everything you need to know.

To all gay men who bottom-shame other gay men: Stop it. It makes you sound misogynistic, self-loathing, and gross. Take some time to reflect upon why you feel compelled to behave in this way, and do better in the future.

Oh! And to all other gay men: If you hear other guys making jokes about bottoms, don’t have sex with them.

14 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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COMMENTARY

American Things Lynn Stevens

Months ago, when some 20 candidates were running for the Democratic nomination, I did a breakdown of the top three frontrunners.

Now it’s down to 8.

In all reality, it appears that there are really only 5 candidates (in alphabetical order) Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.

Another candidate has recently surged, namely former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg has spent some $200 million in advertising which may have caused him to pull ahead especially in the Nevada caucuses.

The Democratic National Convention is in July, so it is difficult to see how this will all end up.

Who will get the African-American vote is still up for debate since the caucuses (Iowa and Nevada) and primary (New Hampshire) held so far have been in largely white states (Iowa and New Hampshire being over 90%).

Almost all the major candidates have had a questionable past with regards to race and with all the people of color out of the race this issue carries a bit

more weight.

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG The newcomer to the race, and also the wealthiest, was mayor of New York for three terms from 2002-2013.

He is the 9th richest person in America with over $60 billion. He has given substantial amounts of money to environmental organizations.

From the 1970’s he worked on Wall Street for a large investment bank until the late ‘80’s when he started his own finance and media company.

Around this same time a pamphlet with musings attributed to Bloomberg was published. One of the quotes pointed out that if computers could give fellatio it would put women out of jobs.

His company, Bloomberg LP, has been sued four times by women who say they were sexually harassed or raped.

During his mayoral election Bloomberg spent more money than anyone else. New York has limits on how much a candidate can accept from contributors but since Bloomberg was extremely wealthy he was not bound by these restrictions.

He ended up spending over $73 million, five times more than the other candidates.

Although the unconstitutional practice of stop-and-frisk had been in place prior to Bloomberg’s time as mayor it increased dramatically under his watch.

The decline of crime which was evident before Bloomberg was mayor continued to drop after stop-and-frisk was ended.

Bloomberg has supported various wars in the Middle East, stricter gun laws, pro-choice abortion, a clear pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and a public option for healthcare (as opposed to Bernie Sanders’ national single payer plan.)

More recently, he has vowed to spend $10 million to aid congresspeople who voted for the impeachment of the president during their upcoming re-election battles.

AMY KLOBUCHAR 1995: After being asked to leave a hospital 24 hours after giving birth to a child that wasn’t able to swallow, Klobuchar set her mind to change this.

Five months later, she made her first trip to the capital of Minnesota to speak in front of a legislative committee.

The state now allows at least 48 hours in the hospital after giving birth; later President Clinton made it into a federal law.

From 1999-2007, she served as the county attorney for Hennepin County in her home state of Minnesota.

The Week wrote that a “2018 poll suggests 87% of Democrats support a reduction of the prison population.”

Which might make Klobuchar’s past as a tough-on-crime prosecutor who, “sharply increased the prosecution of repeat offenders,” in the 90’s War on Drugs a bit of an issue.

She has been elected three times as a Senator from Minnesota, the first in 2006. In 2016, Klobuchar passed more legislation than any other senator. Former Vice President Walter Mondale has said, “She has done a better job in that miserable senate than anyone else.”

Reports that she has an abusive bent towards her staff have been backed up by a Politico article which says that she also has the highest turnover rate in the senate.

Klobuchar is a moderate Democrat, pro-choice, supportive of gay rights, the Affordable Care Act, and opposed the Iraq War. In her 2020 platform she has said she’ll investigate loopholes in the EPA

guidelines for oil refineries. She’s vowed that on her first day in the Oval Office, the US will rejoin the Paris Climate Change Agreement which President Trump withdrew the US from in 2017.

Following the El Paso shooting, Klobuchar put forth a proposal to crack down on White Supremacist groups.

PETE BUTTIGIEG After he got out of college, Buttigieg worked for John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004. Afterward, he worked as a consultant with clients like Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Best Buy, the EPA, DOD, and the Postal Service.

Buttigieg joined the Naval Reserve in 2009. His main work was in destabilizing terrorist finance networks.

He was elected Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, in 2011 and had to take a leave in 2014 to serve in Afghanistan.

Early on in his first term as mayor, Buttigieg used questionable judgment when, due to a scandal of South Bend cops illegally recording other cops, he asked for the resignation of Police Chief Darryl Boykins, the first black chief of South Bend. Boykins later sued the city saying that the taping had begun long before he was chief; the case was later settled out of court. Buttigieg has said it was the biggest mistake of his time as mayor.

In November 2015, Buttigieg was re-elected by almost 80% of the voters in South Bend. During the campaign, Buttigieg came out and married his partner in 2018.

Buttigieg’s terms as mayor focused on infrastructure and repurposing vacant buildings as well as investing in city parks and giving assistance to homeowners in the repairing of their properties.

His presidency platform supports abortion rights, plans to combat climate change, and has called for re-entry and diversion programs for addicted and mentally ill individuals instead of jail time.

He is a self-described fiscal conservative leading to his moderate stances on various issues such as healthcare in which he differs from some of his opponents where he supports a public and private option.

16 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

THE HERE AND THE NOW

Perceptions of New Orleans – Reality or Fantasy?

Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com Sometimes it’s enjoyable to listen to visitors’ perceptions of the city, especially during such a spirited time of celebration as is the week before Fat Tuesday.

I recently attended a conference on Law and Ethics in Counseling, which is a small, national conference held in New Orleans. This conference appeals to academics and mental health professionals from places far from here including Idaho, Nebraska, Wisconsin, New York, and even London. I very much enjoy hosting people who have not been here before, or perhaps have visited once, spent too much time on Bourbon Street, and left with the perception that New Orleans was nothing but a party city.

Several people who attended the conference shared some perceptions with me about the city, especially where we were at the time, right in the center of the French Quarter.

One word was “lush” and that’s a lovely word I don’t hear often to describe much of anything. I asked what that word referred to specifically, and was told that it was so green here, compared with other places in the

Northeast and Midwest in February.

“Interesting,” I thought as I considered the leaves just outside my office window on a little, almost fully leafed tree.

I suppose it is a lush area.

The weather last week was unseasonably warm and typically humid.

Such weather might have provided the perfect atmosphere for the azaleas to bloom as well as a most beautiful tree, a “Red Magnolia,” that I’ve never seen anywhere but here. The Quarter was bursting with color, and the plants were not quite finished bringing forth all of the lovely leaves they would eventually wear. The balconies, dressed with the colors of Carnival and prepared for crowds and lights and music, dappled the Vieux Carre with a hint of the magnificence that is the Quarter.

Another comment I heard was that there were plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from, and all good.

These conference-goers were fascinated not only with the food on offer here, but the unique settings that can be chosen for any meal. An example of this might be the difference between Muriel’s and Stanley’s, Galatoire’s and Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, or Mr. B’s and

The Gumbo Shop, all wonderful eateries for different moods, bank accounts, and atmospheric pleasures.

I think we often become too accustomed to the overabundance of food and beauty we can find in the French Quarter, more than any other part of the city. We tend to take these wonderful options for granted even if some people travel many miles to experience them, and spend much money in order to say “I ate at….(fill in the blank).”

One person asked me how I travel to other places and eat, since all other food is likely to seem bland to me.

That’s not quite true, as anyone knows who travels a bit, but that perception is fairly accurate – food here is indeed unique, flavorful and well-spiced.

As I spent more time with my colleagues from all over the US, I found that New Orleans is perceived as a very diverse city; I think that’s an accurate perception. During popular tourist times here, it also brings diverse crowds here as visitors. The welcoming sense that is New Orleans seemed to have permeated the conference, the large gathering enjoying the city’s music, food and traditions.

Then I stepped back, however, and realized that the attendees were also an extremely diverse group, not just geographically, but ethnically, culturally, and of different ages and stages in their careers. Typically, that level of diversity is not reflected in many gatherings of academics, mental health professionals, or countless other professional meetings.

So is the message that if diversity is reflected in the city in which the event is held, then a more diverse group of attendees would sign up for such a conference? I asked a some people who had traveled quite a few miles to participate in the conference.

All of them mentioned two factors: Number one, it was New Orleans.

Number two, they had heard that this particular conference was diverse in and of itself, and that caused them to seriously consider such a trip. And followed up with, it was New Orleans.

Our city is loved, respected, perceived as fun, welcoming, safe; all those perceptions are true to an extent.

Every city has its flaws, and we know CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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BOOK REVIEW

Coming Together: The Cinematic Elaboration of Gay Male Life, 1945—1979.

Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Coming Together: The Cinematic Elaboration of Gay Male Life, 1945—1979. Ryan Powell. U. of Chicago Press, 2019. 264 pages. $35.00.

Since the 1970s, the topic of homosexuality in the movies has been the subject of dozens of books. Most of these books focus on mainstream films or particular genres. Coming Together is refreshing in that it covers not only mainstream works, but also films often neglected in critical studies—alternative and indie films as well as porn, films like Pink Narcissus, What Really Happened to Baby Jane, Kansas City Trucking, and Meat Market Arrest.

In Coming Together, Ryan Powell, assistant professor of cinema & media studies at Indiana University’s The Media School in Bloomington, captures the social and political vitality of the first wave of movies made by, for, and about male-desiring men in the United States between World War II and the 1980s. From the underground films of Kenneth Anger and the

Gay Girls Riding Club to the gay liberation-era hardcore films and domestic dramas of Joe Gage and James Bidgood, Powell illuminates how central filmmaking and exhibition were to gay socializing.

Unearthing scores of films and a trove of film-related ephemera, Coming Together persuasively unsettles popular histories that have Stonewall as a ground zero for gay liberation and visibility. Powell asks how this generation of movie-making—which defiantly challenged legal and cultural norms around sexuality and gender—provided, and may still provide, meaningful models for living.

Powell writes, “Many of the films explored here bring to us a past that is made up of a great deal more than retrograde perspectives—they help to make recognizable a past that may be much closer at hand and less behind us than it may seem.”

In bringing that past into focus, Powell does an excellent job of drawing upon the work of previous writers.

Here he analyses Steven Davies’ Out

at the Movies (2008): “Limiting the history of postwar LGBTQ+ cinemas to a handful of films, Davies dismisses most films as unfortunate casualties of an earlier time, requiring a progressive canon to clear the way and move us into the future. This narrative culminates in what he later refers to as the break out from the gay, indie-film subculture. Davies’s use of out—which dovetails the psychosocial meaning of coming out with the commercial sense of successfully moving into mainstream cultural production— marks a similar trajectory to Harris’s redemptive arc from darkness to light.

Coming out here means gaining access to a larger world that is characteristically straight. What these narratives marginalize is not a small or occasional body of films but well over three hundred widely circulated and seen films in the US alone (or more than three thousand, if mail-order physique films are counted). What is lost when we assume that these films didn’t make much of a difference to anyone at the time or that they don’t have anything to

say to viewers today? The exploration of media forms taken on in Coming Together aims to help us think through this pressing question.”

In addition to synthesizing the work of previous scholars, Powell also resurrects many works that have fallen out of circulation.

For readers interested in this topic, I would also recommend: Parker Tyler’s Screening the Sexes: Homosexuality in the Movies (1972), Vito Russo’s The Celluloid Closet (1981), Richard Dyer’s Now You See It (1990), Harry Benshoff’s Monsters in the Closet: Homosexuality and the Horror Film (1997), Harry Benshoff and Sean Griffin’s Queer Images: A History of Gay and Lesbian Film in America (2006), Lucille Cairns’ Sapphism On Screen (2006), Steven Davies’ Out at the Movies (2008), Barbara C. Mennel’s Queer Cinema: Schoolgirls, Vampires, and Gay Cowboys (2012), B. Ruby Rich’s New Queer Cinema: The Director’s Cut (2013).

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

means to us. It doesn’t matter if you reside outside Orleans Parish. All of the area is considered the Greater New Orleans area, so we are all a part of it.

This Spring, find something to do, perhaps with another person or a group, and explore the city.

If you’re a runner, look at some new areas you have not yet explored.

If you’re a walker, there are so many beautiful and safe areas to walk; it really is close to limitless.

If you want, invite some folks to go along with you who don’t yet feel safe, or who are reticent to strike out on their own.

Just help someone do something they would like to do. If you’re willing,

empower someone to feel more able to get out and move, participate, enjoy.

Part of the beauty of this city, the factor that causes visitors to perceive it as all those good things mentioned earlier, is the people. You. Me. Our friends, family, colleagues – everyday niceties and kindness. Shall we do more to allow that to be our own perception?

As residents, we should live up to the kind and generous perceptions others have of us. They do perceive us that way, because otherwise why would hundreds of thousands of people flock to our city each year, spending oodles of money on lodging, food, tours, and more food? People often arrange to return to New Orleans before they even

leave. I would love us to be the city perceived by all as one of the best.

To me, New Orleans already is that.

Hope your Carnival Season was one of the best. Now onward to Spring 2020!

our city has them, but I am happy to know our reputation is intact. It is not all about Bourbon Street, drinking outside of bars, freedom to do anything with no consequence, or acting out in ways no other city would allow. At least the individuals I had the privilege to be around for nearly a full week felt positive about our city, in ways many residents here do not.

Maybe we should change our collective minds about New Orleans.

Maybe after Mardi Gras and a respite from the fun and purple/green/gold and noise (all wonderful as we celebrate), we should reframe what New Orleans

Dr. Catherine Roland, LPC, is a therapist in private practice, specializing in our LGBTQ+ community for 25 years. Catherine is a member of the Board of Directors of both CrescentCare-NO/AIDS Task Force, and NOAGE - New Orleans Advocates for LGBTQ+ Elders.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About at Mardi Gras AT KREWE OF KING ARTHUR PARADE | PHOTOS BY DOUG ADAMS

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MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY Where Are All The Black People?

Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com In the early 1980s Alfred Doolittle asked a question that is still relevant today. The setting was a LAGPAC (Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus) meeting. Kenneth Mitchell remembers the meeting vividly: “At one of our well-attended meetings there was a lull in the discussion.

Alfred blurted out a question, unrelated to the agenda but probably on the minds of at least a few others in attendance. I know it was on my mind. Alfred was sitting in the front of the room while I was sitting in the rear. Now mind you this was a pretty large-sized room. All the way in the back I heard Alfred ask in his loud and strong voice, ‘Where are all the black people?’ It seemed to have come out of nowhere.

A period of awkward silence followed.

I don’t know if this was due to no one having an answer or was it due to people being stunned that, alas, someone had addressed the proverbial pink elephant in the living room. I do know that soon afterwards, the organization Langston/Jones Society, an offshoot of LAGPAC, for people of color, was started.”

“Where are all the black people?” is a reasonable question for anyone who has read a typical American history textbook. Until recent decades, the incredible contributions and profound mistreatment of African-Americans has been inconspicuously absent from history books and historical narratives, which is odd considering the fact that our entire capitalistic economy was literally built on the backs of enslaved people. The erasure of black folk from the history books is certainly true of LGBT+ history.

Here in New Orleans, some people are familiar with prominent gay musicians such as Davell Crawford, James

Booker, and Tony Jackson, or figures like Storme Delarverie (often credited with throwing the first punch at the police at Stonewall). Less well known are drag queens Patsy Valdeler who regularly hosted shows at the Dew Drop Inn and who also organized the annual New Orleans Gay Ball every Halloween, and Mother Moses, one of the few African-American “female impersonators” to perform at the fabled Club MyO-My. Even fewer people can name the several trans women of color who have been brutally murdered in Louisiana in the last several years.

And then there are the gay and lesbian African-American bars that have been lost to history. In the course of researching his landmark work, Tinderbox, Robert Fieseler has done some important work on the Safari Lounge—a black gay bar which was located a block away from the UpStairs Lounge and which was shut down shortly after the arson at the UpStairs.

Fieseler has also written an article about the “snow and dinge” sub-culture of the gay community in 1970s New Orleans. But who remembers Lafitte’s Annex or The Frenchman?

Carnival is another area rich in stories and lessons about African-American history that has yet to be mined.

Howard P. Smith devotes a chapter to the Krewe of Mwindo in his monumental book Unveiling the Muse, but the overall story of race relations and gay Carnival merits a book in and of itself.

A book on black LGBT+ political activism also needs to be written.

Ken Mitchell, who had been involved in LAGPAC’s forerunner, the Gertrude Stein Society, would go on to lead the Langston/Jones Society for a number of years. That story needs to be told.

In the 1980s—a decade when

LGBT+ political activism came of age— there were other gay African-American organizers whose stories need to be recorded and preserved. Not the least of these activists was Larry Bagneris.

One of the keynote speakers at the 1981 state gay conference was Bagneris, who was working in Houston for an insurance company. Bagneris had grown up in New Orleans and began his career as a civil-rights activist at the age of 16 by picketing the Maison Blanche department store’s Jim Crow policies. He was arrested several times as a teenager for similar demonstrations at other locations.

Bagneris took a job in Houston after college and joined the Texas Gay Political Action Caucus and spoke about the importance of diversity in gay political organizing. At the conference, Bagneris met Roberts Batson and other members of LAGPAC who in the next few years would make periodic visits to Houston to meet with Bagneris and learn about what was going on there. In addition to his work with the Texas Gay Political Caucus, Bagneris also helped organize Houston Pride.

Bagneris would return to New Orleans in 1986 and get involved with LAGPAC. Batson convinced him to run, unsuccessfully, for the City Council in 1990 and the State Legislature in 1991 and 1995. Bagneris worked as the Community Affairs Director for the NO/AIDS Task Force from 1990 to 2000 and also served in the Mayor’s office on the Human Relations Commission, eventually serving as its Chair.

There were also incredibly important straight allies, the strongest of whom was City Councilman Johnny Jackson, who had been elected with LAGPAC’s endorsement, and who had sponsored and introduced the

A COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Four principles for Lent.

The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ Rector St Anna’s Episcopal Church fr.bill@stannanola.org As I write this, Lundi Gras is a in NYC is our own Mardi Gras’ strutweek away. Anna’s Place kids will be ting and strolling; I so enjoy wandermarching in the Krewe of Red Beans ing around the Quarter below St. Ann parade; a cohort of Anna’s folk will be Street. I tend to avoid Canal and all at the Lords of Leather Ball; several of of that. In fact, this Mardi Gras, Vicki our members rode in King Arthur and and I will be hanging out with Levi, our all is well with the world - right? grandson who is almost 18 months old.

Queens are being crowned and Mereaux never looked so good (that very shortly the Bourbon Street Awards is where we live and will enjoy Mardi will be given to many talented and giftGras). ed performers and costume designers.

The next day, Ash Wednesday, is After all isn’t this our runway? almost like the air being let out of a balFar better than Fashion Week loon. We have gotten into the rhythm

of Mardi Gras so much that Wednesday is almost depressing. Yet, Mardi Gras is the final shout out before Lent.

Its historic roots are tied to Lent which is launched on Ash Wednesday.

Lent and, indeed, Ash Wednesday as a Holy time was developed somewhere around the sixth century. About a century later, it was extended so that the time of penance was 40 days, symbolic of the time that Jesus spent in the desert according to three Gospels.

In turn, that was perhaps a symbol of the number of years that the Israelites spent wandering in the desert during the Exodus. This season counts each of these days, except Sundays, and

non-discrimination ordinance. Johnny Jackson, Jr. grew up in several New Orleans neighborhoods and became a community activist in the 1960s. After Hurricane Betsy in 1965, he worked on a clean-up crew at the Desire Community Center and within a few years he was the directing head of the center.

He also worked with Total Community Action and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. He served in the state legislature from 1972 to 1986, where he became the New Orleans delegation’s floor leader before being elected to the New Orleans City Council.

In 1987, Leonard Green, along with Roy Racca, co-chaired the Louisiana’s delegation participation in the National March on Washington. In addition to his involvement with LAGPAC, Green, an activist and writer, was a member of the National Coalition of Black Gays and Lesbians, founder of M-PAC (Minority People Against AIDS Committee) and had been Co-Chair of the Langston/Jones Society.

So to answer Alfred’s question, “Where are all the black people?”— they were there then just as they are here now, but it was sometimes hard to see them. Why? Two reasons: LGBT+ history has always been blurry because for so long, documenting gayness was not something people wanted to do; to do so could get someone fired or evicted or jailed or institutionalized and certainly ostracized.

And then there are the biases that come with white privilege (the perspective from which so much of our history is written). Consider those two factors and you begin to understand why so much black gay history is invisible.

Much of our queer history remains in the closet, and that is regrettable. concludes with celebration of Easter or the day of Resurrection.

Originally, some texts indicate that Lent was a time when those of “notorious sin” were set aside from the Eucharistic community until they had reconciled usually on the Thursday before Easter. Later, however, that became problematic. Can you imagine, if we did that today, I’d lose my whole church including me?! So, someone decided to simply put ashes on the forehead of everyone and let it go at that. Thus Ash Wednesday begins “A good and Holy Lent.”

As the church struggled to retain its control on congregations, Lent and Ash Wednesday were rolled out and you were supposed to “give something CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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COMMENTARY

The Trump Virus and Caesar Salad Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com It’s been a while since I’ve written anything about Trump—either in the pages of Ambush or on Facebook.

After the impeachment, I did make this post which sums up my feelings: “Last night a friend remarked to me, ‘You haven’t posted anything about the impeachment.’ It’s true, I haven’t.

I figure if anyone hasn’t made up her mind about the President, nothing I can post will change that. That being said, I do think it’s important to remember there are still children in cages at the border, separated from their parents.

That and the President has been legally banned from operating a non-profit organization in his home state for defrauding a children’s cancer charity. A children’s cancer charity. A children’s cancer charity. That’s a charity for kids with cancer. This is not a partisan issue. Who robs kids dying of cancer? A POS, that’s who.”

I suspect the lasting legacy of Trump, however, will not be his moral bankruptcy, but rather his utter and complete ignorance and/or disdain for the fundamental principles upon which our nation was founded. I doubt he’s ever even read the Constitution and

I have no doubt he’s never read the Federalist Papers or any of the works of the Founding Fathers.

His lack of understanding of and respect for the concept of checks and balances is alarming. He cannot wrap his ample head around democratic values. Decency eludes him. He’s sick.

We’ve had incompetent presidents before and survived. We’ve had corrupt presidents before and survived. We’ve had racist/misogynistic/homophobic/ transphobic/xenophobic presidents before and survived. (Nazi sympathizer is a new one). But we’ve never had a president that embodies ALL of these archaic and negative characteristics all at once. I hope we survive this one.

If he is reelected, Trump’s authoritarian tendencies will only get worse.

The pettiness and vindictiveness and hatred will grow exponentially like a virus and eventually infect the very foundations of our government. And the Trump virus is deadly. The only cure is voting him out of office in November.

One hopes the President of the United States would appeal to our highest values and not our basest fears.

Trump knows nothing of our better an-

gels and is proud of his ignorance. The fact that a clear leader to oppose him has yet to emerge says a lot about the state of the union.

Democracy cannot work without an educated citizenry. That’s bad news because much of America is scientifically illiterate. Half the population rejects evolution, thinks vaccines are harmful, and believes climate change is a hoax. Alternative facts, they say, which makes sense when you have no critical thinking skills.

The Republican Party, which has systematically dismantled public education in America, should therefore not be surprised that it has degenerated into a gutless party of sycophants and hypocrites—the Cult of Trump.

Every empire in history has fallen, usually from within. And make no mistake, America is an empire. The rot has already begun. It would do us well as a nation to remember that it only took one man to transform Rome from a democratic Republic into an dictatorial Empire. By the time the Roman Senate realized Julius Caesar was destroying the Republic, it was too late.

Their only recourse was to murder him.

“Beware the Ides of March” still resonates today.

I am not suggesting Trump be assassinated, although the world would literally and certainly be better and safer without him. Republican Senators have already demonstrated their fealty to Trump with their impeachment acquittal votes. They have folded before him as if he were Darth Sidious in Revenge of the Sith. Now this pompous, arrogant asshat of a human being, masquerading as a leader, feels totally free to run roughshod over anyone and everyone and to do whatever the hell he pleases, the rule of law be damned.

Trump must be defeated at the ballot box in November. If he is not, the 21st Century will be remembered for the fall and decline of the American Empire. And in 2,000 years, in some yet to be born land, Trump may have not a salad, but a cheeseburger named after him.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

we call God. In believing that there is purpose and intentionality in creation we must then believe that there is purpose and intentionality in living our lives. The bottom line to that is that we matter as individual organisms; we matter and have purpose. So, within that context we attribute God with what are the best of our traits as we commonly understand them. We can even imagine more than that.

Later, for we Christians, we encounter a unique person who was the “incarnation” of that sacred, and yes holy cosmos crafter that we began to call God (or several other names). We encounter the radical Jew named Yeshua or Jesus. He is so much like God that he is God the Son. He identifies himself so much as a part of God that he is God and we call him “the only begotten son of God.” Yet, he is more than progeny, he is part of a whole. So, to that end our spirits begin to soar as he releases us from our own inclinations to divide and conquer each other. He gives us purpose and vision that we could not articulate even two centuries before. He does so in the context of his Jewish roots. So we come to know Messiah the Son of God who was and is and shall always be.

So, in the Christian context and perhaps beyond we have spirit self and

we have personhood. How might that best be given agency in a dangerous world? Several principles apply, many of which we will skip because this column is limited. But as it relates to “a Good and Holy Lent” let’s explore just a bit about what such a season means beyond features of institutional expression and control.

First, we have set aside 40 days and 40 nights to take a ‘fearless spiritual inventory’ of ourselves. That inventory requires an honest look at both our personal strengths and weaknesses. It should be mature and balanced and completely honest. It need not be shared with other folk but it must be shared perhaps with an image of that Creator. It’s a fixed point that has even an imagined personality. So, a fearless spiritual inventory is a starting point.

Call me, I’ll help you do it.

Second, a time set aside for making amends for the things that we have done or should have done of a positive nature. We call them sins. That is an offense against another person or institution.

Don’t blow this one off. It is the hardest of all because we all want so much to be right and for “them” (whomever “them” are) to be wrong that sometimes we can’t get past that. Now is the time to get past that and to give and ask for forgiveness. It is a time for

reconciliation.

Third, for forty days and nights you may want to consider what you can do to amend your life in a new and positive spiritual way. No, losing that extra ten pounds for Lent isn’t what is called for. You needed to do that well before Lent came along. It means to, through spiritual discernment and discipline, become something new and positive.

Again, no, it doesn’t mean improving your wardrobe; it means trying to treat people in a kinder and more understanding way. Try to adopt some empathy in your life.

Fourth, this is a time for prayer.

Prayer has gotten a bad rap these days with the phrase, “thoughts and prayers.” I get that. But as Mother Teresa rightly said, “ I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.” Prayer speaks as much to your heart as it does to the one to whom you are praying. We, as a people, are changed when we pray.

If you wish to discuss any or all of what is offered for a good and holy Lent feel free to contact me and we will have a cup of cheer and talk about your goals for Lent 2020. In the meantime “throw me something Mister!”

up” as a sign of self-control and you were supposed to feel bad. Yep, feeling bad was important because those that could forgive would offer such only on a limited basis. Even then, if you were rich, you could buy happiness, by giving to the Abbey of your choice, much of your land and wealth and be assured of a safe arrival in heaven. So goes the corruption of the church. Yet, even within this story are things worth considering and, if we do, we will indeed have a “Good and Holy Lent.”

Where is our spiritual focus? Too often we have lost it. How many times have I heard, “I’m a spiritual person I just don’t do organized religion.” What does that mean anyway?

I think what people mean to say, really, is “I’m a nice person but church isn’t on my radar, but I’m a nice person.”

That is okay as far as it goes. Yet, I know so many people who long for something beyond themselves and their circle of friends. They/we long for something bigger. Bigger perhaps than we can comprehend. We want a locus of all things created. Imagining a created universe simply out of chaos and randomness is anathema to us bipeds, we inquisitors of the stars.

For many of us, that locus is what

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INTERVIEWS FROM KEY WEST The Cigar Rolling Bostonian Behind Frita’s Cuban Burger Café Kevin Assam kevin-assam@hotmail.com Marcia Weaver is the owner of Frita’s Cuban Burger Café at 504 Southard, Key West who happens to be an expert cigar roller. Her skills as one of Boston’s best brought her to The Steve Harvey Show and major sporting and celebrity events. Now, she oversees the quirky Frida Kahlo-inspired street side altar to pork tacos and empanadas. Complete with curious neighbors named Mr. Bigglesworth.

You’re sort of a famous cigar roller, right? You’ve rolled for athletes, politicians, and actors.

Marcia: I began a cigar business in Boston during the cigar boom. On a trip to Key West, I met a Cuban, Angel Garcia, who rolled cigars at a Duval Street shop. We locked ourselves up in a small cabana for weeks while he taught me cigar rolling. I brought this back to Boston where Angel visited and opened the Boston Cigar Factory.

Eventually we were rolling 200–300 events per year, everything from weddings and BBQs to high end sports and Hollywood events. Our notoriety traveled through word-of-mouth and top event planners. We were always entertaining, could relate to our clients

in English and Spanish, and dressed the part. At one time, we were the only New England cigar rollers, although we traveled all over the country and were requested in various parts of the world.

There’s that time you were on The Steve Harvey Show. Who asked you on?

Marcia: One night, I was watching TV, prepping about 300 cigars for an event and got a phone call asking if I would appear for a segment called ‘Female Groundbreakers.’ They wanted me to fly to Chicago the next morning. I was excited and agreed. I let them know I would be up all night preparing for the next night’s event and would need extensive time in hair and makeup. Also, I would fly back to Boston right after to make my scheduled event. They sent a limousine to take me to Logan Airport!

Was that the height of your cigar rolling career?

Marcia: Yes, initially when I opened Frita’s I had planned on a partner. He backed out. The original plan was that he would manage things in the summer and I would go north to continue with cigars. Now, I only fly back for high

The Cigar Rolling Bostonian Behind Frita’s Cuban Burger Café

Beyond Burger Beyond Clover

G N I V R E S NOW

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profile events and combine it with visiting my family, especially my mother.

How were you involved with railroads in Massachusetts?

Marcia: In 2001, I joined Amtrak Commuter Rail in Boston in the Engineering Department and then moved to Transportation. The contract changed to Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad. I worked in the Discipline Hearing Department, then Customer Service, and finally created my own department in Community Outreach, which was my favorite. I had a budget to perform community service ranging from a Christmas Polar Express train for children-in-need and working with Gold Star Families to create a military train coach wrap dedicated to their sons and daughters who died in war. In 2014, the contract changed again to a company out of France and that is when I moved to Key West.

You’re coming from what used to be a very stable career to one that is notoriously fickle. How did you decide to embark on Frita’s?

Marcia: I was always a gambler, not in casinos, but in life. It was time. I believe in myself and my hard work. It’s a manageable size.

You’ve added a bicycle drive-thru section to your outdoor seating. I think it’s smart.

Marcia: It’s more of a drive-in. You pull your bike into the bike rack, which

has a counter, and you can sit on your bike and eat! Rules stipulate it can’t be on the sidewalk, only private property.

We’re very excited about it as many customers bike to our restaurant.

How long was it before Frita’s really took off?

Marcia: Shortly after a big article was written about us in The Citizen. I think at the time we were rated number four on TripAdvisor, which I found kind of incredulous considering there’s about 400 [restaurants] in Key West.

I do, however, see us as the most affordable restaurant serving all homemade food to order. The scene is pretty much the same: the same obstacles, the same pleasures. The most noticeable change is the demographics with hotel rooms and rents being so high.

The city seems to lose the late night crowd and local artists.

What about the cigar stores here? Up to your standards?

Marcia: I remember when there was a lot more rolling in Key West.

Now, not so much. I think there is one business that had stores at several locations. I’m sure all the stores have a good brand selection. There is nothing like the smell and flavor of a freshly rolled cigar with fine aged tobacco. It has an almost sweeter and aromatic quality and is very romantic.

Frita’s is predominantly known for two things. Its burgers and pork

tacos. What would round out the rest of your top five menu items?

Marcia: The Traditional Cuban Sandwich comes in at a close third. It is often said to be the best on the island.

Our empanadas are extremely popular — all homemade of course. Customers often come in just for the flan and churros with our authentic Cuban coffees.

If you had to reveal one of these secrets, which would it be? Your cigar rolling technique or your pork taco recipe?

Marcia: I would go with a happy medium, which would be revealing my pork rolling secret.

What do you think are some of the best culinary gems on the island?

Marcia: I have not had the opportunity to sample what Key West has to offer because I typically don’t leave my restaurant until 11PM. I really like the food at Virgilio’s late night, Antonia’s, and the prime rib at The Boat House.

The bartenders at these places are awesome.

How long can you go solely eating food from your restaurant?

Marcia: [Laughs] If allowed, I would endlessly eat at my place because I usually have ingredients to make anything I like. I love to have a beautiful omelet prepared for me. However, I love to eat late night at Virgilio’s

not only because of the food but it allows me to sit and think, have a glass of wine, and relax. When I try to eat at my restaurant I am usually standing and interrupted by everything going on. More times than not my food goes cold or I’m eating fast just to get some food in me.

You recently had an interesting encounter with a former neighbor, Mr. Bigglesworth. What was that all about?

Marcia: Mr. Bigglesworth visited about a year ago, but only came inside for a brief time before we threw him out and he went next door instead. [Earlier] this year when I opened Frita’s it was clear there had been a break in. The place was trashed. I called the police and described the crime scene when I began noticing some odd circumstances. No sign of entry and nothing taken. Just a mess. Then I spotted some fur and knew. Mr. Biggs the opossum.

The kitchen, restroom, and storage were all sealed so he had to be under the counter. Phone light in hand and sure enough. After an hour of coaxing, I finally called the SPCA. Matt came, caged him, and took him up the Keys to join his new stray friends and live in bliss. The curious incident of the opossum in the night time.

Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and cohesion.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About at Mardi Gras AT KREWE OF KING ARTHUR PARADE | PHOTOS BY DOUG ADAMS

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 25

HEALTH & WELLNESS HEALTH & WELLNESS Expanding Mental Health Services Chenier Reynolds-Montz Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana CReynolds@accesshealthla.org Mental health services are in high demand in the Greater New Orleans region and throughout the United States.

More and more Americans are finding themselves in need of outside support to deal with trauma, depression, opioid abuse, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as psychological disorders. Local non-profit Access Health Louisiana is hoping to meet this demand by expanding mental health services making them more accessible and, most importantly, more affordable for patients.

“Protecting and promoting the rights of individuals with mental illness and psychosocial disabilities is very critical,” says Vanice Zenon, Director of Behavioral Health for AHL. “Most people who experience feelings of anxiety and sadness need proper mental health support to function at their best ability. There are many social problems and mental health problems.”

Zenon is part of the team integrating well-known therapy practice

Acadian Care into AHL’s network. In January, AHL took over operations of Acadian Care’s four southeast Louisiana locations. The acquisition allows AHL to offer its current patients, as well as other families in the community, more access to psychiatric and therapeutic services that are critically needed.

Psychiatrist Richard Kutner founded Acadian Care in 2003 and has spent nearly two decades treating patients in the Greater New Orleans area. He says allowing AHL to take over operations was a decision he made with his patients in mind. “As a psychiatric provider for more than 20 years, I realize the important role that Primary Care plays in helping Behavioral Health patients achieve their goals,” says Kutner. “I believe that to be strong mentally, it’s important to be strong physically.

Access Health Louisiana can help me provide that opportunity for my patients.”

Zenon says the timing couldn’t be

Acadian Care Hammond Location

more perfect given the “great need” in south Louisiana. “Behavioral Health services currently in demand are counseling services for depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and sexual assault. Medication management services are also a need especially for those with severe mental illness.”

Acadian Care is made up of a team of Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), therapists and counselors. Their experienced providers offer patients extended treatment options for ADHD, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), autism, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and several other psychological disorders.

Telemedicine services are also available. This means that patients can hold session with their provider via phone or computer, at their convenience. It’s important to note that patients utilizing telemedicine services are always asked to come in person for their initial consultation. This allows the provider and patient face-to-face time to exchange important information that will be used throughout future therapy sessions.

Selecting a mental health provider that is right for you is like forming a relationship with a friend. Zenon offers this advice when selecting a therapist, “some things to look for in a mental health provider are warmth, acceptance, empathy, and a focus on others.

Many times, you want to feel you can trust your therapist. Clients of effective therapists believe that their provider will be helpful because the therapist communicates both verbally and non-verbally that he or she is someone the client can trust. You know a provider is right for you when they are willing to establish an alliance with you. Also,

they have the ability to provide an explanation of your symptoms and can adapt this explanation as circumstances change.”

While AHL is going to be operating Acadian Care from now on, Acadian Care’s name will not change, and patients will continue to see their same providers. Psychiatrist Richard Kutner will also be a part of the AHL provider team.

Acadian Care has four locations – 1500 Baronne Street in New Orleans, 113 Christian Lane in Slidell, 1050 West Causeway Approach in Mandeville and 2545 Veterans Avenue in Hammond. All locations accept most commercial insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare. Uninsured patients are always welcome and they utilize a sliding fee scale discount based on their household size and income. To schedule an appointment, call (985) 781-7353.

AHL operates an expansive network of community health centers and school-based health centers in twelve southeast Louisiana parishes and continues to grow. Services include: Adult & Pediatric Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Dental, Cardiology, Podiatry, Nephrology as well as a discount Pharmacy service with free home delivery of medications. For more information, call toll-free 1-866-530-6111.

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

26 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 27

WELLNESS

Wearing Masks Dr. Andrew Watley Professional Counselor in the State of Louisiana The krewes have had their balls.

The stores have been emptied of beads and trinkets. The neutral ground is no longer blocked off with ladders and tarps holding designated areas.

As we look back on the recently completed Carnival season, we know that Mardi Gras has been a part of our city’s history for over 300 years. It isn’t hard to find information on the origin of the parades, why float riders throw beads, and why people wear masks.

These masks are covered with beautiful feathers and decorated with gems and beads to make them really stand out. The history behind them, however, was to make everyone blend in.

Fat Tuesday has always been considered a day of fun. It is the last day before the 40 day Lenten journey that leads into Easter Sunday, the last time to get into all sorts of trouble before it was time to pray and fast for 40 days prior to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.

The masks were originally used to hide the identities of these partygoers.

People did not want to be judged by the decisions that they made on this

last day of the season. In a way, many of us still carry the traditions of not only having a good time on Fat Tuesday, but also wearing masks due to the fear of being judged.

Let’s face it, members of the LGBTQ+ community have been wearing masks for a while. I know that I wore a mask through all of high school and college and into my adult life. I wore the mask and played the role of a straight man because of the fear of people seeing the real me. I know that many of my brothers and sisters in the community have done the same. We still carry masks with us long after we have come out, quick to throw them on in the face of ostracization or isolation.

Carl Jung, the famous psychoanalytic therapist and follower of Freud, often referred to these masks that we wear as the “persona”. He even described it as a way to protect ourselves. He explained that we use different masks in different situations or to fit in with the crowds that are surrounding us. I know that the mask that I wear when I am in my office with my clients presenting as “Dr. Watley” is ex-

tremely different from the mask I wear as Andrew, having a drink out at a bar.

Each of these situations requires a different version of “me”.

We wear masks in less professional settings as well. I remember my high school days. I was grouped in with the nerdy (and probably more feminine) guys while my twin brother was grouped with the smarter and more popular gentlemen. I enjoyed being a member of my group until the opportunity to hang with the cool kids presented itself. I couldn’t let them see me as a nerd, so I would change masks to appear more exciting and even more masculine.

Like many of us, I carried this trait into my adult years. We have a fear of being alone and so we show different sides of ourselves to be more accepted into the group. When I’m hanging with my sporty friends, I allow myself to show more interest in sports than I typically do. When I’m with my messier friends, I tend to participate in the gossip a little more. The dangerous part about wearing these masks is that we aren’t being true to ourselves. Today,

it seems that the only time that people are bold enough to be themselves without fear of backlash is on social media.

Our insecurities are a part of who we are. They make us unique and help us to stand out in the crowd, unlike the masks that we wear. Instead of hiding who we are under a mask, we should be proud and wear them for all to see.

We have to learn to be ok with being ourselves. Surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you are and not the masks that you wear around them. Let’s work on being more confident this season so we can stand out in the parade of masks.

Dr. Andrew Watley is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Louisiana. His practice is geared toward helping adolescents, members of the LGBTQ+ community and men who experience concerns with their masculinity and body image. More information about Dr. Watley and his practice can be found on his website, www. drandrewwatley.com.

30 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Ambush Magazine AT THE KING CAKE QUEEN CORONATION OF FELICIA PHILLIPS | PHOTOS BY DOUG ADAMS

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 31

HOT HAPPENINGS UNDER THE GAYDAR New Orleans Hot Happenings

MONDAY

Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Do not fret when Carnival is done.

There are plenty of hot happenings to shake away those post-Mardi Gras blues. Here are just a few of the things to fill your calendar. (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.

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.

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) Happy Hour: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; bargain prices starting with draft beer or Schnapps for only $1.50—plus six more specials. Weekdays: Noon - 7 p.m., Weekends: 10 a.m, - 6 p.m. | Boys dancin’ on the bar nightly 9 p.m. till close.

WEEKDAYS

Happy Hour: Good Friends Bar;

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.

Burlesque Bingo: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 p.m. Join Loose Hellfire to play Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy— where everyone’s a winner! There is NO COVER for this sexy and silly game. Just buy a drink & Tsarina Hellfire will give you a Bingo Card. Each round winner gets a BUCKET of prizes. 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!.

NOAGE & Stonewall Sports Walk/ Run Club: Lafitte Greenway; 6:15 p.m. Join Stonewall Sports New Orleans and NOAGE starting at 6:30 p.m..

Meet for the walk/run at Bayou Beer Garden. 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.

Queer Meditation: Mid City Zen; 3248 Castiglione St.; 6:15 p.m. A queer and trans centered meditation group meeting regularly on Monday evenings. Practice includes sitting and walking meditation, as well as sensory and body based awareness exercises.

Open to all LGBTIQ+ people, and all folks interested in holding and sharing an intentionally queer-centering mindful space. Free/by donation.

Karaoke Monday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy happy hour prices all night long. Hosted by Denny with VJ Dollabill.

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.

Night of S.I.N.: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; from 9 p.m. till close. Get your S.I.N. (Service Industry Night) card from Ashlee to unlock Happy Hour prices every Monday night. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

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: 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!

Queens Against RuManity: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 7:30 - 9 p.m. Welcome to Queens Against RuManity, a new game night at Kajun’s Pub with Laveau Contraire and some of her fabulous friends for a RuPaul’s Drag Race themed game of Cards Against Humanity! If you’ve never played, it’s a fill in the blank game where each player tries to come up with answers using cards with iconic drag race quotes on them. Join them

32 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · 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 CHARLES PIZZO

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 · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 33

for Queens Against Rumanity featuring live drag performances, fun prizes and drink specials.

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 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.

Weekly Pool Tournament: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 8 - 11 p.m. Tuesday Night Pool Tour-

nament! 8 p.m. with $5 buy-in, winner takes all. $3 Abita Brewing Company during the tournament! Hosted by Wayne Nettles. Afterward, stick around for Strip To Your Jockstrap Pool.

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.

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.

Monster Movie Night: Dat Dog on Freret; 5030 Freret st.; 7:30 p.m.

Come get scary campy at Monster Movie Night every Wednesday on

Freret, 7:30PM! Happy Hour deals (like $5 double wells and a menu of $5 ‘dogs) extended throughout the movie, in case things get too scary. Cocktail specials for each film.

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. Bingo with Bridget Tunnel: Dat Dog; 601 Frenchman Street; 9 p.m.

Biggest, baddest, brassiest Bingo with superstar Bridget Tunnel starting at 9 p.m. Prizes for every round to keep you drunk and fed.

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.

Drag Race UK Viewing Party: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 7 p.m. Mama Ru’s in search of the UK’s very first drag race superstar.

Prepare for the ride of your life! Join us every Thursday for Rupaul’s Drag Race UK Season 1 Viewing Party at Kajun’s Pub! Laveau Contraire has invited some of her best squirrel friends to come give insightful commentary, sickening drag numbers, and a healthy dose of SHADE. Don’t get left at the starting line! See you every Thursday at Kajun’s Pub for Rupaul’s Drag Race viewing on all 5 TV screens at 7pm!

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.; from 9 p.m. till close.

The Hits of the 80’s and 90’s. $3 well vodka drinks and $4 Long Island iced teas. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

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.

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.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 Viewing Party: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 7 p.m. Mother Ru and VH1 have decided to air the race on Friday nights so kick off your weekends Laveau Contraire and a new cohost each week! Join Kajuns for the Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 12 Viewing Party with drink specials, drag queen commentary, and live performances each week!

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 Watch Party: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 7 p.m. Join everyone at Oz each week for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12.

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.

New Meat Dance Contest: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 10 p.m. Amateurs and pros compete to win cash prizes ($100 winner, $200 if on the first attempt). Open call; guys register with ID (21+) by 9 p.m. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

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 Alexan-

34 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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

CROSSING

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

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 7 AM – 9 PM OPENING HOURS 7 AM – 1:30 AM ADDRESS 439 Dauphine Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 523-4517 www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 35

ALL THAT DRAG Weekly Drag Shows in New Orleans

TUESDAY

Tacos, Tequila, & Tiaras - 8PM - Buffa’s Bar & Restaurant Hosted by Vanessa Carr Kennedy

WEDNESDAY

Show Night - 10:30PM - Oz New Orleans Persana Shoulders presents this production featuring the fabulous ladies of Oz and music by DJ Tim Pflueger.

Hello Gorgeous - Every third Wednesday - Southern Rep Theater DeDe Onassis hosts this circus cabaret alongside aerialist Liza Rose that includes contortion, music, drag, and more.

THURSDAY

Turnin’ Da Page - Every other Thursday - 9PM - The Page Serenity L. Lord emcees this bi-weekly marvel

FRIDAY FRID

Misc4Misc - 9PM - Oz New Orleans A weird and wonderful show presented by Apostrophe and featuring a new cast every week.

Play Girlz - 10PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Gia Giavanni Illusions - 10:30PM - The Bourbon Pub The Queens of Illuisons offer up superstar female impersonation

SATURDAY

Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - The Country Club Enjoy bottomless mimosas at one of the most popular drag events in the city. Reservations are recommended.

Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - Trinity Swing by Trinity in the French Quarter for a Saturday morning show starring the Ladies of Trinity.

Divas R Us - 10PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Monica Synclaire Kennedy Illusions - 10:00PM - The Bourbon Pub The Queens of Illuisons offer up superstar female impersonation Showtime on Rampart - 10PM - GrandPre's 1st, 3rd & 5th Saturday,.Hosted by Moanalot Fountaine & Sable Starr

SUNDAY SUND

Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - Cru Bottomless beverages, a decadent brunch prepared by Chef Marlon Alexander, and the talents of Vanessa Carr.

Diva Drag Brunch at the Fillmore - 11:30 AM Weekly drag brunch featuring some of New Orleans best drag queens and fun themed shows.

The Reba Douglas Jubilee - 5PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Reba Douglas Divas at the Dive - 5PM - Kajun’s Pub Hosted by Vanessa Carr Lipstixx - 8PM - The Bourbon Pub Oz Show Night - 9:30PM - Oz New Orleans Hosted by Persana Shoulders Are we missing your show? Email us at info@ambushpublishing.com

der 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 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. Vanessa 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 Sinful Sunday: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; 5 - 8 p.m. Drink & Drown, $15 well drinks or top shelf & bottled beer $25 - includes free burger cookout.

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!/It’s Raining Men: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 6 p.m.

Play for free to win prizes or bar tabs. | 9 p.m. Boys bouncin’ on the bar to the beats of gay anthems from DJ Barry Bareass.

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,

36 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Oz New Orleans PHOTOS OF DRAG SHOW AT OZ & BY DOUG ADAMS

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

OPENING HOURS

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

ADDRESS 800 Bourbon Street New Orleans, LA Phone: (504) 593-9491 www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 37

Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean.

SPECIAL EVENTS WEDNESDAY 2/26

Ash Wednesday Brunch: The Country Club; 634 Louisa St.; 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Relax, Refresh, Rejuvenate after Mardi Gras madness and join us on Ash Wednesday for a Special Brunch. They will have their usual Brunch menu, Our Full Bloody Mary Bar, and a la carte Mimosas. To Make Reservations: http://www.thecountryclubneworleans.com/restaurant/reservations/.

THURSDAY 2/27

Into the Night - The Death of Laura Palmer: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 7 - 10 p.m.

Enjoy this Twin Peaks Variety Show presented by The Very Exciting Dead Rodent Parade on the 31st Anniversary of Laura Palmer’s funeral. There are many stories in Twin Peaks. Some of them are sad, some funny. Some of them are stories of madness, of violence. Some are ordinary.

FlamBOYant: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. The new Revolution of Boylesque is back! FlamBOYant brings you all the GLAM, all the BOYS, and all the FLAME! Hosted by

the NonBinary Wonder of New Orleans Atomyc Adonis. Come grab a seat at the best kept secret of New Orleans FlamBOYant. $5 cover.

FRIDAY 2/28

RuPaul’s Drag Race Premier Pt 1 Watch Party: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; 7 - 9 p.m. Two-part premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 12.

Host Vanessa Carr Kennedy and special guest queens will entertain. Enjoy the show and happy hour prices until 9pm. Pick the winning queen of the week in advance and get a free well drink (must be present to win).

Femme Church: Hotel Peter and Paul; 2317 Burgundy St.; 7 - 9:30 p.m.

Femme Church (or Femme Final Friday) is a series celebrating femme and non-binary musicians in New Orleans.

February is the 4th in the series and features BRIDE (Nessa), accompanied by her synth pop. Hosted by Zoe Boekbinder who opens the show with a set of songs on the topic of grief. Doors at 7 pm. Music at 7:30 sharp. Show is over by 9:30. Entrance is by voluntary donation - suggested $10-20. No one turned away for lack of funds. Beer and wine bar inside the church. Cocktails available at the Elysian bar next door.

Identity - A Trans+ Meet Up: The Drifter Hotel; 3522 Tulane Ave.; 7 p.m. Identity is a Trans+ plus meet up at the Drifter Hotel. Trans+ is a safe

inclusive space for Trans, Non-Binary, Genderqueer, Genderfluid, GNC, etc... and Allied friends alike. Drinks: Happy Hour Wells, Wines, & even a menu of non alcoholic drink specials; Pool: Open and heated; Food: Tastebud Satisfiers.

Big Easy Sisters Beer Bust: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 9 p.m. - midnight. Big Easy Sisters BEER BUST with $5 buy in w/ $1 refills.

Sisters of St. Claude: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 9:30 - 11:30 p.m. Each episode of this monthly affair will gather together a few faces oh so familiar to the Allways stage and let them loose in a show that puts drag classics and golden oldies back in the spotlight! Dede Onassis yelling in Liza voice “Come!

Hear the music play!” Hosted by Dede Onassis & Siren. Admission is $10 at the door Bayou Boylesque: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Bayou Boylesque is produced by Scorpio Boys Entertainment. This show happens every 4th Friday of the month.

This month’s cast features Eros S Guillen, Poseidon S Davenport, Trey Ming Trey Bien, and Dawn DrapeHer. $5 cover.

Jock Strap Lube Wrestling: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. There will be the babes in jockstraps, loads of fun squirting lube, amateur yet ferocious wrestling, and the talents of famed, local drag queens. There will be a cash prize of $100 given to the winner. JSLW is an all inclusive, no judgement, exhibitionist platform. At no time during the show are photos or videos allowed. All wrestlers sign up under their own consent. $15 cover | Show at midnight | Jockstraps provided.

SATURDAY 2/29

As If! 90’s Karaoke Party with Sunshine Edae: The Drifter Hotel; 3522 Tulane Ave.; 6pm-midnight. Dress it down & throw it back to the nostalgia of the 90’s! Join the Queen Sunshine Edae for a totally tubular night at this pool & pajama party! With your favorite lyrics projected on the big screen, channel your inner Britney or Backstreet boy to win a Swim Club membership for best performance! Party starts for 6pm & karaoke begins at 7!

Come Wander With Me: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 7 - 9 p.m. Come Wander With Me is a monthly improv show, produced by Two Friends Improv Theater.

This month’s special guest is Latco.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or at www.eventbrite.com.

Circ’lesque Leap Day Cabaret: Carnaval Lounge; 2227 St. Claude Ave.; 9 p.m. Tickets on www.eventbrite. com. Tickets are $15, VIP $25.

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.

SUNDAY 3/1

Drag Diva Sunday Brunch - The Beyonce Edition: The Fillmore; 6 Canal St.; 10:30 a.m. NO REFUNDS UNLESS THE EVENT IS CANCELLED/ POSTPONED. For tickets, go to http:// www.fillmorenola.com/. It is always best for your group to purchase tickets together to ensure that you’ll be seated together. Large groups, please call 504.872.3303 or email FillmoreNOLABoxOffice@livenation.com for accommodations. Buffet Includes: Scrambled Eggs, Country Potatoes, Bacon, Sausage, Baked Chicken, Fried Catfish, Baked Macaroni, Asparagus Salad w/ Grape Tomatoes, Spring Mix Salad w/ Honey Basil Vinaigrette, and an Assortment of Pastries and Desserts.

MONDAY 3/2

The Silent Ham Show: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Music drag etc..laughs , theatre, puppets and a Gay ol’ time! Hosted by Tsarina Hellfire and Stanley Roy.

WEDNESDAY 3/4

20th Annual Got Gumbo CookOff: The Royal Sonesta; 300 Bourbon St.; 6 - 8:30 p.m. United Way of Southeast Louisiana’s Got Gumbo?

Cook-Off is celebrating 20 years of all-you-can-taste gumbo and desserts from some of New Orleans’ top restaurants, hotels, and caterers. Competitors will vie for best traditional gumbo, best exotic gumbo, and best seafood gumbo. General admission tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.

VIP early entry tickets are $50. United Way supports a gumbo of services that help make an impact on the 47 percent of households in our seven-parish service area that are living in poverty or struggling to make ends. Come join us to make an impact: UnitedWaySELA. org/Gumbo2020. For tickets, go to www.eventbrite.com.

THURSDAY 3/5

Ross Matthews: Joy Theater; 1200 Canal St.; 8 p.m. Television personality Ross Mathews likes telling stories. And with his Hollywood experience - from interning behind the scenes at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to judging RuPaul’s Drag Race - he has a lot to talk about. In Name Drop, Ross dishes about moments where he goes from soaring to crashing. For tickets, go to www.axs.com.

FRIDAY 3/6 – SUNDAY 3/8

Jersey Boys: The Saenger The-

38 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · 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 · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 39

atre; 1111 Canal St. The performance schedule is as follows: Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets for JERSEY BOYS begin at $30 and are available at BroadwayInNewOrleans.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone (800) 982-2787 or Mahalia Jackson Theater Box Office located at 1419 Basin St. Jersey Boys is the behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

FRIDAY 3/6

Sixteen Artists - One Night: The Building; 1427 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.; 6 - 9 p.m. The Renegade Artists Collective will hold their premiere exhibition from 6:00-9:00 pm at THE BUILDING located at 1427 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. The sixteen artists that make up the Renegade Artists Collective are all based in Louisiana. The art on display at The Building will encompass a diverse range of mediums and genres with over 100 works of art for sale. The show will also include live music performed by The Miles Labat Trio, a cocktail bar, and hors d’oeuvres.

SATURDAY 3/7

Luck of the Irish Drag Brunch; Nole; 2001 St. Charles Ave.; 10 a.m. 1 p.m. Join NOLE for the St. Patrick’s Luck of the Irish Drag Brunch! $55

all inclusive. For tickets, go to www. eventbrite.com.

Trixie Mattel - Grown Up: The Civic; 510 O’ Keefe Ave.; 8 p.m - midnight.

Meet & Greet 6pm, Doors 7pm, Show 8pm. Join this glamorous biological woman for an evening packed with music, comedy and unnecessary costume changes. Backed by a live band, this show will leave you jamming with flower power and wondering how the skinniest legend grew into the world’s funniest comedienne. For tickets, go to www.eventbrite.com.

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.

SUNDAY 3/8

Drag Diva Sunday Brunch - It’s Britney Brunch: The Fillmore; 6 Canal St.; 10:30 a.m. NO REFUNDS UNLESS THE EVENT IS CANCELLED/ POSTPONED. For tickets, go to http:// www.fillmorenola.com/. It is always best for your group to purchase tickets together to ensure that you’ll be seated together. Large groups, please call 504.872.3303 or email FillmoreNOLABoxOffice@livenation.com for accommodations. Buffet Includes: Scrambled Eggs, Country Potatoes, Bacon, Sausage, Baked Chicken, Fried Catfish, Baked Macaroni, Asparagus Salad w/ Grape Tomatoes, Spring Mix Salad w/

Honey Basil Vinaigrette, and an Assortment of Pastries and Desserts.

Amon-Ra Rush Party: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 1 - 3 p.m.

If you are thinking about joining the Krewe of Amon-Ra, come out to their annual rush party. Learn about our Gay Mardi Gras Krewe from our existing members and submit an application to join the Krewe.

TUESDAY 3/10

Celebration & Change in LGBT+ New Orleans; The Presbytere; 751 Charters St.; 6 - 8 p.m. Come out for a discussion of LGBT+ celebrations and their part in shaping experiences, activism, and visibility in New Orleans. Hosted in conjunction with the current exhibition “Grand Illusions: The History and Artistry of Gay Carnival in New Orleans,” this panel will explore if and how celebrated traditions such as gay carnival and Southern Decadence changed policies and attitudes in the city. Leaders and scholars of the LGBT+ community will address whether an act of revelry can be an act of protest—one that effectively shocks the system and brings about change.

Robert Fieseler will moderate the conversation with panelists Larry Bagneris, Michael “Fish” Hickerson, Alecia Long, Frank Perez, and Courtney Sharp.

This program is FREE and open to the public.

FRIDAY 3/13

Magic Lessons Benefit Reading for the LGBT Community Center: The LGBT Community Center; 2727 S. Broad Ave.; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Join Joe Sadusky, author of Magic Lessons: Celebratory and Cautionary Tales about Life as a (Single, Gay, Transracially Adoptive) Dad, in conversation with a special guest co-host. The evening includes select readings from Magic Lessons, Q&A and book signing and book sale to benefit the Center.

For more information: jmswordsmith. com.

Bryce Rabbits Art Show: Mimi’s; 2601 Royal St.; 7 p.m. March 13th (Friday) will be the opening of the show featuring new art.

SATURDAY 3/14

Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch: Artisan Cafe; 2514 St. Claude Ave.; 11 a.m. Vanessa Carr presents Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch at Artisan Cafe featuring an amazing menu and awesome entertainment! Come celebrate with the phenomenal talents of Vanessa Carr Kennedy and Friends! For tickets, go to www.eventbrite.com.

NOLA Gaymers Party March: LGBT Community Center; 2727 S. Broad Ave.; 2 - 6 p.m. LGBTQ Gamers of the Greater New Orleans Region --come out! Join the fun at the LGBT Community Center to socialize, game and generally geek out. We will

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

Beer Bust Fundraiser: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 10 p.m.

- 1 a.m. Come support the New Orleans Rougaroux rugby team at their March beer bust fundraiser with our Title Sponsor The Phoenix!

SUNDAY 3/15

Lords of Leather Rush Party; The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 1 p.m. Join the Lords of Leather Rush Party for our 38th year! Come meet the Krewe, officers, and royalty, and learn more about what a year of Leather Love and Laughter can mean for you. They will have light snacks and entry is free come get to know us! Applications for membership will be available (and you can apply for only $25!) You don’t need to be present to join (but being there is a blast!). The Mystic Krewe Lords of Leather is the only leather oriented Mardi Gras Krewe in the world. The Krewe is based in New Orleans and the Krewe’s home bar is The Phoenix (in the Marigny). As a leather oriented social club, the Krewe conducts special activities of interest to the leather community and to the community at large by promoting general education, public awareness and appropriate charitable fund raising activities related to issues of significance to the gay and lesbian community. However, the primary purpose of the Krewe is the presentation of a Mardi Gras Bal Masque for supporters, special guests, ticket buyers, and members of the organization, and, we spend the year raising funds to produce this extravagant event. The annual Mardi Gras Ball is planned, organized, and presented in royal traditions as defined further in our bylaws.

Carnival season 2020 marked the beginning of our 38th year as a tableau Krewe. Bal Masque XXXVIII will be held on Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 8pm. More information is available via our Facebook Group (Lords of Leather Monthly Events) and http://lordsofleather.org

Are we missing your events? Email Us at info@ ambushpublishing.com

40 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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

TUESDAY

Gay Bar BINGO 9:30 & 11PM

THURSDAY

MONDAY

Service Industry Night

TUESDAY Karaoke

p.m. No Cover. Ladies drink half off

Ladies Night w/ Piano 6pm

THURSDAY

Movie Night with Chris 8pm

Drag Bingo & Show

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

PENSACOLA THE ROUNDUP

Amateur Drag Night 11PM

WEDNESDAY Rock n Roll Bingo 8PM

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

THURSDAY

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

SATURDAY

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

Midnight Drag Show

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

Karaoke

SEC Football

SUNDAY

Along the Gulf South BATON ROUGE MON-FRI

Happy Hour: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 3-7p.m.

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

SATURDAY

MONDAY

Non-stop Dance Music: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd Dancing in the Park: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

TUESDAY

Sunday Social Brunch: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; Noon-3:00p.m. $20 Buffet with Bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and Draft Beer

WEDNESDAY

LAFAYETTE BOLT BAR & PATIO

Game Night: George’s Place; 860 St. Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Chance SIN Night: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 30% Off

Fat Tuesdays & Billiards & Darts Tournaments: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue

Queens Karaoke: George’s Place; 860 St Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Alvin McGee Free Cover Wednesdays: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm Open Mic w/ Ryan Jenkins: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 9p.m.

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 Think and Drink Trivia: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

FRIDAY

$5 Fridays: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

560 E Heinberg St

TUESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY

Drag Bingo with Monica Heart; 6 p.m.

- 8 p.m. Win cash and prizes

Funday with Karaoke

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

GALVESTON 23RD ST. STATION

1706 23rd Street Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

MONDAY

Texas Hold ‘Em 7pm

TUESDAY

THURSDAY 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.

Tube-ular Tuesday with Jim 8pm

SUNDAY

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.

LAKE CHARLES CRYSTAL’S DOWNTOWN 720 Ryan Street

TUESDAY

Anything But Techno Tuesdays; 10

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 41

Party Down Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Carnival season is here in all of its unbridled fury with the added bonus of Valentine’s Day making an extremely crazy two weeks. From dinner to drag queens and in some cases a mixture of the two, I barely slept. I have also resigned myself that I will always have glitter on me no matter how much I scrub.

I began my two weeks by going to see Mother Courage and Her Children at Southern Rep Theatre. The play was written in 1939 by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht. Southern Rep chose the version playwright Ntozake (For Colored Girls...) Shange adapted, transposing the action from Europe to the American Southwest after the Civil War. The play, which earned Shange an Obie Award, has never been published or performed since its premiere at NYC’s Public Theater in 1980. As with almost every play at Southern Rep, the cast was superb with a superior production quality. Although it is a very heavy play with some tough scenes to watch, the show held a powerful message. Congrats on another well produced show.

On Tuesday, Halloween New Orleans held a thank you party for the

board, sponsors and hosts of the organization as well as presented Lazarus House with a check representing the proceeds from its successful fundraiser. The event was held at the beautiful home of Jason Waguespack and Jeff Morgan. It was a wonderful soiree where the board, Lazarus House staff and other supporters discussed last year’s event and talked about all the new ideas for this year. But the best part of the evening was the donation to Lazarus House of $25,000 from the board which I was honored to serve on last year. The men and women on the board along with the staff of Lazarus House worked tirelessly to produce this three-day weekend of events as well as all the hosts parties throughout the year. And they have some more fun things in store for 2020. To find out how to be a host and be part of all the fun as well as help a worthy cause, go to https://togetherwenola.com/halloween/.

On Wednesday, the National Association for Caterers and Events held a seated dinner at the newly opened Sazerac House. The dinner included a whiskey pairing of straight Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac Rye

Manhattan, straight Buffalo Trace and a Gold Rush made with Buffalo Trace.

The meal was deliciously prepared

by Messina’s Catering and held on the venue’s fourth floor private event space. For the first hour, guests were allowed to peruse the museum’s second and third floor interactive exhibits.

If you have not been to this new tourist attraction located on Canal Street then you need to add it to your list of things you must see. The museum is free and includes a complimentary tasting.

Another fun fact, the Sazerac is New Orleans’ official cocktail. For more information on the Sazerac House, go to www.sazerachouse.com.

I continued the theme of good food and drink the following night, when I attended the 100th anniversary party of Broussard’s Restaurant located on Conti Street in the French Quarter. The evening was wonderful and the food, cocktails and entertainment made for a memorable evening. The restaurant laid out the red carpet for guests with stunning decor both inside the restaurant and in their gorgeous courtyard which I consider one of the best ones in the Quarter. Their sensational French-Creole cuisine was heavenly and non-stop libations flowed well into the night. The entertainment was supplied by the fabulous Benchwarmers band. I saw so many people I knew and it was a perfect night to catch up with friends before the madness of the Mardi Gras holidays started. Afterwards, I was still bitten by the party bug, so I had a few nightcaps at Crossing NOLA and the Corner Pocket before heading home.

The weekend was all about the parades starting with Krewe Boheme on Friday night. I love this parade and being in its sophomore year, it has proven to be a worthy addition to our parade schedule in the Marigny neighborhood.

Led by their Green Absinthe Fairy, this parade boasts many of our favorite inner krewe marching clubs with gorgeous costumes. Some of these groups include Krewe of Goddesses, The Merry Antoinettes, Krewe of R.U.M. (Really Unsophisticated Men) and Krewe of S.L.U.T.S. (Sexy Ladies Up to Something) to name just a few.

They also have some unique throws such as the decorated champagne corks decorated as Marie Antoinette heads. For more information about the krewe and its events throughout the year, go to www.kreweboheme.com.

The following day was one of my favorite parades of the season. People can keep all those stuffy family friendly Uptown parades and give me Krewe du Vieux anytime. This year’s theme was “Erection 2020” and, from the “Soft Cock Hotel” with the limp guitar to the “Wake Up Sheeple”, a subtle nod to the followers of the Orange Scourge (you know who I am talking about), it did not disappoint in all its phallic glory. And for those who did not get the hidden com-

mentary against that idiot in the White House, they had a not-so-subtle float of Donald Trump sucking a huge penis.

This adult-themed parade was more crowded than ever before and, with a mixture of horse-drawn and hand-pulled floats, it skewered our political culture both locally and nationally. In my opinion, the best place to watch this parade is in the Marigny which affords you the opportunity to catch it twice. This was great for me because the first time it passed, it was so crowded, I could not get a good look at all the floats. By the second time, the crowds had thinned and I was right in front. But beyond the parade, it is all the parties people throw along the route that has become all the rage.

My party-hopping began at 4pm and still I only made it to three of my four stops. The first was at the fabulous compound-style home of Kim Smith, whose theme this year was “Seven Deadly Sins.” There were seven areas of the party with photo opportunities and little games representing Greed, Pride, Sloth, Envy, Anger, Gluttony and Lust. Each area was so clever like sitting in a kissing booth for a minute and kissing whoever comes up for lust or seeing how many cheeseballs can you fit in your mouth for gluttony. The party was fabulous and there were colored jello shots available in each of the sections. I loved Pride which gave people unknown facts about LGBT history (and also had a glory hole). The costumes, food, flowing drinks and decor were well thought out. It was a great way (and fitting theme) to begin my night.

Next, I went to Laura Tennyson’s lovely home. The soiree had lots of craft cocktails at the ready, a delectable spread of food (her husband Gary is an excellent chef) and interesting guests. Laura has a knack for inviting some of the coolest artists, musicians and bon vivants to her events. And Gary outdid himself on the cuisine (no cold fried chicken parade food here).

After Laura’s party, we caught the parade for the first time, then during the break went to Charles Rogers’ or CR’s home. Once again, he had pulled out all the stops with more food and drink for his guests. Like the KdV floats, each of the parties had its own personality. There were so many different people at each stop, that I found myself thinking the parade is just a backdrop for an evening of fabulous parties.

Even though I worked all day on Sunday, I still managed to catch the ‘tit Rəx parade. This walking parade made up of miniature floats has become more of a tiny (literally) Krewe du Vieux than its moniker Rex with satirical floats about the city from the Hard Rock Hotel debacle to potholes.

It is a cute parade with lots of music and miniature throws. I caught a small po-boy from the iconic Gene’s Po-Boy shop float. God, I am going to miss

42 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

that place. Unlike the previous night, this parade was somewhat more subdued, but not in the least less festive and an ideal way to end my Mardi Gras weekend #1.

We have a new gay bar in town and the crowd goes wild! Betty’s Bar & Bistro opened in the space once occupied by the 700 Club and we are glad to have it. With a well-needed facelift, the bar had its soft opening on Monday for a few friends and regular clientele. There are a few improvements like more televisions and a bigger space for mingling. The new place was opened by Ambush owner Tomy Acosta. The restaurant will also be serving the same fabulous food with many new options. It is good to see the bar back open again. Betty’s Bar, which is named after Tomy and his twin Toby’s lovely mother, is a perfect new addition to our LGBT scene.

The following evening, I went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Saenger Theatre. I thought the show and actors were very good, but I didn’t find the score very memorable except for a few songs like The Candy Man and Pure Imagination. I also found it a lot darker than the movie, with the bad children meeting gruesome demises in the candy factory.

The scenes with Violet and Veruca are pretty funny but awfully explicit. Roald Dahl, I do love your work, you dark and twisted man. I think the reason adults love this show so much is because they secretly love seeing bad children punished. Charlie definitely is a morality play and after each child meets his or her end, the Oompa Loompas (who are funny as hell) come out and sing a little ditty reiterating the child’s wrongdoing. Why are all orange people dan-

gerous these days?

Wednesday was one of those bucket list days. I was privileged enough to be invited by my friend James Filtz to the James Beard Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton. In case you are not familiar with James Beard, he was an American cook, cookbook author, teacher and television personality.

This evening his Foundation hosted a dinner at the hotel spotlighting many chefs who have won or were nominated for his awards. To say this was a dining experience is an understatement.

The evening began with a reception with appetizer tastings from Alex Harrell - The Elysian Bar; Billy Jones - Blue Giant; Nicole Mills - Pêche; Nathan Richard; Arvinder Vilkhu - Saffron.

The food was exquisite and in addition to delicious wine, there were also craft cocktails.. All the reception food was amazing, but my favorite was the Crawfish-Goat Cheese King Cake with Blue Crab Icing and Crab Fat Sugar

by Nathan Richard and the Pan Fried Pork Bao by Blue Giant.

Next we moved into a seated threecourse dinner by local all-star James Beard Award Winner Nina Compton (fan favorite from Top Chef Season 11) from Compere Lapin and visiting allstar Jamie Malone from Grand Cafe and Eastside in Minneapolis. Each course was more delicious than the next and with every dish a new bread basket was brought out with different breads, as well as wines paired with each course.

After dinner, we moved into another room for the dessert reception and champagne. The chefs featured for dessert were Austin Breckenridge - Justine; Ashley McMillan - Ritz-Carl-

ton; Maggie Scales - Link Restaurant Group; Jimi Setchim - Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard. I had never been to a James Beard dinner, which happens annually in NOLA (although they skipped last year), so I was excited to attend this culinary experience.

In addition to the great food, you literally were rubbing shoulders with the who’s who in our city’s culinary community. What a magically scrumptious evening!

The following day was Galentine’s Day and I have to admit, this is the first year I even heard of this term for the day prior to Valentine’s Day. It is the night for girlfriends to get together and go out and have fun without their significant others. Although, personally, for single people like me, every day is Galentine’s Day. It is the people in relationships that need to make a day special to honor the fact they are together.

Whatever, to each their own. Although I did see some person on Facebook say he was celebrating Singles Appreciation Day. I mean, girl, you do know that stands for SAD. I mean good for people in a relationship and I am happy for them, but being single is not something to be sad about. Enjoy your freedom, and always remember, just because someone is in a relationship, or dating or married, does not mean they are happy.

FYI - On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates

to more than 10 million women and men. One in four women and one in nine men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services or contraction of sexually transmitted diseases. So next time you start whining because you are single, let those stats set in.

But I digress.

Let’s talk about my Galentine’s Day which was a good time times three. I started the night by attending a hospitality party at Galatoire’s Restaurant’s new private event space on Royal Street directly across from the Hotel Monteleone in the old Hurwitz Mintz building. It was a sneak peek at this venue that will be open by April of this year. The event space boasts a second floor private area that has both a balcony and a courtyard as well as a tasting kitchen for smaller private events and classes. The staff from this esteemed eatery showed guests an excellent time with lots of good bites and a full bar. There was also a glitter and eyelash station for guests to get sparkly for the night.

Next, my friend Eric and I hopped over to the home of Matt Dow for the Armeinius King’s Party.

Current King Barrett Delong-Church honored incoming King Kevin Hemenger with this time-honored krewe tradition. Past kings (and queens) along with krewe

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 43

members and supporters were all in attendance for this intimate night. As a krewe member of Armeinius, I commend Barrett for being a wonderful king and look forward to Kevin’s reign.

My final stop of the night was the late-night seating for Broussard’s Drag Dinner. I am excited they are doing drag dinners now. I love brunches, but there’s something about doing dinner & drag that just scream “Party night out!” The food was superior as was the service and the bottomless champagne. The queens performing that evening were Coca Mesa, Moanalot Fontaine, Sable Nicole Starr and Gia Giavanni. These ladies brought the energy, they had the guests on their feet and dancing with every number, and it was non-stop entertainment with no lulls like some shows have. Congrats to Broussard’s on their first drag dinner and look forward to many more

to come.

Valentine’s Day was just as raucous as the night before starting with me returning back to Broussard’s for the Krewe of Starz luncheon. This krewe is comprised of a very diverse group of people and keeps getting larger every year. Started by the incomparable Bonnie Bayer, the afternoon begins with lunch with free-flowing wine and champagne and then the group second-lines to Pier 424 for an afternoon on the balcony throwing beads and watching the Krewe of Cork pass.

Guests dress up every year as their favorite celebrity or historical figure.

This year was pretty awesome.

We had the cast of Schitt’s Creek, the Different Stages of Madonna and famous widows like Jackie O, Courtney Love, Yoko Ono and Madame Clicquot, known as the “Grande Dame of Champagne”. I love a person who

does their research on a character; she was a French businesswoman who took on her husband’s wine business when widowed at 27. Needless to say she won the prize for most original costume. I dressed as King Neptune for the occasion while Matt Dow was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Beaux Church was Cyndi Lauper. After lunch, throwing beads and the parade, we were all exhausted, drunk and hungry, so we stumbled to Betty’s Bar for dinner. I am happy to report that their fried mac’n’cheese is still as wonderful now as it was before. Hallelujah!

I ended my two weeks with more parades. This time I went Uptown and caught the Krewe of Carrollton and Krewe of King Arthur. I have to say, I think Carrollton improved this year over last and I loved their take on the shoes by throwing decorated shrimp boots.

But my favorite parade Uptown is

King Arthur. Not only is this one of the most diverse krewes rolling, but I know so many people in it, I always leave very happy! Founded in 1977 on the West Bank, the co-ed Krewe of King Arthur has 1,600+ members and 30+ floats; they are the largest parade on the first weekend of Carnival and the 7th largest Mardi Gras parade overall.

The krewe tosses signature hand-decorated grails, and is open to people from all walks of life. Hats off to King Arthur and all its members for a fabulous parade. As a spectator, we appreciate all your efforts to make our afternoon so entertaining and making all of us feel like royalty.

That ends my two weeks of nonstop action. I hope everyone had a safe and over-the-top Mardi Gras. Remember to keep calm and catch beads!

BUSINESS FINANCIAL & BUSINESS Are You and Your Spouse on The Same Page About Retirement?

Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com If you are like a lot of homeowners, you occasionally check real estate websites for a sense of the current value of your home. But you may be wondering, how accurate are the estimates? Even as you evaluate your home’s value online, there are a few elements to keep in mind.

The housing market in the U.S has generally seen prices move higher over time. But prices do drop periodically. Local factors can also have a major impact on the value of your home.

Areas enjoying a strong economy tend to see higher demand for housing, pushing prices up. A location that suffers an economic setback, like a major employer closing down, may see its housing market suffer.

The housing market today compared to historical trends The state of housing today is mixed. In certain markets, particularly in select urban areas, home prices have skyrocketed. This has given existing homeowners a more valuable asset.

Yet the median sales price of a

home today across the U.S. is below its record levels. According to data published by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, the median price of a home sold in the United States was $320,000 (as of the second quarter of 2019). That’s about five percent below the record set near the end of 2017, which was $336,000.

The misperception that home prices always rise was shattered during the Great Recession. Between 2007 and 2009, the median home price across the country fell by 19%. It didn’t return to its peak level until 2013. Of course, prices varied in different markets. Values in your own community may have been higher or lower.

Over longer periods of time, home prices have risen. Twenty years ago, the median home sales price in the U.S. was less than $160,000, about half of the average value today.

Interest rates can impact markets Mortgage rates can influence demand for houses. In recent years, we’ve enjoyed an extended period of

favorable mortgage rates. As of June 2019, the average mortgage rate on a 30-year home mortgage was less than 4%. This is not far from the lowest levels reached in recent years. But these are abnormally low financing rates based on history. Even in the depths of the Great Recession in 2008, average 30-year mortgage rates were in the 5-6% range.

The market was entirely different in the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, when 30-year mortgage rates rose to as high as 18%. When rates are that high, financing costs make up a larger portion of a monthly home mortgage payment. Home prices may have to be adjusted lower to keep buyers in the market as rates rise.

How your home will impact your retirement Regardless of market conditions, your home will likely remain one of your most valuable assets. Be prepared for the fact that values can fluctuate based on economic conditions and factors such as the direction of interest rates.

Also be cautious about how the value of your home is incorporated into

your retirement plan. Throughout retirement, you will need a place to live, and there will be costs associated with that. Be realistic in your expectations about the extent to which your house may contribute to your retirement income strategy. Even if you sell your home, you may need to use some or all of the proceeds to buy your next home.

Or alternatively, you may need to tap funds from the sale to help cover rental costs or expenses related to specialized care needs, if required.

1 Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS 2 Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US 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.

44 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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 Available March: 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 BLK Vets/Bonnebel. Newly Restored.

2 Min I-10. 10 Min Airport. Off street parking 6 vehicles, new appliances, 3 covered decks great for entertaining. $1,975/mo. Call “Chick” (504) 3303477

BARS & CLUBS

Betty’s Bar & Bistro, 700 Burgundy St, Bar: (504) 354-1376 Kitchen: (504) 354-1222 Bourbon Pub/Parade, 801 Bourbon St, (504) 529-2107, bourbonpub.com Café Lafitte in Exile, 901 Bourbon St,

(504) 522-8397, www.lafittes.com

(504) 875-4976

St. Claude Ave

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

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

Cutter’s Bar, 706 Franklin Ave, (504) 948-4200

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

Crossing NOLA, 439 Dauphine St, (504) 523-4517 Four Seasons & Patio Stage Bar, 3229 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 8320659

Phillips Bar, 733 phillipsbar.com

Cherokee

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, Bourbon St, (504) 593-9761

St, 941

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 The Page Bar, 542 N Rampart St,

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

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 Martin Lawrence Galleries, 433 Royal St, (504) 299-9055, martinlawrence. com, Royal Street is the French Quarter’s crown jewel in terms of elegance, decorum and culture, which makes it the perfect location for our

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 45

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory flagship New Orleans art gallery.

The Chamber is a network of LGBT and ally business owners, corporate partners, and community leaders that support business development and equality.

Mission To promote an inclusive business environment by connecting LGBT-owned/operated and allied businesses in the Gulf South.

GROCERIES

Matassa’s Market, 1001 Dauphine St, (504) 412-8700, https://www. matassas.com

Krewe of Petronius, PO Box 1102, kreweofpetronius.net

GUIDES

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

HARDWARE

Respect Diversity Inclusivity

Equality Knowledge Community

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

The Mystic Krewe of Amon-Ra, PO Box 57783, kreweofamonra.com Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, P. O. Box 770973, www.mkaneworleans. com Krewe of Armeinius, 433 N. Broad St, armeinius.org 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 Mystic Krewe of Lords of Leater, 1000 Bourbon Street #B415, lordsofleather.org Renegade Bears of Louisiana, PO Box 3083, renegadebearsoflouisiana@ gmail.com Crescent City Leathermen, 941 Elysian Fields Ave, crescentcityleathermen.org NOAGE, noagenola.org The Krewe of King kreweofkingarthur.com

Arthur,

HEALTHCARE

New Orleans Gay Men’s Chorus, www.nogmc.com

Odyssey House, 1125 North Tonti Street, ohlinc.org

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

Access Health Louisiana, 3300 South Broad Street, 234 Loyola Ave. Ste 300B, accesshealthla.org

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

UMC - HIV Outpatient Program, 2000 Canal Street, 4th Floor, 4C Clinic, (504) 702-4344, umcno.org/ infectiousdisease

Friday Night Before Mardi Gras, fridaynightbeforemardigras.com

CrescentCare, 1631 Elysian FIelds Ave, (504) 821-2601, crescentcare. org

MUSEUMS

gslgbtchamber.org

Rougaroux,

Robert’s Fresh Market, 2222 St. Claude Ave, (504) 207-0162, robertfreshmarket.com

Two Guys Cutting Hair, 2372 St Claude Ave #125, 215.519.5030, (504) 239-2397

Values

Crescent City rougarouxrugby.org

Stonewall Sports, facebook.com/ groups/stonewallneworleans

Official Southern Decadence Guide, southerndecadence.com

A society where individuals and businesses have equal rights, equal representation, and equal opportunities.

NOLA Softball League, nolasoftball. org

Quartermaster Deli, 1100 Bourbon St, www.quartermasterdeli.net

Official Pride Guide, neworleanspridefestival.com

Vision

565-8860, latransadvocates.org

Mardi Gras Museum, 813 Bienville St, (504) 523-5433

ORGANIZATIONS

Louisiana Trans Advocates, (877)

Krewe of Queenateenas/ King Cake Queen Royalty Club, gaymardigras. com P-Flag New Orleans, (504) 617-5987, alberto.oliver@cox.com Mystic Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, mkaneworleans.com

PHARMACY

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

46 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory mumfreyspharmacy.com Avita Pharmacy, 2601 Tulane Ave Ste 445, (504) 822-8013 Access Health Louisiana Pharmacy, 843 Milling Avenue, Luling, (985) 7855826 *Free Home Delivery Available*

PHOTOGRAPHY

G Douglas Photography, LLC, Wedding and Portriat Photography, By Appointment Only, gdouglasadamsphotography.com Craig Fremin Photography, By Appointment Only, craigfremin.com Graham/ Studio One, By Appointment Only, grahamstudioone.com Parker Studios, By Appointment Only, halle.parker15@outlook.com

REAL ESTATE

Steve Richards Properties Latter & Blum, 712 Orleans Ave, (504) 2581800 Michael Styles Realtor, Engel & Volkers, (504) 777-1773, nolastyles. com, Michael specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and real estate investors find the perfect New Orleans properties.

RELIGION

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

801 Royal, 801 Royal Street, (504) 581-0801, 801royal.com Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard,

eatnola.com

St, (504) 872-0360, whodatcoffee. com

Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe, 1241 Decatur St, (504) 524-3689, cafeenvie.com

Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 9207 W. St. Bernard Hwy, (504) 354-8452

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

Mr. Binky’s Boutique, 107 Chartres St, (504) 302-2095

Lousiana Pizza Kitchen, 615 S. Carrollton Ave, (504) 237-0050, louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com

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

Mona Lisa, 1212 Royal St, (504) 5226746, monalisaneworleans.com,

Cafe Sbisa, 1011 Decatur Street, (504) 522-5565, cafesbisanola.com

NOLA Poboys, 908 Bourbon, (504) 655-3312, nolapoboys.com

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop , 2309 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 835-2022, gumbostop.com

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

Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St, (504) 598-1010, www.clovergrill.com

Royal House Oyster Bar, 441 Royal Street, royalhouserestaurant.com

Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa Street, (504) 945-0742, thecountryclubnreorleans.com

Santa Fe Restaurant, 3201 Esplanade, (504) 948-0077, santafenola.com

Cru, 535 Franklin Ave, (504) 446-0040, crunola.com

The Bombay Club, 830 Rue Conti, (504) 577-2237, bombayclubneworleans. com

Dat Dog on Frenchmen, 601 Frenchmen St, (504) 309-3362, datdog.com

The Ruby Slipper Café, 2001 Burgundy St, (504) 525-9355, therubyslippercafe.net

EAT, 900 Dumaine St, (504) 522-7222,

Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 2401 Burgundy

RETAIL

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

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 47

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory A&B Errand Services, (504) 3197227, aandberrandservices.com

South Ste 225, (713) 592-0211, avitapharmacy.com

Brirmingham, (205) 703-9778, chapelbarinfo@gmail.com

Flambeaux CrossFit, 505 N Causeway Blvd, Metairie, flambeauxcrossfit.com

SOUTH LOUISIANA

Club 322, 322 N Lawrence Street, Montgomery, club322.business.site

Splash, 2183 Highland Rd, Baton Rouge, (225) 242-949, splashbr.com

Icon, 516 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa

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

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

BARS & CLUBS

The Park Pub & Bar, 4619 Benningotn Ave, Baton Rouge, Facebook @ theparkbr Bolt, 114 McKinley St, Lafayette, (337) 534-4913, facebook.com/boltlaffy Crystals, 112 W. Broad St, Lake Charles, (337) 433-5457

CIRCUIT / EVENT

CAMPING

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Sexacola, May 23, Pensacola, FL, sexacolabeach.com

TBA,

Eagle Houston, 611 Hyde Park Blvd, (713) 523-2473, houstoneagle.com

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

The Spectrum Center, 210 S 25th Ave, Hattiesburg, (601) 909-5338

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

Krewe of Apollo de Baton Rouge, apollobatonrouge.com

Ripcord, 715 Fairview St, (713) 5212792, theripcord.com

Krewe of Apollo kreweofapollo.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

ORGANIZATIONS de

Lafayette,

PHARMACY

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

NORTHERN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI & ALABAMA BARS & CLUBS

Houston Pride, June 22, pridehouston. org

Club Pink, 1914 Roselawn Avenue, Monroe, myclubpink.com

The Woodlands Pride, September, thewoodlandstxpride.wordpress.com

Central Station, 1025 Marshall St, Shreveport, (318) 222-2216

QFEST, Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, q-fest.com

The Korner Lounge, 800 Louisiana Ave, Shreveport, thekornerlounge. 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

BAR 3911, 3911 Northview Drive, Jackson, (601) 586-1468, Open: Thurs & Fri 8PM–2AM, Sat 8PM–4AM 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

CIRCUIT / EVENT

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

Acadiana Pride, acadianapride.org

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

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

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

JR’s, 808 Pacific Street, (713) 5212519, jrsbarandgrill.com

HEALTHCARE

Just Us Lounge, 906 Division Street, Biloxi, (228) 374-1007

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

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

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

Rumors Biloxi, 3540 Bienville Blvd, Biloxi, (228) 875-4131

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

Baton Rouge Pride, June 15, brpride. org

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

Cabaret, 101 S Jefferson Street E, Pensacola, (850) 607-2020

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

Rich’s, 2401 San Jacinto Street, www. facebook.com/richshouston

Date

Street, Pensacola, (850) 433-8482

ORGANIZATIONS

Krewe of Apollo mkabirmingham.com

Birminham,

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

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 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

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SOCIAL SALES Nine and a Half Things You Can Promote After Mardi Gras Charles Pizzo pizzocharles@gmail.com

Mardi Gras brings big crowds and lots of revenue to most businesses in New Orleans, especially those in the hospitality, entertainment, and lodging industries. But after Fat Tuesday, business can drop by fifty percent or more.

Even locals take a break in the lull till St. Patrick’s Day, French Quarter Fest, and Easter. They’re spent, literally. Many businesses will surge again during the Jazz and Heritage Festival in late April, but more than likely, you need to keep your cash flow positive until then.

There’s an old axiom in the advertising business: the best time to promote is when sales are down. People usually cut budgets when business is off. In reality, that’s the time to promote the heck out of whatever you’re selling.

If you don’t, you could go under unless you have adequate reserves.

Here are several obvious, and some not so obvious, things to promote: #1 Customers Thank your customers for their support during Mardi Gras. Acknowledge your regulars. People love to be in the spotlight. If you’re selling a service, feature someone and tell how the service benefitted them. There will be customers who are private, but in my experience, there are many more who welcome the exposure. #2 Your Team

Employee recognition is a wellknown motivator. Your team has a vested interest in the business’ success —after all, it’s their livelihood too.

Social media is a good way to promote your entire staff with photos and short captions — about their expertise or something about them personally that people don’t know but would find endearing. Do they excel at a sport, know the lyrics to every show tune, or create art? #3 History If your business is in the French Quarter, the history of that building is available. The Historic New Orleans Collection keeps records on most every address. Are there any stories about the property? I’ve been amazed at the growth of the ghost tour industry, a product of research and storytelling.

This sales powerhouse, now common, barely existed before Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire. #4 Architecture Is there an architectural feature worth highlighting? Every time I get complacent, a visitor expresses amazement over the wrought iron balconies, gas lamps, and high ceilings found in our area. Narrow passageways, courtyards, and spiral staircases all make for beautiful Instagram photos. #5 Underperforming Products Many years ago, a business told me they had one dish that was ter-

rific but nobody bought it. They also said they never promoted it because it wasn’t popular. Don’t fall into that trap. Promote what you know is good and help people find it. In this case, the restaurant started running the dish on its social media on a regular basis.

Over time, as the public caught on, it became a top seller. Repetition is key. #6 Dead Stock With the exception of funeral homes, try to move whatever has not been moving. Every business has bought something that they thought would be a hot seller, but for whatever reason, did not catch on. Dust it off and feature it, perhaps at a discount. Remember, a percentage of the money is better than nothing. #7 Vertical Inventory Round up your products and services into categories. A restaurant can sell a week of shrimp dishes, a bar, vodka. A service business such as a salon can focus on add-ons such as nails, make-up, and color. It really doesn’t matter... the idea is to bundle what you sell in clever ways that present it in a fresh light. #8 Classes Introductory classes that are informational and obligation-free have always been a good way to attract new customers to take a look. No, everyone won’t buy everything. But if you convert a few in the off season, you’ll make a

customer who can add to your margins year round (or whenever they visit). #9 Your causes, charities, and environmental practices Millennials often judge businesses by the company they keep — whether it’s the local health project or a community charity. Shine a light on those associations, and tell people how they can get involved to support it. If your business is green, explain that. Talk is cheap; action speaks volumes. #91⁄2 Yourself Most of us wouldn’t dream of promoting ourselves, but it’s a good strategy. Your loyal customers know and appreciate you, so take a bow. Thank the community for X years of business or whatever feels right. Remember, your business success is based on your talent, service, and ingenuity. You are the star.

Put away the purple and yellow decorations after Mardi Gras, but keep the green year round.

Charles Pizzo is an award-winning PR person who offers creative solutions to help businesses reach their audience more effectively. He is a former chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Need help? Contact the author.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About at Betty’s AT BETTY’S | PHOTOS BY PAULY CAJUN

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SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with the Krewe of Stars AT THE KREWE OF STARS | PHOTOS BY MARSHAL HARRIS

Our legacy is yours.

New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) provides services and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults in the New orleans metro area.

We host regular social events for LGBT older adults and their allies, and we provide cultural competency trainings for healthcare and other service providers.

To learn more, visit www.noagenola.org, or call (504) 517-2345 50 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

COMICS, PUZZLES & HOROSCOPES WORD SEARCH L

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

PUZZLE WORD BANK

ROSE ZINNIA ASTER DAISY INDIGO SAGE VIOLET LILY AZALEA FLEUR HOLLY KUNAL IVY LEILANI POPPY JASMINE CEDAR BASIL

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Email us at info@ambushpublishing.com with ideas, suggestions, feedback, etc. on content for the comic/ puzzle section.

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HOROSCOPES

Messages from the Oracle in New Orleans Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans dan@innermakeup.net Once upon a time, humans engaged with the possibilities of the future through omens, prophecies, and oracles. The art of astrology evolved out of these practices and now emphasizes your moment of birth, the celestial reflection of who you are. This combination of your birth chart and the usage of that document to divine the past, present, and future is here for your taking.

Astrology offers the LGBTQ community a chance to reclaim a space lost to modern science and religion. Ancient pagan cultures venerated divination and celebrated what we now recognize as modern gay elements. These horoscopes are for your entertainment, so let’s start the party that will take us to the stars!

What is a sacrifice? This word combines sacra, “sacred things”, and facere, “to do or perform”. A ritual sacrifice provides the opportunity to connect with the divine and requires giving up something to gain something. Mardi Gras, of course, means Fat Tuesday and derives from the custom of using all the fats in one’s home before Lent.

The Carnival Season modulates from simple rituals like emptying the home into full, decadent ecstasies. Mardi Gras offers the chance to convene with the divine and empty oneself.

Since we live in a consumerist culture that creates an unprecedented amount of material goods, cleaning out the fat of the house becomes unimportant as we are less bound by the cycles of nature. We’ve largely abandoned the spiritual ritual as it relates to Mardi Gras. If this desertion of sacrifice is not understood, we fall prey to it. In other words, if you don’t understand what is spiritually occurring when you empty yourself through decadence and celebration, you will be a victim to your own vices.

New Orleans is the American city

which most triumphantly convenes with the Gods. But its people have largely forgotten them. To remedy this, take a moment to ponder the characters of the myths. Take for example Endymion, the shepherd and astronomer who loved the moon and observed her movements. Argus, the giant with a hundred eyes whom Hermes evaded and slayed, and so on. Consider these Gods, if only for a moment, and have these primal stories surface through your soul. Then, you will have made your sacrifice.

ARIES

stantial karmic gains for when the summer hits.

CANCER

June 21 - July 22 You’ve been focusing on yourself for the past year. That will change come the summer. At that point the emphasis will be much more on spirituality. Spirituality is a process of letting things go so you can dissolve and begin anew.

Letting things go and opening up to the universe is almost always the preferred path.

LEO

March 21 - April 19 For the week of Mardi Gras, you find yourself fighting to achieve harmony within. This internal struggle is a mismatch of energy, harmony and discord. But order and chaos are always cyclical, and you do best to accept this dance of tension and resolution. If you don’t, you will surely be left with disharmony.

July 23 - August 22 The next several weeks see subconscious, psychological issues coming to the fore. These emotions are confusing but must be dealt with. You do best to keep your response to these emotions structured within your daily practice. In other words, allow time for these feelings to emerge while having the discipline to allow the space for them to be honored.

TAURUS

VIRGO

April 20 - May 20 You’re experiencing tension with what you believe. These are beliefs of a spiritual nature. This will require some juggling and irritability to work these things out. Some of the structures you’ve held onto are crumbling, but others are holding strong. Understand that these losses reward you in the coming months with spiritual gains.

August 23 - September 22 Now is a good time to clarify all things related to relationships and partnerships. If this is a romantic partnership, past issues are reviewed. There are some losses here, but the structures that are strong will hold. Structures need to be challenged and transformed or they will crumble.

GEMINI

September 23 - October 22 Now is the time to act on matters relating to the home. You have a window from the end of February through March. A physical drive to act on these issues emerges. Put this energy to good use, and make the necessary changes.

May 21 - June 20 The thinking around your career is very hazy right now. There are some people who are deceiving you. In the coming months, you do best to shield yourself from these attacks. Through this process, you begin making sub-

LIBRA

SCORPIO

October 23 - November 21 You are in a powerful position to deal with your siblings through March.

You are so powerful that you may turn to unnecessary force. There is a real window here to make some structural change with your kin. However, use force only when necessary.

SAGITTARIUS

require some juggling, but when you use your visceral drive relating to these issues, you make powerful change.

CAPRICORN

December 22 - January 19 The material and even physical losses that have been occurring over the last year and a couple of months come to an end by the summer. This has given you spiritual gains, though.

Through the beginning of April, act on what you have learned. The lessons you have been given should not be abstract, philosophical musings but made into concrete plans.

AQUARIUS

January 20 - February 18 You have good fortune over the next couple of weeks. This happens in the area of your spirit and health. Enjoy this because by the beginning of spring, you get a glimpse into the future that will herald a new era for you in the years to come. Enjoy it.

PISCES

February 19 - March 20 Known for being a spiritual sign, you have good fortune when you go on your own individual, unique path.

This requires finding your own way and even bringing the insights of your journey to the group. Finding your way is truly about finding your and not letting the drumbeat of the collective tell you otherwise.

Astrology was originally understood as omens, prophecies, and oracles. Whenever you go to a psychic, tarot reader, or astrologer like me, you’re engaging with the possibilities of the future. Modern astrology, however, is also the alignment of the heavens at your moment of birth that serves as the signature of your personality. This combination of your star chart and sun sign—Aries, Taurus, etc.—and the usage of that tool to divine the future is here for your taking.

Thanks for reading. I’m Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans. Contact me for readings, parties, events, corporate trainings and more at dan@innermakeup.net or by calling 504-3138706. Visit http://www.innermakeup. net.

November 22 - December 21 This is a great time to act on a matter related to finance. This relates to your money that is tied up institutionally. What is working, what is not, and what needs to change? This will 52 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SPORTS Brees return to Saints welcomed, appropriate Ken Trahan, Crescent City Sports The deed is done. It is no surprise.

It is welcome.

Drew Brees will return for at least another season to play his 20th season in the NFL and his 15th with the New Orleans Saints.

It has been amazing to watch Brees and to appreciate his brilliance.

Almost as amazing is to listen to and read some of the criticism of Brees on some fronts over the past few months. It is as though observers have short-term memories or have simply ignored what has transpired.

Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees leads all NFL quarterbacks in touchdowns and 300-yard passing games. Brees also holds league records for career pass completions (6,867), career completion percentage (67.6%), career passing yards (77,416) and career touchdown passes (547).

He holds the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (54) and is tied for the most touchdown passes in a game (7).

Brees has led the NFL in passing yards seven times and topped the league in completions in six seasons.

Brees has led the league in average yards passing per game six times and in completion percentage five times and led the NFL in touchdown passes a record-tying four times. Brees has topped the NFL in Quarterback Rating twice. He has made the Pro Bowl 13 times.

Brees led the Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV championship, earning Most Valuable Player honors in a brilliant performance in a 31-17 win over Indianapolis.

Brees also set the NFL record for completion percentage in a game, going an amazing 29-of-30 (96.7%) while throwing for 307 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-7 victory over Indianapolis at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

For scoffers, the issues are obvious.

Brees is 41. Brees has lost his fastball. Brees is declining. The Saints have not gotten to the Super Bowl with a good team in each of the last three years. Brees costs a ton of money which hurts the salary cap.

All of those are issues worthy of consideration.

Brees is aging but he is aging gracefully and quite well. He is still incredibly sharp, one of the two smartest quarterbacks in the league (see Tom Brady) and he remains deadly accurate.

As for his fastball, he never really had one.

What he has lost a bit is his ability

to drive the ball down the field, particularly the deep ball but his timing throws can make up for much of that.

Additionally, the Saints have lacked a real deep threat, outside of Ted Ginn Jr., anyway. Ginn is in decline as well and not nearly the threat he once was in his prime.

The Saints falling short of the Super Bowl is true. How much of that is on Brees?

The Minnesota Miracle had nothing to do with Brees, who rallied the Saints from way down to take the lead late in a game they should have won.

The Nola No-Call had nothing to do with Brees against the Los Angeles Rams. The interception in overtime came when a block was missed, Brees was hit and the ball popped up in the air and was picked off. That was certainly not the fault of Brees.

The Vikings game this past season saw Brees put up acceptable numbers but he did not play well enough. Of course, his receivers were complicit in that but most of all, the offensive line getting whipped was a bigger part of the failure to advance.

As for the cost of Brees, that is to be determined. Elite players deserve to be paid at elite levels. It is the job of Mickey Loomis to manage the salary structure of his team.

Then, there is this.

The three highest completion percentage seasons in Brees’ career have come in his last three seasons, at the ages of 38, 39 and 40. He turned 41 last month.

Despite missing five games last season and playing with a thumb injury which had to impact his throwing ability and velocity, Brees guided the Saints to an 8-3 record, completed 74.3 percent of his passes and threw 27 touchdown passes with just four interceptions.

His Quarterback Rating of 116.3 was superb, second in the league behind Ryan Tannehill (117.5).

Simply put, he is still an elite NFL quarterback and playing at a high level.

Surely, his skills will diminish, at some point, but we have not seen that yet, not to any measurable dynamic.

Brees is universally respected by his teammates and is joined at the hip with Sean Payton and Pete Carmichael. Brees is an extension of those coaches on the field, essentially another coach on the field. No one, other than Brady, can manipulate a defense more at the line-of-scrimmage with his eyes and with his changing of plays.

It will be sad to see Teddy Bridgewater depart.

Bridgewater was widely popu-

lar and earned the love and respect he received by doing an excellent job when Brees went down. Bridgewater overcame a horrific knee injury in 2016 which nearly ended his career. He worked his tail off to return.

Bridgewater guided the Saints to a 5-0 record while completing 67.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdown passes and just to interceptions. His Quarterback Rating was 99.1, quite good.

Bridgewater is 27 and deserves a chance to start.

As reported by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he will have multiple suitors who are willing to pony up and pay him handsomely at a price the New Orleans Saints cannot afford for a reserve quarterback.

Timing is everything.

This was simply not Teddy’s time in New Orleans, not with a Hall of Fame quarterback, truly one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, still in the fold, wanting to play and still playing quite well.

Here is wishing Bridgewater not just the best but the very best for an

outstanding career.

As for Taysom Hill, I believe the national reports that the Saints and Payton are enamored of his ability as a quarterback. I believe the reports which state that Hill will play a larger role and get more snaps at quarterback in 2020.

With Brees in the fold, there is the comfort level of utilizing Hill in more of those “specialty” situations at quarterback, giving him more experience and giving his coaching staff a larger sample size to analyze whether Hill can be the man in 2021 or 2022 for the Saints.

Yes, Hill is 30. Yes, he has only completed 6-of-13 passes for 119 yards with an interception in a very small audition as an NFL quarterback.

Yes, questions remain about his decision making and accuracy.

Still, with the amazing athletic ability and good arm, Hill is intriguing.

With the trend of the league going toward mobile quarterbacks who can extend plays and make first downs and score touchdowns with their legs as well as their arms, it makes sense.

The safety net is obvious.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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Comprehensive “Crescent City Sport” exhibition doesn’t pull any punches Les East, Crescent City Sports Pictured during the 1956 Sugar Bowl, Pitt’s Bobby Grier (#38) was the first black football player to play in a bowl game in the South.

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Saints have been around for more than 50 years.

The Sugar Bowl has been around for nearly 90 years.

Super Bowls, Finals Fours and other championship events have been coming to New Orleans for decades.

But all of that is just a small part of the history of sports in New Orleans, which is the subject of “Crescent City Sport: Stories of Courage and Change,” an exhibit running at the Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal Street through March 8.

The exhibit “draws from more than a dozen institutional and private collections” as it tells 20 stories, “each one an indelible thread in the social fabric of New Orleans.”

The stories don’t just recount facts, but when appropriate they place events in the larger context of New Orleans’ evolution, both as a sports city and as a unique community.

The exhibit examines the roles of sport in the economic and societal development of New Orleans, particularly in the wake of watershed events such as the Civil War, the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina.

It takes a no-holds-barred look at

New Orleans’ challenging evolution through discrimination to become one of the most popular destinations for championship sporting events as well as the home of significant teams and events.

The exhibit begins with a display of rowing, a sport not generally associated with New Orleans, but one that was significant in the city’s formative years as a sports town.

It wasn’t long after the Civil War that New Orleans became a popular destination for oarsmen, hosting national regattas in 1875, 1880 and 1885.

The competitions’ value in the post-Civil War healing was noted at a regatta awards ceremony when Louisiana Speaker of the House R.N. Ogden called the events “contests of manly skill, and prowess, embittered by no sectional prejudice, inflamed by no political animosity, contests of brotherly love, where the best man wins.”

But the exhibit demonstrates right away that it won’t shy away from less pleasant aspects of the stories by including another excerpt from the same speech. Ogden “noted that the athletes’ ‘sinewy forms and muscular physiques speak of the hardy race whose sons they are,’ a not-so-veiled nod to the white supremacist attitudes of the time.”

Just a few years before that, in 1876, a group of “British nationals in-

volved in the local cotton trade” brought the fledgling sport of lawn tennis to New Orleans and formed the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club, “considered the first and oldest tennis club in the U.S.” In less than a decade “the club began allowing white women to play on its courts – but only at specified times, usually in the morning, and with explicit instructions not to wear high-heeled shoes,” the exhibit explains. “By 1890 white women were admitted as members to the club.”

But again the exhibit places the historical development in context.

The lawn tennis display features a photo from circa 1898 that includes one black person, who “may be John William Wright, who was ‘taken in’ by the club leadership as a boy to care for the club grounds at South Saratoga and Marengo Streets.

“Granted proximity but not equality, he and other people of color would be denied club membership – and the social benefits such status conveyed – for another century.”

That photo represents the slow development of equality even though sports have often been ahead of society at large in fostering healthy race relations.

The Sugar Bowl was the centerpiece of an annual “Carnival of Sports” established by the New Orleans Mid-Winter Sports Association, which

was formed to find “innovative ways” to stimulate the local economy in the wake of the Great Depression.

The Sugar Bowl wasn’t integrated until its 25th edition when Pitt’s Bobby Grier became the first African-American to play in the game in 1956.

Georgia Governor Marvin Griffin, “appealing to segregationist voters in his state, protested Grier’s participation,” but Grier’s teammates rallied around him and said they wouldn’t play without him. The game went on as scheduled and Georgia Tech prevailed 7-0.

“His participation challenged the social conventions that empowered Jim Crow,” according to the exhibit, “but segregationist forces only hardened their stance, pushing through the Louisiana state legislature laws that placed tighter restrictions on integrated competition.”

Grier was the last African-American to play in the Sugar Bowl until after the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

here, Bridgewater would remain. That is almost a no-brainer but it also a no-brainer that you bring Brees back.

Hill, in the eyes of those running the show, has a chance to be an elite play-maker, drawing comparisons to the likes of league MVP’s Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, along with others like Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray and Josh Allen, all dual threat quarterbacks.

Brees stated in his Instagram post that was returning that “the reward at the end will be worth it.”

That is the final reason that the re-

turn of Brees is both right and good.

If the New Orleans Saints were a below average team, Brees likely would have retired, having stated that he would not play for another NFL team.

If the New Orleans Saints were an average, mediocre team, Brees may have retired.

The New Orleans Saints are none of the above.

They remain a top-shelf NFL team, a true contender, likely only behind the 49ers in the NFC in terms of favorites for Super Bowl LV in Tampa on Feb.

7, 2021.

Playing at a high level, playing for a true contender, playing for coaching staff at a total comfort level, playing with the likes of Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Jared Cook, Ryan Ramczyk and Terron Armstead is appealing, too appealing to walk away.

Now, Loomis, Jeff Ireland and Payton have to find another legitimate weapon for Brees and to improve its defense a tad to give the Saints to get over the top. We have seen how Brady looks without weapons at the age of 42 and it was not a pretty picture with a Quarterback Rating of 88.0.

With Brees playing the way he has played, the Saints can make another Super Bowl.

It can happen, thanks to the presence of No. 9 in black and gold.

Welcome back, Drew! It is great to have an opportunity to see you continue to do what you do so well. Now, it is time to put the cherry on top of the whipped cream of an incredibly sweet career. It would have been nuts not to want him back.

If you do not like what you see of Hill as a quarterback, you invest in one at the top of the draft, either in 2021 or 2022, if not sooner.

Yes, it is a calculated gamble.

Bridgewater is a good game manager, a solid player who is accurate enough. He has been a starting quarterback for a playoff team in Minnesota and helped the Saints make the playoffs a year ago. He can start and succeed in this league.

If Brees was retiring or was not

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Continue Reading: https:// crescentcitysports.com/comprehensive-crescent-city-sport-exhibition-doesnt-pull-any-punches/ This article was originally published

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

This article was originally published

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

54 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · February 25 – March 9, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com