SPANISH TOWN MARDI GRAS PARADE 2006

The biggest and bawdiest Mardi Gras parade in Baton Rouge was yesterday, and Becky and I were there. Now when I say "bawdy," I mean by Baton Rouge standards. Red Stick, despite it's French name, was actually founded by the English on the site of a failed French trading post, and reflects the uptight national character of its founders, just as New Orleans, obviously founded by the French, reflects that nation's more easy-going sexual attitudes. "Bawdy" here means one bared breast, and you'd miss it if you blinked.

But enough of that. Onto the pictures. We started out by parking on Anal Street.



Okay, it's actually Canal Street, but when we pulled up, this is what I saw, and just had to record it for posterity. Somehow, however, it all seems fitting because Spanish Town is Baton Rouge's equivalent of Houston's Montrose. That is, it's a trendy, upscale gay neighborhood, and, well, you know...

Look, I promised "bawdy" and I'm trying to deliver.

Anyway, as with the Southdowns parade Friday night, it opened up with a small marching band.



Becky said that she thinks it's the same band that was at Southdowns, but I couldn't really tell. Anyway, after the brass band, the floats moved in.







As with last year, I was amazed how most of these floats, while very cool to look at, effectively served as high-volume, efficient bead-delivery mechanisms. The audience, in addition to partying down, did their damndest to snag as many strands as possible.



Of course, to some extent, their hands are up in the air in celebration, as at a rock concert, or in the "We Are the World" video, but don't be fooled: the main reason everybody's reaching up is so they can catch the beads flying in their general vicinity before anyone else can. Occasionally, it gets a bit agressive. But that's cool. It's all part of the event.

And doesn't everybody look pretty with all their beads on?



Anyway, here's another couple of floats.





As with the Southdowns parade, New Orleans and Katrina was the theme. Virtually every float was somehow riffing on the idea, and some were appropriately brutal.

This was my favorite.



I think they did "a heckuva job" with that float, myself. While many floats pulled no punches in displaying Louisiana's anger about the White House's total failure to do its job, some were simply whimsical.

Like this one.



Whimsical and bawdy. Speaking of bawdy, I've never seen more blowup dolls assembled in one place.







Do people actually use such things? I've only ever seen them as comic relief. I mean, I assume that somebody somewhere gets some kind of sexual thrill out of blowup dolls, but, either I've never met these people, or all my friends are lying to me.

I hope they're lying to me.

Anyway, here's some more Spanish Town bawdiness.



These guys were throwing both beads and condoms. LifeStyles Tuxedo Black, to be precise. For formal occasions, I suppose.

These guys below appeared to have the best seat in the house, but kept slowly slipping down, and were continually having to readjust themselves.



Hee hee. "Adjust themselves." I promised "bawdy," didn't I?

Here's an interesting moment.



I think the guy holding the sign is from the same outfit that did the preshow for the Southdowns parade. Annoying, but part of the landscape down here. Actually, I've come to enjoy the absurdity of these fire-and-brimstone types, and look at them as simply being part of the show. I certainly don't feel threatened by them or anything.

On the other hand, some of the drunken revelers did have a problem with this lone Jesus freak and started pelting him with beads. Hard. The scuffle only lasted about a minute, but for an instant, I worried that it might turn ugly. I understand how they felt: everybody's there to get drunk and wild, and along comes Christie McChrist to dampen their spirits, clearly an unwelcome presence. But I thoroughly condemn their response. I mean, like it or not, this guy's got a right to express his views. Argue with him, flip him off, counter his speech with your own, but never intimidate, never get hostile.

That's what comes from mixing politics with alcohol, I guess.

Here are some of my LSU friends who attended the parade with me.



From left to right, Chris, a doctoral student in theater criticism, Reuben, a fellow MFA acting student, Derek, also an MFA acting student, and EJ, a faculty sound designer.

And then it was over, as the street sweeper always signals.



I'm really beginning to think that the street sweeper really is simply a "get the hell out" messenger: they never seem to do that good of a job of sweeping.



Happy Mardi Gras!

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