LEO Weekly April 14, 2021 by leoweekly

THE PANDEMIC PODCAST BOOM | PAGE 5

THE RETURN OF CONCERTS | PAGE 18

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

Tour

LOUISVILLE ECCENTRIC OBSERVER

Volume 31 | Number 18 Donate

Volunteer

974 BRECKENRIDGE LANE #170. LOUISVILLE KY 40207 PHONE (502) 895-9770 FAX (502) 895-9779

IO for exa wi wo go stic stic It w we ed Joh

ach spo

Tik are

som up bre

ON THE COVER Home of the

KEN-DUCKY DERBY We also offer: Bulk mailing and fulfillment services Residential and commercial cleaning services

COVER BY TALON HAMPTON

THE PANDEMIC PODCAST BOOM | PAGE 5

and

THE RETURN OF CONCERTS | PAGE 18

FOUNDER

John Yarmuth EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Aaron Yarmuth, ayarmuth@leoweekly.com PUBLISHER

Laura Snyder, lsnyder@redpinmedia.com OFFICE MANAGER

Elizabeth Knapp, eknapp@redpinmedia.com MANAGING EDITOR

Scott Recker, srecker@leoweekly.com

tuc Ke

CONTRIBUTORS

Robin Garr, Carolyn Brown, Michael Jones, Jermaine Fowler, Krystal Moore, David Williams, Dan Savage Writer Illustrations by Yoko Molotov ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Marsha Blacker, mblacker@leoweekly.com Julie Koening, jkoenig@redpinmedia.com Karen Pierce, kpierce @redpinmedia.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Megan Campbell Smith: distribution@leoweekly.com

A&E EDITOR

Erica Rucker, erucker@leoweekly.com STAFF WRITER

Danielle Grady, dgrady@leoweekly.com ART DIRECTOR

Talon Hampton, thampton@redpinmedia.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lane Levitch, lane@redpinmedia.com CONTRIBUTING VISUAL ARTS EDITOR

Jo Anne Triplett, jtriplettart@yahoo.com

FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT MARY MARTINEZ AT (502) 719-0072 EXT. 529 OR EMAIL MMARTINEZ@HHLOU.ORG

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

LEO Weekly is published weekly by LEO Weekly LLC. Copyright LEO Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Publisher. LEO Weekly is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express permission of LEO Weekly LLC. LEO Weekly may be distributed only by authorized independent contractors or authorized distributors. Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) is a trademark of LEO Weekly LLC.

VIEWS

EDITOR’S NOTE

IF WE DO OUR HOMEWORK, WE CAN HAVE A PIZZA PARTY By Aaron Yarmuth | leo@leoweekly.com I ONCE HAD a teacher who offered rewards for class achievements. I don’t recall the exact system, but it had something to do with doing extra credit or completing homework assignments on time. In any event, the goal was to accumulate stars or happy-face stickers. Once the class accumulated enough stickers, we got a pizza party. It was a big deal, too… While the other kids went through the cafeteria line, the decorated class partied in the class room with Papa John’s or Pizza Hut. It’s good to have goals — measurable, achievable goals — whether it’s in school, sports, the workplace: Reach your sales goal, receive a bonus. Get an “A” on a test, you can stay on TikTok for an extra hour… or whatever kids are into these days. Even today’s watches provide daily, sometimes hourly, measurable goals. Stand up, walk, move, read, exercise or simply breath for one minute. Governor Andy Beshear has set Kentucky’s goal: 2.5 million vaccinated Kentuckians. Then we get a pizza party. Once 2.5 million Kentuckians, ages 16 and older, have received at least their ﬁrst

LEO WEEKLY PROMOS

dose of a vaccine, nearly all emergency restrictions will be lifted on bars, restaurants, businesses and event venues. No more curfews, physical distancing barriers or capacity restrictions. The only remaining limits would be on event venues with over1,000 person capacity, and we’ll still need to wear the masks. If that isn’t good enough, we’re already about 60% of the way there, with about 1.5 million Kentuckians already having been fully or partially vaccinated. “This is what you’ve been waiting for,” Beshear said. “A clear number and a clear goal to hit.” The best news is that vaccine availability is picking up, too. Kentucky is now receiving 250,000 doses of vaccine per week, with more than 500 sites administering shots across the state. This now includes UofL Cardinal Stadium, which opened as a 28-lane drive-thru vaccination site Monday, capable of delivering 4,000 shots per day. “With the supply we currently have plus what we’re getting in each week, we could get there as quickly as three-and-ahalf weeks from now,” Beshear explained, Monday, before adding, that it was more likely to be four to six weeks.

Beshear even did the math for us! Now we just need people to show up. As was often the case in school, however, there was at least one smart-ass class clown who would ruin the pizza party for the rest of the class. (If the goal included getting homework in on time, honestly, that kid was often me.) Unfortunately, among the remaining 40% of people Kentucky needs vaccinated is a small percentage who will be the most difﬁcult to convince. They are the class clowns. They are the ones who don’t believe in homework and think the global pandemic is all a conspiracy, a “hoax.” They are the know-it-alls who claim wearing a mask is an infringement on their freedoms, and who equate vaccine passports with the Nazis forcing Jews to wear a yellow Star of David during the Holocaust. (Fact check: Vaccine passports are not a thing.) These are the kids who challenge the teacher just to be difﬁcult. They took to social media challenging Beshear’s “arbitrary” 2.5 million number. One such clown is pseudo-scientist, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who responded to Beshear’s goal tweeting: “Why are politicians focused solely on vaccina-

tion numbers? The important number is the percentage of the population who have immunity against a virus (as a consequence of natural immunity, prior infection, or vaccination), not the percentage who have been vaccinated. #science” Because, Tommy, if you were paying attention, 2.5 million Kentuckians, age 16 and older, would add up to about 70% of Kentuckians. And, according to public health experts, a 70%-vaccinated population is the estimated threshold for the country to reach “herd immunity,” which would inhibit the virus’ ability to spread. Sometimes it takes hearing the same message in a different way for it to make sense — and there’s nothing wrong with that. Beshear’s 2.5-million person target is redeﬁning the same, old goal in a way that every Kentuckian can clearly understand and track. And by tying it to the reward we all want, he’s motivating everyone to get their homework done as quickly as possible. Perhaps friends and classmates will help others out. Then, maybe, we can literally have a pizza party. •

May 14 - Quiet Hollers (Outside & Socially Distanced)

May 16 - Back To Mac (Outside & Socially Distanced All Ages)

May 15 - Back To Mac (Outside & Socially Distanced)

May 28 - Nick Dittmeier & The Saw Dusters with Wolfpen Branch (Outside & Socially Distanced)

May 30 - Carly Johnson Album Release (Outside & Socially Distanced)

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

GET A $25 FIRST EXAM!*

VIEWS

THE HISTORY OF UNFAIR HOUSING IN LOUISVILLE By Michael Jones | leo@leoweekly.com

Wellness/Preventative care Dentistry • Surgery Grooming • Senior Pet Care

IN HONOR of National Fair Housing Month, the Metropolitan Housing Coalition and the UofL Oral History Center are inviting African families to share their stories of *For new clients only. Not to be combined with any other offer. Up to 2 pets per household. Exp. 8/30/14.American Cashier Code. 700.500 housing discrimination on April 27 at 5:30 p.m. “Unfair Housing in Louisville: A Community Listening Session” will be an online forum moderated by Riece Hamilton, interim program manager of the UofL Health Promotion Ofﬁce and vice president of the Black Faculty and Staff Association. Code. 700.500 The online forum is a component of “Unfair Housing In Louisville: A Legacy Project,” an oral history project MHC and UofL started in 2020 to document the legacy of mortgage discrimination, redlining and predaold. Exp. 8/30/14. Cashier Code. 700.500 Kelly Neat, DVM • Jennifer Rainey, DVM • Emilee Zimmer, DVM • Baly McGill, DVM tory lending practices clients *For only.new Not be clients combined other offer. toother 2 pets perUp household. 8/30/14. Cashier Code. clients only.only. Not with to be combined with any offer. Up 2 pets per household. Exp. 8/30/14. Cashier Code. Must 700.500 *Forto new Not toany be combined withUp any other offer. toto2 pets perExp. household. Exp. 6/1/21. Cashier700.500 Code. 700.525 present coupon for discount. in Louisville. Because of my experience covering housing @vca_fairleigh issues, particularly @vcafairleighanimalhospital 1212 Bardstown Road • Louisville, KY 40204 the revitalization www.vcafairleigh.com efforts in the Russell 502-451-6655 VCAfairleigh.com *The $25 First Exam is for wellness visits only. neighborhood, I was hired to conduct the interviews for the project, which received a grant from the Kentucky Historical Society. Tony Curtis, MHC director of development and communications, said “Unfair Housing in Louisville” is an extension of the organization’s “2019 State of Metropolitan Housing Report,” which focused on racial disparities in home ownership in the city. “In our conversations with community members and policymakers, we heard the personal stories of individuals and families who have faced housing discrimination for generations and how that discrimination has affected each succeeding generation in building intergenerational wealth,” Curtis explained. “These conversations drove MHC’s decision to launch an oral history project that will document and preserve these family histories, as they are critical both in understanding Louisville’s history and informing the path forward.” Louisville’s history of housing discrimination can be traced back to 1914, when the city passed a law that barred Blacks and whites

VCA FAIRLEIGH ANIMAL HOSPITAL

JAMMIN’ WITH LEATHERHEAD’S OWN PATENTED GUITAR PRO-STRAP™

HAND MADE LEATHER BELTS & WALLETS

LOCALLY OWNED 1601 BARDSTOWN RD, LOUISVILLE, KY

PHONE: 502.451.4477 | WWW.THELEATHERHEAD.COM

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

from moving onto a block with homes that were predominantly occupied by people of another race. An African American journalist named William Warley and a white realtor named Charles H. Buchanan challenged the law. Warley arranged to purchase a home from Buchanan, but refused to make the ﬁnal payment because he would never be allowed to occupy it. Buchanan sued Warley to force him to complete the agreement. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Louisville ordinance in 1917. However, rather than ending racial segregation in housing as the litigants intended, it led municipalities to develop subtler discriminatory tools to achieve racial segregation in housing. In 2019, the MHC found that only 36% of Black households own their homes compared to about 70% of white households. This statistic led to the oral history project. MHC and UofL have created an advisory committee to oversee my work. Members include: Art Crosby, executive director, Lexington Fair Housing Council; Catherine Fosl, faculty-director, UofL Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research; and Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of Louisville Urban League. The interviews from the project will ultimately be stored at the UofL Oral History Center. “The University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections is glad to preserve and provide access to this collection of interviews which complements many other community collections in our care related to housing, civil rights and the Black community,” said Heather Fox, the oral history center’s director.” • “Unfair Housing in Louisville: A Community Listening Session” will take place on April 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. If you would like to attend or share your story of housing discrimination, please register at tinyurl.com/Unfair21.

ROS

NEWS & ANALYSIS

THORNS & ROSES THE WORST, BEST & MOST ABSURD

ABSURD: MAYOR JUNG’S “MEANDERING DISCOURSE”

Jessie Bartholomew started the Kentucky History & Haunts podcast eight months into the pandemic. | PHOTO BY KATHRYN HARRINGTON.

WHY LOCAL PODCASTERS JOINED THE PANDEMIC AUDIO BOOM By Danielle Grady | dgrady@leoweekly.com LIKE many people who took social watching these TV shows or I can actually do something productive.” distancing seriously during the panSo, Bardemic, Jessie tholomew, who Bartholomew’s Now, 28% of is 27, started evening a podcast in routine was the total U.S. November, one repetitive and population over of more than solitary: She million that would come the age of 12 — 80 1were added to home from her Apple Podcasts job for a real million people — during the panestate comare weekly podcast demic, doubling pany, eat in the number of front of the TV listeners, up from shows (both and run on the active and treadmill. 17% the year inactive) on the “When before, according popular app you’re single from April 2020 and you live to an Infinite Dial to March 2021, alone, it does according to leave you with study. Podcast Industry a lot of free Insights. In time,” she addition to Bartholomew’s show, said. “I was just like, I could keep

Kentucky History & Haunts, ﬁve out of the nine Louisville podcasts in our main story this week launched during the pandemic: Reely Queer, Butter Pecan Podcast, My Skeptical Sister, Great Podversations and Howell Dawdy’s Fast Track. Listenership for podcasts also increased after an initial dip at the start of the pandemic. Now, 28% of the total U.S. population over the age of 12 — 80 million people — are weekly podcast listeners, up from 17% the year before, according to an Inﬁnite Dial study. Bartholomew and the hosts of My Skeptical Sister told LEO that they were motivated by a desire to break free of the doldrums of pandemic life, marked by isolation and added stress. And, the relatively low barrier to entry was enticing, too: You can create a rudimentary podcast with free internet tools as long as you

In an op-ed published last week, Bonnie Jung, mayor of Douglass Hills and president of Jefferson County League of Cities had a lot to say. Among Jung’s grievances was when Metro police were reassigned from suburban neighborhoods last summer to help with downtown protests, claiming, “residents of unincorporated Jefferson County could practically claim taxation without representation.” As best we could tell, she was advocating for House Bill 309. For the citizens of unincorporated Jefferson County, “HB 309 would have restored to these residents the same basic right to form an entity of self-government and economic structure that began when cities were first created as part of the Neolithic Revolution in 10,000 B.C. It’s that simple,” according to Jung. Wow! That simple, huh? Jung failed to mention that HB 309 was also the bill that would have made Louisville’s mayoral elections nonpartisan, nor did she mention that it was the fault of the Republican supermajority to craft a bill so simple that it failed to even receive a vote. She did, however, take the first three paragraphs to air her grievances with Courier columnist Joe Gerth, who apparently misspelled Douglass Hills incorrectly (with one “-s” instead of two) in a March 19 column. “Gerth lost an opportunity to illuminate with a cogent journalistic piece,” Jung wrote. “Instead his words dissolved into meandering discourse.” Perhaps if Jung focused more on making a cogent point, and less on airing her personal grievances with Gerth, her words wouldn’t have dissolved into meandering discourse.

ROSE: NULU SPRINGS ETERNAL

We’re so happy to see friends, family and smiling faces, again (even though we’re not there yet, folks! Stay safe a little longer.) We’re also excited about all of the activity springing up in NuLu. Recently, Gateway to NuLu opened, a mixed-use space for community coworking, food and beverage experiences, fitness, child care and other amenities. Gateway is also home to some of Louisville’s most advanced technology companies. This was soon followed by the opening of Everyday Kitchen, a restaurant serving modern comfort food, and the Clever Moose Cafe. But it didn’t stop there! Last week, city leaders attended the grand opening of NuLu Marketplace, which will serve as a destination for food and drinks, craft and boutique shops, Airbnb rentals and office spaces. New eating and drinking attractions include Emmy Squared Detroit-style pizza, Gertie’s Whiskey Bar, Torino’s Sandwich Bar and Lexington-based West Sixth Brewing. And, most recently, Louisville’s iconic Seafood Lady opened its third cajun seafood location in NuLu. And there’s more coming.

ROSE: A RUN FOR BOOKER?

Although he came up just short in last year’s U.S. Senate Democratic primary to Amy McGrath, who eventually failed to unseat incumbent Mitch McConnell, Charles Booker is thinking about another run. The progressive recently announced that he’s forming an exploratory committee to weigh running against Kentucky’s other Republican sitting Senator, Rand Paul. Paul, who is slightly less evil and considerably more stupid than McConnell, has been a thorn in the state’s side, with his weirdo Tea Party antics that disregard science and logic and basic societal needs. We hope Booker runs. Kentucky needs new leadership. Leadership that has brains and heart.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

NEWS & ANALYSIS

already have the basic equipment, like a laptop or a cell Mattingly and phone. Although, it can be more difficult to create a Sexton were even higher-tech podcast and to distribute it. lower-tech at first, recording with the Laura Ellis, Louisville Public Media’s director of built-in microphones podcasts & special projects, has watched, or rather lisembedded in their tened, as podcasts have taken off during the pandemic. AirPods. Now, they “It’s something that maybe people have [said], ‘One have more profesof these days, I’m gonna do a podcast and see if anybody likes it. And so I think people being at home, it was sional equipment, but they still record and just ‘one of those days’ finally came for a lot of people,” edit with an app on the she said. computer. Audacity Bartholomew is a prolific listener of podcasts. She and GarageBand are never misses an episode of HowStuffWorks even if the two free tools that can topic doesn’t interest her. “While I was listening to other people’s, I was always be used for both. Some retailers thinking, I would love to do this; I would love to do this, actually experienced a you know? Once the pandemic started and everything shortage of podcasting kind of froze, it was just like, I’m gonna do this,” she equipment during the said. pandemic. The Doo The podcast she came up with, Kentucky History Wop Shop on Bard& Haunts, is a narrative-style show. In 11 to 40 minute stown Road sold more chunks, Bartholomew uncovers the dusty corners of the podcasting equipment state’s history: from murders to mysterious meat showthan ever starting in ers to a hunt for Daniel Boone’s grave. Five months in, the summer, said store her episodes garner a few hundred listens per episode. manager John MetSimilar to Bartholomew, Meghann Mattingly, 40, calf. At one point, the and Erin Sexton, 36, of My Skeptical Sister, a paranorshop was sold out and mal comedy podcast, had often talked about starting a more equipment was podcast together before the pandemic. But, none of the on backorder. Sellsisters’ ideas ever seemed right, and they filled their free ers across the country time by spending time with friends. were having the same But when the pandemic hit, Mattingly and Sexton, problem, Metcalf said. who are both teachers with three kids, found themselves People weren’t just using the equipment for podcasts, confined to their homes all day. When they weren’t though. Some of the new customers were churches or teaching children online, they were trying to wrangle businesses that needed to virtually communicate in a their own. more effective way, said Metcalf. In the first episode of My But, he also thinks the tumulSkeptical Sister, Mattingly and tuous year created an itch for Sexton addressed what drove “It’s something podcasting. them to record. that maybe people “Last year was not just COVID “We decided to do this podcast, but opinions out there on lots of because we needed something to have [said], ‘One different subjects,” he said. “So, I live for during this pandemic,” think summer literally got tense. said Sexton in her intro. of these days, I’m A lot of people wanted to get their “Yes, we were getting to the gonna do a podcast voices out there and be heard.” point where there was nothing to Now, though, Metcalf said, look forward to,” said Mattingly. and see if anybody both the supply and demand for “And when you get to that point, the equipment has evened out. you either don’t look forward to likes it. And so I Manufacturers responded to the anything or you make something think people being need, and Metcalf has started to happen.” Now, the sisters have an estiat home, it was just see fewer people walking into the store to buy or rent microphones mated audience of 227. and audio interfaces. ‘one of those days’ Bartholomew, Sexton and Ellis said that when podcastMattingly didn’t need much to get finally came for a ing first became a big deal, “it started. was supposed to democratize the Bartholomew bought a $60 lot of people.” medium of audio.” No longer did microphone off of Amazon, a pop you need a radio license, a transblocker and a $6 adapter to plug mitter tower or an FCC license to craft audio stories. into her phone to record. She also made an account on “But like everything else, podcasting eventually Anchor, a free podcast hosting site, which she uses for became sort of corporatized,” said Ellis. “And there light editing, too.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

were people who had the money who were able to promote their shows, and it became bigger because of that.” Ellis and Louisville Public Media have created a solution to the barriers that have emerged in podcasting: A podcast incubator program that will provide chosen applicants with mentoring and distribution help. In particular, the public radio station is looking for podcasts “made by and for people of color, LGBTQ folks, immigrants and people of marginalized genders.” Ellis sees podcasting as more than a fun hobby. It’s also a way to heal some of the divides in the city that have been highlighted by the racial justice movement of 2020. “There’s a lot we don’t understand about each other,” she said. “And we would make our whole city better if we understood each other better and if we listen.” On a personal level, podcasting has eased the stress of the pandemic for Bartholomew, Sexton and Mattingly. “I’ve got something fun to look forward to that’s, like, my own, you know? Our own,” said Sexton. “It’s not my role as a wife, it’s not my role as a mother, it’s like, this is just a fun thing that we started and people seem to like it, so that in general is mood lifting.” Bartholomew said that her podcast has provided a “happy distraction” during the pandemic. “It got dark, and so just having this distraction — yeah, it was comforting for sure,” she said. •

“Just like Heine Brothers’, the LEO has always been about our community. Local arts, restaurants, books, sports, theatre, film, music - the LEO covers it all, and goes deep into the stories and people of Louisville that no one else is able to. Plus, being named ‘The best place to pick up the LEO’ year after year by the readers of the LEO has been a fun part of the journey.”

— Heine Brothers’

www.heinebroscoffee.com

If you'd like a LEO Weekly rack at your business, email distribution@leoweekly.com LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

LOCAL PODCASTS YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO

“DUDE, we should totally start a podcast.” If you’re a millennial and have said more than 10 words in your lifetime, those have probably been seven of them. And now, thanks to our willingness to blabber, there are something like 766,555 active podcasts out there to choose from, according to Podcast Industry Insights. We’ve compiled a list of nine, local podcasts by hosts who we think were actually right when they thought that other people would care about what they had to say. They include history shows, a horror movie rewatch podcast and a songwriting experiment. They’re entertaining; they have a Kentucky ﬂavor; and they might expose you to a different perspective. Listen up, then listen in.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

THE HUMANITY ARCHIVE School books didn’t give most of us a broad and nuanced view of history, so, to really learn about the stories and scars of the world, we need to seek out other outlets. With The Humanity Archive, host/researcher/historian Jermaine Fowler dives deep into the underreported aspects of the past. He takes notable people or hidden situations and does heavy research, resulting in electric, social-justice-focused case studies that tell us more about our collective history and why we are the way we are in the present. The podcast has covered Pocahontas, Ida B. Wells, Queen Nzinga, the history of policing in America, the Black Death and much more. And 22 episodes in, The Humanity Archive is broadening, but its principles remain consistent: Fowler’s passion and deft storytelling digs with purpose and diligence. “It’s been evolving a lot, but I’ve still

been sticking with that core ethos and idea of trying to bring humanity to historical figures and to tell the stories of the historically unheard, the marginalized of history, so I’m just applying that to different figures,” Fowler said. Humanity Archive’s greatest trick is blending an intense educational drive with a well-structured, smooth component that makes it consistently interesting. Every episode is like an edge-of-your-seat documentary. For Fowler, above all, it’s about one thing: the truth. “I think that it’s just given me more of a love of searching for truth for truth’s sake,” Fowler said. “Without really any agenda, just finding the truth in any certain story or narrative and exploring different angles.” — Scott Recker

Jermaine Fowler.

REELY QUEER:

AN LGBTQ+ MOVIE PODCAST I’m a visual person so podcasts aren’t my first stop for interest-based entertainment. I gravitate towards something I can see or touch... but someone, ok, Ms. Sydni Hampton, made a whole podcast episode about “Chopping Mall,” the 1986 sci-fi/horror/thriller movie about killer robot security guards in a shopping mall. It’s a movie that when you know, you know, and if you don’t... damn it, find out. It’s fun, and we all need that. Hampton is a local drag queen who took her love of film and turned that into a horror movie night at PRIDE bar + lounge in New Albany. After COVID shut down earth, Hampton started Reely Queer: An LGBTQ+ Movie Podcast, which takes her model from the in-person movie night — a

spin on Elvira and “Mystery Science Theater 3000” while using a queer lens to discuss the films — and subverts the doldrums of quarantine with the power of the internet. The podcast allows Hampton to have deeper discussions about the themes, tropes and characters of “some of our most beloved films, from masterpieces to cringe-y, guilty pleasures.” Each episode features a special guest to discuss the films. From “Serial Mom” to “Hereditary,” catching an episode of the Reely Queer podcast is never a bad time, and I’ve found a podcast that suits my cheesy horror/sci-fi film taste. Find Reely Queer anywhere you listen to podcasts and follow Reely Queer on Twitter and Instagram: @ReelyQueer. —Erica Rucker Ms. Sydni Hampton, Reely Queer podcast host. LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

BOURBON PURSUIT

Ryan Cecil, Fred Minnick and Kenny Coleman.

Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil just wanted to talk about bourbon. So, in March 2015, they set up shop in the basement and started talking bourbon. “We were trying to educate ourselves more, and learn more,” Cecil told LEO. “So, we just made it about interviewing anyone that had stature in the bourbon industry and knew what they were talking about. Our goal was to interview them and extract their information and share it with our audience.” Six years, 300 episodes and 35,000 subscribers later, they’re still talking. How did they turn Bourbon Pursuit (bourbonpursuit.com) into the top-rated bourbon podcast? “We just kind of emailed, begged and pleaded with anyone who would let us interview them,” Cecil said. “And we’d go around to Central Kentucky and interview distillers or anyone who would talk to us.” They are quick to point out that the organic growth of the pod is thanks in large

part to those early guests. “We deﬁnitely had a few key people that had a very large audience, in the very beginning, that we road their coattails on,” Coleman explained. Among those include Blake Riber, founder of the Bourbonr blog and the authors of BreakingBourbon.com. Most important, however, was when best-selling author and renowned bourbon authority Fred Minnick joined the team, along with production manager Lauren Coleman. But they almost didn’t make it to 300 shows. Coleman said they were getting burned out, spending 30 hours per episode without any return, on top of their day jobs. With some feedback and support from their listeners, they focused on building the brand. Now they have two bourbon labels of their own, Pursuit Series and Pursuit United, currently sold in four states… and growing. —Aaron Yarmuth

MY OLD KENTUCKY PODCAST Us news nomads get our state government updates in piecemeal chunks from local news stations and newspapers — whatever comes across our Twitter feed. We’re not starving. But, are we satisﬁed? There’s something about all the most important updates, appearing in your weekly podcast queue unprompted, ready to gobble up, with a delicious side of context. That’s what My Old Kentucky Podcast is — an audio newsletter of sorts, with discussion about bills, government initiatives and — since 2020 — regular bulletins on COVID and the Louisville protest movement. It’s all from what cohost Robert Kahne says is a “progressive point of view.” “I think the point of view kind of helps contextualize it into like, what is this change going to mean?” said Kahne, who appears every week alongside Jazmin Smith. “It’s really

hard for somebody who works for the Courier Journal or for somebody working with WDRB, to be like, hey, this bill is really bad, because it’s going to really increase the number of people who are incarcerated for things that probably shouldn’t even be a crime.” Kahne has a masters in public policy and Smith is a public defender, and they both know Kentucky well. Almost every episode also features a guest from the world of government, from U.S. Rep. (and LEO founder) John Yarmuth to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Morgan McGarvey, as well as some fellow policy nerds, such as Jim Higdon, who wrote the book on the Cornbread Maﬁa. Enjoy your brain food. — Danielle Grady

Jazmin Smith and Robert Kahne.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

BUTTER PECAN POD Focusing on the intersection of food and racism, the Butter Pecan Pod uncovers the troubled histories of ubiquitous household items, and longterm practices. From mac’n’cheese to gravy to dieting, hosts Darryl Goodner and Kelly Nusz provide deeply-researched stories behind things society widely consumes on a daily basis, including a four-part series on Coca-Cola. “As we started to look into Coke and marketing practices, and how that tied into Atlanta, we kind of realized that there was this whole story that we could tell that hadn’t been told that way yet,” Goodner said. Goodner, who owns and operates the ice cream shop Louisville Cream in NuLu, said that the podcast was born from conversations during the Breonna Taylor protests. “It started by us just really having

conversations at work, especially during the summer of really, really heavy protests,” Goodner said. “And eventually we kind of came to the question that really kind of started it: Is butter pecan ice cream a Black thing or not? I grew up eating butter pecan ice cream, it’s my mom’s favorite ice cream, and I would be able to just know what ice cream a Black couple wanted when they walked in, but I wasn’t sure why?” Now, the more they look behind the curtain of everyday items, the more Goodner and Nusz have realized there’s a plethora of stories to tell. “The more we go with the podcast, the more we realize there’s an inﬁnite subject matter if we’re willing to do the research.” —Scott Recker Kelly Nusz and Darryl Goodner.

STRANGE FRUIT

Hosted by Dr. Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner, the Strange Fruit podcast is delightfully funny but serious enough to tackle tough conversations about the plight of disenfranchised communities. The show features two Black queer voices who highlight universal narratives across gender, race and identity. As hosts, Story and Gardner have the chemistry of two intelligent, funny people who seriously enjoy each other’s company. “We want to create more visibility and dialogue about Black, queer, trans, Southern and other historically disenfranchised communities. With each episode, we try to highlight these identities and communities and bring them to the forefront,” Gardner said.

In addition to the wealth of knowledge Story and Gardner provide on their own, they never fail to ﬁnd remarkable guests. From nationally published journalists like Sylvia A. Harvey to guests like Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, a leading scholar on race and discriminatory policy in America who has a doctorate in African American studies. Strange Fruit is an absorbing and thought-provoking listen, not only because of its unﬂinching look at identity but because of its raw honesty about topics that dominate our news cycle. Strange Fruit feels urgently of the now and proves that you can still retain a sense of joy as the struggles of marginalized groups very much continues. —Jermaine Fowler

Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

MY SKEPTICAL SISTER It’s a podcast format that’s been shown to work: Two women, chatting casually about the weird and sometimes gruesome aspects of life, such as the paranormal or true crime. But, with My Skeptical Sister, there’s a twist. One host, Erin Sexton, is a loyal believer in all things ghostly. Her sister and co-host, Meghann Mattingly, is a skeptic ﬁrst and foremost. Together, they talk about their own paranormal experiences (or lack thereof) and read submitted stories from listeners. The sisters may be on different sides, but their exchanges are still jovial, making it a fun listen for everyone regardless of whom you agree with more. “I mean, we do debate a lot, but I feel like we do it in a way that we’re very

Erin Sexton and Meghann Mattingly.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

respectful of one another and each other’s beliefs,” said Mattingly. “And so I think that’s kind of needed right now, you know? There’s lots of different opinions out there in the world, and things are kind of blowing up left and right, so, you know, maybe if you wanted to go deep with it, it’s just kind of a way to show that it’s okay to disagree, and you don’t have to get mad at each other for disagreeing.” As is key for any podcast with a similar format, the sisters have good chemistry with each other (not shocking since only four years separate them). You’ll feel like you’re listening in on a conversation between your two, fun aunts. Trust us, it’s worth making room on your feed for. —Danielle Grady

Kegs and Eggs April 30th starting at 9:30 am

Teddy Abrams and Yo-Yo Ma.

GREAT PODVERSATIONS For nearly 25 years, the Kentucky Author Forum has brought nationally-renowned authors to Louisville for intimate conversations. When COVID-19 forced the Bomhard Theater to close, the Forum — known to PBS viewers nationwide as Great Conversations — was forced to either go dormant or adapt. Adapt they did… quickly. “We just wanted to be able to share the same kind of content — stimulating, intellectual, educational, entertaining material — with our audience … in a more socially, safe format,” Associate Producer Evie Clare told LEO. In May 2020, Robert Siegel, former host of NPR’s All Things Considered, introduced the ﬁrst episode of Great Podversations, featuring David Frum and Chuck Rosenberg. Siegel has continued to introduce guests for all 20 episodes, including Peter Bergen, Malcolm Nance and Philip Rucker. And, just recently, Louisville Orchestra’s Teddy

Abrams had a conversation with Grammywinning cellist Yo-Yo Ma. As it turned out, the disruption and subsequent change had its advantages. “The main advantage is that a lot our authors, who normally maybe wouldn’t be able to stop what they’re doing and ﬂy to Louisville, have been able to join us,” Clare said. “We’ve actually had a wider array of authors. We’ve had Timothy Snyder recorded from Vienna, Austria, and Eleanor Beardsley recorded from Paris, France, and Isabel Allende recorded from California.” The podcast is also convenient for listeners, Clare points out, allowing more listeners to enjoy the conversation without attending the Author Forum in person, or ﬁnding it on PBS. While Clare looks forward to getting back into the Bomhard Theater, she expects to continue reaching new authors and new audiences through Great Podversations. — Aaron Yarmuth

We are serving Hot Brown Pizza, Benedictine Spread, Bourbon Pecan Dessert Pizza, and Frozen Lavender Mint Julips

HIGHLANDS LOCATION 1448 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY (502) 458-8889 LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

Alex Smith.

@leoweekly

HOWELL DAWDY’S FAST TRACK

In the local music and comedy world, Alex Smith brings his unique and captivating style to numerous projects. There’s his indie band Lydia Burrell. There’s the genrespanning, satirical music of Howell Dawdy. And he also stretches that alter-ego into his comedy show, Big Howell & Possum. He also used to have a podcast called “Probably Not,” where he interviewed local musicians in a format somewhere “between a game show and a talk show.” There’s another defunct pod about Def Leppard. Lately, he’s been commissioned for a few theme songs, which has made him more deadline oriented. That inspired him to put hard release dates on the two albums he released during the pandemic. All of this — the comedy, the music, the deadlines, the audio show experience — has led to Howell Dawdy’s Fast Track, where he and a guest brainstorm and write an entire song in 30 minutes and share the end result. “It’s a great exercise to force yourself to make decisions and ﬁnish things,” Smith said. “So, I’d always been thinking about

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

doing a music-related podcast, but this one grew out of the idea of, ‘Hey, I really like to give myself arbitrary deadlines. What if I force funny people that I know to have an arbitrary deadline as well?’ And then see what kinds of funny things fall out of their heads.” From a songwriting aspect, listeners get a look at the creative process. But, with Fast Track, it’s not a tortured one — he invites charismatic, quick-witted guests to help him create something lighthearted. With Smith’s experience, it always results in something solid, hitting the best of both worlds. Currently, there’s a new episode available each Friday, with bonus episodes through Patreon. “We’re not going to write the world’s most impactful ballad in 30 minutes, while we’re joking around,” Smith said. “So the song is going to have some sort of goofy quality to it. But, I like to think that I usually write songs that are funny and — quote, unquote — good. That’s always the goal.” —Scott Recker

STAFF PICKS THROUGH APRIL 18

Louisville Taco Week

Various locations | tacoweeklouisville.com | $2 tacos | Times vary Taco ‘bout a great deal! More than a dozen local restaurants and food trucks will be selling $2 tacos this week until Sunday. Get a birria and mac and NOT JUST TUESDAYS cheese taco from Agave & Rye, a salmon taco from The Raven or a Korean BBQ taco from Riot Cafe & The Limbo –– not gonna lie, my mouth is watering just writing this blurb. Oh, and each time you buy three or more tacos from any venue, you can also get a stamp on your Taco Week “passport.” Getting four stamps enters you in a drawing for $250 of gift cards and swag from el Jimador Tequila! There are veggie and gluten-free options, and all of the participating restaurants do either take-out or outdoor dining (or both!) What’s not to love? Treat yourself (or, perhaps, your reporting intern?) – Carolyn Brown

THROUGH APRIL 18

Dixie’s Happy Hour

Virtual | dixieshappyhour.com | $35 | Times vary Enjoy a new take on the classic, off-Broadway hit “Dixie’s Tupperware Party,” while enjoying your own home happy hour. But Dixie, the charming Southern OFF-BROADWAY star of the show, isn’t here to talk Tupperware. More like, “What do you get when you serve up gin, rum, vodka and tequila?” the show asks. “According to Dixie, if it doesn’t lead you to doing something where you have to scroll through your photos from last night to see who you need to bake apology cupcakes for, then if you squint in just the right way and change your focus, they’ll allow you to see the glory in you that makes you the remarkable person you are.” It sounds like an optimistic, glass-half-full happy hour… and one that begs for your participation. We just recommend picking between gin, rum, vodka and tequila and sticking to that one — we’d hate for you to forget how good the show was. —LEO

THROUGH APRIL 25

Stock Yards Bank $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest Seneca Golf Course | 2300 Pee Wee Reese Road | Search Facebook $1 per ball | 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Take a swing at a million dollars… or a few swings. One of the longtime, staple events of the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Hole-In-One challenge is back at ON THE GREEN the Seneca Golf Course driving range. The preliminary round is any day between April 15 and April 25. If you qualify — or want to watch others take a shot at a cool million — the finals will be on Tuesday, April 27. While nobody in the event’s 32-year history has taken home the $1 million prize, a $5,000 first place prize is guaranteed. Someone has to be the first, so give it a shot. Get 10 free balls by purchasing a $7 Pegasus Pin at the event, and check for other specials on the event page. —LEO

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

Wizard Fest

Tin Roof Louisville | 3921 Shelbyville Road | bit.ly/WizardFestLou $18-52 | 8-11 p.m. Expecto party-num! It would be Riddikulus if we didn’t mention Wizard Fest, a truly magical night of all the fun that the Harry Potter universe has to offer. Dress up WIZARDRY and mask up in your house colors, compete for cash prizes in the cosplay contest, play Quidditch or test your wizarding knowledge with a trivia competition. A live DJ — but not the Weird Sisters, sadly — will provide the music. Muggle bartenders will provide butterbeer and themed cocktails. Get your tickets before they go the way of Sirius Black. (Too soon?) —Carolyn Brown

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

STAFF PICKS

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

TUESDAY, APRIL 20

Lavish Looks | 935 W. Hill St. | Search Facebook | $20 | 9 p.m.-midnight

Virtual | Zoom | paths2peace.org | Free | 7-8 p.m.

MrBikey’s Comedy Experience

Slowly but surely, regular Louisville events are transitioning back from virtual to in-person. Count in MrBikey’s comedy nights. The Louisville comedian has rounded HAHAHA up some of his friends for a night of laughs. This month, his guests are E. Craig; Derek Henderson from Atlanta; and Goo McIntyre from Georgetown, Kentucky. — LEO

11th Annual Interfaith I�tar

This week marks the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim month of prayer and fasting between sunrise and sunset. This year, interfaith community leaders invite the public to gather virtually for an iftar, a fast-breaking meal, where participants will RAMADAN hear from Mayor Greg Fischer, then join Muslim families in small breakout rooms for prayer and conversation. The event is free, but you provide your own meal at home. —Carolyn Brown

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 18, 29

Derby Cocktail Classes

PRIZM | 2901 S. Fourth St. | prizmpop.com | $40-$50 | 2 p.m. The Oaks lily, the Kentucky mule and, of course, the mint julep: These are the cocktails that signify Derby time in Louisville. And, PRIZM wants to teach you how to make MINTY them! The business is hosting three cocktail classes, led by a local mixologist, which range in price from $40 to $50 each. Now, go forth, and host a killer Derby party, even if it’s just for one. —Danielle Grady

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

TUESDAY, APRIL 20

Sip N’ Stroll At The Louisville Zoo

Louisville Zoo | 1100 Trevilian Way | louisvillezoo.org/events $100-$125 | 6:30-10:30 p.m. If you have wanted to check out the Wild Lights showcase at the zoo, but avoid the hordes of kids, this is your night out. The stunning light display — the largest lantern ZOO display in the region — comprises thousands of handcrafted, silk-covered lanterns illuminating the zoo’s 130 acres. And if you’ve missed the annual boozy-zoo stroll, Brew at the Zoo, each ticket to the Sip n’ Stroll comes with five drinks, including one signature cocktail and commemorative glass. The evening is 21-and-over only. —LEO

STAFF PICKS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20

420 Celebration!

Mag Bar | 1398 S. Second St. | Search Facebook | No cover | 7 p.m.-1 a.m. The only thing missing from this 420 Celebration is actual weed. Get your shit together, Kentucky. But, as always, we make do in the best way. In this case, with CANNABIS CBD cocktails, “munchiez” by Ashland Tann, giveaways and a Snoop Dogg selfie station. Plus, a portion of proceeds from the event will be donated to The Last Prisoner Project, “a nonprofit dedicated to cannabis justice reform.” —LEO

THROUGH APRIL 30

‘My DIY Retirement’ By John Begley

Cressman Center for Visual Arts | 100 E. Main St. | louisville.edu/art | Free John Begley retired from UofL in 2014. But, as his current solo exhibition at the university’s Cressman Center shows, he’s a gotta-do-something-creative kind of guy (I GALLERY understand; I’m not-quite-retired myself). He has created digital drawings on his iPhone daily since his departure and is up to nearly 2,500 drawings. “My art training was as a printmaker, and I have an egalitarian mindset,” said the recent LVA Honors Legacy awardee. “I think the exhibit on a certain level demonstrates the availability of art-making and creative self-image formation that technology today provides.” —Jo Anne Triplett

By John Begley. Mixed media.

onelovedelta8.com onelovehempdispensary.com #1 HIGHLANDS 1906 Bardstown Road 502-409-9410 #2 J’Town 3223 Ruckriegel Pkwy 502-365-2068

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

MUSIC

CONCERTS ARE RETURNING TO LOUISVILLE By Scott Recker | leo@leoweekly.com

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, there were million residents receiving at least the first shot of the vaccine, he will lift most dozens of concerts on any given week in capacity restrictions on bars, venues, busiLouisville, from giant arena shows featurnesses and events, which would have a ing nationally-touring household names, substantial impact on live music. to buzzy mid-sized acts playing ticketed All together, this means that concerts standing-room shows, to hip dive bars are slowly coming back, and there should where a $5 cover allowed you to see the be many more announcements moving latest promising bands that only recently forward, but let’s take a look at two of the released a demo. Last March, that all groups leading the came to a screechcharge during this ing halt. Sure, since In the world of first wave. then, someone managed to pull off an local independent outdoor show here, LOVS and some other bar Before the panvenues, Zanzabar didn’t give a fuck demic, there wasn’t has been hosting and violated manmuch communicadates there, but, for between local indoor, socially-dis- tion the most part, live venues. Some of music in Louisville tanced shows (with them knew each has been sleeping. other, a few of them the next being Now, for the first occasionally worked time in more than a together, but there Old Dog String year, it’s waking up. wasn’t a whole In the world of Band on April 16), lot of collaboralocal independent tion. Because of Headliners has a venues, Zanzabar the unprecedented has been hosting hardship of the pansix-concert series indoor, socially-disdemic, Louisville tanced shows (with Operating Venues planned for May the next being Old Safely, or LOVS, (including Quiet Dog String Band on was formed, which April 16), Headlinis a collective of Hollers and Carly ers has a six-concert area venues includseries planned for ing Headliners, Johnson), while May (including Zanzabar, Art Sancother spots like Art tuaury, Kentucky Quiet Hollers and Carly Johnson), Performing Arts, Sanctuaury, Mag while other spots Black Complex, like Art Sanctuaury, Bar and others also Parkland Plaza, Mag Mag Bar and others Bar, Third Street have plans in the also have plans in Dive, The Limbo the works. and others. works. Additionally, The primary goal this week, Danny was to set a standard Wimmer Presents — of health guidelines the California-based that will be unilatercompany behind the Louisville festivals ally enforced at each venue, but the group Bourbon & Beyond, Louder Than Life has also worked to help each other with and Hometown Rising — has announced a range of challenges, including licensa concert series at Waterfront Park, ing issues, obtaining government money featuring up to 15 live events, beginning and innovative ways to increase revenue in May, with few other details such as artstreams. ists, dates and pricing currently available. Now, they’re realizing their goal of In even more good news for the indusbringing back concerts. But to do so try, earlier this week Gov. Andy Beshear efficiently and safely, LOVS founding announced that once Kentucky hits 2.5 member Scotty Haulter said it’s important

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

for both the venues and the fans to honor the new measures. “We need to collaborate together to make this happen, to ensure a safe environment so we can continue to do shows and open up safely — it’s got to be everybody doing their part,” he said. Ubiquitous safety protocols will include masks, social distancing and reduced capacity, and most venues are doing seated tables, or pods, where fans stay with the group they arrived with. Zanzabar, in normal times, holds around 350 people, but when they began having sporadic concerts again on Jan. 22, capacity was limited to less than 60, all seated. When Headliners opens back up on May 14, its concerts will be held in the parking lot, with four-person pods and a cap of 356. During COVID, Art Sanctuary has been doing a livestream event called Late For Dinner on a weekly basis, which features performances by local bands. There has been no in-person audience for the series so far, but Art Sanctuary President Lisa Frye said they’re targeting to add a few fans in late May. And LOVS has helped accelerate that process, especially with other venues in the group already hosting and booking shows. “We’ve talked about all the ways we’re going to make sure things are safe, and to see how they’ve implemented that in their spaces — the way they have the tables and how some of them have pods — that’s been really good to see how that works in advance.” Mag Bar is planning on doing some outdoor shows soon, but they have no intention on holding indoor shows until the fall. “We’ve been talking about dipping our toes into some small, acoustic outdoors shows for the summer,” said Allison Longino, who manages Mag Bar, which is on the smaller scale of venue. “We don’t feel super comfortable doing things indoors just yet, but it looks like things are going to open up sooner than expected.” It’s a turn from the metal, punk and hip-hop shows that Mag Bar used to have, but it’s a reminder that every place is different in space, capabilities and many other factors in a weird time. Although everyone is moving toward opening but at their own pace, Haulter

said the LOVS venues will share results and information that will allow everyone to continue to advance. “Moving forward, we now have this strong family, where we will continue to communicate and continue to support each other as we reopen,” Haulter said. “We will share ideas on how everyone’s night went. How are your shows going? What can we learn from these? That’s my ideal situation. It’s a resource.” LOVS was initially born out of the national movement Reopening Every Venue Safely. Michael Bracy, founding member of REVS, is impressed with Louisville and LOVS. “Louisville is ahead of the curve because of LOVS and, not to be political, but Kentucky has a governor who is attempting to take this seriously,” Bracy said.

DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS

Last year, Danny Wimmer Presents canceled all three of its festivals in Louisville, but earlier this year the company announced it will host Louder Than Life in 2021 on Sept. 23-26. Although, the real surprise came this week when it announced its new pop-up concert series Live On The Lawn At Waterfront Park, which is slated to begin next month, although no exact dates have been announced. According to a press release, the series will feature “prominent touring acts across multiple genres” and there will be several safety measures, including spaced-out pods that will hold 4-6 people. “While we’ve safely been hosting millions of people throughout the pandemic, this signals a turning point for the park in terms of a return to much-needed revenue generation,” Deborah Bilitski, president/ executive director of Waterfront Park, said. Danny Wimmer, founder of DWP, said that the company worked with the city government to make the new concert series a reality. “Louisville has so much to be proud of and excited about for the future, and we’re thrilled to help play a small role in promoting a greater sense of community through live music with our new Live On The Lawn series,” he said. •

MUSIC

CASTLEWOOD IS SEARCHING FOR THE STAGE By Carolyn Brown | leo@leoweekly.com

ANY BAND who wants to take the stage, first has to prove themselves in the studio. For one local band, though, that studio is actually a living room in New Albany, a cozy yellow space encircled by liner notes, album covers and lyrics scribbled on the walls. This is the homebase of Southern Indiana musicians Nate Stemle, Josh Courtney and Tyler Courtney, who perform together in the band Castlewood. Stemle, the frontman and lyricist, is a New Albany native who teaches English and journalism at Saint Xavier, his own high school alma mater. Twin brothers, Josh and Tyler Courtney are the producer/bassist and pianist/guitarist, respectively. The group is in between two releases: Castlewood’s first EP, Eleven, which was released on March 8, and an upcoming single, “Give It Away,” due to premiere on April 16. The songs on Eleven are a little hard to categorize: While “indie” is a useful catchall, they are also breathy, reverent, soft and dreamy. I’ve played this album through at least seven times, and I get the sense that it could score a romantic scene in a movie. All of the songs on Eleven are about the highs and lows of love. “No Warning” tells of romantic feelings that took the singer by surprise; “All is Well” speaks of a relationship that’s better than fiction. Even in “Night Off,” in which the main character and his beloved fight, they reconcile. (Stemle also has a tattoo on his arm that reads, “Music is love.”) Much of what makes Castlewood unique is the group’s ties to their hometown roots. Not only have the band members known each other since childhood, but Eleven itself was named for Stemle’s house on 11th Street in New Albany, the location of the aforementioned studio. The Castlewood name is a direct reference to the street where he grew up. There’s even an occasional bit of Kentuckiana flavor in the band’s lyrics: in “Next to You,” the singer tells his girlfriend that he will call her at 5:02 — a double meaning that refers to the time Stemle’s real-life fiancée, Aubrey Meiners, calls him after work each day and the obvious area code. Some of Castlewood’s most immediate goals are geared toward the local market: they want to get a song on a rock station. The group would love to get 10,000 fans, they said, but Stemle’s first goal for the band was for one person they don’t know to listen

to one of their songs. Although Castlewood is a newer musical venture, the Courtney twins are no strangers to wider audiences. Through their band, Before the Streetlights (BTSL), they’ve racked up a bevy of credits as the openers for “emo” groups like Escape the Fate, Secondhand Serenade and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. In March 2016, BTSL’s song “Goodnight, Goodbye” played in more than a thousand Journeys stores, which the group considers to be one of their biggest professional breakthroughs. It brought them a new surge of fans, including some as far away as Scotland and France. The song’s success is well-earned. While Castlewood might be a bit of a departure from BTSL — Tyler pointed out that Castlewood’s music is more “radiofriendly” than BTSL’s, which is fair; one of BTSL’s early songs talks about getting a fake ID and running from the cops. The group has confidence in their future, despite the challenges of the last year. While all the members of Castlewood currently work or go to school full-time, the pandemic gave their creative process the literal and figurative space to flourish. “Without the pandemic, we wouldn’t be a band,” said Josh Courtney. The lyrics of one of their earliest singles, “Summer of Josh” (whose name is a play on the Seinfeld character George Costanza’s “Summer of George,” referring to a season of waylaid plans) will be painfully familiar to anyone recounting 2020: “Staring at the four walls of my house / Getting sick and tired of hanging around / Nowhere to go, nowhere to be / Sun is shining on 11th Street.” Breaking out of their own stagnancy led the band to create the cover of Eleven. The trio, armed with disposable cameras, took photos of moments that made them happy — going camping, moving out of an old house or even just hanging out together on a porch. The end result, after some culling, was a pile of photos commemorating a summer that otherwise would have been lost — a summer that they salvaged by sharing creative energy. Castlewood does not yet have the name recognition or touring history, but if there is one thing this band isn’t missing, it is energy. In the hour and a half that I spent with them (twice as long as we had originally planned), the bandmates bounced

ﬂuidly from their songwriting process to shared nostalgia, reveling in memories of mid-2000s mall concerts and a past Harvest Homecoming Festival. We laughed about shared connections from middle and high school, about how the Greater Louisvillearea feels like a small town with big city elements. Even when the bandmates weren’t talking about music, the way they vibed together was (forgive the viral language) joyfully infectious. When the pandemic is over and live concerts can return, they want to put that energy to work at an open mic or a concert (or eight or 10 or 20) –– maybe a joint tour with Elephants (the name under which Josh produces his solo works) and BTSL. First, though, they admit that Left to right: they’ll have Josh Courtney, Nate Stemle, to learn how and Tyler to adapt Courtney, their songs members of to be played the local band Castlewood, live — “a pose outside whole diftheir recordferent art” ing studio in from recordStemle’s home. ing them | PHOTO BY CAROLYN BROWN. in a studio, Tyler said — but, in the meantime, they have their new EP and single to share. The sun is shining on 11th Street. Next year, perhaps, stage lights will shine on CastleA collection of photos that the band Castlewood turned into album wood. • art for their EP Eleven. | PHOTO COURTESY OF CASTLEWOOD.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

FOOD & DRINK

RECOMMENDED

LONNIE’S HOT DOGS DELIVER CHICAGO FLAVOR

The Jumbo Clark St. Hot Dog at Lonnie’s is the classic Chicago dog that you’d get at any Cubs or White Sox game. | PHOTOS BY ROBIN GARR.

By Robin Garr | LouisvilleHotBytes.com SPRING is fully sprung, more than 20% of Americans are vaccinated, and the Cubs return home to Wrigley Field to play the Pirates on Friday, April 16. Wrigley Field? Now I want a Chicago-style hot dog. If there’s one thing that can unite Chicago’s perpetually warring Cubs and White Sox fans, it’s the classic Chicago dog. It doesn’t matter whether you get it at Wrigley Field or Sox Park. Either way, it’s going to be the same treat, a meal on a bun: a snappy Vienna dog in its natural casing, topped with a lunch counter full of traditional toppings. I would be totally down for a lazy afternoon in a seat on the third-base side at Wrigley right now, but the 310-mile trip takes ﬁve hours, and then you’ve got to ﬁnd parking. Here’s a more practical idea: Let’s go to Lonnie’s! That would be Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago, serving Louisville its best and most authentic Chicago dog for the past 20 years. Lonnie’s not only offers authentic Chicago dogs made with pure beef Vienna brand

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

hot dogs, but it’s one of the cheapest eateries around. A half-dozen hot dogs — each named after a major Chicago avenue — range in price from $3.59 (for a Congress Cheese Dog) to $4.99 (for a still-modest Clark St. Hot Dog) to $5.59 (for the Chicago classic, a Jumbo Clark St. Dog). Four Polish sausage sandwiches range between $5.09 and $7.29. A half-dozen Chicago-style sliced Italian beef sandwiches are priced from $5.19 (for a small 3-inch sandwich, hot peppers optional) to $8.79 (for a beef and sausage combo). Four burger options are $3.89 (for a quarterpounder) to $6.99 (for a full half-pound burger). Five specialties are $2.35 (for a hot tamale) to $7.99 (for a Greek island gyro with fries). Daily specials offer attractive deals — the Wednesday soul food plate and Friday catﬁsh fry (both $10.99) are deservedly popular. Lonnie’s is currently closed for indoor dining, with the interior set up with furniture to mark socially-distanced waiting

Everything you get at Lonnie’s is homemade, fresh and delicious. You can’t beat these huge, sweet ›and crunchy onion rings.

FOOD & DRINK

spots and a no-go zone close to the kitchen. You’re welcome to come in, place your takeout order, and wait, though, and we did that, splitting an oversize dog, a bag of onion rings and a slice of memorable yellow cake. Both Wrigley Field and Sox Park will supply you with the standard preparation: A Vienna brand dog served with yellow mustard, green relish, diced onions, sport peppers, tomato wedges and celery Three scoops ready for taste testing: Clockwise from the top, Graeter’s chocolate chip, Greater’s Perfect Indulgence vegan chocolate chip, and salt in a poppyseed bun. So Delicious Dairy Free coconut milk mint chocolate chip. That’s an accurate description, too, of Lonnie’s Clark WE SCREAM, DO YOU SCREAM, Street Dog ($4.99) and Jumbo Clark Street FOR ICE NOT-CREAM? Dog ($5.59), 311 and, oops, 502 calories respectively. I’m not vegan, although I can see the The jumbo dog boasts a very firm, snappy argument against industrially-produced natural hot dog skin that pops and releases dairy products, and I don’t even like milk. hot juices when you bite; the all-beef flesh It would be hard for me to give up favorites within is very firm and tightly packed into like artisanal cheeses, pastured eggs and ice the skin. This is not your floppy grocery cream, though. hot dog. At five ounces it’s not a huge But that ice-cream thing may be changing. sausage, but there’s lots of pure beef flavor The other day I noticed a case at Graeter’s and subtle spice packed into that casing. promoting its new line of Graeter’s-branded Just as described, the dog is snuggled into a Perfect Indulgence vegan ice cream, animal white poppy-seed bun slathered with yellow free and lactose free in assorted flavors at ballpark mustard, topped with chopped white $7.99 for a pint. onion and neon green relish, with tomato A little research revealed that, in a wedges and tart, vinegary sport peppers on process akin to that of the meatless Impostop. sible Burger, Perfect Indulgence developed a Onion rings ($3.89) were crisp, hot and way to make real milk proteins — whey and good; creamy cole slaw ($3.29) was wellcasein — without the presence of animals. made in a tangy mayo-vinegar dressing and In brief, the company developed a type of a generous slice of yellow cake ($3.50) was microflora that can ferment simple plant fluffy and light, with a perfect, luscious ingredients to produce the same dairy procaramel icing. teins found in milk. A jumbo dog and sides came to $14.38, The result, in my opinion, speaks for and we discarded percentage calculations to itself. Tasted alongside a scoop of Graeter’s add a $6 tip. regular chocolate chip French pot ice cream

LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave. 895-2380 lonniesbesttasteofchicago.com

($5.99 for a pint), it was almost impossible for me to tell which was which. Perfect Indulgence melted a little faster than regular Graeter’s, with the happy effect of making it seem even more creamy. Just for fun, we threw in a scoop of a more traditional vegan ice cream, SO Delicious Mint Chip Coconutmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert ($4.69 a pint at Kroger). The subtle mint ﬂavor singled it out, but as an icecream type dessert, it was delicious, too. I’d happily enjoy any of the three. •

fashion forward without spending a fortune shopsassyfoxconsign.com

New Hours Tue–Fri 11–5 pm Sat 10–4 pm

502.895.3711 150 Chenoweth Ln

LISTEN NOW

PODCAST FROM LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BEARGRASS THUNDER USES VLOG TO CREATE COMMUNITY CHANGE By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com ADMITTEDLY, I’m not a podcast person in any meaningful way. I prefer visual stimulation and often fall into the YouTube rabbit hole over any number of topics from K-Drama gossip to music nostalgia. When LEO decided to do a podcast issue, I knew I was in trouble. What the hell do I write about when I listen to zero local podcasts and apparently, I’m in the minority on that. I just don’t often have the patience or energy to simply listen to folks talking. Enter the Video Blog or vlog for short. The video blog often combines the focus of a podcast with a visual element. It’s much more my speed. Local vlogs were a bit tough to find. I did find the “Wives of Louisville,” a local, Real Housewives type vlog, and the episodes are full of similar moments to its multi-city inspirations. Sadly, I couldn’t reach the “Wives” for this story but another vlog that captured my attention, Beargrass Thunder. This group of four friends is focused on making a better community while taking care of local plants (I love my garden and houseplants to a weird degree) and preserving the local ecosystem. Sign me up. Beargrass Thunder started as documentation of a project in an alley along a stretch of Beargrass Creek off Goldsmith Lane. Partners Jody Dahmer and Dr. Mariah Corso were warned upon moving into a new apartment in the Goldsmith Lane area that they shouldn’t park in the alley behind their apartment because of crimes that have been reported. The area has many apartment and condominium complexes and a mixed income profile though poverty in the area is high. Instead of accepting this and giving up on building relationships with neighbors in the area, they decided to do something about the alley. With the help of friends and Beargrass Thunder cohorts Richard Stottman and Nikole Thomas, they cleaned the alley of weeds, planted native plants, added seating and artwork... turning the alley into a place that welcomed community instead of wedging it further apart. They even enlisted monetary help from a nearby hotel to aid in the cleanup. What grew out of that project is a vibrant vlog on Youtube, community partnerships, seed giveaway events and most recently, Beargrass Thunder became a licensed local nursery.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

The name Beargrass Thunder is a combination of Beargrass Creek and Thunder Over Louisville. It’s a name they felt fit their undertaking. All but Corso, who is from Pennsylvania, are Louisville natives. I caught up with Richard Stottman of Beargrass Thunder to discuss the vlog and their other projects. “I’m so busy. I don’t have time to really listen to podcasts and you know, actually sit down to produce the podcast,” said Stottman, the producer and editor of the project on how it became a vlog. “I have the equipment, but coordinating everybody’s schedules, the blog format, to us at least, seemed just a whole lot more accessible and easy to do, like in the moment on the fly without much preparation at all.” The vlog offers a real time, visual companion to the stories Beargrass Thunder wants to share about the city of Louisville and the work they want to do to improve their community. “When we originally started, we just wanted to be like a local show, like a variety show where we would interview different politicians, changemakers, influencers, local business and nonprofits, that kind of thing,” said Stottman. Beargrass Thunder has done numerous interviews. Sometimes those interviews have led to interesting partnerships that could create unique and necessary changes for residents in the city. “We’ve interviewed lots of politicians, including Jecorey Arthur, District 4 of Metro Council, who we’re currently working with on eradicating discriminatory lawn ordinances,” said Stottman. The group is passionate about restoring the local environment including the ecosystems. It’s part of their mission to make their hometown a better place to live. “It started out where it was just supposed to be like a podcast variety show where we would just talk about current events and Louisville, cool things to check out, that kind of thing,” said Stottman. “As we all got more and more interested in, like,we’re watching this environmental disaster unfold before our eyes, we’re learning more and more about ways we — like ourselves — can help in our daily lives in seeing some of these injustices play out in our own community. So it just kind of made sense to use

the platform that we had started building to kind of further these ideas and educate people on what they can do, too, and how Three-fourths of the Beargrass Thunder crew. From L: Richard Stottman, they can Jody Dahmer and Mariah Corso replicate what we’re doing in their community.” Currently, Beargrass Thunder has uploaded 110 videos to their YouTube page. Topics range from ways to use local plants like Mariah Corso working on plants for the newly licensed Beargrass Thunder nursery their “Poke Sallet” (Poke Salad) video to visits with Idlewild Butterfly Farm. The partners are neighbors in Germantown and have their hands full with all the new projects that have grown from the first alley project, including the renovation of another alley close to their homes. “Thunder is this platform that allows us to pretty much do whatever we want to do. So things are always changing,” said Stottman. “ You know, priorities are always changing, but the end goal, is that we just want to use Mariah Corso and Nikole Thomas of Beargrass Thunder our platform to fight the injustices that are happening in our community...and also bring people educate in how to make our community and local ecosystem better.” • together in our community, using Kentucky native plants and seeds to feed people and just bring people together to help learn and

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | COMICS

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD

COMIC BOOK REVIEWS! By Krystal Moore and David Williams | leo@leoweekly.com

Summer starts here.

‘Alien’ no. 1

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson and artist Salvador Larroca Review by Krystal Moore, The Great Escape The year is 2200 and Weyland-Yutani still controls most of the space highways. If you’re a fan of the Alien movies, you’ll remember that these are the folks responsible for the incredible and tragic loss of life to their crew members by putting proﬁts in their military weapons work over the value of human life. Imagine that!! Gabriel Cruz, security chief for one of the outposts, is retiring after years working for the company. He’s plagued by dark dreams and is seeing Bishop, who we see now in this book as a therapist. These robots can do anything! Gabriel is going back to Earth, hoping for a new start with his son, Danny. Danny, however, has no love for a father he hasn’t seen for most of his life. He’s even become involved in a group whose mission is to destroy Weyland-Yutani for their crimes. They may be willing to go further than he knows, though. I won’t tell you any more, but this book looks to be a roller coaster ride of family drama and horror as the xenomorphs loom in the background, waiting for the chance to escape and do what only they can do!

Louisville's most family-friendly wellness community Membership entitles you to

• Access to one of Louisville’s favorite outdoor pool complexes with outdoor family pool, zero depth entry baby pool, and heated lap pool • Complimentary JPlay, our drop off child care program while you workout

NO JOIN FEES! Become a member at jcclouisville.org/youbelong

• Peleton® bikes with live and on-demand classes • Virtual and in-person personal training • Pickleball courts • Year-round aquatics training featuring children's swim lessons, lifeguard training and CPR classes

‘Ultramega’ No. 1

Writer and artist James Harren Review by David Williams, The Great Escape Known for his work on “Rumble” and a smattering of dynamic covers, artist James Harren makes his writing debut with “Ultramega” from Skybound, an imprint of Image Comics. In the generation spanning robotic future of “Ultramega,” the populace is plagued by a strange space virus that turns its unlucky host in to a malformed Kaiju-like creature on a whim. The nasty beasts rampage through the city, consuming citizens to satisfy their “Queen.” In order to keep the viral invaders at bay, three earthlings — including disgraced ex-boxer Jason, lone wolf Ern and genius wunderkind Stephen — are bestowed otherworldly superpowers by The Ultramega, a race of fighting alien supergiants. However, Power Rangers this ain’t! Be prepared for lost limbs, piles of organs and lots of cursing. As equally inspired by the now famous tokusatsu standards Ultraman and Godzilla and anime like “Neon Genesis Evangelion” as it is by ultra-violent and infectious body horror tropes, the pages of “Ultramega” run red with blood and green with sickness. If you’re down for stylish panels and dynamic fight scenes overflowing with gore, you’ll wanna grab a copy of “Ultramega.” Keep your eyes peeled for Issue No. 2 to arrive in April.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

GET YOUR

VOT E D B EST

LO U I SVI L L E D I ST I L L E RY

PICK-UP LOCATIONS Bungalow Joe's • 7813 Beulah Church Rd Street Box @ Republic Bank Bus Stop • 10100 Brookridge Village Blvd Party Center - Fern Creek • 5623 Bardstown Rd Street Box @ Piccadilly Square • 5318 Bardstown Rd Jay "Lucky" Food Mart #1 • 5050 Billtown Rd Cox's - J-Town • 3920 Ruckriegel Pkwy Bearno's Pizza - Taylorsville • 10212 Taylorsville Rd Louisville Athletic Club - J-Town • 9565 Taylorsville Rd Cox's - Patti Ln • 2803 Patti Ln

D I ST I L L E RY

L.A. Fitness • 4620 Taylorsville Rd Habitat ReStore - Taylorsville • 4044 Taylorsville Rd Feeders Supply - Hikes Point • 3079 Breckenridge Ln Street Box @ Heine Bros • 3965 Taylorsville Rd Paul's Fruit Market - Bon Air • 3704 Taylorsville Rd

Full list at LEOWEEKLY.COM/DISTRIBUTION

AM E R I CAN B RAN DY, G I N & ABSINTHE DISTILLERY AM E R I CAN B RAN DY AGED IN KENTUCKY BOURBON BAR R E LS EXPERIENCE SONIC AGING: LISTEN TO THE BARRELS ROCK ‘N ROLL

MOVE YOUR PAWS FOR A CAUSE AND WALK FOR ETHAN AND FRIENDS!

E XP LO R E T H E S KYD EC K & TAKE I N T H E VI EWS O F D OWN TOWN LO U I SVI L L E

27th Annual Waggin’ Trail Walk for the Animals

June 4 - 6, 2021

Grrr-ab your leashes and your four-legged best friend(s) for the Kentucky Humane Society’s virtual charity walk! Register and get a cool Ethan & Friends T-shirt, then invite friends and family to support your walk. Your participation means the world to the dogs, cats and horses at KHS. Matching Gift Sponsor:

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

11 2 1 E . WAS H I N GTO N ST LO U I SVI L L E , KY 4 020 6

CO P P E RAN D KI N G S.CO M

ETC.

18 22

38 42

62 67

90 92 100

101

107

102

103

104 109

114

115

117

118

119

120

121

Quadratic formula subj. Oodles Measurement in plane geometry Camera type, briefly As well DuVernay who directed ‘‘Selma’’ Queue before P Canal locale Piece de resistance?

R E L I E S

Z O R B A

I N N I E

D E C A L

T A H O E

104 107 109 110 111 112 113 114 115

R I N D

E B O N Y

F A N D O M

F R I E N D

I L N I C E N T A Y T S

Confucian’s spiritual path In ____ (peeved) Nintendo dinosaur who eats fruit and throws eggs Bring to court 2003 best seller whose title is one letter different from a fantasy creature Pleasures Grammy winner DiFranco Rendezvoused ____ gow (Chinese domino game) Money earned from an event, say Gush Archaeologist’s find Brian once of glam rock U.S. health org. ‘‘Hands off, that’s mine!’’ Austrian article Sent off Lose a layer Bit of luau wear ‘‘No question!’’ Magazine whose 60th anniversary issue had the cover line ‘‘Denzel, Halle & Jamie’’ What’s hard about a melon? Origami shape called ‘‘orizuru’’ Tree surgeon, at times Interior chambers Gem weight Bonnie’s partner in crime

105

108 113

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

J A I L

A I L D L Y E L G E R B G P A S P Y A N W

116

97 99 100 101 102 103

75 77 78 79 81 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 90 94 95 96

65 67 68 69 70

112

111

106

37 41

K E E P T O

50 53

S T R A I N

110

A U G H T S

36 40

D A R A C T S L I A N Y E E D A M J O O O Y D S

R A D I E O L E P L U T C A S G S O N E D E V G E M I N O R A N F O S L D B I E T E T R E A G A R O I L P A N I A G E A I O N N O S I A A M L A R S G O R O U H E N R M A G E

DOWN

Leans (on) Claim Pastoral poem ____ es Salaam Navel type Sticker on the back of a laptop, say Home to the Sugar Bowl and Heavenly ski resorts Draft pick? Neighbor of Belg. Word after focus or Facebook See 72-Across Mountain map figs. Ones getting the message Rio beach of song Hollow center? Turner who led an 1831 slave rebellion Grateful sentiments, in online shorthand ‘‘The Greek’’ of film Corner space in Monopoly Juggling or magic, in a talent show Nobel laureate Morrison Poker variety ‘‘This Will Be’’ singer Natalie Sommelier’s métier ‘‘Monsters, ____’’ Be on the level? ‘‘Notorious’’ Supreme Court initials Knocked ’em dead Not spoiled Suffix with serpent One of five in ‘‘pronunciation’’: Abbr. Choice of sizes, briefly Celebratory, quaintly Deception Cowboy or Patriot, for short Zeros Distinct melodic segment Not waver from Fruit also called a custard apple or prairie banana Baby’s cry Cue at an audition Land jutting into il Mediterraneo Quaker Community of followers Thesaurus listing: Abbr. Melber of MSNBC Candy featured in a classic ‘‘MythBusters’’ episode

A G G L E R E R O T U S C O P T O N U L I G D E U W I A M A L R E H E I N T A M T O N E O S I T M B A C C T A L E R R Y A I A D R A T E

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 26 29 30 32 33 34 36 37 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 53 55 56 57 58 59 61 63 64

S S F Y M E L L S T Y S A O U L S E H S I S P H E H E W E D W M E N R O

Pest-control product Luggage label Color effect in graphic design Video-game princess of the Kingdom of Hyrule Writer Zora ____ Hurston Take part in a D.&D. campaign, e.g. Brand of fruity hard candy Personae non gratae Uranus ‘‘Arrivederci!’’ Jerks ‘‘____ to differ!’’ One taking the long view? Tarot-deck character Some surgical tools ‘‘Unit’’ of fun All-star duo? Comfort in not knowing, say Request Jupiter Ships passing in the night? Sch. on the Rio Grande Hollers Like some parties and flowers ‘‘Back to the Future’’ antagonist Hit movie released as ‘‘Vaselina’’ in Mexico Husk-wrapped dish Colorful tropical fish Song standard on ‘‘Barbra Streisand’s Greatest Hits’’ Saturn With 11-Down, hit 2001 film with an ‘‘!’’ in its title Stirred up Cold shower? Muralist ____ Clemente Orozco 2021 Super Bowl champs Boy, in Barcelona Animated character who wears a red shirt and no pants Time before computers, facetiously Fleet runner: Abbr. One feature of a perfect nanny, in a ‘‘Mary Poppins’’ song Mars Hesitate in speaking More inquisitive Jaded sort Solo flier? Prefix meaning ‘‘both’’ Welled (up) Like people who are much looked up to Insurance-fraud ploy

C R A N E

91 92 93 98 99 105 106 108 109

ACROSS

A L O T

1 5 10 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 35 38 39 40 47 50 51 52 54 55 56 60 62 65 66 71 72 73 74 75 76 80 81 82 85 86

Determiner of cannabis legality, e.g. Classic carnival ride Cherished family member Neptune Golding of ‘‘Crazy Rich Asians’’ Sporty car Deliver a speech World of Warcraft spellcaster

P R O C E E D S

BY OLIVIA MITRA FRAMKE / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ No. 0404

110 113 116 117 118 119 120 121

C H E E D E I M C Y N I T S T A T L O V E R O A D

The New York Times Magazine Crossword OVER THE MOON

PHOTO BY RACHEL ROBINSON

ETC.

SAVAGE LOVE

By Dan Savage | mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage

LETTER RIP

Q: I’m a female in my late twenties. I broke up with a toxic ex about a year ago and I’ve been walking around (my house!) thinking I was over it. I never missed him and rarely thought about him. A brief backstory: In the final months of us living together, we started having more discussions about children and a making lifelong commitment. He told me he wanted both yet at this exact time his moderate depression became more severe and he refused to get help. I tolerated his cruel behavior because I knew how badly he was hurting. This ranged from icing me out to berating me and demanding I leave the home that we shared—my house—citing his need for “alone” time. One time he demanded I get up and leave in the middle of the night and go to a friend’s house! It’s worth noting the sex was mediocre at best, which I chalked it up to him being a decade older. My self-esteem suffered. I finally left. Fast forward to now. I find out he’s been dating a man. I can barely cope with the anger I feel about this. I feel like a casualty of his shame. We have progressive friends! His sister has dated women! His parents are accepting! None of the reasons you list as appropriate ones for staying closeted apply to him, Dan! His inability to accept himself caused me the most severe emotional trauma of my life and I just feel enraged. I logically know this is not about me. It’s about him. So why does this retroactively bother me so much? Part of me wants to say something to him but I’m not sure that would make me feel better. I’d be very appreciative of any guidance you may have. Not sure what to think. Bitterly Enraged And Really Distressed A: I don’t want to add to your rage, BEARD, but that night he made you go to a friend’s house? It wasn’t “alone time” he was after. Dude was hosting. Before I tell you to do about you rage, BEARD, there’s something I wanna

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

clear up: I don’t think having the opposite of everything your ex-boyfriend had—I don’t think having conservative friends instead of progressive friends, straight sisters instead of bi or heteroﬂexible sisters, shitty parents instead of accepting parents—are appropriate reasons for a grown-ass man in his thirties stay closeted. When people are young and dependent on their parents, sure, having shitty parents and no support from friends or siblings is good reason to stay closeted in high school and maybe until after college. But it’s no excuse for remaining closeted into your thirties—and it’s certainly no excuse for using someone the way your ex appears to have used you, i.e. as a beard, BEARD. (Urban Dictionary: “The girlfriend or boyfriend of a closeted homosexual, used to conceal their homosexuality.”) Another thing I wanna clear up: there are lots of guys out there in their thirties and forties and ﬁfties and beyond who are good at sex and lots of guys in their twenties who are mediocre at best. Alright, BEARD, you have every right to be angry. You put a lot of time and effort into this relationship and if turns out your ex is gay, well, that means he was lying to you and using you and wasting your time. It’s possible he’s bisexual, however, in which case he wasn’t being fully honest with you but may not have been using you or wasting your time. But gay or bi, your ex treated you very poorly and the news that he’s dating a man now is making you reassess your relationship and his depression, to say nothing of that night he threw you out of your own apartment because he needed “alone time.” To look back on a relationship and think, “I did what I could and it didn’t work out but at least I tried,” is different than looking back and knowing, “Nothing I did could’ve made any difference and I was cruelly used.” I think there are two things you need to do now: Resolve never make excuses for someone who treats you with cruelty again. We all have our moments, of course, but someone who can’t treat their partners with some modicum of respect and compassion even when

they’re struggling isn’t in good enough working order to be in a relationship in the ﬁrst place. And I think you should write him a letter and really unload on him. Tell him you’re angry, tell him why. You may or may not get a response—you may or may not want one—but you’ll feel better after the writing the letter. And who knows? If he responds with a heartfelt apology, BEARD, you may feel even better.

Q: Cis male here. A number of years ago I saw a woman for a few months and then we parted ways. NBD. However, I later learned she was pregnant and I’ve always wondered if the child was mine. We haven't talked for years but we're still friends on FB so I see periodic updates and pics of the kid. It’s always just be pics of my ex and her son and I don't ever see pics of anyone that be the father. However, this morning I saw a post saying that her son will be turning seven in May, which would mean he was born May 2014 and was conceived approximately August of. 2013. We stopped sleeping together the late July of 2013, so it’s probably outside the realm of possibility that this could be my kid. We didn’t have a tumultuous breakup and she’s independently wealthy and we in our mid-thirties when we were together and it’s possible she went the spermbank route shortly after we broke up. At any rate, do you think I should ask her if the child is mine? I can see how that would be rude, but on the other hand, I kind of want to know. What do you think? The Kid Is Not My Son (Probably) A: I don’t think the child is yours, TKINMSP, but then I don’t think the child is hers either. I mean, your ex is deﬁnitely this kid’s mother and you may have a biological tie this kid—you might be his biological father—but ultimately this kid belongs to himself, TKINMSP, and he might like or need to know who his biological father is someday. Backing up for a second: If you were fucking your ex without protection in late July of 2013 and she gave birth in early May of 2014, TKINMSP, there’s a small chance you could be this kid’s biological father. Sperm can linger in

the vaginal canal for a few days before a woman ovulates; some babies arrive a week or two late. I’m not saying it’s likely, TKINMSP, I’m just saying it can’t be ruled out and only your ex knows for sure. So send her a letter. Open by reassuring her that you have no desire to reenter her life or enter the life of her child but that you’ve always wondered. Then tell her that if you are the biological father and they ever need a family medical history from you or if this child should want to meet his biological father someday—and if that biological father is you—you’re open to providing medical info and/or meeting up once her son is an adult. If you’re the biological father, TKINMSP, which you might not be.

Q: I live in Portland, Oregon, and I’m having the inner fight about whether to reach out to a person. I met a guy in early 2019 for what was supposed to be a one-night stand but it turned into an entire-year stand. We hung out and hooked up but he told me that he would never date me. In February of 2020 there was a snowstorm and he asked me for a ride. I said yes not realizing that I was picking him up from a girl’s apartment and driving both of them back to his place. He’d been staying with her for a week and told her that he’d knew me from work. We’d never worked together. That night he told me they weren’t dating and that she was just helping him study and that he didn’t want to see or hear from me ever again. He blocked me on all social media. Fast forward to last Sunday. He texts me saying he wants to hook up. The next Sunday he texts asking me for pictures. I ask if he’s seeing someone else and he tells me that isn’t any of my business. We hook up. Now I feel guilty and don’t know what to do. His apartment has mysteriously improved. It’s like a girl has been staying there and it’s most likely the girl from the snowstorm. I don’t know if I should reach out to this girl to tell her what happened. When we first started hooking up in 2019, he said we were exclusive. A couple of months later he said he lied about being exclusive and that I should go get tested. Clearly this is a pattern for him. Should I warn the woman he’s with now? I definitely would’ve

ETC.

appreciated it if someone had warned me about this guy in 2019. Himbo Utterly No Good A: Someone actually did warn you about this guy in 2019, HUNG: the guy himself, this guy, he warned you. He warned you about himself in 2019 and again in 2020 and yet again in 2021. Lying to you about being exclusive and potentially exposed you to various STIs in early 2019 was a warning. Manipulating you into chauffeuring him and his new girlfriend back to his apartment during snowstorm in 2020 was a warning. Suddenly asking you to hook up in 2021 was a warning and his defensive reaction when you asked if he was seeing someone else (“none of your business”) was a bonus warning. And despite all the warnings this guy gave over all three years, HUNG, you hooked up with this guy again anyway. Considering who this guy is and the way he treats people, HUNG, I can only imagine his new girlfriend has received—received and ignored—just as many warnings from him and about him as you did. So I don’t think you should waste your time getting in touch with the woman he’s seeing now, HUNG, as the odds she’ll take your warning seriously after ignoring all the warnings he’s most likely given her himself seem slim. Block his numbers, unfollow him on social, and for fuck’s sake don’t hook up with this asshole again. mail@savagelove.net Follow Dan at Twitter @ FakeDanSavage. www.savagelovecast.com

**Notice is hereby given by AAMCO Transmissions, 6309 Preston Hwy Louisville, KY 40219 502-966-5166 to obtain the title to 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 VIN# 1C6RD7KPXCS240042. Owner: Bryan Bivens 277 Blossom Rd. Louisville, KY 40229. Owner has 14 days to respond in writing to obtain title. **Notice is hereby given by AAMCO Transmissions, 6309 Preston Hwy. Louisville, KY 40219 502-966-5166 to obtain the title to 2000 Honda Civic VIN# 2HGEJ6615YH569439. Owner: Sharita Kraft 8710 Timberline Dr. Louisville, KY 40291. Owner has 14 days to respond in writing to obtain title.

REPOSSESSION SALE

These vehicles will be offered for sale to the highest bidder at the time, date and place stated below. Term of sale is cash only. Seller reserves the right to bid and purchase at said sale. Dealers welcome.

April 20, 11:00 A.M.

2002 Dodge Ram

3D7HU18ZX2G153487

DIXIE AUTO SALES

(502) 384-7766 (NEXT TO ZIP’S CAR WASH) 7779 DIXIE HWY., LOUISVILLE, KY 40258

MULTIPLE FACILITIES – MULTIPLE UNITS

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction at the location indicated: Facility 1: 5807 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40291: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: A007, D033 Facility 2: 7900 Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY 40258: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 110, 443, 447, 449, 658 Facility 3: 6708 Preston Highway, Louisville, KY 40219: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 326, 464, 554 Facility 4 (ANNEX): 4010 Oaklawn Drive, Louisville, KY 40219: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 9044, 9115, 9183, 9216 Facility 5: 5420 Valley Station Rd, Louisville, KY 40272: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 400

3/16/2021

Facility 6: 6456 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40228: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 6013 Facility 7: 11440 Blankenbaker Access Dr, Louisville, KY 40299: April 21, 2021 – 1PM Units: 0048

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS LEGAL ATTENTION AERO AUTOMOTIVE! Your Black 2001 INFINITI QX4 with the license plate BEJ046 and the VIN: JNRDR09Y01W215165 Will be sold on MAY 6 2021 AT 3301 7TH Street Road Louisville, KY. 40216 at 0900 AM.

The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFIED HELP WANTED Captain’s Quarters is now hiring for all front and back of the house positions. Apply at www.cqriverside.com today! LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021

April 7 – June 6, 2021

Free admission & parking for everyone. Advanced ticket reservation strongly encouraged and face masks required.

Promise, Witness, Remembrance reflects on the life of Breonna Taylor, her killing in 2020, and the year of protests that followed, in Louisville and around the world. The exhibition explores the dualities between a personal, local story and the nation’s reflection on the promise, witness, and remembrance of too many Black lives lost to gun violence.

Made possible through support from The Ford Foundation.

LEOWEEKLY.COM // APRIL 14, 2021