another unique experience
by g. michael gallien

Volume 15/Issue 24

I now know what it feels like to be butter. Mind you, that's not because I've been spending time with Barbra, but because the past several weeks had me spread pretty thin. With all of the activity slated for the remainder of November and December, things are looking tight for the next several weeks as well. Let me apologize for the MIA status of last two issues' columns. A combination of time constraints and technical difficulties prevailed over my well know reputation for conducting business in a timely fashion. Sarcasm aside, I would like to thank everyone who told me they were disappointed by not finding the columns in Ambush. I am pleasantly suprised that so many of you are actually picking up Ambush regularly to check out the goings-on in CenLa. Thanks to the crew at Ambush, as well. Y'all have been marvelously patient and I am committed to not work your last nerve any more. Enough of my woes. Things have been hectic for everyone I've spoken to recently. Kudos to Unique Manager, Rene Requenez for spinning so many plates at once while Tim was out of town. It seemed as if Murphy's law was haunting Rene while Tim was on vacation, but Rene worked his butt off keeping everything going and was none the worse for wear. Great job, sweetie. Elwood was Master of Ceremonies for the Halloween costume contest, and what a fine Master Elwood always proves to be. Keisha, the Ebony Goddess, took first place as the Black Widow from Hell and Shannon Lee and her studly husband of death came in second with a variation on the same theme. Keri, a very well healed Dalmatian, was trained well enough to help her affianced come in third place as Cruella DeVil. I KNEW Cruella was a lesbian. Our last couple of shows proved to be a successful experi ment. For those of you who didn't already know, Tim has started advertising our drag shows in the straight media. Not that big of a deal in some areas, but a courageous leap and demonstration of pride for our neck of the woods. We nervously anticipated the first evening's show, not knowing what kind of crowd would turn out, but things went swimmingly. Rachael Michaels created the stunning illusion of Reba and brought the straight boys out of their seats. Miss Nicole DuBois kept me in stitches all night and gave the straight girls enough grief to last until the next show. Jessica Daniels deserves a special award for her ambassadorial efforts at creating feelings of good will with the straight boys. Excellence, excellence, excellence ... that's what it's all about. Let's move on before I get hurt. Friday, November 7 was the night of the special benefit show to help offset the costs incurred by Miss Gay Louisiana America, Sylvia Scarlett and MGLA lst Alternate, Jessica Daniels to compete for the title of Miss Gay America in Charlotte, NC which was held during the week of November 19 through 23. Images in Lafayette was gracious enough to put on this benefit and support these divas in their efforts to make our Louisiana community proud. Glitz, glamour and fairie dust was what it was all about as we made the rounds in Lafayette after departing Images. A special thanks to The Sound Factory for such a warm welcome delivered to theses Divas and their entourage. We had our own little impromptu Gay Pride Parade walking the Pink Strip of Jefferson in Lafayette. If you ever have the opportunity to window shop at 2am with Sylvia Scarlett, don't miss the opportunity. I was lucky enough to spend Satur day the 15th with Jessica and Sylvia for the Miss Greater Alexandria Pageant hosted by Unique in Alexandria. Tim went above and beyond reason to bring some devastating talent to CenLa for what was initially a small, but happy little pageant. In an effort to show his dedication to quality entertainment for our area, Tim booked the fabulous Nicole DuBois from Mississippi. If you have never seen Miss Thing perform, you have missed out on something special. No one can work a microphone like Nicole, especially when she catches the Holy Ghost. She will knock you on your ass and cast out the demons and make you love it. My little brother Bradley was fortunate enough to have Sister Nicole exorcise all of the demons out of him. (I guess if anyone spent too much time in the Tunnel of Darkness at the Heretic in Atlanta, something evil would eventually inhabit your body. We're just glad to have our sweet and innocent Bradley back to his old self). If you didn't get a chance to see Miss Nicole perform with LaCage Follies, you will have another chance at the Miss Central Louisiana America Pageant on Valentine's day. She is back with a vengeance after a well-earned respite from drag. (Two shows a night for six nights a week is a responsibility only a few true divas could live through). As if that weren't enough, Jes sica Daniels and Sylvia Scarlett committed to supporting the Miss Greater Alexandria Pageant. Sylvia and I were seated next to each other at the judges' table. We are used to seeing Jessica get practically naked (sorry, Rick) but imagine our surprise when Felicia Racheal decided to display her talents in a very exhibitionist way. She almost put my eye out with her talent. Current reigning Shayla Meche relinquished her crown to a very deserving Shannon Lee. You have all heard of the dance of the seven veils. We were fortunate enough to Miss Meche perform her dance of the three feather dusters. It tickled us all. I know this has been fast and furious, but there is still much to do. In the next column, look for details about Miss Central Louisiana America, our official preliminary to Miss Gay Louisiana America. Info packets are being assembled now, so get in touch if you're interested in competing. (Call 318.448.0555) I will also have reports from the Miss Gay America Pageant as well as parts of my conversation with Carly Deville, the coordinator for the GLBT identities support group at LSU at Alexandria. We may even have some details of Tim and Paul's cruise vacation. Until then, Louisiana, stay safe and happy.

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