Creative Loafing Tampa — April 10, 2025 by Chava Communications

HE IS RIZZIN

PASTOR ANDY OLIVER TALKS HOPE, ACTIVISM AND GOD’S BIG MIDDLE FINGER.

VEGAN VFRENDLY VEEGAAN N F FR ENNDDLLY Y

2 S t e a k S t r e e t C o r n T a c o s

$ 8 . 9 9

$8.99

2 cr c ispy co c rn

2crispycorn tortillas steak,onion, cilantro,corn, sprinkledwith cotijacheese and drizzledwith ourzestycorn sauce

stea e k, onion, cilantro, co c rn, sprinkled e with t cot o ij i a cheese drizzled with our zes e ty corn

o B u s L o c a t i o n s

f f i i l t b s

PUBLISHER James Howard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

Editorial

MANAGING EDITOR Selene San Felice

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Sofía García Vargas, McKenna Schueler

PHOTOGRAPHERS Nicole Abbett, Dave Decker, Ryan Kern

POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore

SPRING INTERN Grace Stoler (apply for fall by emailing clips and a resume to rroa@cltampa. com)

Creative Services

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson

Advertising

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Anthony Carbone

Events and Marketing

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman

Circulation

CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta

Chava Communications Group

FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Michael Wagner

CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Cassandra Yardeni Wagner

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Graham Jarrett

VP OF OPERATIONS Hollie Mahadeo

DIRECTOR OF AGENCY SERVICES

Kelsey Molina

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Meradith Garcia

ART DIRECTOR David Loyola

DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Jaime Monzon chavagroup.com cltampabay.com cldeals.com

EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loaﬁng Tampa Bay is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

Creative Loaﬁng Tampa is published by Tampa Events & Media, LLC, 633 N Franklin St., Suite 735. Tampa, Florida, 33602.

The newspaper is produced and printed on Indigenous land belonging to Tampa Bay’s Tocobaga and Seminole tribes.

Our main number: (813) 739-4800

Letters to the editor: comments@cltampa.com

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38-year-old pop star recently announced her next album Period. Kesha comes back to Tampa this summer, p.49.

twitter.com/cl_tampabay instagram.com/cltampabay facebook.com/cltampabay

Enjoy fresh, chef-crafted meals by Chef Rosa, locally roasted coffee, and a variety of craft and mainstream beers, wines, and ciders. Relax on our balcony with stunning Ybor views and discover incredible artwork from local artists.

Come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner — we can’t wait to serve you!

Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 7am-8pm / Fri 7am-3pm / Sat-Sun 9am-3pm

Here’s Johnny

Photos by Ryan Kern

John Travolta didn’t hit the red carpet at last weekend’s Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF), but he did sneak through the back of Tampa Theatre to join a post-screening panel that followed his new ﬁlm, “Cash Out 2: High Rollers.” Other stars like Lukas Haas, Natalie Yura, plus director Randall Emmett joined Travolta who even made it to the nearby Tampa Museum of Art for an afterparty. GIFF organizers estimated that about 400 people per day attended the six-day festival, with nearly 500 ticket buyers on Sunday. See more photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.

Casamigos, Estrella Galicia, and La Luna Mezcal present

Jimmy’s Tacos

Order 2 entrees they get a free chips y pico or chips y queso

Taco Dirty

$5 margaritas all day during Taco Week!

Also, regular Dirty Hours specials: 2pm-6pm $8 tres tacos, $3 beer/seltzers

Red Mesa Mercado

Tacos Gobernador – $11

Handcrafted Margarita featuring Blanco Casamigos – $16.50

Rene’s Kitchen

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

YBOR:

Three “Steak House Tacos” platter for $20

Filet Mignon

Ribeye Steak

Picaña Steak

Ribeye steak, provolone cheese

Picaña steak, caramelized onions, chimichurri verde

2 Beer Marinated Steak Tacos with avocado cream sauce, black bean and corn salsa, and cilantro served with choice of side

$16

WESTCHASE:

2 Grouper Tacos with cowboy caviar, chipotle mayo, pickled red cabbage, and cilantro served with choice of side $17

Madison Ave Pizza

Kind of Like a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza! This pizza is made only using the ingredients on a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, so it’s like a giant version of one. It has a bean sauce base and is topped with mozzarella, cheddar, ground beef, tortilla strips, tomatoes, green onions and taco sauce!

10” Cauli/12” GF $21.99 14” $24.99 18” $29.99

Casamigos Silver Top Shelf Margarita - Casamigos Silver, Grand Marnier, Fresh Squeezed Lime, Fresh Squeezed OJ - $15.00 tacos, $3 beer/seltzers

Red Mesa Restaurant

Brisket Street Tacos – $17

Handcrafted Margarita featuring Blanco Casamigos – $16 tacos, $3 beer/seltzers

Barrios Tacos

Two El Jefe Taco Selections with a choice of queso blanco or traditional guacamole

$15

do this

Tampa Bay's best things to do from April 10 - 16

In Heaven, everything is fine Sun Ray Cinema’s series “Blue Skies and Sunshine All Along the Way: The Films of David Lynch” caps off with what Lynch called his most spiritual film—“Eraserhead.” The matinee will be preceded by a short or other Lynch-related ephemera. After building a loyal following in Jacksonville, Sun-Ray Cinema opened at Tampa’s University Mall last fall and has grown a new contingent of followers ever since. Lynch, the filmmaker behind dark classics like "Twin Peaks" and "Blue Velvet," died in January at the age of 78. While Sun-Ray focuses on independent films, it does show big studio films, too. The theater also recently launched a special where it will buy entrance for a moviegoer who brings in a recent ticket stub from AMC Veterans 24—and good news, because this screening is included in the deal. ‘Eraserhead:’ Saturday, April 12. 2 p.m. $6.05-$8.14. Sun-Ray Cinema, 12332 University Mall Court, Tampa. sunraycinema.com Selene San Felice

Monumental

New Port Richey rocks—seriously. For proof look no further than Monufest. Going down once again at the Ordinance One venue in the heart of downtown, the afternoon festival is a full day of hardcore and punk curated by hometown label Ashtray Monument. “Monufest has always been more than just a fest—it’s a gathering of weirdos, lifers, and loudmouths who live for this stuff. This year promises the same grit and guts with fresh faces and long-missed legends,” the imprint wrote in a press release. “Come for the music, stay for the chaos…” This year’s lineup includes heavy hitters from Gainesville (Thunderclap, Chimes, I’ll Star), plus Bay area favorites like Pohgoh, Meatwound, The Path of Increased Indifference—and a reunion from Tampa punk band Clairmel. Also making the trip from the west coast is Eastern Bleeds, a noisy indie/-rock band from Los Angeles featuring members of The Jealous Sound, Racquet Club, O Zorn!, The Kite Eating Tree, Who Rides The Tiger, Coco B’s and Black Swan Runners.

Monufest 2025: Saturday, April 12. 2 p.m. $20-$25. Ordinance One, 5738 Main St., New Port Richey. tinyurl.com/ monufest—Ray Roa

Nugs and kisses

If you’re serious about chicken nuggets, you can skip the drive-thru this weekend.

Shuffle Tampa hosts Nugget Fest, where attendees can fill up a bucket with nugs from Saucin Wings and The Fishin Chicken food trucks. The menu includes classic and Buffalo nuggets, some with sweetness, spice, and Doritos and Hot Cheetoscrusted. Tampa Hot Sauce’s Chef Jose has the sauce with flavors like peach habanero, hot garlic, and Florida strawberry.

Nugget Fest: Saturday, April 12. Noon-3 p.m. $11 gets you in with nuggets à la carte. $35 gets you admission and unlimited nuggets. Shufﬂe Tampa, 2612 N Tampa St, Tampa. bit.ly/ Nuggetfesttampa—Selene San Felice

DENIS MAKARENKO/SHUTTERSTOCK

Never let go

Can you believe the Titanic sinking was 113 years ago? Feels like yesterday. To commemorate the anniversary, Tampa Fringe hosts an encore of its immersive one-woman act dedicated to the ﬁlm and tragedy. This double-feature of awardwinning shows begins with the hour-long “Mrs. Bliss’s Titanic Adventure” by Tampa performer Bridget Bean. After an intermission, Orlando comedian Katie Thayer performs “A One Woman Titanic Parody In 59 Minutes Or Less.” We have word that Jack Dawson himself will be at the Sunday show with Josh DiGangi aka @titanicfan97. Bring him some of that sweet T on V (Titanic on VHS) if you’re so inclined. Doors open 15-30 minutes before showtime. The theater, located on the second ﬂoor of the Kress Contemporary, is ADA accessible. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase at the bar inside the Kress before the show and during intermission.

A Titanic Double Feature: FridaySunday April 11-13. 7p.m. $25-$50. The Fringe Theatre at Kress Contemporary, 1624 E 7th Avenue Suite 307, Ybor City. theatre.tampafringe.org —Selene San Felice

Talk a portrait, it lasts longer

There aren’t many people who can more comprehensively, and honestly, describe Pinellas County’s changing arts landscape better than Derek Donnelly. The multiple Best of the Bay-winner is one of the artists behind St. Pete’s mural-driven rise to art-topia prominence, and for this Saturday ArtWalk talk he welcomes visitors to the Warehouse District’s newest venue, Suite E Studios, to talk about a recently-uncovered mural of his. Lawyer Kevin T. Beck commissioned the piece, asking Donnelly to draw inspiration from The World Is a Ghetto , a 1972 album by funk band War. The mural, organizers wrote, is a lost and forgotten relic of Old St. Pete, adding that, “Buildings come and go at the whims of business owners, city ofﬁcials, and developers, while artists remain invested in their communities and where they live.” A new projection map of the piece will also be unveiled, while the experimental, tinkerer-friendly music project Jadget Gam handles sounds.

Second Saturday Art Walk—Derek Donnelly ‘Portrait of a City c. 2018’: Saturday, April 12. 5 p.m.9 p.m. No cover. Suite E Studios, 621 27th St. S, St. Petersburg. @Suite.e.studios on Instagram—Ray Roa

Get sprung

The botanical gardens on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida are one of the best places to unwind if you can’t get out of the city. Its 16 acres will be a little busier than usual this weekend. That’s thanks to just about four dozen vendors—from local and commercial growers to clubs and groups from across the state—at the Spring Plant Festival who’ll set up across almost every available space (the west end—including the long leaf pine and wetland forests, along with the medicinal garden, and succulents, should offer some respite). Members get in free (and early), but the rest of you will have to buy a ticket (except kids under 12 years old). You’ll have to walk from one of the school’s parking lots, but there is a plant-pick up area on site for when you’re ready to leave.

Spring Plant Festival: SaturdaySunday, April 12-13. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $10. Botanical Gardens at University of South Florida, 12210 USF Pine Dr., Tampa. @usfbotanicalgardens on Instagram—Ray Roa

SUMMERVIBES

Join us at Summervibes auto event on April 13, 2025 on 7th Avenue! See amazing cars and enjoy community entertainment.

Continue at Centro Ybor’s After Party with vendors, games, music (12-4pm) and BOGO beers at Tampa Bay Brewing Co. (4-8pm). @centro_ybor

He is rizzin’

Pastor Andy Oliver talks hope, activism and God’s big middle ﬁnger.

By Selene San Felice

Alot of people are feeling forsaken right now. Whether you’re an immigrant, LGBTQ community member, losing abortion access, or just want to buy some damn eggs. Rev. Andy Oliver is fighting for all of them. The leader of Allendale United Methodist Church isn’t afraid to get loud and upset people to fight for what he believes in, whether that’s projecting “Abolish ICE” on its St. Pete facade or marching with an inflatable dragged-up Jesus. He talked to Creative Loafing about how faith fuels his fight for social justice. This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

INTERVIEW

to Allendale are people that haven’t been to a church in a very long time. A lot of people who are coming are young people, maybe they haven’t been since they were a child, or have never been at all. But people feel a connection, because we’re spiritual beings, and they don’t want to just completely relinquish their faith because they see bad examples of it being lived out in ways that look like Christian nationalism. They want to have one more chance to reclaim it for themselves, or to unpack what they thought faith was, and rebuild it, reconstruct it in ways that are life giving.

So… is there any hope for Florida or America right now?

Allendale before this election usually would see about ﬁve to 10 visitors on a Sunday. We’re having like 25 to 30 visitors on Sunday since the election. And I believe it’s because people feel like the world’s ending. And in many ways, the world as we know it is ending. We’re transitioning to a different world, and building a new world that looks like beloved community. … that is based on liberation and loving each other in solidarity, not one that is based on domination and tariffs. Our ancestors lived through worse times and found ways to not only make it through, but to build up a new world.

How can people who feel abandoned by Christianity and religion hold on to faith in anything when they feel so beaten down?

So there’s certainly a segment of the Church that has sold-out. Instead of following Jesus, they’ve followed a path of Christian nationalism and white supremacy, which I think go handin-hand. And they’re doing so much harm by giving validity and even encouragement to the harmful policies that we’re seeing. To me, those people who are practicing their faith like that, I don’t even recognize as being a part of what it means to follow Jesus. Jesus was pushing back constantly against those types of practices, and was executed by the state—by the Empire— because he was pushing back against that way of practicing faith.

You know a lot of people that are coming

A lot of people probably know you and Allendale best for your defense of the LGBTQ community. But you’re constantly at protests and testifying to lawmakers about lots of other social issues like fair housing and immigration. How do you have the energy to ﬁght for so many things when it seems like more danger keeps popping up?

I think there’s a moment or periods of hopelessness for me every single day and needing to take time to recenter. Look, I’m to the point now where I can’t go to a coffee shop or to a party, to a social gathering without a stranger coming up to me that I don’t know. They may know who I am, or they see my collar, or they know about Allendale. And they ask ‘What do we do?’

Practicing self-care in this time is very important. Having a good therapist, and everything from taking rest to going to the gym to connecting with community are essential right now. The most important thing people can be doing right now, when they want us to feel very isolated and hopeless, is to double down on our efforts to create deeper and stronger community. It’s in that community where we’re going to be able to keep going in this marathon.

I played tuba in high school and marched sousaphone. When you’re in a tuba section and have to hold out a note for 16 counts, that’s pretty much impossible, but with a whole section, it’s quite achievable, because you stagger your breathing. And so in community, we are able to stagger our breathing and hold each other up and have a bigger impact.

For people who maybe don’t feel comfortable going to church or aren’t sure if that’s the right thing for them, what would you recommend?

I would say, ﬁnd their community, whether that is in a faith based space or not. I happen to believe that if it’s based around the values of solidarity and loving each other and resistance to evil, it’s a faith based community. Whether they happen in a church, or in a bar, or at a coffee shop, or in someone’s home, in my perspective, they are doing the work of God.

I don’t see the world in the binary of, you know, faith and secular or spiritual and secular. I think everything is spiritual. And so whether someone professes belief or following Jesus or however they want to talk about their faith, I believe that we’re all spiritual, and we’re all you know, tied together in one garment. We have mutual destiny, as Dr. King talked about, and that is spiritual work, whether it’s happening in a church or not, and so ﬁnding your people and creating deep community is the most important thing we can be doing right now.

We’re coming up on Easter, that time when Jesus was executed by the state. What do you want people to take away from the holiday? Easter, the most important holiday of the Christian year, is supposed to celebrate the way salvation was brought in. And when I say salvation, I mean people in the margins being restored to community. Easter and resurrection is God’s big middle ﬁnger to empire. A divine protest. A holy F-you to the systems that crush bodies and break spirits.

Salvation isn’t about escaping this world and going to heaven… It’s a salve—a healing force pulsing through every protest, every jail cell, and every broken community. It’s God showing up in solidarity where shit’s hardest. It’s about “getting saved” from greed, from white supremacy, from bigotry, from whatever keeps us numb and divided. Resurrection is real—every time someone refuses to give up, every time people rise from ashes and ﬁght, every time love shows up where death and empire thought they won.

SERVING FAITH: Andy Oliver celebrates trans pride at Allendale United Methodist Church.

“Only billion-dollar corporations can afford to navigate new tariffs...”

Soory not soory

Canadian campaign attacks Trump tari s on billboards in Tampa and beyond.

By McKenna Schueler

The Canadian government has taken to billboards to educate Americans on the tariffs imposed on their country by the Trump administration. According to CBS News, it’s a multi-state campaign, visibly sponsored by Canada, spanning Florida and at least 12 other states.

Creative Loaﬁ ng Tampa Bay and other Tampeños have spotted the billboards on Interstate-275 displaying messages about tariffs being taxes at the gas pump.

One billboard on Hillsborough Avenue in Oldsmar reads “Tariffs are a tax on hard-working Americans” as part of a message that stays visible for eight seconds at a time. Another version of the billboard says, “Tariffs are a tax on your grocery bill.”

Tariffs are an added tax that may be imposed by governments on foreign-imported goods, which are ultimately levied on the buyer.

“The campaign is a strategic investment in Canada’s long-term economic interests, and its trade relationship with the United States,” John Babcock, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, told Orlando Weekly in a statement, explaining the new billboard campaign.

Tariffs, he added, “are a tax on hard-working Americans in their daily lives” that could lead to higher consumer prices for groceries, cars and other essentials. “The purpose is to increase the understanding of the American public and to counter misinformation,” Babcock added.

Trump announced earlier last month, reportedly without informing Canada ﬁ rst, that the federal government would be imposing 25% tariffs on all foreign cars and auto parts imported into the U.S., effective April 2, with no exemption for Canada.

will always defend its interests and stand up for Canadian jobs, industries and workers. We will continue to pursue all available avenues to challenge these unfair and detrimental trade actions.”

This isn’t Trump’s ﬁ rst tariff battle. Trump also imposed tariffs on certain foreign goods during his ﬁ rst administration, including some that affected a wine bar in Orlando, where business relies at least in part on the foreign wines they ship from Europe.

LOCAL NEWS

Trump had previously proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, plus all foreign aluminum and steel imports. Canada has already threatened retaliatory tariffs in response, after Trump ﬁ rst temporarily enacted, then paused tariffs on Canada earlier this month.

“Canada is deeply disappointed that the U.S. has chosen to reimpose these unjustiﬁed tariffs that hurt workers and businesses on both sides of the border,” Mary Ng, Canada’s Trade Minister, shared in a statement. “Instead of imposing unwarranted trade barriers, the U.S. should work with Canada as a trusted trade partner. Canada

“I think any small business, and people who care about small business, should be against tariffs,” Heather LaVine, owner of the wine bar Quicksand and the natural wine shop Golden Hour, told Orlando Weekly ahead of Trump’s inauguration this past January. “Only billion-dollar corporations can afford to navigate new tariffs, and what this ultimately means for all of us is more corporate monopoly.”

Tariffs can serve as a source of revenue for governments, and can protect domestic industries against foreign competition. Still, economic experts have warned tariffs lead to higher prices on consumers, as businesses ofﬂoad the higher cost of imports onto their customers.

Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said he “couldn’t care less” if automakers, for instance, raised prices because of new tariffs.

“I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars,” Trump added. “We have plenty.”

The labor union representing U.S. auto workers for the Big Three car manufacturers—Ford, General Motors and Stellantis—has backed Trump’s tariffs plan on auto imports, for their part, while slamming the administration’s recent attacks on federal government employees’ union rights.

“We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with ﬁ xing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions,” said Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, in a statement.

“But ending the race to the bottom also means securing union rights for autoworkers everywhere with a strong National Labor Relations Board, a decent retirement with Social Security beneﬁts protected, healthcare for all workers including through Medicare and Medicaid, and dignity on and off the job,” added Fain, a progressive union leader who has been vocally critical of Trump and who backed Democrat Kamala Harris for president ahead of last year’s presidential election.

The Canadian government’s anti-tariffs billboards have also been placed in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

OH, CANADA: These billboards appear in at least 12 other states.

Born to run

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera announces bid for Florida House seat.

By Selene San Felice

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera ﬁled to run for State House last Wednesday. He’s running as a Democrat to represent District 67 in 2026, where House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell is terming out. Viera is also at the end of his term limit for his District 7 City Council seat.

He hinted at putting his hat in the race during a late-February appearance on WMNF public affairs program The Skinny, while shutting down rumors that he may run for mayor of Tampa. During that interview, Viera mentioned his support for Medicaid waivers for those with intellectual disabilities.

“Every time I see us doing another tax cut on corporations or whatever ... I go, ‘You could put that money in Medicaid waiver,’” Viera said on the radio show.

in City Council, which will need to be ﬁlled via a majority council vote.

Another Democrat, Will Atkins, also ﬁled to run for the seat last month. Atkins is an Air Force veteran and board member of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Because of Florida’s “Resign-To-Run” law (which Ron DeSantis exempted himself from last year before getting spanked by Trump), Viera will have to submit a resignation from Tampa City Council at least 10 days prior to the first day of qualifying for the District 67 race. The resignation would be effective on the day the winner of the race takes office, meaning Tampa City Council would have to appoint a new Tampa City Councilmember to fill Viera’s seat—whether he wins or loses.

ELECTIONS

As Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes for the end of property taxes, Viera said his stance is “mend it, don’t end it” with more accommodations for seniors.

Viera has also been a big advocate for housing protections and tenets rights. Recently, he led efforts to get $3.2 million in housing assistance dispersed to Tampa families impacted by Hurricane Milton.

His other platform issues are investment in public schools, civil rights protection, worker support, and to “ensure dignity and respect for all Floridians—no matter their background,” per his campaign announcement.

In 2023, Viera drew no competitors in his race to be re-elected to Tampa City Council. His run for Florida House will leave a vacancy

The last time Tampa City Council had to appoint a new member was 2022 when Councilman John Dingfelder resigned unceremoniously. Nearly two dozen candidates threw their names in the hat for that appointment, with Tampa City Council eventually settling on Lynn Hurtak, an active neighborhood leader. Hurtak went on to win election to the seat the next year, handily beating longtime state senator Janet Cruz.

“People want to believe in their government but don’t feel it ﬁghts for them. That’s especially true for our working class, middle class, and those striving to get ahead,” Viera wrote in a press release. “Too many Floridians feel they don’t have a voice. Politics is about changing that. We need to remember how futures are made in Florida again.”

COVER ME: Viera’s next race will leave a vacancy on Tampa City Council.

First step

Early prenatal care in Tampa Bay is now available via Planned Parenthood.

By Sofía García Vargas

Seeing a positive pregnancy test can be an overwhelming experience, often bringing a wave of questions and concerns—especially when it comes to accessing quality prenatal care.

Recognizing these anxieties, Planned Parenthood is stepping up to bridge the gap between that ﬁrst test and a patient’s eventual OB/GYN by introducing early prenatal care at seven of its health centers across Tampa Bay starting, April 1.

Dr. Robyn Schickler, Chief Medical Ofﬁcer of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida (PPSWCF), emphasized the organization’s commitment to comprehensive reproductive health care.

“Often when people think of ‘Planned Parenthood’ they think about birth control, but we provide a full spectrum of reproductive health care services,” Schickler told Creative Loaﬁng Tampa Bay. “Our patients know they can rely on us for expert, affordable care for their sexual and reproductive health needs—and now that also includes early prenatal care.”

“We will provide the referral at the very ﬁrst visit so that the patient has time to establish care with an OB/GYN by their second trimester,” Schickler explained. “In addition to providing our patients with a referral letter, we will provide records of all their visits, labs or tests that were performed, and a list of OB/GYNs in the community for them to choose from.”

The expansion comes as new data highlights the growing crisis in prenatal and obstetric care access in Florida. A recent report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that 58% of Floridians are worried about access to prenatal care, while 59% have general concerns about OB/GYN access—both ﬁgures being the highest in the country.

LOCAL NEWS

With Florida ranking 50th out of 52 states and territories in adequate prenatal care, according to the March of Dimes, this expansion is not just timely—it’s necessary.

“We have patients in the community who have significant difficulty finding an OB/GYN for even routine prenatal care, and that has only become more difficult in recent years,” Dr. Schickler added. “We’re here to fill that gap.”

The early prenatal services will include initial lab work, symptom management, and ultrasounds throughout the ﬁrst 12 weeks of pregnancy. This allows patients the critical time needed to establish care with a long-term OB/GYN and ensure a healthy start for both parent and baby. The launch follows a stream of new services, including vasectomy care, IUD sedation, and infertility care.

The Journal of the American Medical Association Network recently found that, after the Dobbs decision, the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, removing federal protections for abortion rights, states with the most restrictive reproductive health policies saw a 4.2% decrease in OB/GYNs per 100,000 reproductive-aged women.

The impact of inadequate prenatal care is dire. According to a report from NBC, the odds of experiencing a late-stage pregnancy loss are nearly three times higher in the South, with key contributing factors including a low supply of midwives and OB/GYNs, disproportionately high maternal mortality rates for Black women, and a high percentage of births where mothers received inadequate prenatal care.

“We provide a full spectrum of reproductive health care services.”

Planned Parenthood’s new prenatal services will be available at the following seven locations in or near the Tampa Bay area:

• St. Petersburg 33 6th St. S, St. Petersburg

• Tampa 8068 N 56th St., Tampa

• Lakeland 2250 E Edgewood Dr., Lakeland

• Sarasota 736 Central Ave., Sarasota

• Naples 1425 Creech Rd., Naples

• Fort Myers 6418 Commerce Park Dr., Fort Myers

• Kissimmee 610 Oak Commons Blvd.

During the ﬁrst trimester, Planned Parenthood will assist patients in transitioning to long-term OB/GYN care.

Planned Parenthood’s decision to introduce prenatal services in Tampa Bay aims to address these systemic gaps by providing accessible, compassionate, and early-stage care. By offering a direct path from that ﬁrst pregnancy test to proper medical care, Planned Parenthood hopes to alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty that often accompanies early pregnancy.

“We are committed to keeping our high-quality care affordable. While this care is typically covered by insurance, for those who are un- or underinsured, pricing varies based on need,” said Dr. Schickler. “Planned Parenthood is known for our compassionate, high-quality, affordable services, something particularly important for already marginalized populations who experience challenges ﬁnding care as a result of systemic barriers.”

For those in need of immediate prenatal care, appointments can be scheduled at any of the seven locations. To make an appointment, visit plannedparenthood.org or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526).

OPEN DOORS: Sarasota’s Planned Parenthood facility is one of seven in the Bay area providing a new service.

Call a manager

Seagrass acreage in Old Tampa Bay is lower than it’s been in 30 years.

By Vicki Parsons/Bay Soundings

Old Tampa Bay, the segment north of the Gandy Bridge between Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, has long been the region’s “problem child.” More than half of the seagrasses lost across Tampa Bay since 2016 vanished from Old Tampa Bay, and the latest report shows that seagrass acreage is at its lowest level in more than 30 years.

The original management strategy for the bay’s recovery, created in the 1990s, recognized that restricting nutrients would limit the growth of algae, allowing enough sunlight to reach the bay bottom for seagrasses to grow where they had been in the 1950s. Until 2016, that effort made Tampa Bay an international success story.

condition of Old Tampa Bay is not acceptable, and many think that regulatory requirements will be needed to generate the political will for the necessary investments.”

While the total nitrogen loadings to Tampa Bay—486 tons per year—hasn’t changed, permit holders must meet those thresholds in order to stay in compliance

ENVIRONMENT

“We can’t predict rainy years, and it is very likely that permittees may be out of compliance during wet years,” Burke said. “That will make it even more important for them to report on load reduction projects that demonstrate reasonable assurance to state regulators.”

waters must be eliminated by 2032. If fully implemented, it would remove about 92 tons of nitrogen every year, but the legislation does provide some loopholes, including the expanded use of reclaimed water that could potentially be released as it is used.

A multi-jurisdictional study to identify and implement improvements to stormwater ﬂowing into Old Tampa Bay is currently underway with funding through the RESTORE Act.

Tampa Bay Water (TBW) has proposed building a reservoir near the Lake Tarpon outfall for use as potable water that would reduce freshwater inflow into Old Tampa Bay. TBEP supports that proposal, noting that TBW’s withdrawals from the Alafia River are among the most significant nitrogen load reduction projects in the region.

Oyster restoration projects hold some promise, particularly in reducing the negative impacts of the annual Pyrodinium blooms that have occurred annually since 2000, although large-scale testing is still years away.

“The original paradigm was intentionally simpliﬁed,” said Maya Burke, assistant director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. “We need to reconsider the way we measure nutrient loading, and it will have real consequences for local governments.”

Updating that paradigm to reflect current realities and scientific advances starts by recognizing that rainfall has significantly increased since the historic reference period in the early 1990s. The original regulatory threshold for hydrologically adjusted nitrogen loadings has been met for the last 10 years. However, significantly higher levels of rainfall meant that excess nitrogen was discharged into Old Tampa Bay for seven of those years.

Looking back, changing that threshold to measure total nitrogen loadings would mean that local governments would have needed to reduce nitrogen by an average of 83 tons per year between 2012 and 2021, but up to 150 tons in rainy years. “That’s a heck of a lot of nitrogen and it requires signiﬁcant investments to capture,” Burke said.

An assimilative capacity study now underway will help determine which management actions would bring Old Tampa Bay back from what could be a tipping point. TBEP’s Tampa Bay Nutrient Management Consortium and its Technical Advisory Committee, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s Agency on Bay and Coastal Management, and state and federal regulators are currently working together to determine which management actions will be needed.

The consortium, which includes businesses, industries, and local governments, is committed to bringing Old Tampa Bay back to health. “We’ve had one-on-one meetings with the entities discharging into Old Tampa Bay, mainly local governments like cities and counties,” Burke said. “They all agree that the marginal

With an average 83 tons of nitrogen—or 11% to 63% of total loadings depending upon rainfall in the 2012 to 2021 period—to be removed from Old Tampa Bay, there’s no silver bullet, and managers are considering a wide range of options: State regulations will require that all nonbeneﬁcial wastewater discharges to surface

The three causeways spanning Old Tampa Bay—Courtney Campell to the north, Howard Frankland across the center, and Gandy at the segment’s southern border—all significantly impede tidal flow, but significant revisions to those causeways are not planned. They could be helpful in the future, based on a 2018 project that improved water quality by increasing flow.

“The original paradigm was intentionally simpliﬁed.”

“What we’ve seen in the Old Tampa Bay segment is an insufﬁcient number of projects that can remedy the loss of seagrasses,” Burke said. “The problem is that, from a nitrogen loading perspective, we are meeting state regulatory thresholds because compliance is assessed based upon a hydrologically normalized load that was established using rainfall measured 30 years ago. We are periodically out of compliance with the chlorophyll-a standard and the assimilative capacity assessment project suggests that chlorophyl-al is responding to actual loads more strongly than normalized ones.”

As bay managers work toward solutions, Burke stresses that none of the projects—or their costs to local governments—have been ﬁnalized. “There are no done deals—they’re all decisions that the Nitrogen Management Consortium and the community more broadly will need to weigh in on.”

Reprinted with permission from Bay Soundings.

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“I loved every second of it.”

RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Chopped it up

Union

chef talks about winning Food Network show, and Nicko’s is open again, too.

By Sofía García Vargas

Tampa Bay’s culinary scene recently added another star to its roster—Jacob Rios. Last February, the executive chef at Tampa’s Union New American, took home the top prize on Food Network’s “Chopped.”

Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rios has spent years reﬁning his craft in some of the nation’s top restaurants and hospitality brands, including Disney Springs Resort, Kona Grill, Wolfgang Puck, and Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant.His training at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and certiﬁcation in hospitality and tourism from Florida Atlantic University have shaped his approach to food, one that blends precision, creativity, and cultural storytelling.

Cooking on “Chopped” is not for the faint of heart. With the clock ticking and a basket full of mystery ingredients, competitors must think fast, innovate, and execute ﬂawless dishes under intense pressure.

“When the cameras are rolling, it’s a whole different ball game,” Rios recently told Creative Loaﬁng Tampa Bay. “In a real kitchen, you focus on efﬁciency and quality without worrying about an audience watching your every move. But both environments demand adaptability and quick decision-making.”

His biggest challenge? The unpredictable mystery basket. “Not knowing what would be inside meant I had to rely on my instincts and experience. I had to adapt on the ﬂy while racing against the clock. It was high-pressure, but I loved every second of it,” he said.

While he didn’t enter the competition with a strict strategy, Rios prepared extensively, ﬁnetuning his ability to work under pressure and perfecting techniques that could be applied to any given challenge.

Throughout his career, Rios has drawn inspiration from his Puerto Rican heritage, using bold ﬂavors and traditional techniques to craft his culinary identity. His love for food began in his grandmother’s kitchen, where he learned to make arroz con gandules, his alltime favorite dish.

“The secret to my grandmother’s recipe was the salted pork and lard, it created a depth of ﬂavor that still inﬂuences my cooking today,” he said. “Puerto Rican food is all about high-quality

ingredients, tradition, and bold ﬂavors, and I bring that spirit into everything I create.”

His experience working for top-tier restaurants and hospitality groups like Disney and Wolfgang Puck also played a crucial role in preparing him for the competition. The roles taught him how to manage “high-pressure environments, think on my feet, and deliver top-tier food.”

With his February “Chopped” victory under his belt, Rios is already channeling the experi-

showcasing how diverse cultures can enrich modern American cuisine.”

His inﬂuences stretch beyond his personal experiences, citing culinary giants like Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, and Ferran Adrià as inspirations. “I’ve learned invaluable lessons from great chefs, cooking shows, and my formal education. I’m excited to keep pushing the envelope and contribute to Tampa’s future as a true food city.”

FOOD NEWS

restaurant suffered catastrophic losses, with nearly two feet of water destroying 80% of its equipment, from coolers and freezers to ovens and kegerators. Everything below four feet had to be gutted.

But six months later, thanks to an outpouring of community support, Nicko’s is back. Owners Nick and Erin Faraone ofﬁcially reopened the doors last month, determined to serve the neighborhood that refused to let them go under.

With most of their kitchen equipment rendered useless, the Faraones launched “Operation Restoration,” selling a limited menu from the restaurant’s parking lot to keep up with rent.

Local businesses rallied to help: The owners of Mullet’s Fish Camp & Market lent Nicko’s vital kitchen equipment, hosted a beneﬁt event featuring beer from Golden Isles, and attracted strong community turnout. Southside Coffee, Tchotchkes, Nueva Cantina, and McMullen’s also played key roles in supporting the restaurant’s comeback. Brett Andress, owner of Ale & The Witch, offered Nicko’s a pop-up space during live music nights, allowing them to sell food when they had no kitchen of their own. Even employees from the Marina District helped move dining equipment into storage that was donated by Second Shift Printing. Beyond business support, customers stepped up, too. Many bought gift cards for future meals to help cover bills, while others showed up consistently for the parking lot sales. In December, Nicko’s launched a GoFundMe that raised over $8,000.

Now, with new equipment, a rebuilt kitchen, and a fresh start, Nicko’s is ready to serve its pizza and subs again. The restaurant is now open Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday).

ence into new creative ventures at Union New American. “I’m experimenting with new dishes that fuse my Puerto Rican roots with modern American cuisine, using seasonal and local ingredients to elevate the menu,” he shared.

Looking ahead, Rios sees Tampa Bay’s food scene continuing to grow into a dynamic, diverse culinary destination. “I want to be part of that movement, bringing my heritage into the mix, pushing the boundaries of tradition, and

St. Pete’s beloved Nicko’s Pizza and Subs reopens after Hurricane Helene thanks to community support

When Hurricane Helene barreled through Tampa Bay in September 2024, St. Petersburg’s Old Southeast neighborhood found itself submerged under record-breaking storm surges.

Among the many businesses devastated by the ﬂooding was Nicko’s Pizza and Subs, a local favorite at 1239 4th St. S. The family-owned

Special deals include Wine Wednesdays— half off bottles and $2 off glasses—and daily specials from 11 a.m-4 p.m., like two slices of cheese pizza and a soda for $7.50 or two slices of pepperoni for $8.50.

For the Faraones, reopening isn’t just about getting back to business—it’s about giving back to the people who saved them. “We are beyond grateful to everyone who stepped up for us,” Erin said. “Nicko’s wouldn’t be here without this community.

WEST SHORE SIDE: Chef Jacob Rios is already channeling his ‘Chopped’ experience into the Union menu.

Thursday April 10, 2025

Doors at 6:00 PM, Show at 7:00 PM Punk Black @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St Tampa Free to the Public crowbarybor.com

Thursday April 10, 2025 • 7:00 PM

Bodegaz Manzanos Wine Dinner

@ Columbia Restaurant Ybor City

2117 E. 7th Ave. Tampa

$235 per seat

bit.ly/BodegazManzanos

Friday, April 11 - Sunday, April 13, 2025

Doors at 5:45 PM, Show at 7:00 PM

Tony Rock @ The Funny Bone

1600 E 8th Ave C-112, Tampa

$30 GA, $40 VIP bit.ly/TonyRockYbor

Friday, April 11, 2025 • 9:00 PM - 2:00 AM

AWOLNATION • The Phantom Five Tour

@ The Ritz Ybor

1503 E. 7th Ave – Tampa

See site for ticketing details bit.ly/awolnation0411

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Doors at 9:00 PM, Show at 9:30 PM

Emo Night Tampa @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St Tampa

$5 Cover crowbarybor.com

Sunday, April 13, 2025 • 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Summer Vibes @ Centro Ybor

1600 E 8th Ave, Tampa Open to the public bit.ly/SummerVibes2025

Sunday, April 13, 2025 • 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Summer Vibes After Party @ Tampa Bay Brewing Company 1600 E 8th Ave, Tampa Open to the public - BOGO Beers bit.ly/SummerVibes2025

Tuesday April 15, 2025

Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 8:00 PM

Cheekface w/ Pacing @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St Tampa

$22 Tickets crowbarybor.com

Saturday, April 26, 2025 • 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM

TribeFest @ 1920 Ybor 1920 East 7th Avenue Tampa

Tickets start at $25 bit.ly/TribeFestYbor

Sunday, April 27, 2025 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Chicken Yoga w/ Yoga Loft Tampa + Ybor Misfits @ Hotel Haya 1412 East 7th Avenue Tampa

$12 General Admission bit.ly/ChickenYogaApril

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

(CHECK OUT THEIR TACO WEEK SPECIALS!) 1600 East 8th Avenue, Tampa tbbc.beer/ybor-city

Jimmy’s Tacos

(CHECK OUT THEIR TACO WEEK SPECIALS!) 1604 N 17th St, Tampa jimmystacosfl .com

Los Chapos Tacos

(CHECK OUT THEIR TACO WEEK SPECIALS!) 951 E 7th Ave, Tampa loschapostacos.com

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La Union Community, connection, and culture come together at La Unión Apartments, where Tampa’s rich history and vibrant future unite. Inspired by the historic social hall once on this site, our Ybor City apartments honor that legacy by fostering bonds among residents, the neighborhood, and the area’s deep-rooted heritage. bit.ly/LaUnionYbor

DAW’GANNET: ‘Love Bird’ is inspired by one particular New Zealand bird.

Rare bird

O -Central’s latest is inspired by the loneliest bird in the world.

By David Warner

K. T. Peterson’s “Love Bird,” opening April 10 at The Off-Central, is a play unlike anything you may have seen before, yet it might remind you of anything from romcoms to “Waiting for Godot.” Its two characters, Nigel and Norman, are birds—although the playwright encourages the actors to be “as nonbirdlike as possible.” And one of the birds has fallen in love—with piles of garbage.

on a desolate island off the coast of New Zealand. But Nigel was the only gannet who fell for the ruse, and when he fell, he really fell—for one of the decoys. He built a nest for it, groomed its concrete feathers, and died by its side.

THEATER

Love Bird

Like another play about avian amours, the penguin romance “Birds of a Feather” (seen hereabouts at Stageworks and Gulfport Community Players), “Love Bird” was inspired by a true story. The headline that caught Peterson’s eye in Feb. 2, 2018 read, “Nigel, the World’s Loneliest Bird, Dies Next to the Cement Decoy He Loved.” Wildlife ofﬁcials had tried to create a sanctuary for gannets like Nigel by placing 80 lifelike cement decoys of the birds

Thursdays-Sundays through April 19. $20-$35 (pay what you can $10 tickets on Wednesday, April 16; no performances on Easter Sunday, April. 20)The Off-Central Players. 2260 1st Ave. S, St. Petersburg. theoffcentral.com

Peterson’s play takes off from that bittersweet anecdote to create a truly original world. Nigel‘s love objects are detritus, not decoys, and when Norman shows up Nigel must contend with the challenge of conversing with another creature that can actually talk back, and one that can love him back, too.

Peterson stipulates that her characters, despite their masculine monikers, can be played by actors of any gender. At the Off-Central, the two roles are being taken by Roxanne Fay and Katherine Yacko, with direction by Ami Sallee. This multi-talented trio has acted together before, including shows at Jobsite and

Stageworks, and Yacko directed Fay in her onewoman show, “Thrice to Mine.”

Fay discovered “Love Bird,” which prior to Off-Central had received just one professional production in Indianapolis, and brought it to the attention of Off-Central Producing Artistic Director Ward Smith.

“I love the tone of it, the hopefulness of it,” said Fay during a recent pre-rehearsal interview with Yacko. “It’s just a really sweet story and yet has pretty deep themes and also is super funny. And you get to be a bird, so what the hell?”

There’ll intentionally be no attempt to make the actors look like birds (“No feathers!” declared Fay). But Peterson’s language sometimes jumps about in skittery, birdlike fashion that’s particularly evident when Nigel addresses his two imaginary lovers (the elusive Saundra and the more forthcoming Jessica) in what are essentially extended monologues.

Then, what Fay calls Nigel’s “rich non-life” is shattered when he has to deal with the arrival of a living, breathing and very chatty visitor. And as Norman tries in his bumbling, affable way to get through to Nigel, a kind of push-me/ pull-you love story develops.

The play’s elements may sound basic—two characters on an island—but the technical challenges are manifold. Just the island’s changing

weather (wind, water, thunder) will pose a challenge to the Off-Central’s special effects whiz Michael Horn.

And then there are those garbage creatures. Fortuitously, Ami Sallee teaches stagecraft at HCC, and her class is building Saundra and Jessica. (At press time, the actors hadn’t seen them yet. “It’ll be a surprise to us, too!” laughed Yacko.)

In Peterson’s synopsis, she says she’s exploring “the meaning of devotion in a single-use society.”

“We throw things away, including people,” said Fay. “Because it’s inconvenient or we don’t need it anymore. We’re very quick to dispose of anything that requires any effort.”

Ultimately, the play is about the rewards of making that effort.

“Don’t let yourself be blind to what is there,” said Fay, “because you have in your head what should be there.”

Yacko hopes that people come away with the message that love knows no gender and love knows no species, but it’s ﬁne if they just come to laugh.

“If you just want to be entertained, this is the show for you. If you want a little more of a message, this is also the show for you. You really can’t lose.”

ANDRIY BLOKHIN/SHUTTERSTOCK

MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE

APRIL

10 –13, 2025

FLORAL INTERPRETATIONS ON VIEW FROM 10:00AM – 5:00PM IN THE GALLERIES

DON’T MISS THESE ART IN BLOOM EVENTS: THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Floral Designer Tour with Cassie Osterloth | 9-10 am

Floral Designer Tour with Shari Schwartz | 9-10 am

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

Floral Designer Tour with Bea Rahter | 10-11 am

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

Junior Bloomers: Youth Floral Arrangement Workshop | 10-11 am & 11 am-12 pm

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

Conversations with the Designers | 2-4 pm

By Josh Bradley & Ray

THU 10

C Carin Leon The 35-year-old, Selenalovin’ Grupo Arranke alum was supposed to play the Bay area last October, but those hurricanes changed plans. In case you’ve been sleeping under your red hat, the música Mexicana made by León and others like Peso Pluma and Christian Nodal has moved beyond its niche status to become a bonaﬁde global sensation that was the fastest growing genre on streaming in the ﬁrst half of this year. León—whose band includes trumpets, tubas and guitars across the stage—makes music rooted in his North Mexico hometown of Hermosillo and delivers it in high-energy shows that hop between the staple sounds of rock, banda and tejano complete with covers of not just Selena, but also Chalino Sanchez, Bobby Pulido, Joan Sebastian and others. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)

C Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit Isbell’s long and storied history in the Bay area goes back to 2009 when the still-drinkin’ guitarist plays knockout (and blackout) shows at Crowbar (tell me the lyrics on “Traveling Alone” aren’t a nod to those days). The 46-year-old Grammy darling is back in town with his new teeth, and a new album, Foxes in the Snow, that painfully details his recent divorce from songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Shires. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)

Micky Dolenz Next year marks 60 years since The Monkees ﬁrst made waves on both television and stereos across the country. And against all odds, sole surviving member Micky Dolenz is still keeping on, in honor of his fallen bandmates. The 80-year-old’s current “Songs and Stories” tour is a healthy mix of Monkee hits and covers of songs from a similar era that link to one of the many tales of his life (he calls the tunes “punchlines”). “People just love to hear those stories when

they’re connected to me, and they’re personal stories—my experience with some of these people,” he told Creative Loaﬁng Tampa Bay during a recent phone call. Read our full Q&A with Micky Dolenz at cltampa.com/music. (Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)

Tampa Bay Blues Kickoff Party: Ronnie Baker Brooks & North Mississippi

Allstars This intimate party at the Palladium kicks off the next three days of blues players from around the country taking over the downtown St. Pete waterfront. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)—Selene San Felice

FRI 11

C Animal Prince w/Seafoam Walls/ Katara Death can immediately change the way we view the world around us, and it came knocking on Animal Prince’s door recently when the group’s core members, Fae Nageon de Lestang and Grant McLeod learned about the death of their former bandmate Chris Storey. “He was like a brother to us, but it had been so long since we’d even spoken. It feels surreal when someone who was such a deep part of your life can just drift away, or even disappear,” the band— which includes Tampeño musicians Natalie DePergola, Seth Adam Lynn and Roger Lanfranchi—told CL last year. On Animal Prince’s September 2024 single, “Parallel Lines,” the R&B and pop-leaning Gainesvillebased indie-rock outfit explores grief and how to honor a relationship that went on different paths. The band’s new album, Have Good Dreams , keeps the gaze inward and is a reflection of the self-reflection and growth de Lestang and McLeod experienced as they recorded the album at home during the pandemic. “The lesson we kept coming back to was that you really have to take it upon yourself to create and protect your joy. This record is a story about that internal journey, and taking ownership of your life experience,” they added. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Razor and the Boogie Men w/Spanish Needles/Makeup Remover Garage, stoner-punk trio Razor and the Boogie Men headlines this late-night kickoff to the St. Pete watering hole’s 11th anniversary weekend. A short but electrifying and mighty soundtrack to a quick smoke session called “Glass of the Gods”—its ﬁrst release since 2022—emerged this year, which we’ll probably get to hear all of, but don’t get too high when Gainesville-based hardcore group Makeup Remover and melodic punk group Spanish Needles open the night up, OK? (The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg)

C Tampa Bay Blues Festival: Christone ‘Kingﬁsh’ Ingram w/JJ Grey & Mofro/ Tab Benoit/Taj Farrant/Walter Trout/ Ana Popovic/Ronnie Baker Brooks/ Curtis Salgado/DK Harrell/more There’s still no sign of a new date or lineup for the next Gasparilla Music Festival, so when Christone “Kingﬁsh” Ingram (who played a

THU APRIL 10–THU APRIL 17

killer, rainy set at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park last February) headlines opening night of this year’s 30th anniversary installment of Tampa Bay Blues Festival, it may bring back memories to last year’s swampy festival. Also on the bill this weekend is dreadlockrocking Aussie teen Taj Farrant, Walter Trout—a former member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers—and of course, Selwyn Birchwood, without whom the festival would feel empty. (Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg)

SAT 12

28th Annual Scratch My Back Beneﬁt: The Lint Rollers w/Rhonda Ananda/ Captain Johnston/Skip Grifﬁth Jr and the Skipper Road Revival/more This daytime music event is a fundraiser for FoHCAS (Friends of Hillsborough County Animal Services) to honor the memory of Scott “Pinetop” Peterson. Peterson, drummer for the Quivering Rhythm Hounds, who created the event 28 years ago to spread the word that pets shouldn’t be left in hot cars (after a pet sitter did so with his black lab). His brother, Mark Peterson, emcees the event, and most of the band members who donated their time and talent have played with him. Coming hungry and thirsty for Skipper’s is encouraged, but bringing pets is not. Tell them all about it when you get home. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)—SSF

Eric & Jimmy’s 2nd Annual Record Store Crawl Beer crawls are a blast, yes, but as if this year’s Record Store Day lineup isn’t sobering enough, there’s a crawl happening where you’ll actually leave sober. Music school founder Eric Mullins and vinyl record expert Jimmy Michaud are hosting their second-ever record store crawl, an all-day van expedition that takes patrons to indulge in ﬁve of the Bay Area’s best-known record stores for an hour each, with a few history lessons in between. Included with admission is transportation, lunch at Tampa Armature Works, and an entry into a drawing for a turntable, because you know deep down that your Crosley suitcase player sucks. (Music Gallery, New Port Richey)

Lane 8 w/Otherwish Lane 8 continues the downtown Clearwater venue’s trend of hosting EDM artists. The 35-year-old Denverbased producer cites the lessons he has learned from parenting his daughter as a key inspiration on his latest album, Childish Most signiﬁcant of those lessons is how sometimes, the best thing you can do as a parent (or any superior position in a kid’s life, really) is step back, drop your ego, and watch them gain conﬁdence by just letting them do their own thing. Oh, and $1 from each ticket will go towards organizations that strive to bring “equity, access, and dignity for all.”

(The BayCare Sound, Clearwater)

C Lil Boosie Expect Torence Ivy Hatch Jr. to have an even bigger lust for life when he gets to Tampa this weekend. The 42-year-old rapper

better known as Boosie Badazz and Lil Boosie was involved in a red-light runner collision last Monday, during an accident that left multiple people hospitalized. Reuters said that “Boosie, who was riding in a BMW, was reportedly not behind the wheel.” (District 8, Ybor City)

Mac McAnally w/Scotty Emerick Jimmy Buffett is gone, so his fans cling to his collaborators instead. Members of the Coral Reefer Band were in St. Pete recently, and this weekend Pinellas welcomes another one of Jimmy’s pals, Mac McAnally, who was the late-songwriter’s sidekick for almost three decades. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)

C The Millennium Tour: Trey Songz w/ Omarion/Bow Wow/Rick Ross/Boosie BadAzz Caution: Mr. Steal Your Girl is coming to town. Things on this tour of early2000s-and-2010s rap icons got off to an odd start last month when Trey Songz had to pull out his power ranger moves on a fan who rushed him onstage. And it’s gotten more awkward now that Omarion and Bow Wow have said they aren’t on speaking terms. But they’ll still be performing swaggy millennial hits like “Say Ah,” “Post to be,” and “Let me hold you.” (Yuengling Center, Tampa)—SSF

C Sean Chambers and the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section (album release) Sean Chambers’ latest album hit the streets in late February, but he gets to play a hometown release show alongside the rhythm section of Savoy Brown. The British blues-rock band was fronted by Kim Simmonds until 2022 when he died, but members got the blessing to go on with Chambers, and the rest is history. Expect to hear the lot of Live From Daryl’s House Club , recorded last summer, and then some. (Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg)

Tyla Yaweh Commercially, at least, it’s never a bad idea to go country. Just ask Post Malone, and one of his proteges Tyla Yaweh. The 29-year-old Orlando-born rapper has the same manager as Posty and recently made an entry into country—a genre where Malone’s F-1 Trillion went No. 1—with “New Boots” recorded alongside emergent popcountry star Zay Wilson. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)

SUN 13

C CommUnity Engagement Concert: Katara w/ASTRO/Sara Elisa y Familia There are a couple chances to see perhaps the best band in Tampa, Katara, over the weekend, but this one is for a good cause. The harp-and-drum-driven outfit is part of a triumvirate of beloved homegrown acts playing a benefit on behalf of Instruments 4 Life (M4L), a nonprofit that “empowers youth through music education & mentorship” regardless of their socioeconomic status. Joining the fun is powerhouse-vocalist

continued on page 47

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Ashley Smith and her band The Random Occurrence (ASTRO) along with Sara Elisa. The Opera Tampa star is a remarkably versatile singer with an amazing family story and ability to sing in multiple languages (in fact her family will be in the band along with Katara drummer Natalie Depergola and Patty Kenoly, aka Noan Partley, a M4L teacher who recently moved north to further her education). ASTRO violinist Nick Ewing brings along his Artist Tree Gardens farm-kitchen to do the cooking. (The Far Forest, Tampa)

The Dollyrots w/Discord Theory/ American Souvenir When you hear about famous bands and artists from Florida, your mind probably goes to Gainesville’s Tom Petty or Jacksonville’s Lynyrd Skynyrd. Then you have The Dollyrots—originally from Sarasota—which celebrated 20 years of their debut album Eat My Heart Out last year with a candy-cane pattern vinyl pressing. This homecoming show of sorts (members Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas ﬁrst met at Pine View Elementary in Land O’ Lakes) will mark the ﬁnal date of the band’s “Sugar in the Gas Tank” tour, which has a setlist diverse enough to make a perfect 20th anniversary-slash-retrospective show. Because they’re awesome. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

C La Lucha (unplugged) Jazz trios based around drums, piano and bass are technically unplugged, but La Lucha is known for always switching things up—and should do just that when it plays this VH1-inspired gig alongside Brazilian trombonist, François de Lima and Tampa Bay’s dean of jazz guitar, LaRue Nickelson. “Leaning into the natural changes of the season, La Lucha will ‘spring into summer,’” the venue wrote. Expect a sneak listen to upcoming songs from La Lucha’s next album, set to be recorded in Nashville this summer, too. (New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa)

Poppy The singer, who started off like her name and moved into heavy metal, just dropped a single blending both genres with Japanese group Babymetal. She’s touring behind her sixth album, Negative Spaces , which dropped in October. Last year, the 30-year-old born Moriah Rose Pereira earned her second Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for her feature on Knocked Loose’s “Suffocate.” Fresh off a second appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (where she performed “The Cost of Giving Up”), Poppy also entertains fans with her dark satire web series “Improbably Poppy,” executive produced by Benji and Joel Madden. (The Ritz, Ybor City)—SSF

C Willi Carlisle w/Trailer Park Mark Traveling with a tent big enough for everybody, Willi Carlisle returns to the Bay area after opening for Tyler Childers last summer. The 35-year-old—who shouts out Tampa in his 2022 song “Tulsa’s Last Magician”— arrives this time fresh off announcing a new album, Winged Victory, due June 27. In a 2024 interview with CL, Carlisle said he was really missing tradfolk and nerd folk. “We’re deﬁnitely gonna get more weird before we get more normal, and I’m gonna get more loquacious. I’m gonna get more bug-eyed. I’m very excited,” he added. Carlisle certainly sounds that way on a new single, “Work Is Work,” which is a banjo-heavy return to a sound that feels more like a Smithsonian Folkways

record or lost Del McCoury song than his recent output. While the Ozarkian songwriter has called the new stuff “A good folk music response to the troubles of the First World is saying ‘what are the little things that we can do,’” there’s probably also a bunch of the colorful storytelling that’s made him an underground favorite (other tracks on Winged Victory include “Big Butt Billy” and “Cryin’ These Cocksucking Tears”). Sarasota’s Trailer Park Mark opens the show with a round of heartbroken outlaw country. (Music hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)

TUE 15

C Cheekface w/Pacing If you’re a fan of Cake, They Might Be Giants and the likes, get ready to become a cheekfreak. The L.A. indie-pop band has gone full ska on its ﬁfth studio album, Middle Spoon , released last February. It’s the perfect upbeat, funky soundtrack to smile and bang your head into your steering wheel during your morning commute. Pacing, the San Jose-based opening act led by Katie McTigue, gets the anxious-yet-adorable party started. Her new single “Pl*net F*tness”—about becoming a “professional membership canceller” after her father’s death—perfectly captures the incompatibility of capitalism and grief. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—SSF

WED 16

Annie DiRusso w/Raffaella After a few years of seeing her songs blow up on TikTok, Annie DiRusso ﬁnally dropped her multifaceted debut album Super Pedestrian last month. The record sees the Nashville-based indie singer-songwriter idolize Derek Jeter (sorry, Mets fans), tell an ex how his constant lies would be the only way he could possibly write a great movie, and express to someone that their actions make her afraid of becoming a mother. Throughout it, DiRusso—who makes her Tampa debut this week—bears a sense of self-awareness while also giving zero fucks. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

THU 17

C Slothrust w/Bad Bad Things Will Gorin’s favorite quote comes from Miles Davis’ biography: “Music is the space between the notes.” “I approach my playing with that kind of energy, with an emphasis on ﬁlling negative space with symmetrical or asymmetrical patterns,” Gorin, drummer for Boston rock band Slothrust, wrote in a press release. Composed of the multi-talented Leah Wellbaum and Gornin, Slothrust offers an alternative/indie rock sound that features poetic lyrics and guitar solos that are simultaneously chaotic and melodic. Slothrust was supposed to play Tampa last month to celebrate the 11-year anniversary of its breakout album Of Course You Do , but postponed the show due to the widespread effects of the California wildﬁres. Previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—Grace Stoler

See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.

UPCOMING SHOWS

APRIL 25

DOGS IN A PILE Jannus Live

APRIL 27

THE DEAD SOUTH Jannus Live

MAY 14

ASKING ALEXANDRIA The Ritz Ybor

MAY 14

MAY 21

CHASE SHAKUR The Crowbar

MAY 24

JOE KAY The Orpheum

MAY 30

REVEREND

HORTON HEAT Jannus Live

JUNE 17

LIL POPPA The Ritz Ybor

THE DAMNED Jannus Live JUNE 19, 2025 The Ritz Ybor JULY 15, 2025 Jannus Live

FOR TICKETS & UP-TO-DATE CONCERT INFO VISIT NOCLUBS.COM @NOCLUBS

Brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack, because Kesha just announced a new tour, which will close this summer in Tampa. The 38-year-old pop star recently announced her next album Period (stylized as the punctuation mark), which will serve as her ﬁrst record as an independent artist (she broke free from her previous contracts early last year) and as a rebirth of sorts.

A press release describes Period , which drops on Independence Day (because of course) as “a raw, daring, and intensely personal sonic journey, a deﬁant act of self-expression that refuses to adhere to expectations or play it safe.”

On its ﬁrst U.S. tour in over a decade, glampop outﬁ t Scissor Sisters will reunite for an opening set every night, along with English singer-songwriter Rose Gray playing her own set beforehand.

Tickets to see Kesha play Tampa’s Midﬂorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Sunday, Aug. 10 go on sale this Thursday with fan presales happening in the meantime. Prices were not yet announced at press time. Look below to see my weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay.—Josh Bradley

Church Sessions: Easter Sunday with DJ Sandman and DJ Deacon Sunday, April 20. 9 p.m. $5. Crowbar, Ybor City

The Handlers w/Mark Wagner Thursday, April 24. 8 p.m. $10. Crowbar, Ybor City

Damien Escobar Friday, April 25. 8 p.m. $35 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Halfway 2 Halloween: The Cunningham Wake w/Screaming at the Silence/ Kadaver Dolls/Parallel Motion/ Consume the Wolf Saturday, April 26. 7 p.m. $15. Brass Mug, Tampa

Sunny Side on 7th: Jay Browne w/ Marcel P Black/Psych Montano/Li Kenobi/Shunn I.B Friday, April 25. 8 p.m. $10. Crowbar, Ybor City

The Boneshakers Saturday, April 26. 8 p.m. $15. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa

Alleycvt Friday, May 2. 10 p.m. $15 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

One Piece Music Symphony Thursday, May 15. 7:30 p.m. $81.08 & up. Morsani Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Putrid Pile w/mysteryxmeat/Los Reyesz/Antiseptic/Law of Casualty Saturday, June 14. 7 p.m. $20. Brass Mug, Tampa

Lil Poppa Tuesday, June 17. 7 p.m. $26.50 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Thievery Corporation Thursday, June 19. 7 p.m. $37.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Fridayy Saturday, June 21. 8 p.m. $40.25 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa

Rozy w/The Hand of Reason/Futures Theory/Awkward Stares/Stop Making Noise Saturday, June 21. 6:30 p.m. $10. Brass Mug, Tampa

Sam Wolfe Saturday, June 21. 10:30 p.m. No cover with RSVP, $10 for guaranteed entry. The Ritz, Ybor City

Selwyn Birchwood Saturday, June 21. Time and prices TBA. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa

Curse Mackey w/Sine/Warhors3/DJ

Maus Thursday, June 26. 7 p.m. $15. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Blue Oyster Cult Friday, July 4. 8 p.m. $60 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Mobius Loop w/Four Star Riot/Growler Saturday, July 12. 7:45 p.m. $10. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Ignescent w/Spoiled Youth/Love Pit/ The Hand of Reason/Velvet Sky/Kalus Friday, July 25. 6:30 p.m. $10 & up. Brass Mug, Tampa

Jed Harrelson w/Treis and Friends Saturday, Aug. 9. 8 p.m. $20. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Turn around

By Caroline DeBruhl

Dear Oracle, as I approach the latter half of my 60s, I am winding down my decadeslong career in teaching. I have taught at the university level, in the community, as an unofﬁcial tutor and mentor. While there are things I’m looking forward to in retirement, I have to say, it feels like I’m losing my identity. Can the cards tell me how to sit with this unknowing as I walk this new straight and crooked path?—River Walker

Cards: Four of Swords (reversed), Queen of Wands, Page of Cups (reversed), Wheel of Fortune

Dear River Walker, there are jobs, and there are vocations. As a lifelong teacher, I’m sure you know the difference, but to readers who may not, a vocation is that divine calling, the knowledge that you were put on this earth to do this type of work, and you do so. It is a spiritual occupation in the sense that it ﬁlls the spirit and its inﬂuence ripples across your life, regardless if you’re making money off of it.

Teaching can be an incredibly difﬁcult job that requires so much time and energy—often unpaid—and has an incredibly high rate of burnout. The fact that you taught across decades in different environments suggests to me that teaching is your vocation. It is what you were put on this earth to do.

And you’ll probably continue on teaching in some capacity for the rest of your life because,

frankly, I doubt you could quit if you tried. Be it giving a lecture to an auditorium for 500 or telling the barista about Heraclitus, you’re probably hard-wired to share knowledge wherever you go.

You will always be a teacher somehow, but, now it’s time to ﬁgure out who you are outside of that title. I’ve often written about the Four of Swords being a removal of the ego, of taking yourself out of a situation, but for this reading, I want to focus on the historical image of the card.

The Four of Swords often depicts a knight lying in a sarcophagus. This is a reference to the (supposedly real) practice of medieval knights creating a sarcophagus for themselves before leaving for battle. If they made it home, they were to lay in that coffin and ask for forgiveness for slaughtering whoever it was they were fighting. It is a place of honest reflection.

I am not suggesting that you have sins to atone for, but I do think you need space to do nothing for a while in order to reﬂect on your life as a teacher. Are there things you are proud of? Are there any regrets you have? Can you offer yourself forgiveness for mistakes that you made? Can you offer forgiveness to those who may have hindered your career? (Surely, a professional nemesis popped up somewhere along the way.)

If teaching is your vocation, it wouldn’t be surprising if you feel that you still need to do more. But what would that look like? Is that what’s best for you now? If not, what are the

emotional or mental debts you have to take care of in order to feel at peace with your retirement?

Really sit and think about these things. Process your long career. Lay that body down. It might take a while but don’t rush it.

And after you’ve given so much thought to your past as a teacher, think about what you want to learn, and how to become a student again.

With the Queen of Wands and the Page of Cups, it might do you well to get back into a mentor/mentee relationship but this time with you as the novice. The Queen of Wands is ﬁery with their passion, warm and creative, protective yet doesn’t coddle. They are someone who can guide you as you start your new path, whatever it is.

letting go of your identity as a career educator, you will still exist. You were spinning before your career, and you’ll keep going even after retirement.

We can tell ourselves stories about how the world works, about our understanding of ourselves, but those narratives can change. In fact, everything in our life can change. The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that nothing stays fixed— we’re in motion from our first breath until our last and, depending on your belief system, possibly stay in motion until we draw our next first breath.

your questions to oracle@cltampa.com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram

It wouldn’t surprise me if this Queen is part of the creative arts, so perhaps they’ll teach you how to write that memoir, or learn jazz piano, or introduce you to acting. As the Page of Cups, you know what it is that you want to do. It’s the passion project you’ve been putting off for years, the funny little thought experiment you think about before drifting off to sleep. It’s something that “ﬁlls your cup.” Whatever it is, jump in, and a teacher will appear.

Finally, The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that endings are just a matter of perspective. Our little wheel spins and spins, taking us around over and over until we stop once and for all. It is a reminder that even though you’re

I know it sounds hokey and cliché to say that you should embrace “the next chapter of your life,” but, really, that is the way through. As you reﬂect on your old life, imagine the possibilities of the new. What would it be like to be at the beginning of something? What would it be like to be a student again after spending so many years as a master? Is there a joy that could come with that? Excitement? Frustration? Fun?

Beginnings can be terrifying, but a certain freedom comes with newness. It’s the beginner’s mind, the foolish joy, the “fuck it, why not?” feeling free of caution. It’s saying “yes” before you develop the good sense to say “no.” It can be a wonderful place to be and an incredible reminder that we may not know the ending of our story after all. Enjoy your next go-around, my dear. See more of Caroline and learn about her services via carolinedebruhl.com.

Come and go

By Dan Savage

I have a problem that I’m not sure can be solved. I’m a single gay man who hasn’t touched anybody for 16 years. Yes, you read that right: I haven’t touched another person for 16 years. Sit with that for a couple of moments. Most people don’t believe me. I did something stupid in 1998 and had sex in a hot tub. I ended up having surgery because of an infection and ever since when I ejaculate, what comes out is a combination of sperm and urine because an internal flap no longer closes to stop the urine. The urologist and my surgeon said there was nothing they could do to fix the problem. I did not realize that sex in a hot tub was an extremely risky sexual activity. (You should warn people.) Men find this absolutely disgusting. I can’t repeat some of the things I have been told when I’m trying to be honest with a partner. What advice or suggestions do you have to explain this to potential partners even though I’ve said I want to please them only. Please give me some help as to what to say. Any advice helps.—Canadian Urgently Missing Sex

Having sex in a hot tub—having penetrative sex in a hot tub—is riskier than having sex on dry land or damp mattress or hard countertop. Heavily chlorinated water dries out sensitive tissues, making abrasions and STI transmission more likely, and water containing potentially harmful bacteria can be forced into the urethra during intercourse, heightening the risk of urinary tract infections in both men and women. (Best practices: get horny in a hot tub, get out to fuck, get back in when you’re done.)

With that warning out of the way, CUMS, can I ask when you last spoke to a doctor about your condition?

The “little flap” that contracts during ejaculation—preventing semen from shooting into the bladder and/or urine from exiting the body with semen—is called the internal urethral sphincter. While artificial urinary sphincters have been available for more than 50 years, the doctors you saw back in 1998 might not have been aware of them. (According to the Mayo Clinic, many doctors today aren’t aware of them.) It’s also possible you weren’t a good candidate for the artificial urinary sphincters available in 1998, CUMS, but these devices have gotten smaller (and the surgery has gotten less invasive) over the last three decades, and you might be a good candidate for a new model. You should make an appointment to see a specialist and talk about your condition.

While you wait for that appointment, CUMS, you also might wanna seek out different kinds of gay and bi men, online and off. There are lots of queer men out there into “no recip” oral. If you were to meet up with a guy who just wanted to get serviced—if you hooked up with a guy who wanted to get head without having to reciprocate—you wouldn’t have to mention your condition in

advance of your first meeting; since you won’t be coming on, in, or near him, he doesn’t need to know that your ejaculate comes mixed with piss. There are also plenty of guys out there who are into piss, and if I were to biohazard a guess, CUMS, I’d say a statistically significant percentage of those guys would view your condition not as a tragic defect, but as an exciting superpower. Leading with this fact about yourself on kink or kink-friendly hookup sites might attract so much positive attention, CUMS, that you don’t wanna get an artificial urinary sphincter after all.

I am a pansexual non-binary FTM. I am able to have two types of orgasms. One is a squirty juicy wet orgasm and the other is a full body orgasm that makes my clit throb. Squirty orgasms come easy and often but I’ve only experienced the clit throbbers during solo play—with two exceptions: only my ex-wife could give me this kind of climax until I met a guy on Grindr. I update my Grindr proﬁle depending on what I’m looking for on any particular night, and on the night I met this Grindr guy I was only looking to be eaten out. I arrived at his place and he got down to business immediately. He was patient, he was deliberate, he was rough, and it was… WOW! I had a rare, full-body, clit-throbbing orgasm! It was amazing.

360-degree turn—a little pirouette—before he drops to his knees.

P.P.S. There’s no need to steal Trump ﬂags to ruin orgasms. There are plenty in the trash already, deposited there by Americans—not our best—who already regret voting for Trump.

My husband’s best friend turned into one of my best friends. This best friend of ours recently started dating a woman. We were supportive of their relationship at ﬁrst, even though he was joining as the third guy in a polyamory relationship. After a few months, their relationship went from polyamorous to monogamous. Our friend met his new girlfriend’s kid very early in the relationship, even spending the night after only knowing this woman for a couple of months. Within six months of dating, they shared the kid’s toothbrush on a vacation. They didn’t say they boiled the toothbrush or took any measures to clean the toothbrush until weeks later when they were pressed on it. This is when we started to distance ourselves because we felt this behavior showed a lack of respect for this child. We had a severe falling out due to this. Now they are engaged, and it raises even more concerns for us. How do we proceed? Should we stop even wanting to reconcile? Should we try to be the voice of reason about oral hygiene?—Unhygienic Gross Humans

SAVAGE LOVE

Then, as I was leaving, I saw the Trump flag hanging in his room. It was hanging on the wall directly behind me and I did not see it—I could not see it—while I was being eaten out. It was a Trump 2016 flag—not that it matters. (A Trump flag is a Trump flag.) So, what do I do? I suppose I can do nothing and just never meet up with the guy again, but what do I do about my conscience? We exchanged phone numbers before I saw the flag.—Feeling Low About Grindr Situation

You may have accidentally discovered a new way for people into ruined orgasms to get their kink on, FLAGS: strategically positioned Trump flags. I don’t think it matters whether they’re Trump 2016, 2020, 2024 or 2028 flags, the effect will be the same: a post-nut yuck powerful enough to ruin whatever yum came first.

For the sake of your conscience, FLAGS, send a text to the Trump supporter that says something like this: “None of that would have happened—I would never have let you go down on me—if I’d seen that Trump ﬂag on your wall before we got started.” Then take a screenshot of his Grindr proﬁle, if you can still see it, and share it—privately—with other trans men you know personally, FLAGS, so they don’t wind up having the same jump scare you did. Then block his phone number and block him on Grindr.

P.S. Next time you show up in a strange man’s apartment for no-recip oral, FLAGS, do a quick

While I got letters about grosser things this week, yours was the most surprising letter that came in the mail for two reasons: ﬁrst, that your friend would tell you about using this child’s toothbrush on vacation and, second, that you would write to me—a sex-advice columnist—about your friend using this child’s toothbrush.

For the record, UGH, I agree that introducing a child to a new partner after two months is inadvisable—which is why I’ve always advised against it—and using someone else’s toothbrush on vacation because you forgot your own is equal parts gross and unnecessary. Most hotels make disposable toothbrushes available to guests who forgot their own, UGH, and even if your friend and his girlfriend weren’t at a hotel that offered toothbrushes, they could’ve gone without brushing their teeth for a single night and gotten new toothbrushes for themselves at the nearest pharmacy or truck stop in the morning.

To be perfectly honest, UGH, I don’t really care whether you reconcile with your friend or not, just please spare me from any and all updates about your friend’s oral hygiene going forward.

I am a proud kinkster in a city with a vibrant kink community, but I am worried that my community doesn’t know how quickly it could ﬁnd itself at risk. I see friends grandstanding online about crackdowns on poppers, while ignoring broader attacks by the Trump administration on fundamental rights. I understand the former

makes for a better social media post, but with the government deporting legal residents who were not accused of crimes, performing armed takeovers of private entities, and scapegoating trans people, we have more to worry about than poppers. How long before Folsom attendees face legal jeopardy for public indecency? Democrats can barely stand up for Social Security. What makes us think they’ll go to bat for kinksters? Am I wrong in thinking queer and kink organizations need to be sounding the alarm?—Rights Under More Pressure

Both houses of Congress, private universities, powerful law ﬁrms, professional baseball—the list of groups that have caved to Trump grows longer every day. So, I don’t think the organizers of gay fetish events like Folsom or Darklands (or straight ones like DomCon or RopeCraft for that matter) have the power to stop Trump. If there’s a silver lining here, RUMP, it may be the huge numbers of kinky people who didn’t feel like they needed to hide over the last couple of decades. If you can’t hide, you have to ﬁght… and with the receipts already out there—social media posts, personal ads, gear purchases)—there’s no hiding now.

Here’s the single most important thing organizers of kink events can do: keep organizing great events that bring even more people out. Events help create community—which is a good thing unto itself—but they also create opportunities for activists to inform, organize, and activate people they might not be able to reach otherwise, which is absolutely crucial at a moment like this. (A tip for activists: DO NOT treat people having fun at fetish events or parties like they’re doing something wrong. If you want people to show up at your demonstration—or call their members of Congress or raise money for abortion funds or defend their undocumented neighbors—don’t tell them they have to pick between the party where you found them and demo where you want them. Scolds drive people away from movements, they don’t bring them in.)

Speaking of protests: The protests at Tesla dealerships have been fun, effective, and cathartic—as Tesla’s cratering stock price and Trump’s pathetic Tesla infomercial at the White House both demonstrate—and there are nationwide protests, for more information (and to ﬁnd out about your local demo) go to HandsOff2025.com!

P.S. Please don’t vandalize Teslas. Trump’s DOJ is throwing the book at people who vandalize Teslas—and it turns out Elon Musk’s shitty cars are self-vandalizing, as we learned last month when every single Tesla Cybertruck ever sold was recalled after pieces of them kept falling off. So, there’s no need to risk being sent to a prison in El Salvador when you see Incel Caminos parked on your block. Give Elon’s shitty cars a minute and they’ll fall apart on their own.

Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love.

NOTE: Wordplay, a film about the American Crossword Tournament, was one of the hits of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Although the filmmakers were crazy enough to put me in it, too, it’s mainly about the N.Y. Times crossword and its loyal fans (including Jon Stewart and former Solver-in-Chief Bill Clinton).

43 Longi ending

That boat

Sudoku fill: abbr.

Delayed: abbr.

“Could you please ___ your producer and not your ‘creativity strangler’?” 55 Old enough

Hour after midnight 58 Husky, as a voice

“It says, ‘The film paints a ___’ ” “Can’t argue there; I dozed right off”

Richard ___

Spanish uncle

___ happens (live)

Fabled napper

Like Stan and Ollie

Slangy beliefs

Animal house? 71 Same-name dads: abbr.

“Here’s a film called ___” “About a zoo exposé?” “No, an Australian punk band”

“___ upon myself ...”

Keep in custody

“What’s this special program called ‘___’?” “ ‘Movies to steer clear of,’ I’m guessing”

A crying shame

Oar pin

Director’s cry

Balderdash

Filmmaking basic

Terre ___, Ind.

“Last year he was so thin! Now it looks like he ___”

Actor Gulager

Little one

Exodus penner

On all ___

Green shade

“Someday I’ll graduate from ‘Girl in ___’ to an actual speaking part”

Corrida cry

Honest guy

The Good 101 Noisy transit

“Some studio exec wasn’t happy with ‘___’— he wanted to get in free”

Hour follower

Excoriated

“So, how did you like my film version of your novel?” “___ comes to mind”