5 DRINKS WITH:
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David F Lauderdale THE CELEBRATED JOURNALIST REPRESENTS HIS (SORT OF) IRISH ROOTS AS GRAND MARSHAL FOR THIS YEAR’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
HE’S DRINKING: PALMETTO BREWING CO. HUGER STREET IPA (WHICH DAVID POINTS OUT IS TRADITIONALLY PRONOUNCED “YOU-JEE”) I’M DRINKING: GUINNESS, BECAUSE IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Article by Barry Kaufman Photography by M.Kat
or decades, David Lauderdale has written the first draft of Hilton Head Island’s history. His columns have defined our culture, celebrated our people and served as our collective conscience, making us laugh and cry through their gentle humor and Southern charm. I sat down with him at Reilley’s, where just days earlier he’d been named grand marshal for the Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade, to talk about the parade, his semi-Irish roots and his thoughts on the island’s past and present. Barry Kaufman: Cheers, for starters. Being grand marshal, what does that get you? Are you in charge for the day? David Lauderdale: Fortunately, I’m not in charge of anything except being there. I’ll be riding in a car and the first thing I asked them was, “You’re going to provide the car, aren’t you?” I don’t think they want a 14-year-old Toyota Camry in their parade. And I’ve been looking for green stuff to wear. BK: You didn’t already have that? DL: No, and I’ve been surprised. There’s not much green stuff out there. BK: There’s not much that isn’t overtly kitschy. DL: Which doesn’t matter. I think we can be pretty kitschy. I have a green sports coat I had to order from the Internet. But subsequently I saw a pretty crazy one at Stein Mart that would have done the trick. I just didn’t shop around enough. I talked to last year’s grand marshal Emory Campbell, or Emory O’Campbell. He said he had to do the same thing; he had to order something. I said, “Emory, I should have just borrowed yours.” Maybe there should be one green coat that gets passed down. BK: You’ve been honored several times by the community. But this seems like something a little above and beyond. DL: There’s something special about the parade. There’s something more special about a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. I think everyone can identify with it and everyone identifies it as a
fun time. There have been other honors; this one stands out. The other day when they gave the sash out and made the announcement, I told them I have finally done something that impresses my children. BK: Do you typically get to enjoy the parade or are you thinking, “What am I going to write about this?” DL: I have, but I still can’t get that out of my system. I’m sitting there taking pictures and videos and we’re uploading them on Facebook as they happen. The beauty of it is, my children put out on Facebook a picture of themselves standing on the side of Pope Avenue when they were nine or 10. They have these green Just Say No T-shirts that go all the way to the ground … and there are friends of ours from The Packet in the background. I think that contributes to my belief in the parade. This has nothing to do with me being the grand marshal, but I have always been tickled with the parade because it’s a place where everybody can go. And it’s free, it’s out in the open, there are no gates, no exclusivity. It’s come one come all. I think it’s wonderful. Hilton Head doesn’t have many things like that. BK: Do you think there’s been more of a push lately to build on that with more inclusive events and places to create more of a sense of community?
There’s something special about the parade. There’s something more special about a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. I think everyone can identify with it and everyone identifies it as a fun time. C2 MAGAZINE MAR. 2019
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