ne of the top
questions we receive at Ambush
and SouthernDecadence.COM is just how can one become the Official
Southern Decadence Grand Marshal? Each year, the previous year's Southern
Decadence Grand Marshal or Marshals choose their successor(s). There is no
criteria for the choice. At one time, the individual(s) chosen had to put in
their time participating in the Official Southern Decadence Parade on the
Sunday of Labor Day Weekend for several years. In recent years the Parade
Lieutenant or Lieutenants were chosen for the help given to the reigning grand
marshal or marshals. And in some years, it has strictly been at the whim of
the grand marshal or marshals making whatever choice or choices they choose of
the most decadent to lead the festivities.
This year, the 2009 Southern Decadence Grand Marshals
XXXV, Tittie
Toulouse and Paloma, reigned once again since the Southern Decadence Parade
in 2008 was cancelled due to Hurricane Gustav. Whether the public agrees with
this does
not matter. It is strictly the right of the previous year's grand
marshals to make that choice. Since the precedent was set in 2005 when
Hurricane Katrina cancelled the 2005 parade, the grand marshals that year
reigned again in 2006.
Here at Ambush, the Official Southern
Decadence Guide, and at SouthernDecadence.COM, the Official Southern
Decadence Website, we join enthusiastically in support each year of the choice
or choices of grand marshal or marshals. This tradition is now in its third
decade, and is the right of every Southern Decadence Grand Marshal(s).
2010 will be the 39th anniversary of Southern Decadence. This will actually be the
37th year with a grand marshal [the grand marshal selection did not begin
until the third year] and will be led by Southern Decadence Grand Marshals
XXXV [the two in 1978 were counted as grand marshals 5 & 6, the two in 2005
reigned for two years, as well as the two in 2008 due to the cancellation of
the 2005 and 2008 parades due to hurricanes].
However, this is actually the 36th parade [there was no parade the first year
or in 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina, or in 2006 due to Hurricane Gustav].
It all began in 1972 with a mixed going away party for Michael Evers (photo
below right) consisting of gays, straights, blacks and whites, at Belle Reve, 2110 Barracks St. There was no parade. [The first invitation on the left reads: "Ya'll Come to the Dress Up As Your Favorite Southern Decadent Party at Belle Reve, 2110 Barracks, late afternoon, Sunday, September 3rd." (1972)]
According to Southern Decadence historian and SDGM IV Robert Laurent, "Cheers to Southern Decadence! What began in 1972 as an end-of-summer party among a small group of friends has transformed itself into a Quarter-wide weekend celebration. The first costume party was a farewell to Michael Evers [right], who was leaving New Orleans. Now, 31 years later, his spirit, wit and sense of frivolity continue, transformed into a celebration of Laissez les bon temps rouler."
In 1973, an informal march began from Matassa's bar to 2110 Barracks.
There was no grand marshal yet.
The grand marshal selection began in 1974. Grand Marshals include:
SDGM I Frederick Wright 1974
SDGM II Jerome Williams 1975 [deceased]
SDGM III Preston Hemmings 1976
SDGM IV Robert Laurent 1977
SDGM V Robert King [deceased] and SDGM VI Kathleen Kavanaugh 1978
SDGM VII Bruce Harris 1979
SDGM VIII Tom Tippin 1980
SDGM IX Tommy Stephan 1981
SDGM X Don Ezell 1982 [deceased]
SDGM XI Danny Wilson 1983 [deceased]
SDGM XII Mumbo 1984
SDGM XIII Michael "Fish" Hickerson 1985
SDGM XIV Kathleen Conlon 1986
SDGM XV Olive 1987
THEME: Southern Decadence
SDGM XVI Jerome Lebo 1988 [deceased]
SDGM XVII George Goode 1989 [deceased]
SDGM XVIII Ruby 1990 [deceased]
THEME: Circus Came To Town
COLOR: Red
SDGM XIX Jamie Temple 1991
THEME: Shirley Temple Black Leather
COLOR: Black
SDGM XX Rhee 1992 [deceased]
THEME: Casino CasiNOT
COLOR: White
SDGM XXI Ms. Fly 1993 [deceased]
THEME: Drag-ON-Fly
COLOR: Yellow
Southern Decadence Guide: AMBUSH Mag 2000
SDGM XXII Alain 1994
THEME: Voodoo That You Do
COLOR: White & Gold
Southern Decadence Guide: AMBUSH Mag 2000
SDGM XXIII Blanche 1995
THEME: The Cocktail Tour
SDGM XXIV Wayne White 1996
THEME: Tour of da'NILE
COLORS: Royal Blue & Gold
REVELERS: Over 35,000
SDGM XXV Miss Love 1997
THEME: The Love Tour: A Wedding To Remember
COLORS: Silver, White & Teal
REVELERS: Over 50,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $25 Million
SDGM XXVI Robin Malta 1998
THEME: Deliriously Decadent Divas: A Salute To Sitcom Reruns
COLOR: Color TV Optional
REVELERS: Over 60,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $30 Million
SDGM XXVII Errol Rizzuto 1999
THEME: Dark Lady Tour: Dissidents of Decadence
COLOR: Silver & Black
REVELERS: 70,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: $35 Million
SDGMs XXVIII Tony Langlinais & Thom "Smurf" Murphy [deceased] 2000
THEME: Taboo X 2: The Forbidden Pleasures Tour
COLORS: Red, Silver & Black
SONG: Man I Feel Like A Woman
REVELERS: 91,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: $72 Million
SDGMs XXIX Bianca Del Rio, Pat "Estelle" Ritter & Rick Thomas, 2001
THEME: "Menage a trois"
COLORS: Purple, Pink & Red
SONG: Lady Marmalade
REVELERS: 100,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: $80 Million
SDGM XXX "Irish" Mike Sheehan, 2002
THEME: "Fairy Tails"
COLORS: Any & All
SONG: Remix of "Over the Rainbow" into "Never Ending Story"
REVELERS: 110,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: $88 Million
SDGM XXXI Rusty LaRoux, 2003
THEME: "Carnaval Decadence"
COLORS: Vibrant Colors of the Rainbow
SONG: La Vida est Un carnaval
by the late Queen of Salsa ~ Celia Cruz
REVELERS: 121,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: $96 Million
SDGM XXXII
Donald "Donnie 'Jager' Jay" James, 2004
THEME: DAYDREAMS &
FANTASIES: Welcome To My Harem
COLORS: Electric Blue, Silver & Black
SONG: Welcome To My Harem by Sara Brightman · Dance Mix
REVELERS: 125,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $100 Million
SDGM XXXIII Lisa Beaumann & Regina Adams, 2005
THEME: Jazz & Jezebels
COLORS: Red & Purple
SONG:All That Southern Decadence 2005
CANCELLED: Due to Hurricane Katrina
SDGM XXXIII Lisa Beaumann & Regina Adams, 2006
THEME: Southern Decadence 2006: Rebirth
COLORS: Green & Pink
SONG: I Just Want To F**king Dance
REVELERS: 75,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $60 Million
SDGMs XXXIV:
Guadalupe (Mark Thomas III), Marcus Martinez & Electra City, 2007
THEME: Ancient Truth's Lies & SACRAFICE
COLORS: Crimson, Teal & Gold
SONG:
Beautiful Liar by Beyonce & Shakira
REVELERS: 100,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $125 Million
SDGMs XXXV:
Tittie Toulouse & Paloma, 2008
THEME: Decadence Does Disco
COLORS: Silver, Black & White
SONG: Bad Girls in September
REVELERS: ???
ECONOMIC IMPACT: ???
CANCELLED: Due to Hurricane Gustav
SDGMs XXXV:
Tittie Toulouse & Paloma, 2009
THEME: Hurricane: This Year, They BLOW Back!
COLORS: Black, Silver & Red
SONG: Stormy Weather by Viola Wills, DJ
Jayskee Remix
REVELERS: Over 100,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Over $150 Million
SDGMs XXXVI:
???, 2010
THEME: ???
COLORS: ???
SONG: ???
REVELERS: ???
ECONOMIC IMPACT: ???
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