Friday, August 31, 2007
One Eyed Jack's Recap
Thanks to everyone who made our August 25th fundraiser/calendar debut at One Eyed Jacks a smashing success.
The place start filling up early, with fans and rollergirls alike anxious to see the completed calendar. While most rollergirls were use to tired feet at the end of their events, many were unaccustomed to tired hands. More than one rollergirl commented on how sore their hands were from autographing all of those calendars.
Rollergirls autographing calendars
MADAM signs away!
Trouble & Loco
Trixie & Mascara
As always, Nutty McGillicutty and The Right Reverend Psycho Ward were in top comic form.
Our announcers, the incomparable Psycho Ward & Nutty
When Fleur de Tease took the stage, the crowd surged forward to watch these beautiful ladies pay homage to the exquisite art of burlesque. Fan dances, grass skirts and dreidels… The crowd fluctuated between hearty cheers and silent gasps of awe-inspired astonishment.
Madame Mystere performing a Classic Fan Dance
Natasha takes it off to "Take it Off."
Trixie Minx performing "Hot Jewish Chicks!"
Lily L'Envie in "Jump in the Line"
Fleur de Tease performing their finale, Tunnel of Love
With Chess and Asian acting as our Vanna Whites for the evening, they assisted Nutty and The Reverend in handing out various prizes generously donated by many local businesses. Some lucky person’s teeth are going to be a lot brighter, skin a little more inked, and stomach a little more full after that night.
Our gorgeous Vanna Whites - Chess & Asian
Asian digs in for the raffle
Slaughter, Gal, Blood, Deb, Blaze, MILF
Sleasy & Saucy
Trixie & VvD
SmasHer & Bea
The gorgeous, Stinky!
ReBelle
Next up was Liquidrone, the always grooving crowd favorite, who drew even more people to the dance floor.
Liquidrone
Dan
Em & Trixie Trailer Trash from Dallas!
VvD gets her groove on to Liquidrone
At the end of the night, with visions of burlesque and rollergirls in their minds, calendars and prizes in hand, the crowd went home happy… They went home late, but very happy.
Ivy, Fayard & Asian
Frida & SmasHer
CHEAP & Trixie Minx of Fleur de Tease
Meannie looking very nice
Lethal & Luvinblood
Jet
Asian & Chess
Blood, Saucy, Slaughter & MILF
CHEAP
Galfreaka
Thank you once again for all your support. Until next time!
The place start filling up early, with fans and rollergirls alike anxious to see the completed calendar. While most rollergirls were use to tired feet at the end of their events, many were unaccustomed to tired hands. More than one rollergirl commented on how sore their hands were from autographing all of those calendars.
As always, Nutty McGillicutty and The Right Reverend Psycho Ward were in top comic form.
When Fleur de Tease took the stage, the crowd surged forward to watch these beautiful ladies pay homage to the exquisite art of burlesque. Fan dances, grass skirts and dreidels… The crowd fluctuated between hearty cheers and silent gasps of awe-inspired astonishment.
With Chess and Asian acting as our Vanna Whites for the evening, they assisted Nutty and The Reverend in handing out various prizes generously donated by many local businesses. Some lucky person’s teeth are going to be a lot brighter, skin a little more inked, and stomach a little more full after that night.
Next up was Liquidrone, the always grooving crowd favorite, who drew even more people to the dance floor.
At the end of the night, with visions of burlesque and rollergirls in their minds, calendars and prizes in hand, the crowd went home happy… They went home late, but very happy.
Thank you once again for all your support. Until next time!
Labels: Calendar, Fleur de Tease, Liquidrone, One Eyed Jacks
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Congratulations Ponchartrain BeAtch
Congratulations to our very own Ponchartrain BeAtch who won The Gambit Weekly Best of New Orleans Reader’s Poll for Best Local Big Easy Rollergirl! Go BeAtch!
BeAtch has that special combination of grittiness and girliness. She excels in hitting you and then laughing at you when you fall down (hmm… okay, maybe that’s just me she loves doing that to) and, of course, apologizing for it later (although I don’t think she really means it when she does it to me). Two minutes after slamming into you, she’s on the sidelines encouraging you, or congratulating you on one of your plays.
BeAtch on the prowl!
BeAtch holds them back!
BeAtch takes out Memphis!
As Captain of her team, BeAtch is one of those superb leaders who leads by example. She is fair, level-headed and always pushing her fellow teammates to do their best. In fact, when I was injured and coming back to skating after almost six months, I was anxious to make up practices (and a little nervous). Even though I was on another team, BeAtch let me attend her team practices. I was impressed by her direction and observations. She worked us hard, but she also made the practice enjoyable – a difficult task to achieve at 8AM on a Sunday.
BeAtch battles it our with Sophie
BeAtch is also very active in the league (and while not required) always attends the monthly manager meetings to offer her input and concerns. She can always be counted on for thoughtful analysis of current situations, and always has the skaters’ best interest at heart.
BeAtch talks it over with Wit
To hang out with BeAtch is to always have a good time, and to always laugh. We are so proud of her, however, I must strongly contest one part of the article – calling BeAtch “a mild-mannered art gallery assistant by day…” There ain’t nothing mild-mannered about this broad, and that’s why we all love her!
BeAtch puckers up!
BeAtch has that special combination of grittiness and girliness. She excels in hitting you and then laughing at you when you fall down (hmm… okay, maybe that’s just me she loves doing that to) and, of course, apologizing for it later (although I don’t think she really means it when she does it to me). Two minutes after slamming into you, she’s on the sidelines encouraging you, or congratulating you on one of your plays.
As Captain of her team, BeAtch is one of those superb leaders who leads by example. She is fair, level-headed and always pushing her fellow teammates to do their best. In fact, when I was injured and coming back to skating after almost six months, I was anxious to make up practices (and a little nervous). Even though I was on another team, BeAtch let me attend her team practices. I was impressed by her direction and observations. She worked us hard, but she also made the practice enjoyable – a difficult task to achieve at 8AM on a Sunday.
BeAtch is also very active in the league (and while not required) always attends the monthly manager meetings to offer her input and concerns. She can always be counted on for thoughtful analysis of current situations, and always has the skaters’ best interest at heart.
To hang out with BeAtch is to always have a good time, and to always laugh. We are so proud of her, however, I must strongly contest one part of the article – calling BeAtch “a mild-mannered art gallery assistant by day…” There ain’t nothing mild-mannered about this broad, and that’s why we all love her!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Big Easy Rollergirls' Raffle
Here are some of the items for our raffle the night of our fundraiser at One Eyed Jacks, Saturday, August 25th at 9PM.
All of these items have been generously donated by many local businesses.
Raffle tickets are $2 for 1, $5 for 3, $10 for 7, or $20 for 15. You don’t need to be present to win.
8 passes from Audubon Nature Institute
Aquarium or Zoo $100-$125 value
A Williams Sonoma, All-Clad Slow Cooker $150 Value
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen $75 gift certificate
“King of Punk” DVD deluxe package
Incl. 2 Lg. & 2 sm. Movie posters, buttons, postcard, and
7” from “The Struggle” a band featured in the film
$200 gift certificate from Scott Allen of Freaky Tiki Tattoos
Bajik Spa Set, a $50 value from The Body Shop.
Morning 40 Federation Pack: 2 tickets, autographed cd, 2 t-shirts
A Teeth Whitening, including custom upper and lower trays and bleach by Dr. Ronald W. Britsch, Jr. D.D. S.
Tanya Dwyer Photography Portrait Session w/ Tanya Dwyer Photography, aka our very own, Galfreaka!
$150 value
A 2007-2008 Big Easy Rollergirl Calendar, autographed by many of your favorite rollergirls
(2) $50 gift certificates from Bacco Restaurant
3 “Protect New Orleans,” hand-decorated candles
One Brewing Class and One BBQ to drink the beer you made from Novice Homebrewer’s Association of New Orleans
$100 Gift Certificate to Whole Foods
A $30 gift certificate from Swirl Wines
A Gift certificate from Trashy Diva
Beaver Productions Hat & Sweatshirt
An Artist Rendering of your Favorite Rollergirl by Melpomeanie
A $25 gift certificate from Lux Salon
A blown-up Big Easy Rollergirl League Photo
A Gift Certificate to Louisiana Bistro
Oral B Triumph Electric/Digital Toothbrush, donated by Dr. Charles Haydelin in Belle Chasse, a $130 value
A Rollergirls’ Favorite Things Basket containing many of the favorite items of The Big Easy Rollergirls: A Bruise Springsteen Shirt, Loco’s favorite music cd, Shay’s favorite energy drink, SmasHer’s favorite book, I Heart Snatch Shirt… and much, much, much more. Organized by Jet Lisa
And many, may more….
Thank you for supporting New Orleans’ only, all-female, flat-track roller derby! We will see you at One Eyed Jacks!
All of these items have been generously donated by many local businesses.
Raffle tickets are $2 for 1, $5 for 3, $10 for 7, or $20 for 15. You don’t need to be present to win.
8 passes from Audubon Nature Institute
Aquarium or Zoo $100-$125 value
A Williams Sonoma, All-Clad Slow Cooker $150 Value
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen $75 gift certificate
“King of Punk” DVD deluxe package
Incl. 2 Lg. & 2 sm. Movie posters, buttons, postcard, and
7” from “The Struggle” a band featured in the film
$200 gift certificate from Scott Allen of Freaky Tiki Tattoos
Bajik Spa Set, a $50 value from The Body Shop.
Morning 40 Federation Pack: 2 tickets, autographed cd, 2 t-shirts
A Teeth Whitening, including custom upper and lower trays and bleach by Dr. Ronald W. Britsch, Jr. D.D. S.
Tanya Dwyer Photography Portrait Session w/ Tanya Dwyer Photography, aka our very own, Galfreaka!
$150 value
A 2007-2008 Big Easy Rollergirl Calendar, autographed by many of your favorite rollergirls
(2) $50 gift certificates from Bacco Restaurant
3 “Protect New Orleans,” hand-decorated candles
One Brewing Class and One BBQ to drink the beer you made from Novice Homebrewer’s Association of New Orleans
$100 Gift Certificate to Whole Foods
A $30 gift certificate from Swirl Wines
A Gift certificate from Trashy Diva
Beaver Productions Hat & Sweatshirt
An Artist Rendering of your Favorite Rollergirl by Melpomeanie
A $25 gift certificate from Lux Salon
A blown-up Big Easy Rollergirl League Photo
A Gift Certificate to Louisiana Bistro
Oral B Triumph Electric/Digital Toothbrush, donated by Dr. Charles Haydelin in Belle Chasse, a $130 value
A Rollergirls’ Favorite Things Basket containing many of the favorite items of The Big Easy Rollergirls: A Bruise Springsteen Shirt, Loco’s favorite music cd, Shay’s favorite energy drink, SmasHer’s favorite book, I Heart Snatch Shirt… and much, much, much more. Organized by Jet Lisa
And many, may more….
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
THE BIG EASY ROLLERGIRLS FUNDRAISER!
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse @ 9PM
For only a mere $12, you will not only be helping to purchase a sportscourt for The Big Easy Rollergirls to skate on, but you will also enjoy the tantalzing entertainment of Fleur de Tease Burlesque and the avant-garde rockers,
Liquidrone
Hosted by Nutty McGillicutty and The Rev. Psycho Ward, we will also be having a raffle with chances to win many great prizes generously donated by local businesses, our penalty wheel (spanking anyone?) and our much anticipated calendar debut!
See why The Gambit and NOLA.COM picked us as one of their Hot Events!
If you absolutely can not make the show (and you better have a good reason).....
After the 25th, you can also buy copies at:
Flora Savage (1301 Royal),
Lucky’s Bar (1625 St. Charles)
Wicked Orleans (1209 Decatur)
Barnes &Noble (3721 Veterans Blvd)
Or you can always Buy a BERG Calendar Now!
Labels: Fleur de Tease, Liquidrone, One Eyed Jacks
Monday, August 20, 2007
CALENDAR OUTTAKES #2
Once again, keep in mind that these lovely and luscious images from Scott Stuntz didn't even make the final cut of our 2007-2008 calendar.
Saucy, Lethal, Shay
Lethal, Shay, Saucy
Stinky, Lionel, Trix, Chess, Galfreaka
Stinky, Trix, Lionel, Chess, Galfreaka
Trouble, Animal, Cooney, Ibeatya
Ivy, Loco, Marquee, Pummel
Ivy, Pummel, Loco, Marquee
Lush, Wit, Deb, Panic
Deb, Lush, Panic, Wit
Madam, Mascara, ReBelle, Sleasy
Frida, Whore, Diamond, Mental, Falls
Asia, Mite, Scabby
Asia, Mite, Scabby
If you want to make sure you get your hands on one of ourBERG Calendars,buy one now before they run out!
Or....
Pick one up at our fundraiser, August 25th at One Eyed Jacks
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Vandal O'Riley's One-Woman Show
That superlative chameleon, Vandal O'Riley, is now performing in her own one-woman show, "A Different Woman: A True Story of a Texas Girlhood."
According to David Cuthbert of The Times Picayune, "The benign title is based on an obscure, scandalous 1925 memoir by Texas teacher Edna Gertrude Beasley, 'My First Thirty Years,' printed in France and immediately banned in England. Its infamy was such that it was seized by U.S. Customs as "grossly obscene" and what copies found their way to her native Texas were yanked off bookshelves by Texas Rangers."
Ms. O'Riley was performing the show in New York at The New York City Fringe Festival when Katrina hit. The Village Voice called it, "a lively compelling 90 minutes," while the Broadway World critic found it, "simultaneously horrifying and uplifting; a fierce spirit is what drives the play and makes it such a strong theatrical experience."
"A Different Woman," is playing at Barrister's Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave. Tickets are $12. 8PM
The show opens today, with performances Sunday as well. It also runs August 25th and 26th. and August 30th to September 1.
So come out and support a fiesty and controversial woman - and you can then decide if I am talking about Vandal or Edna Gertrude Beasley.... Maybe both?
According to David Cuthbert of The Times Picayune, "The benign title is based on an obscure, scandalous 1925 memoir by Texas teacher Edna Gertrude Beasley, 'My First Thirty Years,' printed in France and immediately banned in England. Its infamy was such that it was seized by U.S. Customs as "grossly obscene" and what copies found their way to her native Texas were yanked off bookshelves by Texas Rangers."
Ms. O'Riley was performing the show in New York at The New York City Fringe Festival when Katrina hit. The Village Voice called it, "a lively compelling 90 minutes," while the Broadway World critic found it, "simultaneously horrifying and uplifting; a fierce spirit is what drives the play and makes it such a strong theatrical experience."
"A Different Woman," is playing at Barrister's Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave. Tickets are $12. 8PM
The show opens today, with performances Sunday as well. It also runs August 25th and 26th. and August 30th to September 1.
So come out and support a fiesty and controversial woman - and you can then decide if I am talking about Vandal or Edna Gertrude Beasley.... Maybe both?
Labels: A Different Woman, Edna Gertrude Beasley, Play, Vandal O'Riley
Friday, August 17, 2007
Dirty Linen 2007
It was a hot August night, but The Big Easy Rollergirls were even hotter. August 11th the rollergirls participated in their second-annual Dirty Linen Night. It was extraordinarily muggy, but as usual the rollergirls shined (not sweated).
MILF, Blaze, Slaughter, Blood
MILF- best dimples in the league!
Slaughter
Blaze - too hot!
Crusty
Julie Jawbreaker confirmed her Heartbreaker status by wearing sparkly gold tights. Fleur de Lethal came decked out as a live, neo-plasticist Mondriaan. Vandal O’Riley, who last year had the dubious honor of breaking SIX chairs during Musical Chairs, was still in an ankle brace due to her injury in May. This year Vandal carried a bullhorn unlike, last year where her voice was sufficient. Come on, Vandal, you broke your ankle – not our vocal chords. We all know Vandal’s astonishing ability to accentuate. ☺
Fayard & Vandal
Lethal
Bruise, Julie & Panic (fresh from the Red Dress Run)
Crusty McKnuckle led the rollergirls in not one, but two games. She transformed one of our drills, The Devil’s Mattress into a relay race. The object of Devil’s Mattress is start flat on our stomach, leap up on your toe stops, sprint, slide on your knees, lay back on our stomach, pop up and do it all over. Why do you think rollergirls are in such good shape?
Wit & Trouble get ready
Blood & Chess
The rollergirls divided up into two teams: red and yellow. Red was lead by Wit Vicious and her team: Luvinblood, Deb U Taunt, Rebelle and MILF. Yellow was lead by F.N. Trouble and her team: Squirt, Cooney, Slaughter & Chess. Both teams gave it their all, sometimes even sliding into the crowds! Ultimately after running this relay many times throughout the night, SmasHer spurred the crowd on by running up and down the streets screaming, “One more time! One more time!” Since she was not on skates and not actually doing the drill, it was a miracle she was able to leave without any serious injuries from the other rollergirls. While Yellow had dominated most of the night, Red came back at the last relay. Prompting SmasHer to yell, “Best two out of three!” In the end, it was Yellow who was triumphant.
DEb & Cooney
Rebelle
Blood takes off
Another activity the rollergirls demonstrated for the crowds was “Blood and Thunder.” It’s the roller derby equivalent of “Last Man Standing.” It’s a very easy game to follow. Rollergirls knock each other down (those who are knocked down automatically become obstacles) and the last one upright is crowned the winner.
Newbie, Trouble “Nessie” operated under the ‘Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee” creed and won not only once, but twice!!! Congratulations Trouble!
Trouble knocks them down left and right
Trouble & Chess go skate to skate
Chess & Trouble- No Hard Feelings
Trouble, The Winner!
At the end of the night, with the lights fading and the galleries closing, the rollergirls skated home.
Tom & Jaws - and she's wearing...
Galfreaka
Loco
Pummel with her broken lace - Blood & Thunder Casuality
Squirt
And as always, looking forward to next year.
Special Thanks to Robert Gutherie Gallery.
Julie Jawbreaker confirmed her Heartbreaker status by wearing sparkly gold tights. Fleur de Lethal came decked out as a live, neo-plasticist Mondriaan. Vandal O’Riley, who last year had the dubious honor of breaking SIX chairs during Musical Chairs, was still in an ankle brace due to her injury in May. This year Vandal carried a bullhorn unlike, last year where her voice was sufficient. Come on, Vandal, you broke your ankle – not our vocal chords. We all know Vandal’s astonishing ability to accentuate. ☺
Crusty McKnuckle led the rollergirls in not one, but two games. She transformed one of our drills, The Devil’s Mattress into a relay race. The object of Devil’s Mattress is start flat on our stomach, leap up on your toe stops, sprint, slide on your knees, lay back on our stomach, pop up and do it all over. Why do you think rollergirls are in such good shape?
The rollergirls divided up into two teams: red and yellow. Red was lead by Wit Vicious and her team: Luvinblood, Deb U Taunt, Rebelle and MILF. Yellow was lead by F.N. Trouble and her team: Squirt, Cooney, Slaughter & Chess. Both teams gave it their all, sometimes even sliding into the crowds! Ultimately after running this relay many times throughout the night, SmasHer spurred the crowd on by running up and down the streets screaming, “One more time! One more time!” Since she was not on skates and not actually doing the drill, it was a miracle she was able to leave without any serious injuries from the other rollergirls. While Yellow had dominated most of the night, Red came back at the last relay. Prompting SmasHer to yell, “Best two out of three!” In the end, it was Yellow who was triumphant.
Another activity the rollergirls demonstrated for the crowds was “Blood and Thunder.” It’s the roller derby equivalent of “Last Man Standing.” It’s a very easy game to follow. Rollergirls knock each other down (those who are knocked down automatically become obstacles) and the last one upright is crowned the winner.
Newbie, Trouble “Nessie” operated under the ‘Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee” creed and won not only once, but twice!!! Congratulations Trouble!
At the end of the night, with the lights fading and the galleries closing, the rollergirls skated home.
And as always, looking forward to next year.
Special Thanks to Robert Gutherie Gallery.
Labels: Blood and Thunder, Devil's Mattress, Dirty Linen, Royal Street
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
CALENDAR OUTTAKES
And keep in mind, these pleasing and pulchritudinous pictures didn't even make the cut!!!
So, take a moment, and please explore in the caverns of your mind, the wonderous reality, that these photos are, in fact, second and third choices.
And the only legal way to do so is to Buy a BERG Calendar Now!
To date, we have already sold 65% of our print run, so get them while you can!
Labels: calendar outtakes
Ref Recruitment Meeting
Have you ever thought of being a member of the Fun Police? Now is your chance!
Henry Roll-ins will be having a Referee Recruitment meeting next Monday, August 20th, at Cafe Envie, 1241 Decatur Street in the French Quarter (the corner of Barracks and Decatur) at 7pm.
The refs have both skating, and non-skating positions available.
The current referees and several of the rollergirls will be there to discuss BERG, the various ref positions available, time commitments, necessary equipment and how much fun it is to be a rollerderby referee in general.
Please RSVP to Henry Roll-ins at henryrollinsderby@gmail.com-
If you can't make it on Monday, but are still interested, let him know and he will work with you.
Friday, August 10, 2007
This Weekend's Events
Join The Big Easy Rollergirls for Dirty Linen night, this Saturday, August 11th. The French Quarter's Funky Answer to White Linen Night. Watch Crusty McKnuckle lead the rollergirls in “The Devil’s Mattress” relay in the 800 block of Royal Street. You have to see it to believe it.
Cruise the 500 to 900 blocks of Royal Street, and enjoy snacks and beverages from various galleries and stores.
Music by Fredy Omar. Also,Fifi Mahony’s on 934 Royal is offering $5 eyelashes for “Dirty Linen Girls.” The event goes from 6 to 10PM. You won't want to miss it!
Earlier this Saturday, you can catch many members of The Big Easy Rollergirls in the annual Red Dress Run from New Orleans Hash House Harriers, “The Drinking Club with a Running Problem.” Registration starts at 10AM at 227 Bourbon St. Free t-shirt and socks with early registration. The cost is $40. This fee covers all of the beer you can consume at the various bar stops along the route.
The run/walk/crawl starts at 1PM. You must be 21 to participate, and you MUST wear a red dress. This year, some of the proceeds go to one of our favorite charities, City Park
And if anything, see Col. Panic in a dress. For more information, go to
The Red Dress Run
Thursday, August 09, 2007
BERG Calendar Recap!
Ta-Dah!!!! We have officially finished the last shoot for The Big Easy Rollergirl Calendar. It’s been quite a “hair-spraying” experience. We have dealt with everything from killer geese, to temperamental weather, to faulty handcuffs. And during this rhapsodic journey, this humble rollergirl has learned a few new nuggets of wisdom.
1. It’s not the wisest idea to shoot outdoors in August. But forced to do so, talcum powder, sun block and water are your best friend.
2. Posture is everything. There is nothing more transforming than a straight back and thrown-back shoulders.
3. The more uncomfortable the pose, the better you look.
4. Tissue paper goes a long way.
5. If you are adjusting a rollergirl’s bra and fishnets in front of an open store window, cars will stop and drive backwards down a street.
First off, our photographer,Scott Stuntzdeserves a medal of honor for his work on the calendar. He gave up his weekends and his weeknights to shoot over 60 rollergirls (okay, so maybe it wasn’t THAT much of a sacrifice). He was patient, creative and thoughtful. And he put up with me snapping my fingers at him (a signal for shooting more pictures). All of the rollergirls have nothing but praise for Scott’s professionalism, work ethic and talent.
There have also been many individuals and local businesses that have been absolutely amazing. Fifi Mahony’s and Trashy Diva have been incredibly generous. They have loaned us wigs, corsets, costumes, jewelry and most importantly, advice. When I went in to Fifi Mahony’s to purchase my own wig, one of the owners, Marcy Hesseling, promptly sat me down in a chair and fussed over me non-stop in my quest for the perfect ‘do. Fifi and Trashy were extremely benevolent to me, and everyone in the league who has dealt with them has had exactly the same experience. Their kindness and generosity is what helps make this calendar so unique and fabulous.
The Audubon Zoo let us come not once, but twice to their establishment before they opened their doors to the public so we could shoot undisturbed. It was magical to walk in the zoo at 7:45 in the morning, and have a friendly elephant greet us with flapping ears and a wagging tail.
One of our shots at the zoo was a Cajun Christmas Theme. Our dear ref, Lionel Hurtz was dressed up as Santa Claus. Being Santa at the North Pole is one thing, but being Santa in July in New Orleans was another. He never complained, despite the fact we pushed him over a railing, tied him to a chair, and hog-tied him on the ground. Our shot ran a little bit long, and the zoo let us stay. But, it was a surprise to many families who turned the corner and walked into our shoot. I don’t envy the parents who had to explain to their children what Santa was doing tied up in the zoo in the middle of the summer surrounded by various women in skates… Ah, the price you pay for great art.
We shot the Storyville month (November 2008) at The Pharmacy Museum on 514 Chartres. They let us move antique furniture around, spread out on their antique bed (sans skates) and provided us with many one-of-a-kind props. Trashy Diva and Vandal O’Riley played a crucial hand in the costuming and jewelry, a result that is evident in the final photo. Blaze Scarr shot her burlesque picture in the courtyard, and even after slipping three different times due to the wet pavement (and perhaps my fanatical posing), she posed and primped on…. and produced a beautiful picture.
We did our 2007 Christmas shot at Vespa. Gail and Zak Materne, two of the owners, let us come in when their shop closed and literally transform their place of business. It was so much fun to shoot on their Vespa GTV 250, and just made me long for the day when I get my own. Fifi Mahony’s, once again, provided the remarkable wigs. F.N. Trouble, who had initially balked at wearing dress, suited up in one of Vandal O’Riley’s red satin dresses, and under the skilled hands of makeup artist Charlie McLoughlin, was transformed into a modern-day Marilyn Monroe. Tattoos and all! Trouble’s sex-bomb revolution is probably my favorite moment of the whole calendar shoot. Our new nickname for Trouble is “Nessie,” since like the Loch Ness monster, you wouldn’t believe it unless you had pictures. Thankfully, yes, we have pictures!
The City Park shot (March, 2008) we dealt with ants, ducks who couldn’t take direction, and curious raccoons. It was well worth it; the final shot ended in a playful romp in The Botanical Gardens’ fountain.
The ref/cop shot (October 2007) was disturbed by a nasty thunderstorm. At the last minute, Global Green opened their doors to us on a Sunday afternoon. And you thought they only saved the world; they also rescue glamorous rollergirls! The closed quarters worked out perfectly, and the interrogation scene ended up being the finest combination of camp and sex appeal.
Although each month had a theme and each shot was well thought out, inventiveness did occur. Crusty pulled the owner’s dog from LeMieux Gallery into the shot. MILF’s adorable baby became the perfect prop in the FEMA trailer shot. The powdered sugar fight at Café du Monde was delightful.
It was so inspiring to watch the rollergirls meticulously plan their shots. Everyone came together and helped out to make ALL of the calendar months perfect, not just their own. Many of the rollergirls wore other rollergirls’ dresses, held their props and were styled by their own teammates.
All of this hard work paid off. The Big Easy Rollergirls are proud to bring you our 2007-2008 Calendar. So enjoy these final, behind-the-scene shots… And order your calendar today!
Miss Animal Before
Miss Animal After!!!
The Glam Twins: Trouble "Nessie" and Animal
Cooney is in good hands with Charlie
Trouble twirls!
Ibeatya goes for a ride!
It takes many people to contain a ref
Bea offers some shade.
Trixie offers some last-minute dabbing
Panic remains calm...
Trix takes abuse meant for Panic
Sophie gets crazy with the cheese whiz!
Sophie gets a kick out of serving Shake
SmasHer is dazed AND confused
MILF = Goddess
Ruffit can handle anything
Sophie & Smasher, two of a kind
Buy BERG Calendar Now!
1. It’s not the wisest idea to shoot outdoors in August. But forced to do so, talcum powder, sun block and water are your best friend.
2. Posture is everything. There is nothing more transforming than a straight back and thrown-back shoulders.
3. The more uncomfortable the pose, the better you look.
4. Tissue paper goes a long way.
5. If you are adjusting a rollergirl’s bra and fishnets in front of an open store window, cars will stop and drive backwards down a street.
First off, our photographer,Scott Stuntzdeserves a medal of honor for his work on the calendar. He gave up his weekends and his weeknights to shoot over 60 rollergirls (okay, so maybe it wasn’t THAT much of a sacrifice). He was patient, creative and thoughtful. And he put up with me snapping my fingers at him (a signal for shooting more pictures). All of the rollergirls have nothing but praise for Scott’s professionalism, work ethic and talent.
There have also been many individuals and local businesses that have been absolutely amazing. Fifi Mahony’s and Trashy Diva have been incredibly generous. They have loaned us wigs, corsets, costumes, jewelry and most importantly, advice. When I went in to Fifi Mahony’s to purchase my own wig, one of the owners, Marcy Hesseling, promptly sat me down in a chair and fussed over me non-stop in my quest for the perfect ‘do. Fifi and Trashy were extremely benevolent to me, and everyone in the league who has dealt with them has had exactly the same experience. Their kindness and generosity is what helps make this calendar so unique and fabulous.
The Audubon Zoo let us come not once, but twice to their establishment before they opened their doors to the public so we could shoot undisturbed. It was magical to walk in the zoo at 7:45 in the morning, and have a friendly elephant greet us with flapping ears and a wagging tail.
One of our shots at the zoo was a Cajun Christmas Theme. Our dear ref, Lionel Hurtz was dressed up as Santa Claus. Being Santa at the North Pole is one thing, but being Santa in July in New Orleans was another. He never complained, despite the fact we pushed him over a railing, tied him to a chair, and hog-tied him on the ground. Our shot ran a little bit long, and the zoo let us stay. But, it was a surprise to many families who turned the corner and walked into our shoot. I don’t envy the parents who had to explain to their children what Santa was doing tied up in the zoo in the middle of the summer surrounded by various women in skates… Ah, the price you pay for great art.
We shot the Storyville month (November 2008) at The Pharmacy Museum on 514 Chartres. They let us move antique furniture around, spread out on their antique bed (sans skates) and provided us with many one-of-a-kind props. Trashy Diva and Vandal O’Riley played a crucial hand in the costuming and jewelry, a result that is evident in the final photo. Blaze Scarr shot her burlesque picture in the courtyard, and even after slipping three different times due to the wet pavement (and perhaps my fanatical posing), she posed and primped on…. and produced a beautiful picture.
We did our 2007 Christmas shot at Vespa. Gail and Zak Materne, two of the owners, let us come in when their shop closed and literally transform their place of business. It was so much fun to shoot on their Vespa GTV 250, and just made me long for the day when I get my own. Fifi Mahony’s, once again, provided the remarkable wigs. F.N. Trouble, who had initially balked at wearing dress, suited up in one of Vandal O’Riley’s red satin dresses, and under the skilled hands of makeup artist Charlie McLoughlin, was transformed into a modern-day Marilyn Monroe. Tattoos and all! Trouble’s sex-bomb revolution is probably my favorite moment of the whole calendar shoot. Our new nickname for Trouble is “Nessie,” since like the Loch Ness monster, you wouldn’t believe it unless you had pictures. Thankfully, yes, we have pictures!
The City Park shot (March, 2008) we dealt with ants, ducks who couldn’t take direction, and curious raccoons. It was well worth it; the final shot ended in a playful romp in The Botanical Gardens’ fountain.
The ref/cop shot (October 2007) was disturbed by a nasty thunderstorm. At the last minute, Global Green opened their doors to us on a Sunday afternoon. And you thought they only saved the world; they also rescue glamorous rollergirls! The closed quarters worked out perfectly, and the interrogation scene ended up being the finest combination of camp and sex appeal.
Although each month had a theme and each shot was well thought out, inventiveness did occur. Crusty pulled the owner’s dog from LeMieux Gallery into the shot. MILF’s adorable baby became the perfect prop in the FEMA trailer shot. The powdered sugar fight at Café du Monde was delightful.
It was so inspiring to watch the rollergirls meticulously plan their shots. Everyone came together and helped out to make ALL of the calendar months perfect, not just their own. Many of the rollergirls wore other rollergirls’ dresses, held their props and were styled by their own teammates.
All of this hard work paid off. The Big Easy Rollergirls are proud to bring you our 2007-2008 Calendar. So enjoy these final, behind-the-scene shots… And order your calendar today!
Labels: Calendar recap
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Team Placement Party
Labels: Lucky's Bar, Team Placement Party
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
On Sunday, July 15th, "El Diario de Navarra", the official paper of Sanfermines in Pamplona, ran an article that documented the first ever "Running of the Bulls in the French Quarter" (or as they call it "barrio frances"). Here is a translation of the article.
Mickey Hanning, 35 year old American, was in Sanfermines only once, in 2002, and ran in only one Bull Run, the one on the eighth. In spite of the brevity of the experience, it was enough to make him the idea man and organizer of a strange bull run in the French Quarter in New Orleans this past July 7th. The idea began to jell during this year's Marti Gras (Tuesday of Carnival), the most famous event of this American city. Dave Parker, a 33 year-old friend of Hanning, elected to disguise himself as a Pamplonian for that occasion and between the two of them they thought of the idea of making an homage to the Navarran city and its fiestas. Thus was born the first edition of the annual Sanfermines of New Orleans.
"After several weeks of meditating over many [cans] of beer we designed a plan", recounted Hanning. They would start at 8 on the dot, like in Pamplona, and they would have to look for bars that would support them in the project, like two locals that were open for 24 hours did: the Three-legged Dog and The Sidebar. The first would be the starting point and the second the finish (goal).
Hanning got a lot of help to organize this event, most of all from his wife, Beth Hanning, 39. She helped from the beginning and volunteered to do a multitude of tasks. In the end her collaboration was necessary in constructing the poster for the Bull Run of New Orleans.
Now only the bulls, or something that looked like them, were missing. Nevertheless, the organizers couldn't turn bulls loose in the streets of New Orleans, nor did the city give them permission to fence-in the run. It is necessary to add, too, they had little wish to be injured,
so they looked for a most ingenious answer.
Fourteen young ladies of a skating group armed with several baseball bats made like bulls. The idea to do a bull run arose on a Carnival Tuesday, beginning with a Pamplonian imitation (disguise). Tracey Belina, 25, had the idea. She belongs to a female skate team called Big Easy Roller Girls, and she got 14 members to volunteer to act as bulls. The idea was simple: they carried helmets, baseball bats and a T-shirt with a drawing of a red-faced bull, and they kept chasing the runners, who had to dress in red and white to participate. These 14 "chicks" were joined by a mechanical bull constructed by Mic Fedufa, another friend of Hanning. The original contraption was a shopping cart with a covering which made in the shape of a bull, and the horns were tubes which emitted smoke.
The idea this year gave a lot of pleasure, and Hanning's idea for next year is to use what they used to imitate the bulls this year, it's a sure thing. "We never thought of using real bulls, only inoffensive animals, like dogs", explained the organizer.
Finally, after several months of preparation San Fermin day arrived, and fortunately all was ready. The fourteen skaters were ready to give it their all in the festive atmosphere that prevailed.
The organization had not spent a dime on publicity, but thanks to mouth-to-mouth and a page in MySpace, and the Big Easy Roller Girls' blog, the event attracted a large audience. “We had figured, personally, that at least 50 people would come, and at the end there were 150, but the response was so good that there could have been 200. Evaluating the opinions that the participants have given us, we think this event could grow exponentially in the future," Hanning assured.
The fact is that from 7 in the morning until 8, the runners could drink Spanish products in The Three-legged Dog, and at 8 the race began.
Minutes later, after several friendly and inoffensive swats with the baseball bats, the party truly continued in the Sidebar, where 70 liters of sangria, made especially for the occasion so that bulls and runners enjoy themselves on a pleasant and long binge.
To download the article, you can go to the Press Page on The Big Easy Rollergirls' Website.
If you want to find out abour more events the NOLA Bulls are planning, visit them at NOLA Bulls
Labels: BERG Bulls, San Fermin in Nueva Orleans
Calendar Extras!
Make the last part of 2007, and the entire 2008, the best months ever. How, you ask? With The Big Easy Rollergirls' 2007-2008 Calendar!
Buy The Calendar Now!
BeAtch, the Captain of Hottness!
Mace, Crusty & BeAtch relax between pictures.
Saucy laces up!
Lethal strikes a pose.
Shay gets in touch with her wild side!
Saucy
Special thanks to Tanya Dwyer of Tanya Dwyer Photography for the behind-the-scenes zoo photos!
