The Making of a Mardi Gras Movie

On Sunday, my friend Miranda threw a party to bring all the folks who came in for the Mardi Gras together. Maysey Craddock came all the way over from Germany for the party. It is wonderful to see so many familiar faces. I wish they were here to stay, but I'll take the visit for a giant party.

Miranda intended to project something (it is still unclear what that would have been), but her CPU quit her after her house flooded under the floors (humidity) and she didn't have a "dongle" for her laptop.

So we made a show. It started out with shadow puppets, but then it moved on to include the star of freakish stuffed things, named Van Gogh. Some of you may have seen him in past appearances:



Screen Test


Fight Scene




In this world, one smells through the tongue...


Promotional picture



Starring Hilary


Philip


Nik


Set Design:
David O

Resting Up for The Big Days

Mabs and Bill

Papa Joe's Update

Found him. Tried it. The meat was good BUT they used Kraft sauce...bummer.




But the folks were super nice.


Photo by Siobhan Boyer

Mardi Gras 2006 : Installation 2

The sign on my St. Charles block. It has become a sort of landmark now. People pose in front of these. It's weird to us neighborhood folks.



Boy With Super Fat Cigar



Cheech On the Balcony?




Floats (photos by Siobhan Boyer)


What exactly is he doing to that girl?

Look What I Made!

I made this house numbers sign for my evacuation host family the other night, out of old style plastic Mardi Gras beads:

Mardi Gras 2006 Highlights: Installation Muses

I was feeling overwhelmed, wondering how to get my favorite moments out in an orderly way. Now I am behind, so there will be few days worth of pictures thrown out here.

First, of course, The MAX Band:





Then, My favorite Parade: Muses



There are certain things you can expect to see only in Muses. There are three groups of women that parade: The Bearded Oysters, The Camel Toe Steppers and The Pussy Footers. There is the Ninth Ward Marching Band. Tons of Elvis Costumes on scooters. Satirical Floats are always expected.

Some unusual features for the year include the very unusual Mexican or Latino Flambeaus that cropped up this year, due to Katrina:





And a very sad float, which I will post at the end of this installation, as is appropriate.

A Bearded Oyster Girl



The Pussy Footers





The Camel Toe Steppers






An Elvis



The Ninth Ward Marching Band








Miss Pussycat AKA Panacea

A Float about the Gretna Police incident, when they wouldn't let New Orleans residents escape over the Crescent City Connection bridge over the river to safety. Pictures by Billy Sothern, a public defender and writer about such atrocities.





An Anti-Death Penalty Float. Pictures also taken by Billy Sothern, an anti-death penalty lawyer.









The saddest float of all, empty, to remind us of who couldn't come to Mardi Gras this year.

Spastic Mardi Gras Postings

Be looking for erratic postings as I am milking this party for all it's worth.


Loving My Musies Dolls
Photo by Eve Troeh

Welcome to the Mardi Gras

I am very happy to say that it feels good to have Mardi Gras. Many said that it was crass to throw the party, because bad things are still happening. Examples include the withdrawal of the cruise ships that have housed many people and the breaking up of the barge in the Lower Ninth, the loaded meaning of this gesture will be dicussed after the party.
But I say that there is a great release in seeing the satirical floats in parades such as Muses (my freakin' favorite parade) and Krewe D'Etat --pictures to come.

I know that I promised a certain someone a chicken story, and I have not forgotten --it's on my list for after the party.

Our evacuation host-family, Will and Siobhan have come to town to see Mardi Gras for the first time. What an interesting time for that experience. I caught a dubloon with a fridge on it...

Siobhan


Will

(please forgive the quality -it was taken as the storm hit Oxford, MS and I had been washing out the worries over a drunken Boggle game.)

One last thing: If you are here, or ever come to Mardi Gras, stand beneath the I-10 overpass. The bands sound fantastic and the dancers try extra hard! See you there!