Ambush Magazine Volume 38 Issue 11

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTHâ„¢

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 38 ISSUE 11

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2020

June Is Pride Month

Memories from New ORleans Pride

www.AMBUSHMAG.com

THE “OFFICIAL” DISH

by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, June is Pride month.

In normal times, we would be compiling a list of all the Pride events throughout the Gulf South for our Official Pride Guide. I would be making a last-minute run to the store to buy more throws for the New Orleans Pride Parade.

Well, as we all know by now, these are not normal times. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives including how we celebrate events. In a world of social distancing,

all major events in New Orleans have been canceled through the fall. This obviously includes all the June Pride events.

Just because pride celebrations have been canceled, however, doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate in your own special way. Take the time this June to celebrate all the amazing work individuals and businesses in the LGBTQ community are doing.

There are many people right here in New Orleans who are volunteering for the CrescentCity.com food distri-

Inside this Issue of Ambush Magazine Community Announcements

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Arts & Culture

6

Health & Wellness

16

Business

17

Comics, Puzzles & Horoscopes

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

OPEN FOR TABLE SERVICE & TAKE OUT RESERVATIONS: (504) 354-1222 ORDER: BETTYSBAR.COM Betty's Bar & Bistro | 700 Burgundy Street | (504) 354-1222 | www.BettysBar.com

bution program. There are businesses who have helped coordinate with this program to provide free meals to members of the hospitality and LGBTQ community. If you know any of the people who volunteer for this program, take the time to drop them a note of thanks. Several of the volunteers are currently unemployed themselves and a word of thanks would go a long way.

Now would also be a good time to reach out to friends in the community to simply see how they are doing and if they need any assistance. Some friends may need someone to make a trip to the store for them while others may simply need some social interaction. It’s always nice to get an unexpected phone call or text message from a friend. Not everyone is equipped to handle isolation so having to quarantine and be socially distant can be a challenge. Take this opportunity to be a friend and make sure everyone in your social circle has everything they need, especially emotionally.

SOUTHERN DECADENCE 2020 We at Ambush have been getting questions from people all over the country about Southern Decadence.

Obviously, the most asked question is will Decadence be cancelled this year.

Hopefully, I can give you some insight on what Southern Decadence is and how it’s organized.

The first thing you need to know is that every year there is a member (1 or more) of the community chosen as Grand Marshal(s). The Grand Marshal(s) are in charge of the Southern Decadence parade which is always the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The Parade requires permits from the City and, obviously, this year there will be no parade.

In many ways, however, Southern Decadence is like Mardi Gras in that it is a weekend full of parties and events, many of which are held at private residences, local bars and hotels. These private parties and events don’t need any permits and can happen within whatever guidelines the City has put forth as they relate to large gatherings of people.

I can tell you that if bars and restaurants are open for business, there will be Southern Decadence in some form.

People will come to New Orleans from all over the country to enjoy Labor Day weekend in the French Quarter.

That being said, I can tell you that we at Ambush have begun preliminary

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™

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SENIOR EDITOR Brian Sands

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

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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 · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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conversations with the City to keep the LGBTQ community informed as things change and develop as they pertain to the guidelines. We want to make sure that all businesses that are open know what the current guidelines are so that everyone can feel comfortable being out and about in the French Quarter.

As we get closer to Labor Day weekend we will continue to keep you up-

dated. Until then, stay safe!

OPEN FOR BUSINESS As we continue to operate in phase one and move closer to phase two of the COVID-19 rules of engagement, several of our advertisers are open for business and could use your support.

Restaurants Mona Lisa in the French Quarter, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Up-

town, and Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop in Metairie are open for dine-in and takeout. Who Dat Coffee Cafe in the Marigny is also open for business.

The only gay bar in the Quarter with food is Betty’s Bar & Bistro and it is currently open for dine-in and takeout. As a bar with food, Betty’s has to operate as a restaurant in phase one so you can order alcohol with a food

purchase. Other advertisers who are open and would appreciate your support are CrescentCare, Access Health Louisiana, and Mumfrey’s Pharmacy in Chalmette. And, last but certainly not least, if you’re in Gulfport, Mississippi, our friends at the reopened Sipps Bar would love to see you.

NEWS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS CRESCENT CITY AUCTION GALLERY’S TWO-DAY IMPORTANT SUMMER ESTATES CATALOG AUCTION WILL BE HELD THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 13th-14th

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

vincial carved oak Louis XV style double-door armoires, one 94 inches tall (est. $600-$1,200) and one 90 inches tall (est. $600-$1,200).

A 20th century French Louis XVI carved mahogany ormolu mounted marble-top sideboard, 38 ½ inches tall by 92 inches wide (est. $700-$1,200).

An 18th century French Provincial Louis XIV style carved walnut sideboard, 41 ½ inches tall by 63 ½ inches wide (est. $800-$1,200).

A circa 1840 French Empire style carved walnut commode, 36 inches tall by 44 inches wide (est. $500-$700).

Other furniture will feature an unusual 20th century Continental oval beveled glass and terracotta top dining table, 82 ½ inches wide (est. $1,000$2,000); a 19th century Chinese tall carved elm cabinet from the Qing dynasty, 86 inches tall (est. $800$1,200); and a 20th century Italian inlaid walnut ormolu mounted Empire style sideboard by Rho Mobili D’Epoca (est. $800-$1,200).

Also from France, a Louis XV style gilt and gesso over-the-mantel mirror from the 19th century, 68 inches tall by 36 inches wide, should reach $1,000$2,000; while an oil on board painting

by Jean Lefort (French, b. 1948), titled Gathering of Women on the Beach, should make $700-$900.

Internet bidding will be provided by the platforms LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, BidSquare.com. Absentee and phone bids will be accepted up until 1 pm Central time on Friday, June 12th. A printed catalog is available; call 504-529-5057 or e-mail info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

Crescent City Auction Gallery is always seeking quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you can call them at (504) 529-5057; or, you can send an e-mail to info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com. All phone calls and e-mails are confidential.

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

For more regarding Crescent City Auction Gallery and the June 13th-14th Important Summer Estates Catalog Auction visit www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Updates are posted often.

Expected top lots will include oil on canvas paintings by French artists Jean-Baptiste Armand Guillaumin and Theodule Augustin Ribot, and a 3.83ct. diamond platinum engagement ring.

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Beautiful oil on canvas paintings by French artists Jean-Baptiste Armand Guillaumin (1841-1927) and Theodule Augustin Ribot (1823-1891), and a stunning platinum engagement ring with a 3.83-carat emerald-cut diamond, are just a few of the expected top lots in Crescent City Auction Gallery’s auction, scheduled for June 13th and 14th.

The Important Summer Estates Catalog Auction features more than 700 quality lots in a variety of collecting categories. Start times both days are 10 am Central. The gallery, at 1330 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, will be open for exhibition beginning Thursday, June 4th, from 10-5, by appointment only (excluding Sunday). A live Saturday preview will be held on June 4th, from 9am to 1pm, also by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, you may call 504-529-5057 or email info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

The early 20th century oil painting

by Jean-Baptiste Armand Guillaumin, titled Coastal Landscape, measures 15 inches by 22 ¾ inches and carries an estimate of $20,000-$25,000. The 19th century work by Theodule Augustin Ri-

bot is titled Harlequin in a Landscape, Holding a Bunch of Flowers. It’s 17 ½ inches by 14 inches and is expected to finish at $3,000-$5,000.

With a pre-sale estimate of $25,000-$35,000, the platinum engagement ring is a candidate for top lot of the auction. Flanking the 3.83-carat emerald-cut diamond are two tapered diamond baguettes. The size 5 ¼ ring boasts grades of Color-I and Clarity-VS-1, and it’s accompanied by an official GIA report. The auction also features other platinum and gold estate jewelry pieces.

Two other lots expected to attract bidder interest are the Ship’s Diorama of the Robin Hood by Thomas H. Willis (British, 1850-1925), 19 ½ inches tall by 33 ½ inches wide (est. $1,000$1,500); and a 20th century macassar and satinwood dining table with matching sideboard, to be offered as two individual lots and carrying pre-auction estimates of $700-$1,200 each.

It will be an eclectic sale, with items ranging from a 117-piece assembled set of fiddle thread pattern sterling, together with six coin silver dinner forks by Gale and Hayden (circa 1845, New York or Charleston, est. $1,500$2,500); to a polychromed spelter bust of Napoleon I, after the 1885 original

by Renzo Colombo (Italian, 18561885), 20 inches in height (est. $1,000$2,000).

Clocks and other timepieces will

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

include a 20th century Arnex Reuge pocket watch with music and an automaton, in working condition (est. $800$1,200); and a 19th century French gilt bronze Napoleon on horseback figural mantel clock by Vincenti & Cie (est. $600-$900).

Paintings by American artists will be led by an oil on board signed by the renowned Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter (1886-1988), titled Wash Day (circa 1966), signed, 17 ¾ inches by 23 inches (est. $3,500-$5,500); and an oil on canvas signed by Rafaello Bussoni (American, 1900-1962), titled Classical River Landscape, 29 ½ inches by 39 ½ inches (est. $600-$1,200).

Additional artworks will include an oil on canvas by Alfred Frank De Prades (English, circa 1820-1890), titled Contempt for the Post Boy (1851, est. $1,200-$1,800); an oil on panel by Niek van der Plas (Dutch, b. 1954), titled A Day at the Beach (est. $1,000$2,000); and a circa-1900 floral still life oil on canvas by Henry Schouten (Jos Klaus, 1857-1927, Dutch, est. $600$800).

French furniture pieces, a staple at most Crescent City auctions, will be plentiful and will feature the following: A French Empire style carved mahogany seven-piece parlor suite, circa 1840, consisting of a settee, a pair of fauteuils and four side chairs (est. $1,000-$2,000).

Two early 19th century French Pro-

4 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Brian had his HIV under control with medication. But smoking with HIV caused him to have serious health problems, including a stroke, a blood clot in his lungs and surgery on an artery in his neck. Smoking makes living with HIV much worse. You can quit.

CALL 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

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HIV alone didn’t cause the clogged artery in my neck.

Smoking with HIV did.

Brian, age 45, California

ARTS & CULTURE

Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

NOLA’s Theater Scene

I really, really, really, really wish I could tell you that curtains will momentarily be going up around town. But that would be fake news and there’s enough of that out there already (Hydroxychloroquine or bleach anybody?)

Instead, if you’d like to see local entertainers, there are a number of opportunities online. Here are some of them: --Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University (SLT) will be offering its annual GiveNOLA Day Cabaret “Virtually On the Air” streaming live on Tuesday, June 2, at 2:00pm (Youtube Live www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNBC58ELals&feature=youtu.be) and 7:00pm (Facebook Live www. facebook.com/summerlyrictheatre/ posts/10158289965790902).

SLT - Virtually On the Air will feature a multitude of performers including Liz Argus, Rich Arnold, Trina Beck, Leslie Castay, Keith & Leslie Claverie, Cade Garafola, Liam Gillen,

Ken Goode Jr., Charis Gullage, John Michael Haas, David Hoover, Sydney Jack, Amelia Jacquat, Polanco Jones Jr., Chase Kamata, Rachel Looney, Shangobunmi McAlpine, Sarah Jane McMahon, Jessica Mixon, Whitney Mixon, Kevin Murphy, Meredith Owens, Sean Patterson, Dody Piper, Amy Primmer, Hannah Rachal, Leonard Raybon, Aaron Richert, Mandy Ridgdell, Josiah Rogers, Adam Seagrave, Renell Taylor, Jessie Terrebonne Thompson, Jefferson Turner, Mandy Zirkenbach and many more.

Though I wouldn’t swear to it, if you miss the June 2 broadcast but make a significant donation to SLT, I suspect you’ll be able to view it at your leisure.

--That wonderful adventurous troupe Mondo Bizarro has just released an 18-minute documentary about Cry You One (www.youtube. com/watch?v=nRbg04JDmdw&t=11s), its site-responsive performance and multimedia “environmental odyssey” project about the disappearance of

Jeremy Jordan will be appearing in The Seth Concert Series

coastal Louisiana, the people who live there, and what is being done to save their homes.

If you couldn’t participate in this “outdoor processional performance”, as Mondo Bizarro’s Co-Artistic Director

6 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Nick Slie describes it, this film, with its magnificent cinematography and stirring Cajun music, is the next best thing.

--Petit Pranks, Le Petit Theatre’s newest installment in its radio play series, premieres Friday, June 5, at 7:30pm. This half hour medley of comedy classics will feature Abbott and Costello’s Who’s on First?, selections from George Burns and Gracie Allen’s almost absurdist routines, game show spoof It Pays to be Ignorant, and more.

There are two viewing options: via a watch party on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/LePetitNOLA), or streaming the show on Le Petit’s website (www.lepetittheatre.com). Sounds like fun, something we can all use these days.

--LOUD’s queer youth theater ensemble has written a new play called The Scarlet Rebellion, about queer and trans youth of color who attempt to overthrow an abusive government and build community while learning the challenges of creating a new society that cares for all. The play’s immersive visual world promises to include some ethereal beings and visits to the Astral Plane.

The Scarlet Rebellion will be performed via livestream (www.facebook. com/events/247107163026517/) on Friday, June 12, at 7:00pm. Tickets for this extravaganza are free for youth and sliding scale for adults, starting at $5.

--The performers may not be local but producer Mark Cortale is and he’s announced that Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway concert series will debut as a weekly virtual show entitled The Seth Concert Series. Similar to Broadway@NOCCA, these up-close-andpersonal weekly cabaret/interviews will feature Broadway stars in a mix of intimate behind-the-scenes stories prompted by Rudetsky’s probing questions and songs from each headliner’s show biz career.

Hosted by musical director Rudetsky, unfortunately, the first event, featuring Tony Award-winner Kelli O’Hara, took place already on May 31. But you can still catch stage and screen favorites Jeremy Jordan and Jessie Mueller on June 14 and June 21, respectively. Reviewing Jordan when he was here last year, I wrote that he “delivered an endearingly marvelous show” and “proved to be both cheeky and completely down-to-earth.

And very cute.”

Each weekly show will premiere Sunday nights at 8:00pm EDT/7:00pm CDT with a second showing Mondays at 3:00pm EDT/2:00pm CDT. Tickets are available at www.thesethconcertseries.com for $20 (early bird)/$25 each.

--For The Radical Buffoons, check out Jon Greene’s PAST PRESENT FUTURE article below. In addition, for GiveNOLA Day, the Buffoons are

presenting their “First-Annual-Last-Ever Alone-a-thon” from midnight till 11:59pm on June 2 where every houron-the-hour they’ll serve up aural entertainment from favorite artists. Each installment will then be shared every 5-past-the-following-hour on Instagram and their webpage. They’re also promising “all kinds of special online surprises throughout the day!”

And, finally, I’d like to add the following shows to the list in our previous issue of those productions that, sadly, had to be canceled, or that were postponed and which we can still look forward to seeing eventually.

Postponed A Chorus Line, Playmakers of Covington Escape to Margaritaville (return engagement), Saenger Summer and Smoke, Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of N.O., rescheduled for Summer 2021 Canceled The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, 30 by Ninety Theatre Little Shop of Horrors, Slidell Little Theatre Let’s hope that the talents of everyone involved in these productions will soon be seen again.

PAST PRESENT FUTURE II

With no shows to critique or even help publicize, I wanted to offer this column to 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.

For the second installment of PAST PRESENT FUTURE, Jon Greene of The Radical Buffoons shares his thoughts with us. Reviewing 2015’s Faustus, I wrote “Greene, making a noteworthy New Orleans directorial debut, provides a visually & aurally stunning mise en scène.” Describing The NOLA Project’s The Spider Queen in 2017, I thought “Greene’s direction is worthy of an epic.” I also greatly admired his performance in 2018’s Balloonacy and co-direction (with Torey Hayward) of Barbecue last year.

The Radical Buffoons’ Jon Greene in Balloonacy

ilies, and forged our connection with several local elementary schools.

By the time 2020 rolled in we were picking up steam.

We’d started workshop/explorations with 5 collaborative NOLA artists for our LAB Track Dreams project (set

to premier in June), and green-screenfilmed a series of virtual reality segments for our April Main Stage Track co-production with Delgado Community College of Rosencrantz and CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

PAST

The Radical Buffoons (TRB) was one third of the way through our 3rd, and most ambitious, season when the stay-at-home order took effect in New Orleans (how apropos).

The season began with parties – A Season Announcement in July and As The World Burns, our anti-gala, in October – to help us grow and connect with the communities that support our work. In December, we produced our second Young Audiences Track production, Rap Unzel. Directed by Torey Hayward, who worked closely with Austin-based playwright Jeremy Rashad Brown, it was a joyous NOLA-centric music and dance experience for fam-

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

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.

Guildenstern are Dead, which had begun rehearsing March 2.

Organizationally we had hired two new amazing staff members, Torey Hayward and AshleyRose Bailey in the positions of Associate Artistic Director and Managing Director, respectively.

We’d moved into an office space, grew our Board, honed what membership in our collective can and could mean, and ensured that our newly enlarged season budget prioritized the artists we were working with.

But alas, what started with a bang, ended with a whimper (for now).

PRESENT

Though we’re an ambitious organization that dreams extra-big (just look at our mission statement), we are actually still quite small. This has given us a unique ability to bend – without breaking – to the current state of the world.

Obviously, some difficult choices were unavoidable. We had to immediately halt our rehearsals for R and G and plan a postponed presentation in Season 4 (more on that below). We also had to cancel our June LAB production of Dreams.

While these decisions meant that our third season would end in abrupt disappointment, there was a silver lining. Participating artists were included in every discussion so that their health and safety as well as their artistic integrity played a part in the decisions we made together. It was a profound reminder to me – who had been so deeply head down in the ‘business of theater’ – that, in the end, no matter which track or what show, our work is only successful if the humans we work with take precedent. Taking this lesson to heart, we’ve been using our forced sabbatical to focus inward and assess who we want to be when we get to the other side, whatever that may look like.

FUTURE

Values Respect Diversity Inclusivity

Equality Knowledge Community

gslgbtchamber.org

In our recent announcement of the Dreams cancellation, I wrote that for the time being the only certainty is uncertainty. Luckily, a lot of theatrical work – and especially the comically dark kind – thrives on a sense of ambiguity. To move forward, we’re trying to strike a balance between making plans (but not too many) and letting go lightly in the event of…well, you know.

Our fourth season will start July 1 (which feels both like tomorrow and a century away).

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern has been postponed to August 26-31, essentially making it the first production of the season. We’ve been discussing a variety of options for the show because we clearly don’t know what rules for public gatherings will be like then.

But as before, we’ll ensure that the entire producing, production, and perfor-

mance teams are involved in making the decision as to how we can possibly move forward.

Beyond that, production-wise, there isn’t too much to say yet. We have selected some really wild plays for our Main Stage and YA track, and we’re very hopeful that we will be able to share them. Until then, we’re working alongside many other companies in New Orleans to assess the future and create innovative ways to address the necessary changes to how, for now, we assemble publicly and present our work.

Meanwhile, we’re going to invest time and thought into continuing to grow our LAB Track – our home for new work, wild ideas, and experimentation. We have two exciting projects in early stages that we’ll be cultivating.

We’ve also been asking ourselves the question of what a theater company can be during a time when it perhaps can’t present content. Our answers (and more questions) have been exciting and focused us on some really great community building initiatives that we hope to roll out over the summer months.

We have GiveNOLA Day coming up June 2 and we’ll be fundraising then.

Follow and like us on social media @ theradbuffs on Instagram and Twitter, on Facebook (facebook.com/theradbuffs), and visit our webpage (www. radicalbuffoons.com) to join our mailing list and stay up to date on what’s coming down the pike!

On a personal note, I had considered changing the epigraph we use at the bottom of our company emails because, as we’ve grown, it felt like shifting the tone might be appropriate. The quote is from Mel Brooks and reads, “Humor is just another defense against the universe.” So it is, especially now.

Jon Greene is the Artistic Director of The Radical Buffoons. An award-winning director, his productions have been nominated for 11 Big Easy Awards, selected for “Top Ten Plays of the Year” in NOLA.com, and seen by over 3000 theatergoers. Outside of New Orleans, he has developed, directed, and performed theatrical work in Boston, Minneapolis, Deadwood, SD, Chicago, Indianapolis, Singapore, Argentina, Italy, and Prague. He holds a BFA from Boston University, is a Kennedy Center Directing Fellow, and a Teaching Artist for Young Audiences of Louisiana.

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

8 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

THE ROCKFORD FILES

Filthy Whore SEEKS Hopeless Romantic Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com As with any relationship, there are cocktails when I tell them I want sexual so many questions that two men have exclusivity. Deep down, I want a moto answer and negotiate in a romance’s nogamous relationship with a man who fledgling stage; it can make for a rocky is committed to building a life together start for anyone who isn’t prepared – till death do we part. Finding a man for the doors of communication to be who shares that view seems to be as blown open. Considering the times we unlikely as Jussie Smollett finding his live in, one of the questions that many career. find uncomfortable (including myself) In a way, I have only myself to is: Will your new relationship be “open” blame. New York is not about relationor monogamous, or somewhere in beships. New York is about sex; you’re eitween? ther having it, looking for it or selling it.

If you were to ask anyone who The reason this city never sleeps is beknows me why I’m single, most could cause just about everyone is running probably produce a Top Ten list of my around trying to get laid. greatest flaws faster than you can drop No matter where you live, even on a bad habit. Even those closest to me the most basic level, finding someone tend to assume that because I’m still compatible and who is willing to begin single at this age (49 and holding), that a relationship, is difficult. But doing it I’m either damaged merchandise or in New York is harder because the Big that I’m too set in my ways to want a Apple has such a transient population. relationship. That simply isn’t true. I do As a result, there is a never ending pawant a relationship, badly. But not bad rade of eye-candy, in every size, shape enough to settle into one that’s ‘good and color imaginable. Of course the enough’. caveat being that this feast for the eyes As a single gay man, I’m free to starves the heart. engage in sex with whomever I want, Speaking from experience, so when I want. But in contrast, when it much visual stimulation can become comes to relationships, I am very trahard to handle. Gay men seem to suffer ditional. Today’s queens gag on their most of all. Within days of arrival, many

develop an acute case of Rubber-Neck Syndrome (RNS). RNS is a temporary condition caused by the excessive thrashing and twisting of the cervical spine, brought on by compulsive hyper-cruising every single motherf*cker who walks down the street. Signs/ symptoms may include the inability to hold a conversation; lack of commitment; loss of friendships; inability to keep one’s dick in his pants; prolonged erections; deterioration of dignity. Side effects: whiplash; extreme shallowness; isolation; decreased job performance; blue balls; chafing, blisters and soreness from constant fellatio.

Technology has made sex easier than ever to find. Today’s dating apps have made getting laid very much like one of New York’s favorite means of survival, ordering take-out. Open one of your favorite menus, whether it’s Chinese, Italian, Grindr or Scruff, and the choice is yours. Select your dish and have it delivered, usually in thirty minutes or less, 24/7, 365 days a year.

New Yorkers don’t like relationships for the same reason they don’t like to cook–it’s too much work. At the end of the day, no one wants to come home to a sink of dirty dishes or the relationship drama of a bitching boyfriend or cheating spouse.

Is there any wonder why those of us who actually do want a relationship are fighting an uphill battle? With the odds stacked against us, maybe the

reason so many men are willing to enter into thruples and other multi-amorous situations is the rationale that something is better than nothing. But is it really?

Am I really that out of touch and antiquated to believe that what I want is still possible? Is it really that outlandish to admit that I want a man to call my own? A man I don’t have to share with random strangers? I want to belong to someone. I believe we all do, on some level. I believe that all of us, deep down, want to be somebody’s ‘boo’, and his alone. I want a man I can keep all to myself. Is that crazy?

Has the trade-off of finding someone to share your affections and dreams with, come at the expense of self-respect and emotional integrity, all for the sake of variety?

Studies suggest, nationwide, that gay men who are over forty and single will most likely remain that way – until they die. How exciting is that to look forward to? If the situation is bleak in small towns, where competition among older gays is presumably minimal, what are my chances of finding love in Gotham? I’ll give you a hint, rhymes with “gritty”.

Thank you for reading. Until next time…

RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com.

Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 9

COMMUNITY VOICE

Kicking ASS with Tez Anderson: An Interview Jim Meadows Executive Director, SAGE New Orleans info@sageneworleans.org Tez Anderson has been an advocate for gay rights and HIV survivors since the 1980s; he went public about his HIV status decades before it became routine to do so. He has written for Time, co-written a screenplay with Armistead Maupin, and was a creative consultant for the original Tales of the City television mini-series. Sir Ian McKellen has personally credited Tez with helping him to come out as gay.

In recent years, however, his work has been focused on illuminating the issues surrounding HIV and aging.

In 2013, Tez founded Let’s Kiss ASS – AIDS Survivor Syndrome, “a grassroots movement empowering HIV Long-Term Survivors” that aims to “reclaim our lives, end isolation, and envision a future we never dreamed we’d live.” The following year, he launched a related initiative: HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day, which takes place every year on June 5. This past week, we sat down together for a Zoom conversation about his work, and he also shared his thoughts about Larry Kramer, who died on May 27.

JM: Tez, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Tell me about HIV Long-Term Survivors Aware-

ness Day. What is it, and how did it get started?

TA: I started HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day in June of 2014. I had started Let’s Kick ASS in 2013, and was very involved in doing long-term survivor work when no organizations were focused on it, and I wanted to increase the visibility of it. I mean, the statistics are, 24.5% of people living with HIV in the U.S. are people who seroconverted before 1996.

That’s important, because in 1996, protease inhibitors and combination therapy came out, and changed HIV from a death sentence to a chronic but manageable illness.

I’ve lived with HIV since 1983, so I lived for many years without medications, and spent years planning to die.

And when I realized that I was going to be an old man with HIV, it freaked the hell out of me. I hadn’t planned for it. I didn’t save money for retirement. I didn’t do all the normal things that people outside of our subculture do. And my generation was not visible. One of the things about aging in general is you become invisible, especially in the queer community. So Let’s Kick ASS was really about bringing visibility to

Tex Anderson (Image Provided)

an older population who had also lived through the trenches of AIDS. Then I felt like we needed a day to focus. I chose June 5th for HIV LongTerm Survivors Awareness Day because June 5, 1981 was the day that the CDC announced the first case of what would become known as HIV/ AIDS. So as you look at any history of HIV, that’s the beginning date, and it felt like a good way to commemorate how long this journey has been. And for those of us who did not have onepill-a-day treatments, and didn’t have access to medications for a long time, our experiences needed to be brought into the public sphere.

JM: What’s your focus for 2020?

TA: This year, the theme is “Not Our First Pandemic.” When COVID became such a big deal in San Francisco, it was the first city in the nation to shut down and shelter in place. So we got news of it first, and changed in a day.

And there were some very minor parallels to HIV. But it just felt like it was important not to go into this without acknowledging COVID, and the reality we’re living in now. So this year is about getting people together, but it’s going to have to be virtual.

JM: What are some of the issues that long-term survivors are dealing with now?

TA: Many of us who went on the first available medications got long-lasting side effects, so our bodies are dif-

ferent. We are aging in accelerated ways. Our bodies have been full of inflammation for such a long time that we have heart disease, brittle bones and arthritis, and other things. I’m 61 now.

If a 35-year-old was put in my 61-yearold body, they’d think, “how the fuck do you live?” I feel like I’m 75 some days, just with the fatigue and the ups and downs.

JM: I read on your website about the psychosocial aspects of what you call “AIDS Survivor Syndrome,” and being sidelined by the medical profession, and just the general lack of acknowledgment of the fact that over half the people living with HIV in America are 50 and older.

TA: Yes, exactly. The psychosocial aspect of this, and the disconnect between aging and HIV is the reason I started Let’s Kick ASS. “AIDS Survivor Syndrome” is an expression that I coined because, about 15 years ago, I went through a period where I felt like my life was coming apart. I was pissing everyone I knew off. I couldn’t sleep.

I was having nightmares. I was jumpy.

I was angry. It was not a good period.

And it was about this slow creeping notion that I was about to turn 50. I hadn’t planned for it, and wasn’t prepared. And after four years of hell, and losing all my friends - not to death, but because I was too angry for them - I reCONTINUED ON PAGE 13

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

THE HERE AND THE NOW

The Normal Heart: AIDS/COVID/Resilience Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com On May 27, the world lost a giant in the history of the LGBTQ community, Larry Kramer, noted author, playwright, producer, public health advocate, LGBTQ rights activist, and so much more. Those who do not know his story will hopefully learn about him through the multitude of articles and documentaries that will certainly show up in the near future. In order to gain a sense of the history of a large part of the gay community, one does need to know about Kramer.

This, however, is not a piece about him, but about the parallels and differences between the current COVID-19 pandemic and the AIDS crisis in the US during the 1980’s and early 90’s.

Opinions vary, or they wouldn’t be very interesting, and I value the opportunity to share some of mine.

For the past two months, I’ve been thinking how familiar this pandemic felt, as though I had lived through something like it before. Last evening, I watched the movie The Normal Heart for the umpteenth time. Released in 2014, it was based on Kramer’s play which was originally produced off-Broadway in 1985. As the film ended, I realized that I have lived through an epidemic, one that devastated nearly the entire LGBTQ community. Many behaviors, attitudes and results can be compared between the AIDS epidemic and the coronavirus pandemic.

How it Began AIDS. Unknown at first, then Ebola and Africa were targeted COVID. China blamed immediately, depth of infections unknown at first Both were rumored to have been ‘brought here’ or ‘sent here’ ger

Convincing People about the DanAIDS. For the first year or so, some

gay men in cities, like San Francisco and New York, did not believe there was a disease that was killing them, until it escalated. Some went to their death not believing they needed to play safe.

COVID. The US is over three months in, the numbers are staggering & increasing, and many people still do not believe this is a virus that can hurt or kill them.

Government leaders giving little or no direction early on AIDS. During the 1980’s, the word AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was not mentioned by the President or anyone in Washington, DC until the crisis was well on its way.

Time lost.

COVID. For the first several months of 2020, other countries acknowledged an illness that seemed like a virus and named it; the US, however, took its time to distribute that information publicly. Time lost.

Scientific Information Disseminated and Embraced AIDS. Localized, grass roots for a long time, each city seemed to have its own way to get the word out. No information from the federal government. Some felt like we were on our own, even in the mid-80’s when there was no denying the ongoing rise in the number of cases/deaths.

COVID. Localized through some state governments, no grassroots movements early or now. All states handling it differently, few states handling it well earlier. Eventually, the federal government provided news conferences, scientific updates, using TV and social media. A handful of governors stepped up and rescued their states.

AIDS and COVID. A dedicated scientist, and passionate & fearless re-

searcher, has told us what we needed to know. The same man who was with us in the ‘80’s is with us now, speaking truth. Dr. Anthony Fauci was one of the first, and certainly most dedicated, medical professionals to lead us to understanding about AIDS, what needed to be done, how people could be saved. As we see him now, a bit older with some gray in his hair, he still speaks the truth, a voice of reason. I find it incredible that in my lifetime, we have had two major health crises, and the same scientist/researcher has been with us, shedding light when no one else was. Hero.

Suggested Behaviors to Stop the Spread AIDS. Close the bathhouses, wear condoms/stop being sexual, don’t share needles, or any bodily fluids.

Some people at risk did not heed the early warnings. Multiple years.

COVID. Isolate, quarantine, wear a mask, wear gloves, wash your hands, stand at least 6 feet from other people. Don’t go into crowded places, stay home, stay alone. No hugs, no hand-

shakes. People at risk, in many places, are still not heeding these warnings.

Multiple months.

Testing AIDS. HIV testing, first through government health departments, was not private, not anonymous, and held many terrible consequences for those found out to be positive. Thirty-five years ago, gay people were not afforded the same rights or privileges as today. A positive diagnosis of HIV often translated to loss of living quarters, loss of job, loss of family, loss of friends, and loss of financial stability.

The stigma devastated relationships, careers, and positive mental health.

Seen as a death sentence.

COVID. Widespread testing for this virus has taken too long. By the time the outbreak was acknowledged by government officials, so many had contracted, then spread the coronavirus, that it spiraled out of control.

The virus was much more prevalent in the African American community, a CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Stay Safe New Orleans!

Love, James, Monica, and the Lantern Team www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 11

SOCIAL SALES

Video Conferencing Enables Socially Distant Face-to-Face Communication Charles Pizzo pizzocharles@gmail.com

For those of us who choose or need to stay in isolation during the pandemic, being alone is a factor that cannot be ignored. On the one hand, the need to protect one’s physical health is obvious. But, on the other hand, being by oneself all or most of the time can be negative to mental health.

Many of us are social animals.

Regardless of whether you’re introverted or extroverted, human interaction is natural to varying degrees. And we could all certainly use a hug these days—even if virtually.

As an older member of the LGBTQ+ community, I interact with a large number of people who no longer run with the pack. They once frequented bars or were in relationships, but that’s no longer the case. Absent families and children, social isolation is an issue further exacerbated by the stay at home order.

When I speak with them by telephone, the majority report they have not tried video conferencing. Smartphones, something taken for granted by the younger set, are not as common with elderly members of the community. Likewise, many don’t have web-

cams (if they own a computer or laptop at all). Before you judge, remember, many of us were born long before the era of calculators or even Google.

One friend jokingly referred to himself as a “shut in.” For those of a certain age or with underlying medical conditions, that can be a necessity. The choice between visiting others and being vulnerable to a virus is not an easy one. Social distancing is the new safe sex. ing

The World of Video Conferenc-

Very early on in the pandemic, I was introduced to Zoom, the application that has zoomed to the forefront of the video conferencing revolution.

It’s often now seen in use on television news and talk shows. There are many alternatives to Zoom, and it has had its own issues with security (a problem the company addressed in record time). Nevertheless, it has emerged as the frontrunner in terms of usage.

I’m involved with an international travel group. With cities and countries locked down, and travel largely suspended, they foresaw the need to bring people together in new ways. Meetings and trainings were hastily arranged. It didn’t take long for me to get the hang of it, and like anything else, the more I used it, the more I learned about its power.

It’s actually simple enough that I was able to walk a friend through installation and set-up remotely, despite the fact this person does not consider himself technically inclined. But he was able to do it, as have most everyone I’ve helped. Attitude seems to be the greatest predictor of success or failure.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 community already compromised with access issues for health care. The elderly, early on found to become sicker and die faster, still haven’t been seen, on the national level, as a group we should protect by targeting assisted living quarters or nursing homes. And too many Americans have not isolated or worn masks, putting themselves in harm’s way, and refuse to be tested.

Champions of the Cause AIDS. There are champions, people who--as well as organizations that were begun and continue to--offer assistance, information, loving care, and solace to our community. Larry Kramer co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Cri-

Those who get frustrated and give up easily are destined to a self-fulfilling prophecy that it doesn’t work.

Look, nothing in life is easy. As a young man, I read a quote that stuck with me: “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent,” by former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge.

The payoff can be great. Video conferencing enables socially distant face-to-face communication. It’s oddly satisfying to see other human beings at this time—to see their facial expressions, body language, and gestures.

To hear and see them laugh. Sure, it’s not the same, but it may be the next best thing.

And it brings a genuine human connection. There’s a bond that forms when two people look each other in the eye that can’t be matched by telephone, text, or email. I understand the irony here—that people who video conference are not actually together— yet the illusion is extremely powerful.

Business Usage Soars In addition to one-to-one communication, video conferencing’s real power lies in one-to-many communication. Group chats and meetings have become commonplace now that many companies encourage people to work remotely.

These internal dialogues help businesses operate at a safe distance: to plan, reinvent, and adapt at a time when sudden change is the new normal. Many of the popular video conferencing platforms also allow the speaker to share their screen so that others can view plans, drawings, or even slideshow presentations.

If two people need a private chat,

sis in New York. He started ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in 1987. Here in the New Orleans area, NO/AIDS Task Force began humbly, and now is known as CrescentCare Health Facility, servicing a much larger community and a diverse population, although the AIDS work there has never stopped. There are other facilities as well, and people dedicated to the LGBTQ community’s health and wellness. We fight on, it is not over.

COVID. Not sure about champions as yet, except the heroes in the health care systems dealing with this.

Our Governor and Mayor have done their best to protect our city and state.

They have been unpopular at times, unrelenting in the belief that we have to stay apart in order to go forward; I,

some of the programs allow them to enter a virtual private room separate from the larger group. Their conversation is private; it’s the equivalent of stepping outside away from the main conversation. People can also chat via text to send links, email addresses, or other data.

One of the biggest opportunities for businesses going forward is to use video conferencing for sales or support. This solution may not be apparent to restaurants and bars, but its use is clear for consultants and those in sales with the ability to ship products.

That said, the venerable Commander’s Palace has figured out how to make it work. They offer a revolutionary wine and cheese tasting perfectly adapted for the new age. The restaurant sells and delivers wine and cheese to guests, who later join a video conference for a guided tasting.

Sound far-fetched? They’re breaking records with sales at a time when others are suffering.

The bottom line: nobody enjoys the situation in the world today. With a little persistence and determination, and a good attitude, however, we can make it work as well as can be humanly expected. #TogetherApart Charles Pizzo is an award-winning PR person who offers creative solutions to help businesses reach their audience more effectively. He is a former chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Need help? Contact the author.

however, remain thankful to them. And we fight on, careful and respectful of others. COVID is nowhere near over, but we are making great strides.

Stay healthy, stay safe. I miss all the things you all miss. And I value all of you.

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 SAGE New Orleans.

12 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Sipps Bar Gulfport, MS PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 alized, oh, this is called trauma. This is called trauma from expecting to die for 30 years, and losing all of your friends three times over, four times over. It all kind of built up.

So “AIDS Survivor Syndrome” describes that experience that I did not have a name for and that no one was talking about. A large portion of us - not all of us, but a lot of us - are traumatized. And we have to acknowledge it in order to deal with it and move past it, and live our lives. So for me, it wasn’t about staying in the past. It was about acknowledging the past, and carrying it, lightly, into a new future that we never dreamed we’d live.

JM: As you know, Larry Kramer died [the day before this interview].

Would you please share some of your thoughts about him?

TA: Without Larry Kramer, I would not be an activist. I wouldn’t be an empowered patient. I wouldn’t be alive if it were not for Larry Kramer. His influence was not just on HIV, but all medicine. I mean, the idea of a patient being part of the process, and getting drugs developed. That was totally from ACT UP and Larry’s intervention.

I came out as HIV positive in both People and Time in 1990. And one day I got a call from Larry. He asked me: “What are you doing about AIDS out there [in San Francisco]?” I said, “I’m living with it, Larry.” He was a cantankerous old cuss. He was sex-negative, which drove me insane. But he changed the world. He brought the patient’s voice into the room, and demanded that the medical profession listen. He changed everything. So I owe my life to Larry Kramer, even though I didn’t always agree with him.

He wouldn’t mind that. He was the kind

of person that would yell at you one minute, and say “I love you” the next.

That was just part of his personality.

JM: You know, sometimes that kind of personality is required. It takes different kinds of approaches to get things done.

TA: That’s why I started Let’s Kick ASS. One of our one of our taglines is “United in Compassion” [in response to ACT UP’s tagline, “United in Anger”]. I was with ACT UP Golden Gate back in the 90s, and there was so much fighting going on among people, and it kind of drove me crazy. I just wanted to do the work. And so I wanted Let’s Kick ASS to bring people together in a much more compassionate way that also had a loud voice.

JM: So what can other people do? Not long-term survivors; y’all have done plenty. I mean, people in the LGBT community, healthcare professionals, and others. What can we do to help?

TA: Be aware. Not just about longterm survivors, but also about PreP and U=U [Undetectable=Untransmittable].

Those are two big things people need to know about. PreP is a pill you can take to prevent HIV. And U=U means that if you have an undetectable viral load, which is the amount of virus in your bloodstream, you can’t transmit HIV. Those are two things that people need to know.

Fight Isolation. Phone one (or more) survivors or friends. Connect with a person you know who might need to hear you ask “How are you doing? How are you really doing?”

Also, one of Larry Kramer’s contributions was patient empowerment.

And I think that one of the things we can all do as individuals is have the balls to have a dialog with our doctor so that it feels like a partnership. I’ve

fired a doctor because he wasn’t listening to me. We all need to be able to fire our doctors if we don’t feel they are listening to us.

But really, if I had any wish in the world, it would just be that people be more empathetic. Because none of us know what other people’s lives are like.

We think we do, and we act like we do, but we don’t. And empathy is what we need now more than ever. We need to have more compassion for one anoth-

er.

JM: I couldn’t agree more. Tez, it’s been great having the opportunity to talk with you. Thank you.

TA: Thanks, Jim. To learn more about HIV LongTerm Survivors Awareness Day, visit hltsad.org. To learn more about Let’s Kick ASS – AIDS Survivor Syndrome, visit letskickass.hiv.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 13

BOOK REVIEW Wild Life: Reckoning Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

I love the horror genre in every aspect from movies to literature. Recently I discovered author Jeff Menapace who has many horror novels under his belt including several series. A native of the Philadelphia area, Jeff has published multiple works in both fiction and non-fiction. In 2011 he was the recipient of the Red Adept Reviews Indie Award for Horror. Jeff’s debut novel Bad Games was a #1 bestseller that spawned four acclaimed sequels, and now the series has been optioned for feature films.

Another one of his series caught my attention, so I started with Wild Life and then was so enthralled by this book, I bought the sequel immediately Wild Life: Reckoning. The books were quick reads; I finished them within a week. Both books were heart-pounding thrill rides from start to finish. All the action of both novels takes place in the Florida Everglades.

In Wild Life, a young writer, his girlfriend and her family take a boat trip through this mysterious and dangerous area to do research for his upcoming book. Little do they know that an accident earlier has started a deadly feud that put them on a collision course with some very deadly people - the Roy Family.

The action is non-stop and Mena-

pace pulls no punches. There is a surprising twist a quarter into the book that even caught me off guard. He has written excellent characters and gives a vivid portrayal of this famous swampland. As the world of several groups of people collide, the writer and his party soon discover that snakes and alligators are far less dangerous than man.

Wild Life is a well-crafted, adrenalin rich novel that will keep you captivated until the final page.

Wild Life: Reckoning takes place five years after the original story and introduces several new members of the notorious Roy Family to the storyline along with new protagonists (i.e., victims). An aspiring filmmaker and her friends are doing a documentary on “The Swamp Massacre” and the now infamous Roy Family. I thought this was a worthy follow-up to the original story, but was somewhat more formulaic than the first; here the reader can figure out who is going to make it out alive. That being said, the book incorporated all the action and thrills as its predecessor.

The Wildlife series will definitely satisfy fans of horror/thriller novels.

For more information on these books and more from Jeff Menapace, go to www.jeffmenapace.com.

14 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY Larry Kramer and Acting Up in New Orleans Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard Larry Kramer’s name: my friend Eddie’s deathbed in an AIDS hospice in Wichita, Kansas.

I was working as a bartender at the time and Eddie was in construction.

We, along with a few other guys, were sharing a house, and Eddie & I had become the best of friends. He was positive when I met him and seemed healthy as a horse. The AZT was working. And then it stopped working.

Eddie became very ill very quickly.

Returning home to Michigan was not an option, Eddie told me, because his parents had thrown him out when they found out he was gay. I called them anyway knowing he would die soon. I shouldn’t have. Eddie was right. To his parents, he was already dead.

I don’t remember exactly how long he was in the hospice facility, but it was a few months. Every day, I and a few friends would visit him. On one of those days, I met a guy, whose name I can’t remember, visiting another patient. He was wearing a black T-shirt with a pink triangle in the center and the words “Silence = Death” below it.

I asked him about the slogan and subsequently learned about ACT UP and its founder, Larry Kramer.

So when I learned of Kramer’s death, I immediately thought of Eddie and the thousands of others for whom Kramer fought so valiantly. I thought of other friends lost to AIDS and still others who live with it. And I thought of New Orleans and all the activists who fought in the trenches thirty years ago, none of whom I knew at the time but some of whom I’ve had the privilege of becoming friends with in recent years.

ACT UP was founded in New York City in 1987 by Larry Kramer as a direct action group to raise awareness about the epidemic, and more specifically, the lack of adequate funding allocated by the government to fight the disease.

Prior to ACT UP, Kramer had co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.

In New Orleans ACT UP staged a protest at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans in 1988.

Specifically, the group protested the fact that state funding for AZT, the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of AIDS at the time, was about to run out.

Protesters formed what they called a “human billboard” at the entrance to the convention. Protesters held signs and panels from the national AIDS Memorial Quilt and distributed leaflets indignantly questioning why the state and city should spend $800,000 hosting the Republican Convention and not spend a dime on AIDS. The New Orleans chapter of ACT

UP also called attention to discrimination within the criminal justice system against people living with AIDS. A 1991 class action lawsuit against Sheriff Charles Foti alleged maltreatment of inmates in the parish prison.

In 1992, ACT UP held a press conference in front of the criminal courthouse to call attention to police brutality. Specifically, the press conference recounted the case of an incarcerated man who had been beaten by police during an arrest at his home on minor charges. In the course of the beating, the man, who was HIV positive, bled on one of the officer’s shirts. The man was charged with attempted murder and booked into Orleans Parish Prison, where he was denied medical treatment.

This homophobic attitude permeated the criminal justice system. The District Attorney’s office had a policy of charging persons arrested for prostitution with the crime of knowingly transmitting HIV. Attorney Mark Gonzalez, who was a member of ACT UP, testified to the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues in 1989 about a client of his who was the victim this policy. Several police officers had barged into this man’s French Quarter apartment, without a warrant, and arrested him on drug possession charges, even though police found no drugs at the scene. During the arrest, the police noticed a bottle of AZT and told him as they were taking him to jail, “not to worry about the charges—you’ll probably die of AIDS in jail.”

In 1990, ACT UP, which then consisted of only half a dozen members, managed to stage a protest at City Hall in which 500 people participated. This was the protest in which City Councilman Johnny Jackson was arrested along with Stewart Butler. The group was protesting not only inadequate funding in general, but also the state’s plan to defund the pharmacy fund for people with AIDS. The arrest made quite a splash in the news, which irritated the politicians and bureaucrats in Baton Rouge. That night, Jackson made a few calls to the capitol and let the powers-that-be know that if the pharmacy fund was dissolved, they would stage another protest and shut down the Mississippi River Bridge on a Friday at 5:00pm. The pharmacy fund was spared.

Another memorable demonstration occurred at the Orpheum Theater, when international celebrity socialite Princess Lee Radziwill was an honoree at some gala function. According to Rich Sacher, “We dressed as jesters, handed out roses and flyers to the ar-

Larry Kramer in 2010 (Photo: David Shankbone)

riving crowds, and told them the city was joking around with AIDS. At that time, there was zero support of any kind from city government for PWAs. Sidney Barthelemy was mayor, and he was embarrassed when Radziwill told the audience from the stage that she was shocked at the city’s dereliction.”

ACT UP also waged letter-writing and petition campaigns to be sent to Governor Buddy Roemer and Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary David Ramsey demanding $3 million worth of funding for Charity Hospital’s C-100 Outpatient Clinic. In addition to letters, the group also flooded the Governor’s Office with postcards depicting a coffin with the succinct message: “This is the alternative to C-100 full funding!”

Funding for research and treatment was not the only thing lacking. Ignorance of the disease and the lack of ef-

fective treatments created a real need for education and outreach. Led by Ted Wisniewski, a resident at Charity Hospital who saw the need first-hand, several medical professionals and others began meeting to discuss ways to address the crisis. Those meetings led to creation of the NO/AIDS Task Force.

The aforementioned vignettes represent only a small fraction of the community’s response to the AIDS crisis.

Besides ACT UP, there were other activist groups, other protests, and other legislative fights.

While much has been written about the AIDS crisis, an exhaustive, comprehensive history remains unwritten.

That history begins with Larry Kramer.

May he rest in power.

(Note: Portions of this essay were excerpted from my forthcoming book, Political Animal: The Life and Times of Stewart Butler).

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 15

HEALTH & WELLNESS HEALTH & WELLNESS

Public Health in Your Hands Chenier Reynolds-Montz Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana CReynolds@accesshealthla.org Across the United States and around the world, face masks are highly recommended, if not required, when going out in public. Some people wear masks; some wear gloves. Others wear both. While wearing a mask helps protect others from potentially being exposed to deadly COVID-19, we need to be aware of proper protocols for disposing of these daily-use items. Littering of personal protective equipment (PPE) is causing another potential public health crisis.

Ever seen a dirty diaper tossed in the middle of a crowded mall parking lot? It’s disgusting. It’s also a health hazard. The same goes for used masks and gloves. More and more grocery carts and parking lots are being filled with gloves and masks all over the ground. What if the person wearing the mask had COVID-19? Would the person picking up the used mask

be potentially exposed? What about the public health risk of littering?

Just as all of us are fearlessly cleaning our homes and sanitizing our hands to keep us free from germs, the same protocols need to be followed while out in public. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 is a group effort. Everyone must do their part. COVID-19 is still out there. Together, we’ve done an excellent job at slowing the curve.

COVID-19 cases are down at New Orleans hospitals and around the world.

However, we must continue this trend for many more months until a vaccine is available.

When you wear gloves, each thing you touch leaves germ residue on the glove. Taking off the glove properly, keeps the germs on the glove and not on your hand. If you take the glove off incorrectly, you expose yourself to everything you were trying to protect

yourself against by wearing the glove.

The CDC offers this recommendation for properly doffing gloves.

First, hold the glove you just removed in your gloved hand. Peel off the second glove by putting your fingers inside the glove at the top of your wrist. Turn the second glove inside out while pulling it away from your body, leaving the first glove inside the second. Dispose of the gloves safely. If a public garbage can is nearby, throw the gloves away in the can. The key being make sure the gloves go into the can, not next to the can.

If you wear a face mask and feel that your mask has seen its last hoorah, either take the mask home and dispose of it in your garbage bag or dispose of it in a public garbage can. When taking off your mask, sanitize your hands first.

The CDC recommends that you not touch the mask itself. Pull the mask off

by your ears. This will prevent contaminating your mask.

As you head out to do your shopping or just to get out of the house and soak up some sun, remember to mask up and dispose of your PPE properly. We’re already fighting one public health crisis with COVID-19, let’s avoid creating another. Don’t litter.

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

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BUSINESS FINANCIAL & BUSINESS

How to Bounce Back After A Financial Setback Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com Many Americans at one point or another will deal with an unexpected event that has financial implications.

As a financial advisor, I’ve witnessed many families encounter – and more importantly overcome – financial setbacks. For most families I work with, setbacks occur because of circumstances beyond their control, such as a job layoff, a car accident, a house fire or the onset of an illness. If you find yourself facing a similar unexpected situation, here are five steps to help you regain your financial footing and confidence: 1. Give yourself permission to dip into your emergency fund. It can be hard to spend your hard-earned savings, even when you are facing unexpected bills. Remind yourself that the point of having money set aside is to handle unplanned costs with as minimal impact to your usual spending as possible. If you need to use it all, do so without guilt.

2. Craft a financial strategy to combat the expenses. If the costs are more than your emergency fund can cover, take the time to plan out how to address them. Your strategy may include: --Insurance. If your situation involves an expense covered by insurance, contact your company as soon as you can to start the claims process.

If you’re unsure of whether an expense is covered by your policy, ask. Document key details of the situation and remember to keep all receipts.

--Tapping other savings or investments. If you have savings separate from your emergency fund, consider withdrawing from these sources.

While it’s likely you have the money earmarked for a more fun purpose (e.g. a second home, a new boat), it may be more important to take care of the unexpected expenses today. Whatever you do, try to avoid withdrawing from your retirement or college savings

accounts. You may incur a penalty for using the money for non-qualified expenses and you would miss out on the chance to continue compounding your savings over time.

--Adjusting your spending. Depending on your situation, you can either rework your budget or simply be more mindful of your spending in the near term. If you’re living with a spouse or partner, have a conversation to help set financial priorities over the next few weeks or months. Communicating openly can help you work together to address the unplanned expenses and get back on track.

--Seeking professional help. If you’re unsure which investments to draw down or want a second opinion on the tradeoffs between using various sources of income, consult a financial advisor.

dation for the next inevitable unexpected event. Resave your cash reserve and create a plan to rebuild any withdrawn investment savings. Review your insurance coverage to make sure you have adequate protection and understand what expenses may be covered and where you may have gaps.

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.

3. Prepare for next time. Once you’ve addressed the situation at hand, commit to restoring your financial foun-

We can't wait to see you!

Love, Michael & The Boys

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COMICS & HOROSCOPES

HOROSCOPES

Messages from the Oracle in New Orleans Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans dan@innermakeup.net Y’all have been reading this column since its inception last August.

Inceptions are important, as they are the beginning of something *hopefully* special. I’ve always written this column with the intent to entreat you, dear reader, to stop, observe the moment in which you find yourself, and participate in a ritual with your horoscope.

This is not much different from what I do with clients, as I believe astrology is an interpretive analysis and divinatory art. There is no stopping you from partaking in such activities, whatever your spiritual level. I don’t write these words to abstractly consider the philosophical underpinnings of astrology, rather to emphasize why astrology is so critical and immediately applica-

ble at this moment.

Many of you might read this column seeking answers to what your future holds. If the future is preordained, do you really want to know the future?

Maybe. But the more radical approach to divination is to acknowledge that we have some say over our future and perhaps much more free will than we might imagine. Thus, fate and free will clash.

There is fate, but what we do with fate might be free will. It’s a paradox, and reminds me of the two-headed god Janus whose heads face in two directions—one to the future, and one to the past. It is easy to rationalize the past and say things “were always meant to be that way” i.e. they were fated. If you

look back, however, like one side of Janus’ head, there were probably some moments where you could have done something like read a horoscope or at least thought before you acted. Those turning points at opportune moments hold the keys to a different, hopefully brighter, future. So which deity can help you choose the best door, like the TV show Let’s Make a Deal? Ops. Ops is the Grandmommy of astrology. Recall that Ops was the wife of Saturn, and after a prophecy foretelling the overthrowing of Saturn by his children, Saturn began to eat his progeny.

Ops saved Jupiter and tricked Saturn into swallowing a rock instead of Jupiter, allowing her to clandestinely raise him. Later, mother and son got togeth-

er to free the rest of the kids, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres, and Vesta. Ops not only symbolizes hope, but the Latin translation of this Goddess’ name means “riches, goods, abundance, and plenty.” Ops is a timely symbol of facing harsh realities while embracing optimism and ultimately coming into abundance.

I’ve talked quite a bit about Saturn in this column, on my website, and most succinctly on my Inner Makeup Astrology YouTube page. Working with Saturn can yield great results, but for the purposes of this column, and because of the saturnian, restricting, malefic influences we’re feeling this year, I’m focusing solely on Ops. Ops’ journey through the second half of the

18 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · June 2 – 15, 2020 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

year is best described as the Phoenix rising from the ashes, the story of the bird who cyclically dies and then rises again. This has practical applications for each of you.

Generally speaking, Ops is asking you to review and renegotiate all of your dealings with other people in the realm of joint finances, taxes, deep sexuality, and business. The phrase “getting into bed together” takes on the most potent and deadliest of meanings. As Joan Rivers said, “At the end of the day, it’s all business.”

After you’ve reviewed all of your contracts, social, financial, & otherwise, and have made the hard choices necessary for your survival, you rise from the ashes come the end of September at the fall equinox. Towards the end of the year, you begin to find a modicum of stability, and by early 2021, you’ll be seeing the future much more clearly.

This is when Saturn and Ops join together in the sign Aquarius, the sign of the future (think of the song).

Hopefully by then Ops and Saturn will have worked out their marital difficulties!

ARIES

March 21 - April 19 You’ve been going through a metaphorical psychological review recently.

It almost feels as if you’re being interrogated by some sort of demon from the underworld. This is not easy stuff, but come autumn, you rise from the ashes.

Transformation is necessary, and is the only constant in life.

health, and the question arises, what do you desire on a daily level? The answer might not be as sexy as you like.

Simple pleasures in small doses, however, often yield better results than periodic ecstatic thrills. Think of the long term.

CANCER

June 21 - July 22 You’re going through different phases romantically. Things have gotten a little too deep. If you stay the course, however, you make gains in your health and daily activities. This puts you in a better position in your relationships. You have to bring your whole self to the others in your life, even if it means challenging yourself on the deepest, darkest levels.

LEO

July 23 - August 22 There’s been some intensity around your family. There’s also been a lot of transformation. This is not easy.

The changes that are occurring now, however, will be for the better come the fall.

VIRGO

August 23 - September 22 Your cognitive processes have taken on a darker tone as of late. This continues through the fall. The best thing to do is accept these frightening thoughts, as they are ultimately revealing something that will help you. Lay low for the summer.

formation is painful, but this is true of any kind of rebirth. This is difficult, but it is also what makes you the most powerful sign of the zodiac. You benefit mightily from this in the end.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22 - December 21 You’ve been going through a process of letting go. Some of your blind spots have gotten you in trouble, and now you’re engaged in a process of quiet self-reflection. This is all for the better. Come the fall, you rise again.

CAPRICORN

December 22 - January 19 Watch out for the motivations of your friends. There might even be some bullying going on. This is a chance for you to engage in some secret heroics.

Shield the friend who is being bullied, and get revenge in the future.

AQUARIUS

January 20 - February 18 You’re having to make some moves on the down low regarding your career. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, you’ll triumph down the road. Understand that the actions you are taking right now might result in the overtaking of those who seek to take you down. You can’t control the negative actions of others, only respond to them.

PISCES

February 19 - March 20 Knowledge for you comes from hidden occult places. You are less interested in philosophy that comes from the academy. Secret, ignored knowledge is where it’s at for you. Through this autumn, if you’re optimistic, you happen upon a gold mine of revelations.

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

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

LIBRA

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20 You feel as if your partner is subverting you. It might be, however, that you’re paranoid. Fear and mistrust will only pave the way for a potential breakup. It may in fact be that your significant other is trying to help you. Going on a witch hunt is not the way to address your feelings of insecurity.

September 23 - October 22 You’ve had to be a bit secretive about your money lately. This is in fact the best course of action. This is actually not a bad time to really watch your pocketbook. The guarded feelings you have about your finances will pay dividends come autumn.

GEMINI

October 23 - November 21 You are experiencing yourself on a truly deep level as of late. The trans-

May 21 - June 20 You’re reevaluating your sexual

SCORPIO

See you soon!

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