Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to participate and compete in various contests throughout California and the United States. I got my roots at Wolf’s Bar in 2003 as Mr. Wolfs. I then went on to compete for Southern California Leather Sir 2003, which catapulted me to International Leather Sir 2003 in St. Petersburg Fla. All this happened over a span of six months.
I have been the den daddy, where I coach and assist the contestants, for the Mr. San Diego Leather contest for the past five years. I enjoy working with the contestants, helping them become comfortable, listening to their speeches, getting them dressed to go on stage so they can dazzle the judges and the audience.
Some call it a pageant, but it’s much more than that! First, the contestants commit to running for the title by turning in the applications, meeting and talking to the producers that help prepare the contestants mentally. We accept all those who are willing to be transformed into the leaders of tomorrow. What a great feeling!
During the weekend of June 17-19, 2011, San Diego will be host to the California Leather Sir, boy, Community Bootblack and Puppy contest at Queen Bees Art and Cultural Center (3925 Ohio Street in North Park). This contest is a spin-off of Drummer, which ended early in 2000. Drummers were known to be the bad boys of the leather community. They were known to wear their sex, kinks and fetishes on their sleeves and in their back pockets, too.
(For more on the pocket hankies, email me or Google hankie codes. You can also stop by the San Diego Eagle and pick up a hankie code card. They’re free at the bar and on the tables. That way you can start to wear a hankie in the appropriate pocket to say what you want!)
If you’d like to run for California Leather Sir, boy, Community Bootblack or Puppy, go to Caleathersir.com and submit your application or email contestantsinfo@caleathersir.com. To attend the contest, you can purchase tickets at Pleasures and Treasures, The Crypt on Park Boulevard and the San Diego Eagle for $15 in advance. Tickets will be $20 at the door. It’s going to be off the chain!
Two weeks ago, I attended the first Long Beach Leather Pride at Pistons Bar. It was a great time. A group of us caravanned up and stayed at the leather house of one of my mentors. He prepared us meals and we sat around the fire as he took us down memory lane of yesteryear. Although my friend is not physically able to perform all the leather feats he once did, he shared his knowledge with hopes that his leather legacy will be passed on.
AIDS and safe sex
AIDS devastated the world 30 years ago and the gay community lost a fair share of men. Those men were not aware that their sexual practices would actually take many of their young lives. Today, education is the key.
This past week, my friend Ian, an associate at Walgreens, shared with me his part in a quest to help protect the world. He is working with Sir Richard’s Condoms, a company that gives free condoms to those countries where AIDS is at epidemic proportions. For every condom sold, Sir Richard donates a condom to those countries. Look for that 1971 checkered VW van parked at Walgreens.
Bear Night
Did you know the hottest dance going on in San Diego, Bear Night, only happens once a month at Numbers? And what a good time it is. I haven’t seen that many mustache’s and beards, boots and jeans in a bar dancing like that in a while. Everyone looked like he had just stepped out of a magazine.
During the last dance, I decided to talk to the staff. I talked to Travis, a bartender at Numbers, and I asked him how he liked the crowd. Honestly speaking, he said, “They know what they want, they drink, and they also tip well.”
The energy was fantastic. So, I decided to also talk to the DJ, Jonathan, who has the natural ability to keep the crowd on the dance floor. It was great!
San Diego happenings
I would like to wish 2010’s Mr. San Diego Leather, Anthony Rollar, well on his journey to Chicago. By the time my next column comes out, in two weeks, he will have gone to International Mr. Leather (IML), competed and made San Diego proud.
I will be going back to Long Beach for Pride, May 21-22.
On Wednesday, June 1 at 9 p.m., join the puppies at the Eagle, hosted by Pup DragZ and the San Diego Puppy Play (SDPP).