gay new orleans
I will survive! That was my theme song when I divorced my wife in 1981. I thought my life was over when
in fact it was just the beginning of a new life. Southern Decadence 2004 is just a warm fuzzy memory today. And I did SURVIVE! SDGM XXXII Donnie Jay did it with class, color and great fun. He even included a horse in the parade to carry him. There were lovely and some not so lovely harem girls everywhere along with scantily clothed boys in blue and silver. I don’t usually attend the pre parade festivities but made an exception this year. Mainly because this was the first year I was invited! Southern Decadence Sunday started with a brunch
for the Grand Marshal and his entourage at The Friendly Bar. The food was fabulous with breakfast fare along with mini quiche and shrimp grillades & grits. I spotted Bywater Mike making sure the food was perfect as he always does. If you ever want to plan the perfect party give him a call at Bywater Bar.B.Que/Lorenzo's. The food he has provided over the years has always been fabu and consistent. Due to transportation issues from the lovely west bank, I got Uncle Andy to drop me off at The Friendly for 11am. The place was already half full. It quickly filled up
with parade revelers and boys, queens and everything in between. You could tell from all of the blue and silver and black that Donnie Jay, Lisa Beaumann and Regina Adams had been sewing and gluing their fingers to the bone. The costumes were lovely and consistent. Being the original that I am I decided to make my own interpretation of a harem girl. With sufficient sun and no sun screen I woke up this morning with a sun burn bra! You can see where my cleavage was yesterday. The parade started without a hitch with Donnie Jay giving his
proclamation in front of the Golden Lantern and on with the parade. I had a blast walking in the parade with SDGM XXXI Rusty LaRoux. She was a beautiful Ice Princess, which if you know Rusty is pretty accurate. Just teasin girl, just don’t get on her bad side! We had fun walking the route and dishing the crowd. With the exception of maybe 4 protestor’s on Royal Street in back of the Cathedral we didn’t experience any negative moments. They were almost pathetic with their anti gay signs. What cracks me up is that they try to hide their hate in the name of Christianity.
My God doesn’t just love middle class white folks who go to church every Sunday. He loves everyone!! But remember these were the same folks against desegregation and women voting and a lot of other social wrongs over the years. History has proven us right over the years. By gones!! Thank goodness for bar stops along the parade route. When we turned on St. Louis Street I got a pick me up at one of the quickie beer joints. We then pulled into the Double Play for a pit stop. I didn’t make it into the bar but Grand Marshal Donnie Jay did along with a lot of his entourage. Next
up was the Corner Pocket, Ninth Circle and so on and so forth!!! The parade ended at Bourbon and Dumaine and was followed by the 12th Official Southern Decadence Bead Toss at Ambush Head Quarters. Here is the part I enjoyed the most, air-conditioning and half naked boys. I set up court in the sitting room while Donnie Jay worked the balcony bead toss. Ambush provided refreshments and cool cocktails for the affair. Special thanks to Harrah’s Casino New Orleans, Bud Light and Costumes by Derek for providing us with fabulous beads to toss. And thanks
to Rip and Marsha for their hospitality and for helping to promote Southern Decadence. Now, I am going back asswards. Saturday night I helped raise money for Buzzy’s Boys and Girls at the Grand Marshal’s Show at Body and Soul. This was a star-studded cast of entertainers. This was one of the chosen charities that SDGM XXXII Donnie Jay wanted to help. Tiffany Rose opened the show and I followed her with my rendition of I’M Every Woman. I shaked and shimmied, girl! I thought I was having a heart attack. I am definitely getting too old for all this drag. I
look back to the past two years where I was out every night. Wednesday thru Monday in drag. This year I made it for Miss Queen Fashions Thursday night, Donnie’s Drag Show Saturday and the Parade Sunday. That is about all my face could handle. Speaking of Miss Queen Fashions, congratulation to Tammy Tarmac on winning the 4th Annual Pageant. After Miss Queen Fashions at Oz, I bar hopped with Delta Louise Carter, Aunt Ida "out of drag" and Ken Matherne. We worked every bar in the French Quarter. I think that is why I could only drag
every other night. I haven’t heard much about numbers this year but assure you this was a record crowd. It was nice to see business as usual. The bars spilling over into the street. Special thanks to the City of New Orleans, Mayor C. Ray Nagin and the new District 8 Police Captain Smegal for a safe and profitable Southern Decadence. And thanks to Irish Mike for the fabulous Pride banners that line Rampart Street thru Gay Pride weekend. Ok, enough about the past! Aren’t Gay Pride 2004 and
Halloween 2004 just around the corner? New Orleans Alliance of Pride will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year on October 9th & 10th in Armstrong Park with plenty of booths and great entertainment to celebrate 25 years of Gay Pride! I look forward to the fabu entertainment that Donnie Jay has in store for us. He has worked his butt off all year to raise money for Pride. I wish them the very best. Now, for all you queens who bitch we don’t have a good gay pride. Get your butts out there and participate. This is for all of us, but it won’t survive if no one supports it.
Halloween 21 Freaks, Follies, Sideshows will take place from October 28th –31st. More costuming for the queens and hot boys. Halloween has really evolved into a huge party that runs from Thursday thru Sunday. Cocktail parties, silent auctions, costume affairs and finally a jazz brunch. I know this year won’t disappoint. If you haven’t made your reservations call now. And don’t forget that this is a party with a cause. This is to benefit Project Lazarus. If you don’t have a thing to wear start making your costume today. I’m kinda lazy; I may revamp my harem costume. We will
see! I have to plug a few new advertisers before I go. If you didn’t get to try Big Shirley’s, 1500 Esplanade Ave., during Decadence then you need to real soon. I stopped there for lunch the week before Southern Decadence and had their signature crab cakes. You can have them as an appetizer or as a meal served with pasta with Alfredo sauce. What makes them special is a jalapeno dipping sauce. They also have a fabu 2 for 2 Happy Hour Tues.-Fri. with 2 well drinks for $2 from 5pm-7pm. Tell Carmen Phyllis sent you!!!
I also want to welcome Mackie Shilstone’s GNC and their 4 metro locations. They have a full line of nutrition, supplements and skin care products. Everything you need to stay healthy and beautiful!!! I can’t wait to try Stri Vectin-SD. They say it gives you a youthful, healthy and glowing complexion faster than retinal and better than vitamin C without the irritation, needles or surgery. At my age I need all the help I can get. Check out their ad in Ambush for more info. Until next time, remember Pride and Halloween
are just around the corner. Get some rest and lets get ready to party again!!! For info about our super Halloween edition give me a call 504.220.6407 or call Rip at 504.522.8049.
by Phyllis Denmark
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
www.thebigdiva.com
