Ambush Magazine Volume 38 Issue 10

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTH™

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 38 ISSUE 10

TUESDAY, MAY 19 – JUNE 1, 2020

we’re Back

www.AMBUSHMAG.com

THE “OFFICIAL” DISH

by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, I hope this issue of Ambush finds you and your family both healthy and safe. These are strange times we are living in and hopefully things will get back to normal soon. Although, I don’t think normal will be what it was before this pandemic arrived. I think of everything after COVID-19 as America 2.0 and in this new normal, things will be different for everyone.

There are so many members of

our community that are currently unemployed and have no idea when they will find employment again. The streets of the French Quarter are empty and void of tourists. When will they return?

When will businesses be able to open to full capacity? When can bars open and at what capacity? When will live entertainment be allowed? When can I catch a drag show to watch some of my favorite entertainers? Where can we congregate as a community to share

Inside this Issue of Ambush Magazine Community Announcements

4

Arts & Culture

10

Health & Wellness

24

Business

25

Comics, Puzzles & Horoscopes

26

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our stories and love for one another?

There are so many questions and too few answers at the moment.

The one thing we all need to remember is that we are all in this together, both individuals and businesses alike. Members of the LGBTQ community have always come together to help each other in times of difficulties and now is no different.

You can see people going above and beyond to help others in need all around. You need look no further than the CrescentCity.com Meal Assistance Program spearheaded by Sarah Manowitz, General Manager of Oz New Orleans, and Reed Wendorf, Editor-in-Chief of Ambush Magazine. Both of these individuals along with a team of volunteers have been working each week to provide free meals to over 1,000 individuals in our community. Everyone working on this program should be commended for their hard work and dedication.

As LGBTQ owned businesses begin to reopen, it is important that we support them when and where we can.

This includes everything from restaurants, bars, tour companies, clothing stores and everything in between. Ambush is no different, as these are trying times for us as well, which is evident by the fact that this is the first print issue we have distributed since March.

If we are going to continue to be a voice for our community and provide you with quality content, we need businesses who are able to support us by spending some of their advertising dollars with us.

We are thankful for the numerous businesses who have supported us throughout the years, but now is the time for others to step up and help if they can. I don’t want to imagine a world without Ambush. However, in America 2.0 it is simply no longer feasible to continue to operate at a loss. If you own a business and are interested in advertising, or know of someone who may be interested in advertising, please contact us at sales@ambushpublishing.com. Ambush has been a staple of the LGBTQ community for 38 years, and we hope to be around for many years to come.

Again, I hope you and your family are both healthy and safe. And please help your neighbors and members of your community who are in need. As I always say, If we aren’t here to help each other then why are we here?

Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Texas-Florida ANNUAL READERSHIP OVER 1M+ 260,000+ Print & 780,000+ Online Official Gay Easter Parade Guide™ Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide™ Official Gay New Orleans Guide™ Official Pride Guide™ Official Southern Decadence Guide™

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

700 Burgundy Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

info@ambushpublishing.com

PRINT CIRCULATION

Alabama - Birmingham, Mobile; Florida - Pensacola; Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Monroe, Alexandria; Mississippi - Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Jackson; Texas Houston

PUBLISHER TJ Acosta

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reed Wendorf

SENIOR EDITOR Brian Sands

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

LOCAL ADVERTISING

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NATIONAL ADVERTISING

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

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

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

2 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Beyond Burger Beyond Clover

G N I V R E S NOW

Beyond Clover Burger

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NEWS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS We’re excited to announce a new medium for you to enjoy Ambush Magazine.

Ambush Radio Podcast hosted

by George Bevan Jr will bring the stories that matter most to our community from our pages to the airwaves of a new podcast. A new Ambush Radio will be released every other Tuesday.

Episode One: Interviews with Ambush Publisher TJ Acosta & Editor-in-Chief Reed Wendorf The first episode includes interviews with our Editor-in-Chief Reed Wendorf discussing his efforts estab-

Introducing Ambush Radio Podcast

lishing the CrescentCity.com Meal Assistance Program and our Publisher Tomy Joe Acosta sharing his experience with COVID-19.

Episode Two: Interviews with Author Robert Fieseler and Rob Gerhart of Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown In the second episode of Ambush Radio, we talk with award-winning author Bobby Fieseler about his book on the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and Rob Gerhart of Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown on how LGBTQ small businesses are surviving during these challenging

times.

Episode Three: Interviews with Dan Beck of Inner Makeup Astrology and Patrick Staunton of Saint Patrick Park Pub In our third episode of the Ambush Radio Podcast, George Bevan Jr interviews our resident astrologer Dan Beck of Inner Makeup Astrology to learn more about astrology and what the stars can tell us.

We also visit Patrick Staunton at the only bar that has stayed open in New Orleans since the start of the coronavirus shutdown.

Stay tuned to ambushmag.com/ podcast and our Facebook page for more announcements. Ambush Radio Podcast is available on all major podcasting platforms. Send feedback, advertising inquiries and stories you want to share to george@ambushpublishing.com.

Search “Ambush Radio” in your favorite podcasting service including iTunes and Spotify OR visit our website to subscribe: https://www.ambushmag. com/podcast/

Tinderbox Author Robert Fieseler Wins Louisiana Literary Award The Louisiana Library Association has selected Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation as the recipient of its prestigious Louisiana Literary Award. This is the first time an LGBT+ themed book has won the award.

Published by Liveright, Tinderbox is the third book written about the tragic arson and positions the fire in the context of the national gay liberation movement. The Louisiana Literary Award is just the latest in a long line of honors the book has garnered. Fea-

tured in The New York Times and on NPR, Tinderbox was named a Best Book of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal. More recently, it won the Edgar Award in the category of Best Fact Crime.

Fieseler, originally from Chicago, moved to New Orleans with his husband, artist Ryan Leitner, after years of traveling to New Orleans to conduct research for the book. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana.

A recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling

Fellowship and the Lynton Fellowship in Book Writing, Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Fieseler’s feature stories have been published in a wide variety of places, including the anthology, My Gay New Orleans. Fieseler’s work has also been recognized in roundups of best nonfiction by The Atlantic, and his essays have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

The Louisiana Literary Award consists of a bronze plaque and a

cash prize of $250.00. The award was scheduled to be presented at an awards ceremony on March 26, 2020, as part of the Louisiana Library Association’s Annual Conference at the Lafayette Cajundome and Convention Center, Lafayette, LA. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent social distancing, the Award and Conference Committees are currently planning an alternative awards program.

4 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

COVID-19 BUSINESS NEWS LPK Uptown Weathers the Coronavirus Shutdown George Bevan Jr george@ambushpublishing.com New Orleans is known worldwide for its unique cuisine. It boasts over 1,216 restaurants. That is 605 full-service restaurants, 476 quick service restaurants, and 135 bars with kitchens. It’s nearly impossible to travel a block in most neighborhoods without coming across one of these restaurants or a corner convenience store serving someone’s world famous fried chicken.

This holds true at the foot of Carrollton Avenue near St. Charles where there is a cluster of eateries including Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. Rob Gerhart has operated this location of Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, known to locals as LPK Uptown, since 1992. It has survived several hurricanes including Katrina, being one of the first restaurants to return to the area. Almost fifteen years later, the struggle is back, but not in the way of a disaster like Katrina.

“Totally different than Katrina,” said Gerhart. “We lost probably 75 percent of our staff who had moved away and evacuated to somewhere else. We were literally dealing with friends coming in to work who had never waited tables, but they were willing to help.”

Now, things are much different.

“We don’t have the customer base that we had after Katrina; we were flooded with customers then,” said Gerhart with no pun intended.

On any given Wednesday, you can usually find the restaurant filled with familiar faces in the LGTBQ community.

Wednesdays at LPK Uptown are colloquially called “Gay Wednesdays.” But for the last month, the usual Wednesday crowd has been absent. The chatter of friends spilling the proverbial tea, the clanking of plates and flatware, the boisterous laughter from a table in the corner have fallen hush.

Gerhart had to change the way he operates his restaurant after Mayor Latoya Cantrell and subsequently Governor John Bel Edwards, ordered

bars shut down and limited restaurants to take-out orders only.

“Obviously for us, we depend on the interaction between customers the most, and that’s the strangest part, having no such interaction. Definitely not from my perspective being in the kitchen. It’s slower, but luckily for us we’ve been fortunate to have a lot of the locals in the neighborhood, plus a lot of new customers that have never been here before, who are just kind of stumbling across us,” said Gerhart. “It’s a different face to the restaurant for us, but the restaurant business is all about adapting.”

Gerhart’s restaurant was lucky to be able to accommodate the change in operations. Many other restaurants, particularly the kitchens that operate out of bars, were unable to offer takeout options due to liquor license requirements of the bars they are located in.

“The beginning was rough,” said Gerhart. “The first two weeks were quite scary, literally we were off by a thousand dollars a day.”

Just because Gerhart has still been able to toss pizzas doesn’t mean that the pace of business has kept up with pre-outbreak numbers. Gerhart and his staff are finding ways to get by.

“Now we’re off by a little bit, but we’ve made enough adjustments to what we were doing that it’s not quite as big of a drop – there’s less cost involved,” said Gerhart.

“We did apply for the Payroll Protection Program. We were lucky enough to make it into the first round, so we’re safe in that respect, and it’s allowed me to keep pretty much my whole staff without cutting their hours dramatically. We’re pushing through it.”

But pushing through things is not always easy. Some sacrifices had to be made. Gerhart did his best, however, as a business owner to keep things as normal as he could given the cir-

cumstances.

“We’re pretty much rolling with 14 employees, it’s just less people working per shift. So, everyone has to be a little more willing to do more than they were before,” explained Gerhart.

“A server is not just a server; some of them are now delivery drivers. Luckily, everybody here has been quite good about it. Nobody’s complained about it and they know they’re all fighting for a common cause of just staying open and keeping everyone employed.”

Despite the struggles, Gerhart has always given back to the community, and LPK continues to do that even in the face of adversity.

“We started a month ago with something I was doing for a couple of friends who are doctors. I just sent them a message, ‘Hey, by the way, I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be open, y’all want us to make y’all some food? I’ll just feed your hospital departments.’ It became this thing where people were calling me, but not asking for food but offering financial assistance.”

“The whole pay it forward aspect has just kept on going. I know these hospital people are exhausted, way more than we can ever be here.”

Gerhart looks forward to being

able to get back to some semblance of business before the outbreak. He was excited about the prospect of opening up his outdoor seating for customers to dine in.

“I got the message yesterday and I’m out in the parking lot trying to reconfigure the seating out there, and then all of a sudden, I got the word today that it was not going to happen. We just have to be a little more patient,” said Gerhart.

In the meantime, for those who have missed out on the beloved “Gay Wednesdays,” Gerhart says pies are still available even though the social aspect of sitting down with friends is not.

“As much as I love the delivery services, if you want to support your local restaurant, go pick up your food.

It’s been helpful that they’re doing the deliveries, but if you’re in the neighborhood, drive by and pick it up. We’d all love to see y’all more than a delivery driver.”

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown is located on South Carrollton Ave near the intersection of St. Charles. They are open for take-out 11am to 9pm seven days a week. You can find their menu online at louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

• take dofetilide.

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

• have kidney problems.

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) may harm your unborn baby. ° Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine than DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. ° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider will perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO. ° If you can become pregnant, you should consistently use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO. ° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO.

©2019 ViiV Healthcare or licensor.

DLLADVT190031 November 2019 Produced in USA.

Learn more about Kalvin and DOVATO at DOVATO.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SO MUCH GOES INTO WHO I AM HIV MEDICINE IS ONE PART OF IT. Reasons to ask your doctor about DOVATO: DOVATO can help you reach and then stay undetectable* with just 2 medicines in 1 pill.

That means fewer medicines† in your body while taking DOVATO

You can take it any time of day with or without food (around the same time each day)—giving you flexibility

DOVATO is a once-a-day complete treatment for adults who are new to HIV-1 medicine.

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

KALVIN‡ Living with HIV

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

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines.

Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO. • The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; diarrhea; nausea; trouble sleeping; and tiredness.

These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where Can I Find More Information?

• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

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

October 2019 DVT:2PI-2PIL Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

Compensated by ViiV Healthcare

‡

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

Obituary: Charles Turberville Charles Turberville passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, from complications of COVID-19.

He died in his apartment at Woldenberg Village where he had resided for the past year.

Charles was born in New Orleans in 1948 and attended Behrman High School. He served in the Navy from 1971-75. After leaving the Navy, he worked for the IRS for a short time. After leaving the IRS, he spent the rest of his professional career as an auditor for the Department of Defense, originally at the Naval Support Activity in Algiers and later at Avondale.

Charles’ greatest passion in life, however, was Mardi Gras. His love of Carnival began as a child, when he was crowned King of a Mardi Gras party at his elementary school (in later years he often told friends that he had really wanted to be Queen).

Charles joined the Krewe of Choctaw in the early 1970s and was active in the organization for decades. He reigned as Chief Choctaw in 1988, and served on the Board of Directors until a few years ago when his health began to fail. He was active in the Krewe of King Arthur for many years and reigned as King Arthur in 1997 for the Krewe’s twentieth anniversary.

In 1989, Charles joined the Krewe

of Armeinius and soon became a driving force in the organization. He served as Captain for seven balls, most recently in 2013. He reigned as Queen Armeinius in 1994 and King Armeinius in 2002. He held numerous Board positions and served on the Board until 2015. Charles was also active in the Krewe of Petronius for several years in the early 2000s and reigned as King Petronius in 2008.

In addition to his krewe memberships, Charles was elected to the Board of the Fat Monday Luncheon, the oldest annual gay event in the country, in the mid-1990s and continued on its Board until two years ago. He also joined the Steamboat Club around the same time and was active until recently when his health began to fail.

Charles was a pillar of the gay community in New Orleans and is remembered by his countless friends as a man of great charm and boundless energy. Armeinius founder and longtime friend Wendell Stipelcovich recalls that Charles “was a hard worker and had a knack for pulling things together”.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother. He is survived by his lifelong friend David Scheu, who served as Charles’ primary caretaker during his final years; by his niece Tara

Charles Turberville

Reaves and great-niece Carly Reaves; by cousins Bonnie Laigast and Katie Floyd; and by dear friends Claudia & Guy Laigast; as well as hundreds of friends all across the country.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the funeral will be private. A celebration of life will be planned when conditions allow.

8 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About in COVID New Orleans SCENES FROM NOLA IN QUARANTINE | PRINTS AVAILABLE AT GDOUGLASADAMSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM | PHOTOS BY G DOUGLAS ADAMS

Our legacy is yours.

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

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

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ARTS & CULTURE

Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

Les Misérables, or The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow?

How much have things changed in the past two months since everything shut down? Well, depending on who you are or what you’re asking about, a lot or a little. For, as some places begin to reopen, alas for live theater, it’s turning into a hard knock life. (Hmmm...two Annie references already, more than I’ve probably made here in the past two decades. Maybe we’ll get a new deal for Christmas...if not before!)

To go back a bit, the last show I saw before the shutdown was We’ll Meet Again, a tribute to the era’s blonde bombshell singers, at the WWII Museum’s Stage Door Canteen which I found to be a delightful bouquet of great songs terrifically tied together by Sean Patterson’s script and charmingly performed by Hannah Rachal (who also directed) and Bryce Slocumb.

The day after that, Friday the 13th

ironically, productions began shutting down, sometimes with little warning.

As I tried to juggle my schedule to squeeze in a few last shows before the inevitable stay-at-home order would go into effect, I did make it up to the North Shore to see one that, as of that afternoon, was going on that evening, but was cancelled less than two hours before curtain time. Oh well, I and a friend did have a wonderful meal at Trey Yuen.

Since then, it’s been a whole new world.

As theater is so ephemeral, I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize those shows whose runs were cut short; those that never opened and, sadly, had to be canceled; and those that were postponed and which we can still look forward to seeing.

Runs cut short • The Complete History of Comedy (abridged), Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS)

Bryce Slocumb and Hannah Rachal of We’ll Meet Again

• The Miss Firecracker Contest, Slidell Little Theatre • Peter and the Starcatcher, Rivertown Theaters (rescheduled for Aug. 6-9) • The Piano Lesson, Le Petit Theatre • Rumors, 30 by Ninety Theatre

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

Canceled • Bazzar, Cirque du Soleil • Beauty and The Beast, New Orleans Ballet Theatre • The Boardinghouse, Café’ Luke • Cabaret, Loyola • Chaps!, Stage Door Canteen • Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, New Orleans Opera • The Demolition Downtown and The Chalky White Substance, Beaubourg Theatre • Dido & Aeneas, Loyola • Dina Martina’s Forgotten But Not Gone, Daniel Nardicio • Dreams, Radical Buffoons • Driving Miss Daisy, See ‘Em On Stage • Edmund Bagnell--He Plays the Violin, Mark Cortale • The Elephant Man, UNO • Evita, Summer Lyric Theatre

• Fiddler on the Roof, Saenger • Follies, concert version, Summer Lyric Theatre • God’s Favorite, Playmakers Theater • Good People, Playmakers Theater • Hedy!, Stage Door Canteen • The Juilliard String Quartet, UNO • KindHumanKind (return engagement), Goat in the Road Productions and the CAC • Legally Blonde, Summer Lyric Theatre • Moby Dick Rehearsed, 30 by Ninety Theatre • Songs That Won the War (return engagement), Stage Door Canteen • Tennessee Williams and Saints & Sinners Festival • Troilus and Cressida, N.O. Shakespeare Festival • Twelfth Night, N.O. Shakespeare Festival • Urinetown, The Musical, Tulane Postponed, with rescheduled dates when available • An American in Paris, JPAS • Anastasia, Saenger, Aug. 18-23 • Angels in America Part 1: Millen-

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

nium Approaches, Le Petit Theatre, October 2020 • Chemin Du Bayou, Southern Rep, October 2020 • The Drowsy Chaperone, Rivertown Theaters, Sept. 11-27 • Fairykind; The Musical, Slotted Spoon Productions/Sisterhood Studios • 42nd Street, JPAS • Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes, Stage Door Canteen • Jasper In Deadland, NOCCA • In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel, Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of N.O., Mar/Apr 2021 • Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, NOBA • The Magic Flute, New Orleans Opera, Mar. 19 & 21, 2021 • Margaret Cho, Daniel Nardicio • Mean Girls, Saenger • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Radical Buffoons/Delgado, Aug. 26-31 • Spring Collection, New Orleans Ballet Theatre, Fall 2020 • Sweet Potato Queens, JPAS • Treasure Island, NOLA Project/ NOMA, May 2021 • Trevor Noah, Saenger • Vessels, Junebug Productions • World’s Greatest Johnny Cash Experience, Stage Door Canteen I want to acknowledge all the hard work that went into these productions, and hope that everyone’s talents will soon be seen again. Apologies to any productions I may have left out inadvertently.

Until our theaters do open again, many have moved online to provide entertainment and amusement for all the stay-at-home, I’m-about-to-go-stircrazy people out there.

Le Petit recently announced the launch of a series of radio plays. The first installment, Sorry, Wrong Number, debuts Friday, May 22, at 7:30pm.

The drama will feature Leslie Castay as Mrs. Elbert Stevenson and Tracey Collins as the Telephone Operator as well as Curtis Billings and Helen Jaksch.

Sorry, Wrong Number is the classic story of a bedridden woman who hears two men plotting a murder over crossed telephone lines (back in the days before cell phones!). Orson Welles called it “the single greatest radio script ever written”. To find out if Mrs. Stevenson will be able to stop the gruesome deed before it is carried out, you can join the watch party on Le Petit’s Facebook page (www.facebook. com/LePetitNOLA) or after the event when the video will be posted to social media.

Southern Rep’s long-running Debauchery! moved online last month.

Conceived and written by Pat Bourgeois, this send-up of soap operas follows the exploits of sisters Chanel and Cartier as they flounce and fight their way through a maze of outrageous plot

A. J. Allegra of The NOLA Project

twists and turns.

The cast features such local comic stalwarts as Robin Baudier, Tracey Collins, Kyle Daigrepont, Sean Glazebrook, Matthew Mickal, Sean Patterson, Allee Peck, Jessica Podewell, Hannah Rachal, Michael P. Sullivan and Mandy Zirkenbach, along with special guest stars. To find out when the next episode will be check out www.southernrep.com/debauchery or Debauchery’s Facebook page (www. facebook.com/WeloveDEBAUCHERY).

Not only has Goat in the Road Productions (GRP) been posting video playlets written by playwrights from here “and beyond” on its website (www. goatintheroadproductions.org), but it’s going ahead with its 11th Annual Play/ Write Showcase which presents short works by students from area schools.

This year’s Showcase will feature 14 scripts brought to life via virtual performances produced by eight local theater companies. The plays will go live on Wednesday, May 20, at 6 pm on the GRP website and will remain up throughout the summer.

Rivertown Theaters has been presenting its “Quarantunes Challenge”, a musical entertainment via a singing contest in which two performances are posted each day and viewers vote for their favorite; each vote costs $1.

All videos are submitted by volunteers from their own self-isolation, so they’re, understandably, not finished products, but do offer a way for local talent to stay creative and connected with audiences. More info at www.rivertowntheaters.com

For The NOLA Project, check out A.J. Allegra’s PAST PRESENT FUTURE article below.

While a few events are still scheduled for June, at this point, I’m not sure if the shows will go on. I should have updates by our next issue along with any new online offerings that will be debuting. Till then stay safe’n’sane!

PAST PRESENT FUTURE I

While we’re suffering from theatrum interruptus, I wanted to offer this column to the Artistic Directors of New Orleans’ theater companies to let us know what was going on when things shut down, what they’re doing now, and what plans they have for the future.

First up for PAST PRESENT FUTURE is The NOLA Project’s A.J. Allegra who has been nominated for eight Ambie Awards, winning for Best Actor in a Musical for The Producers (2010) and as part of Best Ensemble for The NOLA Project’s world premiere production of Gab Reisman’s Taste (2009).

PAST

The NOLA Project (TNP) was one week out from hosting our major annual fundraiser, The Spotlight Supper, when COVID-19 struck our city and halted all public gatherings in their tracks. We had to postpone the event to September and ask for the generous patience of our patrons. And while we still very much hope to host the event, which is crucial to our operating budget, in the Fall, the recent announce-

ment by Mayor Cantrell that many large festivals and gatherings should forgo the calendar year altogether is something of a major concern.

A week or two after that, it became apparent that rehearsing for our May production of Treasure Island would be impossible given the stay-at-home orders. So we have decided to push the production to May 2021 as part of our 16th season. What is truly heartbreaking about this is that we were set to premiere this new adaptation (by TNP ensemble members James Bartelle, Alex Martinez Wallace and myself, inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s characters) at the brand new amphitheater in NOMA’s expanded Sculpture Garden. The wooden stage sits directly on top of the lagoon, thus our choice for a sea-inspired story, and audiences would be seated for the first time on a raked ground specially designed for superb sight-lines in this new venue.

PRESENT

Currently, TNP has shifted our focus to free online content for our patrons and we have enjoyed a lot of success in doing so, though without, obviously, any much-needed revenue.

We began with a March Madness-style bracket contest in which all 64 major NOLA Project productions were pitted against one another within four quadrants as defined by our company’s 15-year history. We have just made it through Round One and voting has been growing greatly in popularity. It is CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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MUSINGS BY CATHERINE Adopting Pets for the Wrong Reasons Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com We love our pets. Some of us are obsessed with our “children,” the cats, dogs, and other non-human creatures at home. During this COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, the desire for a kitten or puppy has blossomed into a kind of obsession on a national level.

A number of news reports have told us that people who have never had a pet, now seem desperate to adopt one.

But why now, right at this painful and somewhat lonely time, you might ask?

I took a poll of 6 people, and the responses aligned with national reports: Cats and dogs keep you company; they make you feel needed; they are something alive in the home; you can talk to them; and they sleep with you.

This desire clearly seems motivated by the current situation, but those feelings may lessen or vanish in several months. Then what happens to the pet? Pets take time and commitment. If you haven’t been a pet owner, please think why you want that kitten or puppy right now.

As we return to work, and socializing with friends, will you need or want that responsibility, every day, every night of your life? Puppies and kittens, new pets of any age, require lots of dedicated personal time, to train, to get to know, to make comfortable. Making a home safe for a new pet can take effort, creativity and money. Pets are expensive to maintain humanely. Not

just food and regular vet care, but there are also illnesses and allergies to consider. Once you have a pet, it is your responsibility to have them taken care of for anything like that. Animals also get cancer, have heart issues, break bones, have diabetes, and all such issues cost lots of money. When you travel, boarding is very expensive and not great for pets. Folks don’t always consider the costs that lasts for many years; I hope you will.

Perhaps the need and want for a new animal right now is less about having a pet, and more about feeling lonely and a little frustrated due to being quarantined for over two months.

Understandable, but not a good or

fair reason to adopt a pet. Please know there are other outlets that will be available again very soon, ones which won’t entail many dedicated years and consistent financial commitment.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

urday night at 10:30pm on Instagram (@thenolaproject), one of our company members goes live to entertain our fans with whatever they have. I performed a fireside chat. Leslie Claverie shaved her head. Natalie Boyd (normally a non-drinker) drank a whole bottle of wine while answering all kinds of questions submitted throughout the week. This past Saturday, Ken Thomp-

son dressed up in a drag makeup tutorial.

We also have begun a series called Q & AJ in which I sit down over Zoom with interesting theater types to talk about their work. So far we have had two-time Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris and TNP’s own Claire Gresham as guests. We are also moving our monthly Rough Draughts new play-reading series online. Be on the lookout the last Monday of each month on our Facebook page for that; Q & AJ can also be found there.

We have some other surprises in store but I don’t want to reveal them just yet.

help one another and advocate for the eventual return of theater in New Orleans.

Similar to Katrina, this state of affairs necessitates creative thinking and experimental production models if we are to come back in full force. Tragedy often demands invention, and my hope is that the future of New Orleans theater, including NOLA Project, includes more risk in terms of content, performance location, performance scheduling, and audience engagement.

Creativity tends to thrive most when hope is at its dimmest. That said, no one is better at making lemonade from lemons than theater people. I look forward to when our curtains will rise again.

a fun way to blend our love of theater with the conspicuous absence of any American sporting events. If you’d like to participate, check out our Facebook page (facebook.com/thenolaproject) each day.

Next, we began a live video series called SNL with TNP. Every Sat-

FUTURE

The future for us, and many other theater organizations, is a bit of a question mark, or perhaps an ellipsis.

We plan to be back for our audiences as soon as possible, but understand that public health is a priority.

We want to get back to normal, but understand that a new normal will more likely be the case.

We have a fabulous four-show season planned as well as an additional surprise that I cannot reveal yet. Currently, however, we are unsure when we can reveal it and when it can begin.

One thing that gives me great confidence is the weekly meetings that I have been having with Artistic Directors and staffs of the various other New Orleans theater organizations each Wednesday. Aimee Hayes of Southern Rep and I recognized early on the similarities of this situation to Katrina and knew that we had to band together and help one another in order to thrive for when this ultimately passes.

We convened a major online meeting that has resulted in a true sense of togetherness as well as a joint effort to

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

A.J. Allegra is the Artistic Director of The NOLA Project theater company. Allegra has over thirty credits with the company as a director, writer, and actor. Under his leadership, TNP has twice been awarded the National Theater Company Award by the American Theater Wing, has commissioned & produced 16 world premiere plays, and has formed many important cultural partnerships with area organizations.

He holds a BFA in Theater from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MS in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. He currently is a theater faculty member at Lusher Charter School.

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

12 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About in COVID New Orleans SCENES FROM NOLA IN QUARANTINE | PRINTS AVAILABLE AT GDOUGLASADAMSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM | PHOTOS BY G DOUGLAS ADAMS

Stay Safe New Orleans!

Love, James, Monica, and the Lantern Team www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 13

COMMUNITY VOICE NOAGE Becomes SAGE New Orleans Jim Meadows Executive Director, NOAGE info@noagenola.org I’m pleased to announce that New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) has become a SAGE affiliate, and will now be known as SAGE New Orleans.

For the first year of this transition, we will actually be known as SAGE New Orleans – NOAGE. We had planned to make this announcement at our annual membership reception last month. Unfortunately, that event had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We definitely plan, however, to have a celebration of this important milestone as soon as it becomes safe to do so.

By joining SAGE, we have become part of the nation’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older people, and are now directly connected with over 30 other affiliates who are devoted to this important work.

While the name of our organization is changing, our mission remains the same. NOAGE was formed in 2015 in response to the increasing needs of the New Orleans area’s aging LGBT population. SAGE New Orleans is committed to ensuring that all LGBT older people in the our metro area can live

their best lives with the dignity, respect, and good health that they deserve.

To achieve this, we host social events (coffee talks, support groups, potlucks, movie nights, fitness groups, etc.) for LGBT older adults. “SAGE New Orleans has been so helpful in my struggle against being alone and disconnected,” said constituent Wayne Sizemore. “I look forward to this organization bringing members of our community to the table and using our voice and experience as a guide for expansion.”

We also work to increase the cultural competency of healthcare and other service providers through trainings and workshops. LGBT older people are often afraid to come out to healthcare professionals, for fear of discrimination and mistreatment, and may go back into the closet when entering long-term care facilities. To address these issues, SAGE New Orleans has provided hundreds of local healthcare and other service providers with LGBT cultural competence training.

Many people are unaware that the founders of NOAGE originally planned to launch the organization as a SAGE affiliate. Ten years ago, local attorney,

Jason Waguespack, was living in the French Quarter with his partner. “Every day when we walked the dogs,” he said, “we would pass our elderly neighbor, Jacques, who spent his day sitting at his window just looking outside. We got to know him, and he’d lived a fascinating life, but he had lost his partner years before, and he was alone with no family. He just spent his days staring out of that window.”

Waguespack wondered what resources there were in New Orleans for LGBT older people like Jacques, and soon found out that there weren’t many. He met with Jason Tudor (who was then a community outreach director for AARP Louisiana), and the two of them formed a steering committee of other community leaders with the goal of launching a new SAGE affiliate organization in New Orleans.

Because SAGE was in the process of reworking and standardizing their affiliate application process, however, they were temporarily not taking new affiliates. Rather than wait, the local steering committee made the decision to launch as an independent organization called NOAGE. From its earliest days, NOAGE looked to SAGE’s programming and services in New York and other locations as a model for helping to address the loneliness and isolation that many LGBT people face as they age.

SAGE’s leadership has provided support and advice to me throughout the five years that I’ve been involved with this organization.

Now that we are officially a SAGE affiliate, I am in regular contact with leaders of other affiliates across the country. This has been especially helpful during the current COVID-19 pandemic because I’ve been able to see how other affiliates are responding, and how they have adjusted their programming to keep their constituents safely connected and supported during this uncertain time.

SAGEConnect, for example, is a new program that connects LGBT older people across the country with others who are interested in sharing a friendly phone conversation once a week.

To learn more about that initiative, you can visit sageusa.org/sageconnect.

SAGE New Orleans is currently hosting two events per week: our HIV support group, led by Dr. Andrew Watley, and our Coffee Talks, moderated

by Dr. Catherine Roland.

Both of these recurring events are held on Zoom; participants can either join with video via the Zoom app, or by

simply calling in by phone.

We hope that we’ll be able to get back to our usual in-person programming soon, but for now, all of our programming will be virtual. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in our groups, or if you have any ideas of suggestions about other virtual events that you’d like for us to host, send an email to info@noagenola.org, or call (504) 517-2345.

The SAGE New Orleans Board of Directors has three new members: Joseph Kimbrell, Rodney Thoulion, and Ed Trapido.

Mr. Kimbrell has spent his entire career in the field of public health. He worked for the New Orleans Health Department, then for the Louisiana Office of Public Health, and then spent the past nineteen years as the CEO of the Louisiana Public Health Institute.

Mr. Thoulion has been the Director of Development for CrescentCare since 2014. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director for Friends of City Park. He has also worked in the fields of publishing and marketing, and has spent many years being of service to various local LGBT groups and causes.

Dr. Trapido, an epidemiologist, is Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the LSU School of Public Health in New Orleans. Last year, he worked with NOAGE to facilitate the first survey of the older LGBTQ community of New Orleans, and he currently serves on the Board of Trustees for CrescentCare.

Three members of the SAGE New Orleans Board of Directors have completed their terms. Misti Gaither has raised thousands of dollars for the organization, and both Katherine Hoover and Glenn Reames have been involved since the initial steering committee formed NOAGE. All three have been an important part of the team, and I’m proud to call them my friends.

I’d like to close with a few words about Paul Metoyer, who passed away last month.

Paul was a former member of our Board of Directors. He was deeply committed to our work, and contributed in countless ways to our mission. He always had wise advice and insight, and was unfailing in his cheerful demeanor, good humor, and infectious smile.

Paul was active in many organizations here in New Orleans, and we were very blessed that he brought his compassion and drive to ours. He will be very deeply missed, and never forgotten.

16 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

THE HERE AND THE NOW OK, So We’re Open: Phase I Louisiana Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com I asked someone the other day if he was looking forward to our area “opening up” during Phase One, and if he’d considered what it may mean for him on a personal level. “Well, nothing is happening now,” he responded, “might as well see some life and go down to the Quarter. But I’m kind of really afraid, so I’m not sure.”

I think many people feel similarly.

They’re ready to be out of quarantine, but not exactly certain how to negotiate being safe, having fun again, and seeing friends & family that have been missed.

Some things many will NOT miss include being stuck at home too much; feeling uncomfortable going into a grocery or pharmacy where there’s little social distancing; restricting exercise to home-based, outdoors, and often alone; and working from home, especially if it was a new experience.

The negativity of the daily reports about how many people tested positive for COVID-19, and how many deaths were reported has also been a heavy burden. I think it’s time to lift that burden, that sadness, and move on into “Phase One Louisiana”, because we are smack in it. And it’s much better than it was a month ago!

Some positive things have come from the time at home for many. Take the Zoom Boom, as I call it. We’ve known about platforms like Zoom for a long time, perhaps used it for work things, and now -- voila -- we use it to connect in important ways with friends and family. Graduation Zoom ceremonies, Zoom dance parties, Zoom cocktail hours and Zoom reunions have given us the ability to stay in touch and keep up with those close to us.

There’ve even been Zoom weddings!

Something else that might have been a positive would be learning how to ‘be alone’ with yourself. There’s an expression, “keep your own counsel”

which to me means that I should, if I can, use my own wits and experience to help make important decisions. It can also mean having the ability to be alone for long periods of time, and still find meaning in your life.

So often we learn at a young age to value time spent with others, and not time spent alone. Think about it, time with others we say is “quality time” and time by ourselves we say is “alone time”. But isn’t it also quality time? I do think there has been some greater acceptance of living alone, of doing for yourself, and of taking time to be “BE.” We learn fairly young that depending on others is either a good idea if it’s reciprocated, or could be looked at as needy and codependent. That teaches us not to trust others, not to listen to more experienced people, and to break traditions just to do it sometimes, even if the end result is not the aim.

The aim is to mix things up, often to see what others say about it, or to try to derail a specific tradition. As adults, we can reframe the way in which we look at something. We have the capacity to reconsider a belief, or a level of trust, and see how it plays out. And that ability can allow us to reframe, then reshape our daily interactions with people in general, dear friends, and the loves of our lives as we go forward.

In a way, it’s all about timing. That confluence of feelings, including relief, confusion, fear and excitement can cause some anxiety and, possibly, depression. Anxiety kind of rolls right along, ebbing and flowing each day, sometimes per hour.

It’s difficult for many to know what is the right or best way to re-enter our world. Here are some suggestions on how that can be handled in a healthy way, under our current circumstances.

--Use the alone time that will still be built into Phase One Louisiana.

Whatever projects, creative endeav-

ors, or daily exercises you might have participated in over the last two and a half months, continue them. In fact, you might want to keep a record of what you’ve spent some time on, just so you can congratulate yourself later.

I have a friend who hadn’t put a puzzle together in years. He sent me a photo of the huge puzzle he put together. He is so very proud of it, I think, because it was completed alone, he was dedicated, and it looks wonderful. Another learned to cook Spanish cuisine; took two on-line classes, hasn’t actually cooked anything yet, but I’m hopeful.

--Some people I know pretty much would say “I did nothing” but they’d not be considering that they had learned a few things: how to survive by eating at home each night (maybe even cooking); how effective it might be to give cognitive as well as emotional time & effort to hopes and dreams. Perfected also was the time they spent on other things, sometimes mundane but always necessary, and the wise ability to decline an offer, to say “No” once in a while.

--We’ve also learned to open up our minds and hearts to others, in different ways than before. I think we have

been brave, patient, and logical for the most part during this pandemic, and we should all be proud of ourselves.

We’re all working our way through this maze of searching for our new normal.

Some lessons I’ve learned include a mask is my friend, but that since no one can see me smile with a mask on, to remember to tell people when I was smiling. Another is that ‘alone’ doesn’t have to mean lonely. And lastly, we are likely much stronger than we know, have better creative ideas when we are quiet for a while, and that we are much more engaging when we open ourselves to life and the universe.

Stay Safe, and Stay Home when you want to!

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

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 17

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY The Big Easy Sisters Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Of all the nuns and orders of nuns in New Orleans, the most fabulous is The Big Easy Sisters, Parish of the Muddy Waters.

The Big Easy Sisters are an order of 21st century queer nuns. Their primary goal, in their own words, is “to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt or, in other words, we are the clowns of our community and we banish any negative energy. We are also here to help raise money for underfunded charities in our community.”

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence originated in San Francisco in 1979 during Easter weekend. Three friends—Ken Bunch, Fred Brungard, and Baruch Golden—paraded through the streets wearing traditional nun’s habits, one carrying a machine gun.

Later that fall, Edmund Garron and Bill Graham attended the first international Faerie Gathering in Arizona, where they met others interested in becoming Sisters.

Chapters, or “Houses,” of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence began popping up all over the country. Today, the Sisters have an international pres-

ence with houses throughout Europe and even one in Uruguay.

The New Orleans House began in 2012 when Michael Morris (Imma Getaround) and Michael Maldonado (Moanalot Fontaine) met at Rue de la Course and decided to start a local Sisters group. The process was involved.

The United Nuns Privy Council requires an “Aspirant House” to have at least six members before it is elevated to a “Mission House.”

On August 19, 2013, after a vote of the UNPC, the Big Easy Sisters became an official mission house. At that time, the founding sisters were: Abbess Moana Moans-A-Lott; Mistress of Novices Glory Bea DiVine; Mistress of Quill Cathi Terr; Mistress of Coins Eileen Eulick; and Wilma Ballsdrop, Mary Pat McCooter, AuJus, Rainblow Bites, Nunsexmunkrock, Ten Buck U, and Izzy Haute. In January 2015, the UNPC voted to elevate the Big Easy Sisters to a fully professed house.

Houses are hierarchically organized, and membership involves four levels: Aspirant, Postulant, Novice, Fully Professed. Aspirants are those who want to join the House and are

required to attend meetings and a few manifestations. A manifestation is when the Sisters make public appearances wearing makeup and their regalia. Normally, one or more guards accompany the sisters when they manifest. Members choose to be either sisters or guards at the Postulant level.

During the Novice period, which lasts a minimum of six months, the novitiate must produce a project that benefits the House or the community.

The Abbess, or Mistress of the House, of the Big Easy Sisters is Glory Bea. Originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, Glory Bea moved to New Orleans with her partner in 2012. In Texas, Glory Bea studied Theater at Texas Tech and was later involved with the Imperial Court System of Texas and the Dallas Bears. Glory Bea also served as a mentor in the Houston House.

When asked about the biggest misconception people have about the Sisters, Glory Bea says, “People think we’re straight street performers or odd drag queens who don’t perform.”

The Sisters, however, are neither of those things. Rather, they are a highly structured, benevolent organiza-

tion that raises awareness and money for local causes.

Guard Ken DelPo says, “For me it’s a chance to reach out to the larger community, to support our LGBT+ friends and community. Also, on a personal level, for me it is part of ‘Tikkun olam’, which means in Hebrew ‘Healing the world’. It’s a small part to make the world a better place than I found it.”

The Big Easy Sisters have put their money where their mouths are. Since 2012, they have contributed money to a wide variety of local charities including Belle Reve, Buzzy’s Boys and Girls, St. Anna’s food pantry, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, and several other organizations. In addition, the Big Easy Sisters have participated in the annual Southern Decadence parade, assisted gay Carnival krewes during their balls, marched in the NO/ AIDS walk, attended the 40th anniversary memorial for the Up Stairs Lounge fire, participated in Pride festivals, and hosted All Saints Day/Day of the Dead events.

18 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

STRANGE INHERITANCE Part One: Origins & Part Two: Past Ryan Leitner reidleitner@gmail.com

Part One: Origins

For the next four issues, this column will be dedicated to a project I have been cultivating over the past couple of years. It’s a project that has required labor, humility, gratitude, and love. Love for a community that has always needed to fight for its visibility, and love for a community that will always need to fight for its rights.

What will always make this true is its sheer lack of numbers. Outside of queer meccas like Fire Island and Provincetown, the LGBTQ+ population throughout the world will never become a dominant number. You simply can’t knowingly breed more queer people into existence. We also can’t be created from a specific culture, race, or region, making us pervasively a minority worldwide. For this reason, I find our drumbeat to be very singular and yet forever persistent.

With this in mind, I began to question; how can we as a community work to recognize our chosen family ancestors if we don’t know them? Is this a type of diaspora with no tangible starting place? How can we own claim to those that have helped construct our identities through their actions and visibility when they unknowingly did so? Who allowed us out of our closets? Though I’ve never met Harvey Milk or Marsha P. Johnson, are they our chosen relatives? Like my great-great-grandfather who came to Ellis Island as a German immigrant in 1913, can I claim them for my ability to live my true life?

When I came out to my parents, did the words and visibility of my chosen uncle Elton John help ease the confusion for my parents when I came out to them? The lives of our chosen ancestors in this strange type of inheritance affect the ways in which we live out our LGBTQ+ lives, and I wanted to find a way in which we can recognize, honor, and appreciate these members of our communities that we may or may not know.

Over the next four columns, I will be sharing the journey of this project I’ve titled “Strange Inheritance” and discuss where I currently stand with its progress. The lessons I’ve learned along the way, how these questions were formed, and the different ways I’ve learned to disseminate them into action. Each article, along with its core agenda and story, will end with a dedication to a different queer pioneer that paved the way for future LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

This one is dedicated to you Stewart Butler. You recently left us on this physical plane, but your actions and

voice will live on in our lives, in our rights, and in our hearts. Thanks for being our “political animal”.

Stewart Butler, the self proclaimed “political animal”, dedicated his life to protect and build up the New Orleans queer community, keeping it the gay mecca it is. He was on the front lines to help pass the anti-discrimination ordinance for the LGBTQ+ community in 1991 by the New Orleans City Council and was one of the lucky survivors of the Upstairs Lounge Fire in 1973.

His life was dedicated to the progress of queer LGBTQ+ rights throughout the state and was honored with the “We’re Here” award for politics by the Louisiana Council for Human Rights. In the 90’s, he was instrumental in making sure PFLAG added transgender rights into its mission statement, making it a national commitment for the organization. He started the LGBTQ+ Archives project, and I am honored to say that “Strange Inheritance” received research and development funding from their grant program. Thank you Stewart for your dedication and perseverance in establishing our rights as Queer American citizens.

Part Two: Past

Of all the nuns and orders of nuns in New Orleans, the most fabulous is The Big Easy Sisters, Parish of the Muddy Waters.

The Big Easy Sisters are an order of 21st century queer nuns. Their primary goal, in their own words, is “to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt or, in other words, we are the clowns of our community and we banish any negative energy. We are also here to help raise money for underfunded charities in our community.”

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence originated in San Francisco in 1979 during Easter weekend. Three

friends—Ken Bunch, Fred Brungard, and Baruch Golden—paraded through the streets wearing traditional nun’s habits, one carrying a machine gun.

Later that fall, Edmund Garron and Bill Graham attended the first international Faerie Gathering in Arizona, where they met others interested in becoming Sisters.

Chapters, or “Houses,” of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence began popping up all over the country. Today, the Sisters have an international presence with houses throughout Europe and even one in Uruguay.

The New Orleans House began in 2012 when Michael Morris (Imma Getaround) and Michael Maldonado (Moanalot Fontaine) met at Rue de la Course and decided to start a local Sisters group. The process was involved.

The United Nuns Privy Council requires an “Aspirant House” to have at least six members before it is elevated to a “Mission House.”

On August 19, 2013, after a vote of the UNPC, the Big Easy Sisters became an official mission house. At that time, the founding sisters were: Abbess Moana Moans-A-Lott; Mistress of Novices Glory Bea DiVine; Mistress of Quill Cathi Terr; Mistress of Coins Eileen Eulick; and Wilma Ballsdrop, Mary Pat McCooter, AuJus, Rainblow Bites, Nunsexmunkrock, Ten Buck U, and Izzy Haute. In January 2015, the UNPC voted to elevate the Big Easy Sisters to a fully professed house.

Houses are hierarchically organized, and membership involves four levels: Aspirant, Postulant, Novice, Fully Professed. Aspirants are those who want to join the House and are required to attend meetings and a few manifestations. A manifestation is when the Sisters make public appearances wearing makeup and their regalia. Normally, one or more guards accompany the sisters when they manifest. Members choose to be either

H N S A R C A E RA T X E

sisters or guards at the Postulant level.

During the Novice period, which lasts a minimum of six months, the novitiate must produce a project that benefits the House or the community.

The Abbess, or Mistress of the House, of the Big Easy Sisters is Glory Bea. Originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, Glory Bea moved to New Orleans with her partner in 2012. In Texas, Glory Bea studied Theater at Texas Tech and was later involved with the Imperial Court System of Texas and the Dallas Bears. Glory Bea also served as a mentor in the Houston House.

When asked about the biggest misconception people have about the Sisters, Glory Bea says, “People think we’re straight street performers or odd drag queens who don’t perform.”

The Sisters, however, are neither of those things. Rather, they are a highly structured, benevolent organization that raises awareness and money for local causes.

Guard Ken DelPo says, “For me it’s a chance to reach out to the larger community, to support our LGBT+ friends and community. Also, on a personal level, for me it is part of ‘Tikkun olam’, which means in Hebrew ‘Healing the world’. It’s a small part to make the world a better place than I found it.”

The Big Easy Sisters have put their money where their mouths are. Since 2012, they have contributed money to a wide variety of local charities including Belle Reve, Buzzy’s Boys and Girls, St. Anna’s food pantry, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, and several other organizations. In addition, the Big Easy Sisters have participated in the annual Southern Decadence parade, assisted gay Carnival krewes during their balls, marched in the NO/ AIDS walk, attended the 40th anniversary memorial for the Up Stairs Lounge fire, participated in Pride festivals, and hosted All Saints Day/Day of the Dead events.

Seeking Self-Starters with Reliable Transportation for Magazine Distribution and Ad Sales

If you are looking for additional income, Apply Now! Send your CV to info@ambushpublishing.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 19

BOOK OF THE MONTH Who Killed Buster Sparkle?

Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

“Reading—the best state yet to keep absolute loneliness at bay.”

–William Styron During these incredibly trying times during quarantine, I find that reading has been my salvation. It is a life preserver I hang onto when I find myself adrift in a raging sea of loneliness. It is calming, transporting me from my current reality, and into another place created by the author. I am devouring all kinds of books while I am hunkered down in Casa Leggio. I recently finished the first novel by John W. Bateman, Who Killed Buster Sparkle? and it is a fabulous read.

The novel has been nominated by the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters for their 2020 Fiction Award; the honor is very well-deserved. The action takes place in the small, rural town of Clover, Mississippi. The storyline revolves around a drag queen named Peaches who is suddenly visited by the ghost of an African American man who may or may not have been murdered.

In addition to the spiritual presence, drag queens, race & LGBT issues, small-town mentality, and murder, the book also includes an ant invasion. I

know, right? So cool.

Bateman takes his time building up his main characters and expertly sets the scene of a Southern college town that has many secrets. With snappy dialog and interesting characters, the pace moves quickly with a quite interesting mystery. The novel soon turns into a buddy situation as Peaches and the ghost, who we find out is the title character, try to solve the mystery of his alleged murder. The fact that Peaches is the only person who can see and hear the ghost just adds to the hilarious circumstances.

Bateman has created great chemistry between the two lead characters as they solve the mystery as well as learn more about each other along the way. There are many underlying storylines dealing with race and gender identity throughout the book that I found compelling. Also, there is a death in the book that caught me off guard, which impresses me when an author can do that, especially when this novel seemed formulaic when I began reading it. The author was able to create a fresh and exciting storyline and I hope we have not seen the last of

Cover of Who Killed Buster Sparkle by John W Bateman

Peaches. For more information about Who Killed Buster Sparkle? and John

Bateman, go to www.johnwbateman. com.

20 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY The Archbishop, Sissies in Struggle, and Gay Pride Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com In 1978, the Pink Triangle Alliance hosted the first Gay Pride rally ever held in New Orleans.

The Pink Triangle Alliance was the public face/political name of the Louisiana Sissies in Struggle, a group that came out of the Mulberry House Collective in Fayetteville, Arkansas, when Dennis Williams, Dimid Hayer, Stacey Brotherlover, and Aurora relocated to New Orleans. The Sissies had grown out of the back-to-the-land movement advocated by Milo Pyne and served as sort of a forerunner to the Radical Faeries.

The Louisiana Sissies in Struggle was short-lived, but while it lasted, it advocated for queer issues, as well as protested non-gay-specific issues such as racism, police brutality, and socio-economic inequality. The group also helped edit RFD, a quarterly magazine for rural folk which aimed to raise queer consciousness, that had been founded in 1974.

After the Pride rally the Pink Triangle Alliance sponsored in 1978, a small group of people met to discuss a Pride event the following year. The Pink Triangle Alliance members in attendance argued that more was needed than just a parade. Activists Dick O’Connor, Charlene Schneider Mark Gonzalez, and other community leaders agreed,

and the group decided on a festival.

Dick O’Connor met with City Councilman Mike Early who enjoyed the support of the gay community and endorsed the idea, going so far as to even help the group secure a prime location for the first GayFest, none other than Jackson Square. When the Roman Catholic Archdiocese learned of the event, however, Archbishop Philip Hannan went to work behind the scenes with his contacts at City Hall and had the venue nixed.

Years later, in 1986, Archbishop Hannan pressured Councilman Early, a former priest, to withdraw his support for a non-discrimination ordinance that would have protected lesbian and gay employees. Early had sponsored the ordinance two years earlier and his “no” vote in 1986 was viewed by many in the community as a betrayal. The ordinance failed in 1986 but was eventually passed in 1991 over Archbishop Hannan’s strong objections.

The Archdiocese’s opposition to gay visibility in front of its landmark Cathedral was ironic considering that one of its own facilities, a church and building complex that had once been a cloistered convent for nuns on the corner of N. Rampart and Barracks, was being used as a de facto gay commu-

nity center.

Prior to the founding of the Lesbian and Gay Community Center of New Orleans, the St. Louis Community Center in the French Quarter served as a gay friendly meeting place for various LGBT organizations such as PFLAG, a gay Alcoholics Anonymous group, Dignity, Crescent City Coalition, LAGPAC and a few other LGBT groups. This was made possible because of the tolerance of a gay priest on the downlow who ran the facility. Rich Sacher observes, “For a few years, before the Catholic Church in Rome swung to far right conservatism, this location was practically a gay community center.

When Pope John Paul II was elected, we were all told to Leave.”

GayFest organizers were not happy at having the venue pulled, but found a suitable, alternate location at Washington Square Park not far away in the Marigny neighborhood. When GayFest was organized, part of the idea was to raise money for a community center, which they did. Subsequently, however, the money raised for the community center mysteriously vanished. A lack of financial resources would plague the community center throughout its history.

Like the community Center, Pride was not without its financial setbacks.

By 1994, Pride was on the verge of bankruptcy when Co-Chairs Robert Brunet and Joan Ladnier asked Stewart Butler and his partner Alfred Doolittle for help. Stewart wrote a check without hesitation.

New Orleans Pride would survive and has been reincarnated under various umbrella organizations. The parade has enjoyed phenomenal growth and popularity in the last several years and although it has been canceled this year because of the COVID-19 outbreak, organizers have announced that this years’ Grand Marshals—Halloween New Orleans, the LGBT+ Archives Project of New Orleans, Princess Stephaney, and yours truly—will resume their duties leading the parade next year.

For good or ill, Pride Parades today have strayed pretty far from their roots as angry marches of defiance. The gay liberationists in the early 1970s may not be happy with what their marches have evolved into, but one fact is undeniable—Pride Parades are here to stay, even if they are little more than moveable corporate trade shows. As long as homophobia persists, the need for Pride will continue.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About in COVID New Orleans SCENES FROM NOLA IN QUARANTINE | PRINTS AVAILABLE AT GDOUGLASADAMSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM | PHOTOS BY G DOUGLAS ADAMS

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 21

Clipping A Social Butterfly’s Wings Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Greetings from my humble abode that has also been my quarantine quarters for the past few weeks. And, may I just say, screw this!

Seriously, some of my friends used to call me a social butterfly because I go out all the time.

I am not a butterfly, however; they are pretty and delicate and flitter about.

I am a social beast. I love parties, all parties (even the ones that are not that great, I still enjoyed)!

So you can imagine that COVID 19 has turned my life upside down.

No parties, fundraisers, theater, drag brunches; hell, I feel like I am a character in the Hunger Games when I go to the grocery. And do not even get me started on WalMart. That place was scary before this virus; now I would feel safer in a shark cage with an open cut surrounded by great whites.

But alas, here we are. My friends joked that I would go to the opening of an envelope if I was invited (and sometimes as someone else’s plus one) and that is true. I am also part of the hospitality community in which I worked as an event planner for my company for five years. It seemed like just yesterday, I was laughing with my friends,

about how crazy work was and looking forward to attending Pride of the Americas in Fort Lauderdale in April. Oh yeah, that was right; it was like yesterday. I cannot believe it has only been two weeks.

Well, that was then and now, I find myself laid off, no social interaction and cut off from my friends and family.

For lack of a better word – alone!

Or so I thought. At the beginning stages of the pandemic, my friends and I tried to work around it, like having cocktail time by the river or in a courtyard a few feet away from each other, but we soon realized as the infection rates escalated (and the panic), that was not a prudent idea.

I am Italian so social distancing does not work well for me. I know why the virus took hold in Italy with a vengeance. Italians love people and life, we talk with our hands, we hug and kiss each other whether or not we know them, and, god help us, we cannot stop touching our faces. Seriously, it is in our DNA. Someone said on Facebook something about not kissing your dog because pets may be carrying the disease and that was my breaking point. Fuck it, I do not want to live

in a world where I cannot hug and kiss my fur baby.

This entire ordeal is hard for social people who crave interaction with others. The day I was laid off from my job was a dark day. I have never been unemployed in my life; even through Katrina, I still worked. Now, I found myself in alien territory without a job, scared and unsure about my future.

I took my time to grieve, going through all the stages from anger and depression to finally acceptance.

When I finally took a breath, climbed out of my pity hole, and accepted my situation, however, I turned everything around. This is not an easy step and please do not think there are moments when a wave of emotion overtakes me and I feel the tears coming out of nowhere. I allowed myself to feel bad, but that is not productive. That was when the realization hit that I already do so many things by myself that I can handle this situation. I love to read, go for long walks, watch movies and cook, all things that can be social but are also perfect for doing solo.

What I also noticed is I am not alone in this and that is important to remember. There are millions of people now out of jobs, scared and lonely.

I decided drastic times call for unique new measures, so I would be a different kind of social. Each day, I call two friends and check on them and see how they are doing. I mean actually call them. I do not text or send a Facebook message; I pick up the phone and listen to their voice.

Trust me, it will help you tremendously just to speak with other people.

You can FaceTime them if you like and see them, although sometimes they may not be quite dressed for visual guests. You know when you see friends and say, “It has been years, I have been so busy.” Guess what? You are not busy now, so reach out and as the saying goes “touch someone.”

Over the phone that is.

I also schedule virtual happy hours with friends. Hanging out and laughing via Zoom is the best medicine and the cocktails aren’t bad either.

Watching bands and singers perform live from their porch like Anais St. John does once a week or checking out Laveau Contraire and Tarah Clads who did their Cyber-Distancing drag extravaganza for three days in a row over the weekend, all help to fill the void from social distancing. By the way, keep an eye open for their next one, it will be fabulous.

There is even a person who performs on his didgeridoo from his rooftop.

I have also found myself more connected than ever with the world on a more global level. I follow a French music producer and DJ, Bob Sinclair, every morning during my walks. He spins from 2 – 3pm his time, which aligns perfectly with my morning exercise routine and I love all the people tuning in from Amsterdam to Alabama and little ole me in New Orleans. It just makes me feel like I am part of a global community and makes me so happy.

Support your artist friends in town and globally by tuning in (and tipping if you are able). It is amazing that people in politics want to cut funding for the arts when it is the artists we turn to most in times of crises. Musicians and entertainers keep us smiling (and sane). Museums are even doing online lectures and tours.

I also get out and walk every morning and every evening to get fresh air and sunshine. Staying cooped up in the house all day does not help your psyche and your mental health is important at this time.

If you cannot walk, sit on your porch or balcony, go in your courtyard, or hell take a walk to the end of the block and back. Exercise not only supports your fitness, but it strengthens your immune system.

And finally, I suggest virtual cocktails or happy hour with friends. At first, I was not warming up to this idea since I very rarely drink at home alone, but now I am becoming a pro at these fun tune-in sessions. In fact, so many people are having them as well as virtual drag shows, poetry readings, cooking classes and musical performances my calendar is starting to fill up again.

Our life has been definitely changed and probably will take a long time to return to normalcy if ever. But there is a light at the end of this tunnel. How we handle the trials and our actions moving forward will define us (and the way others look at us).

Everyone knows right from wrong, and no political, religious or celebrity figure can change that by what they say. Their actions and words are their own, you control yours. Let’s move to being better. We will come through this together; YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And one day soon, the social animal in us all will run free again.

22 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About in COVID New Orleans SCENES FROM NOLA IN QUARANTINE | PRINTS AVAILABLE AT GDOUGLASADAMSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM | PHOTOS BY G DOUGLAS ADAMS

We can't wait to see you!

Love, Michael & The Boys

See you soon!

Ken & The GrandPre's Team www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 23

HEALTH & WELLNESS HEALTH & WELLNESS COVID-19 Phase One: The Potential Health Impact of Re-Opening Chenier Reynolds-Montz Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana CReynolds@accesshealthla.org Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards is using a phased-in approach to lifting stay-at-home orders which allows some businesses to re-open doors. Public health officials, however, are keeping a watchful eye. Opening too soon could be potentially dangerous with a new disease circulating and no vaccine to protect the public.

It’s a difficult balance. Elected officials are under a lot of pressure with so many people out of work to help the state return to a new sense of normalcy.

“While there is no question that we have collectively done a stellar job of following stay-at-home orders asked of us by the Governor and our mayors, we did what we were asked,” said local Infectious Disease Physician MarkAlain Dery. “We actually flattened the curve and we helped our healthcare workers and our healthcare system to not be overwhelmed with sick patients with COVID-19.”

COVID-19 has had a nasty grip on the Greater New Orleans area. With so many lives lost, medical professionals

are hoping Phase One doesn’t unleash a second wave of illnesses. “So now that the ordinances will be loosened a bit, I want you to be aware of a few things,” urged Dery. “The first is that the virus has not gone away and will be with us until there is a vaccine.

That may be a year or so.” People with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to this disease.

While Phase One will allow the public to move around a little bit more, we must do so vigilantly. “The virus is overwhelmingly transmitted by the respiratory route. This means that if someone close to you laughs, sneezes, coughs or even if they talk near you for more than a few minutes, there’s a risk that you can actually get the virus,” added Dery. “Remember, this virus can be transmitted even if you are asymptomatic and have no symptoms or, if you are pre-symptomatic which means that you will get the virus later. This is a time when a person is not having symptoms from the virus but can still transmit the virus to you.”

Some large cities across the globe

are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 clusters since re-opening which is forcing a second round of closures and stay-at-home orders. While staying home is very tedious for many, it is allowing public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to research and study just how easily this virus is spread.

“There was a man who went to eat in China that the CDC documented.

He was pre-symptomatic, so it was before he had symptoms for COVID-19.

He didn’t know that he had COVID-19 and he inadvertently infected nine other diners at a restaurant. One of the reasons was because there was an air conditioner at the restaurant that was at a ninety-degree angle from him and so the virus was able to spread to other people in the restaurant.”

Patience is key right now. Scientists are working around the clock to create and test a vaccine. Healthcare workers need to slow the spread so that our hospitals can give every patient admitted the best care possible.

Remember, one of the lives saved

could be your own.

“If you do decide to be outdoors, I ask you to do a few things,” said Dery.

“Please wear a mask when you go outdoors and ask those around you to do the same. The mask that you wear protects others from you because you may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. The mask that you wear keeps the potential virus in your mask protecting others around you. Let’s please stay home as much as possible and wear a mask when you’re out & about, and always wash your hands.”

You can ask Dr. Dery questions about COVID-19 or other health issues every day at four o’clock during his Facebook Live show or listen to his daily podcast. Go to the accesshealthla.org homepage and follow Access Health Louisiana on Facebook & Instagram.

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

24 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

BUSINESS FINANCIAL & BUSINESS How Much Market Risk Are You Really Willing to Accept?

Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com If you’re like a lot of investors, you may have trouble quantifying the level of risk you are comfortable taking on in your portfolio. Do you like to play it safe, staying in conservative investments even if it means potentially missing out on bigger returns? Or are you willing to take on more risk in the hopes of capturing higher gains? If you’re not sure where you land on the spectrum, consider the following eight tips to help define your views on investment risk: 1. Define your goals. Your financial plan should be structured to help you get from where you are now to where you’d like to be with key goals, such as saving for your child’s college education or retirement. Your investment strategy should be a key part of this financial plan. Define exactly how much money you will need to save, and when you will need it by. When your goals are crystal clear, it can be easier to weigh the various risks and choices you must make to achieve them.

2. Consider the general market environment. It seems fair to say that investors’ willingness to accept risk increases in periods when the stock market has performed well for an extended period of time. In the past decade, stocks have generally been on the upswing. On the heels of such a positive market, investors’ level of confidence about owning assets that are subject to fluctuation may be higher. By contrast, investors sometimes become more skittish in periods when markets are struggling. Confidence in stocks and other variable investments tends to decline when the market is not performing well.

3. Accept market moves as normal. It’s a known fact that stock markets move up and down – sometimes

significantly – which means there’s always risk that a particular investment could lose value. Keep in mind that historically markets have recovered, and the reward potential of investing in future growth of global businesses remains strong. Prepare yourself for the fact that investing is not a smooth upward climb, and a smart strategy can help the market moves work in your favor.

4. Recognize that time is one of the biggest influences on risk tolerance. If you have a decade or more to reach your goals (such as retirement), you likely can ride out market downturns or even extended flat or negative markets. If you expect to reach your goals (such as a new home) in the next few years, you may need to think more about how to protect your investments against the impact of market moves.

With this in mind, your risk tolerance will likely adjust as you get closer to achieving various goals.

5. Trust your instincts, but don’t make decisions solely based on emotions. If you are worried about what’s ahead in the markets or how your finances would fare if another Great Recession occurs, it may be time to reassess your portfolio to take some risk off the table. Yet, it’s important to not be overly swayed by day-to-day headlines. Look for consistent, longterm trends or events that impact market fundamentals before considering action. And, be sure that any decisions you make align with your financial goals, as defined in tip #1 above.

6. Consider purchasing power risk. Inflation is always a factor worth considering. Simply stated, your money more than likely won’t be worth as much in the future as it is today. It is

important to own investments that can help your asset base at least keep pace with inflation, and hopefully grow faster than the cost of living.

7. Be mindful of interest rate risk. Fixed income instruments such as bonds carry their own risks, one of them being that if interest rates rise, bond values will decline. Given that yields are slowly rising from historically low levels, this risk may be more significant today.

8. Explore ways to stay invested in the market while mitigating some of the risk. Maintaining healthy diversification across a variety of asset classes is a key way to manage risk.

Staying invested for the long-term and not trying to time the market is another. Dollar-cost averaging, or investing consistent amounts of money at regular intervals, rather than investing lump sums at one time, can help you remain committed to your saving strategy. Additionally, products (such as variable annuities) that allow you to continue to participate in the market’s growth po-

tential while locking in gains may also be worth considering.

Given your timeframe, current savings, income and other financial priorities, how much risk are you willing to take to achieve your goals? This is the ultimate question you need to answer to determine your risk tolerance.

If you want help deciding whether your portfolio is appropriate for your feelings on risk, consult a financial advisor who can provide a second opinion.

Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA®, is a Financial Advisor with Waterfront Wealth Management, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. He specializes in addressing the unique needs of the diverse LGBTQ community, fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies, and has been in practice for 11 years.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 25

COMICS & HOROSCOPES

HOROSCOPES

Messages from the Oracle in New Orleans Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans dan@innermakeup.net Has the current state of affairs put a damper on your love life? If it hasn’t, shame on you!

But seriously, the need for romance combined with a moment that requires unprecedented social separation is an abiding concern. Being trapped at home is probably magnifying your pent up physical desires leading to feelings of imprisonment. Every cloud has a silver lining, and astrology can supply that hopeful message from the sky. So what is that message?

To understand messages in astrology one must first look to the planet Mercury, the Roman equivalent of Hermes the winged messenger. Though tricky, as Hermes is one of the great tricksters of mythology, he provides the key that unlocks the door to deeper insights. Mercury is in a good posi-

tion through the end of May being in the communicative sign of Gemini, his home sign, but is said to dispose Venus who is not as much at home in the sign of Gemini where she currently finds herself.

Remember planets occupy signs and the signs govern how the planets are operating. Putting it together, your mind is on love! So who can help?

Eros.

Eros was the son of Aphrodite, the Roman equivalents being Cupid and Venus. Eros can help you understand your erotic impulses by diving head first into what it is you’re truly desiring.

Since these past couple of months have had you in chains at home, it’s a perfect time for some self-reflection, and a great opportunity to take care of business on your own. It’s critical to

note that Eros truly is love, and love can mean physical pleasure, creativity, beauty, and/or affection.

Over the next couple of weeks, Eros will be moving through Aries, sign of self-assertion, and Taurus, the sign of intractable earth. Take this chance over the next couple of weeks to analyze, express, and experiment with the nature of your personal erotic impulses. Then, like a sitting bull, collect the gains you’ve made.

ARIES

March 21 - April 19 With Eros moving through your sign, Aries, and your sign of money, Taurus, you’re money! This is reflected in ancient astrology as the house of creativity and romance was where Venus found her joy. Venus is also money

in astrology. Love doesn’t always have to be irrational, and when you explore your own erotic self-expression, this opens up doors for you.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20 Eros will be moving through your sector of spirituality and then your sector of self. The message is to let go of an old love. You can’t move forward in love and life without letting go of the old. The key is to value your own self-expression in areas of romance, and then you will experience a rebirth.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20 You may be hit hardest by this transit as you desperately, like a child, want love. You’re looking towards social networks, but clearly that is not an

26 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · May 19 – June 1, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

option right now. You’re best bet is to wait, hope for brighter days, and trust in the universe. If you stop trying so hard, good things can happen.

strange. After all, isn’t love about two people? But erotic self- expression is just as important for your partner as it is for yourself.

June 21 - July 22 “Everything is about sex except sex. Sex is about power” – Oscar Wilde. This applies to your career and your hopes for your career. Of course, sexual harassment guidelines need to be followed, but there is no denying the power of sexual self-expression as a means to gain power. Workplace fantasies can be sublimated into true career advancement.

December 22 - January 19 Though you’re probably the sign most interested with your public reputation, some love on the home front is the astrological doctor’s order. Homecooked meals and slow burn romance touches the heart and takes you away from the massive changes and losses you may have been experiencing. Cupid’s bow helps. Look at this as a pivot, and find good fortune where you least expect it.

CANCER

LEO

July 23 - August 22 While international travel has come to a halt, this doesn’t mean you can’t fantasize about a tryst that happens abroad. Sometimes the way to enlightenment is by experiencing internal ecstasies as opposed to traveling through time and space to get to them.

You are a naturally expressive sign, so disclosing some of your fantasies gives you the attention you’re seeking.

VIRGO

August 23 - September 22 Out of all the signs, you have the best chance to probe the darkest recesses of your erotic impulses, making deep psychic gains. The subconscious is now understood by psychologists as the driving motivation of our actions.

Acting on these impulses carries its risks, but has its rewards. Exploring these uncharted waters in solitude can be frightening but Illuminating.

LIBRA

September 23 - October 22 This is not the time to hold back on the relationship front. A partner will be like Cupid, shooting arrows at you. Let your heart be pierced, and reap the rewards from this fall. Merging with this partner helps you expand your horizons and go farther than you would have otherwise.

SCORPIO

October 23 - November 21 Stop and breathe in the fresh air.

Platonic love is the key for you. The flowers, the clouds, a cup of espresso—these things and activities are how you experience love. As one of the most intense, and oftentimes sexual, signs of the zodiac, this might be a challenge. Focus on simple, daily delights, and you’ll find the love you’re seeking.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22 - December 21 Out of all the signs this month, Cupid’s bow really hits you. Enjoy this, as you are usually the one shooting arrows, as you are the archer. Allow yourself to use the romance that blossoms over the next couple of weeks as a chance to experience yourself on a purely personal level. That might sound

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

January 20 - February 18 You are one of the most social signs of the zodiac, so these past couple of months have been difficult for you. However, love on the family front, especially amongst siblings, really helps here. Family love returns you to a deeply satisfying place like no other.

Use the window of this transit to see that family connections are the most critical in life.

PISCES

February 19 - March 20 Love and money really do go together, according to astrology. This is usually reserved for Venus, but her son Eros has something to say. Think about what you value sexually and this can inform how you approach finances and, generally, the resources you have to work with. Objects hold energy too, and electric attraction to them should not be discounted. Beauty and the recognition of beauty is a kind of eroticism.

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

Thanks for reading. For those hailing from Ambush Nation, I’m offering $20 towards all of my services. Call 504-313-8706 to book your appointment or go to http://www.innermakeup. net/contact-me.

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

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

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

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

Values Respect Diversity Inclusivity

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