Leather
Organization.) They hold their own contest. Anyway, Stacey (who is a
psychologist living in Brooklyn) told us that Mr. Holland Leather was
having a welcome in his hotel room which included his mother and sister
in support. Mr. Holland is an African-American man holding duel citizenship.
We said we’d try to make it. But the afternoon had grown late so we decided
to eat with Kelly in the restaurant of the Blackstone Hotel just south of
our host hotel. It was a good choice in both food and price.
Our next event was the meet and greet of the 62 contestants in this years
line-up being held at the hotel. We sat in the front row with our cameras
to get a first hand view of each man as he was introduced. We had several
friends who were actually in the competition and they were glad to see their
supporters in the sea of press and visitors. Each man drew his position
number from a barrel as he walked across the stage to introduce himself.
A stagefull of past title holders was presented in celebration of IML’s 20th
anniversary. Oooh, Daddy!
After the event we circulated through the lobby, which is the traditional
past time during IML and then we jumped on the IML shuttle bus which goes out
to the leather bars and clubs. What we did was to use it to sneak a ride
home since our host lives walking distance from the Cell Block club. Comfy,
cozy and ‘very’ friendly.
Saturday was the big day of the weekend for us. rodtney had to be at the
Leatherneck bar by noon for the pre-judging of the Mr. Ebony in Leather
Contest which was to begin at 2pm. We took the train downtown and Master
Ross sat at the bar having wonderful visit with the co-emcee for the day,
Queen Cougar is newly married to both Jill Carter and Viola Johnson who
themselves have been together for over twenty-five years! Our conversation
was great fun and we were joined by the co-emcee, Mr. Vern Stuart and the
producer of the event, Cain Berlinger. All the while the interview portion
of the contest was taking place in private session upstairs in the dungeon
area of the bar. Judges included Jill Carter, rodtney ross, Ann Marie Meek,
Producer of the International Ms Leather Contest, Head Judge Master Steve
Sampson, owner of Butchmann’s Training Academy in Palm Springs and David
Rhodes, Publisher of the Leather Journal. Quite an impressive panel of
judges. Oh yes, and Davien O Nelson, the outgoing Mr. Ebony was too late to
judge but right on time to hand over the title. Actually his title ended
when Davian left San Francisco for New York City. So much for loyalty and
responsibility. We wish him well however. The Mr. Ebony in Leather title is
now a National honor.
There were only two candidates for the first (Inter)national Mister Ebony in
Leather: André Marcials from D.C. and Wayne Nesbitt from Chicago (not to be
confused with Mr. Wayne Nesbit who is Mr. D.C. Eagle 1997-98). André, who was born in
Trinidad, won easily, and hopefully will bring much needed honor to the
title. The place was packed and everyone seemed to have a good time.
Maybe next year there will be a bigger venue - and more bonified contestants.
[Just a note on the owner of the Leatherneck. His name is John Birch or
‘jeb’. He’s retired Military and heir to a nice income. A few years ago
he started a publication called Metropolitan slave. This year he sold it
and ran for the Illinois State Legislature on the Republican ticket. We
were present during our visit this year when he gave a nice check to the
Leather Archives which is also in Chicago. jeb is a nice man - even a bit
crazy which is part of his charm.. He also hosted us last July when we
drove through town. He is also 1994 International Master.]
- m o r e -
IML-20 - Spring 98
Draft: Page Four of Eight
Judging the contest was a great experience for rodtney. He became
instantly elevated in the company of Leather Community greats The judging process includes pre-contest
interviews with the candidates as well as the on-stage presentations. The
Olympic Scoring System is used during the tally. I am extremely proud of my
boi’s accomplishments during his first two years as a full-fledged
Leatherman.
After the event we hailed a cab back to the Congress Hotel with Ann Marie
and her family. We wanted to attend the M.A.s.T. Cocktail Party being
hosted by Jack Rinella and Tom Stice. Jack was a contestant this year
representing M.A.s.T. and also as Mr. Internet Leather and would like to
see an IML from the home town. It would be a first on the 20th anniversary.
(I do not know the details of how Jack got this title.). He also writes a
leather column for a Chicago paper. It’s also mailed out privately every
Monday on the internet for a nominal fee. Jack has a former wife, and a
daughter in college. He has a live-in slave and they live in Jack’s Master’s
townhouse. Jack also has a Lover who lives in the burbs. He pulls all of
this off with a matter-of-fact finesse and 'still' can be seen on the prowl
some nights at the Cell Block where his slave tends bar. Whew!
I tell you about this because it's so unbelievable.
Tom Stice is from Atlanta and is the 1884 International slave. The party is
super and we are greeted by all sorts of friends, known and unknown. We also
run into some of the men who attended the Master/slave seminar we did as
guest trainers last November with Mr. Rinella at Butchmann’s Academy in Palm
Springs.
[Master/slave is a very small subset of the greater LeatherFetish community.
Here’s my formula: 10% of the mainstream population is Gay/Lesbian. 10% of
those are Leather/Fetish. 10% of those are into Master/slave and 10% of
those are actual 24/7 couples and maybe 10% of those are monogamous. Next,
in rodtney’s case, 10% are African American but only 1/3 are middle class.
Now divide by ½ for Men and Women. Take another 1/3 for youth and another
1/3 for elderly and the numbers get pretty small. rodtney is perhaps one of
a dozen or so like himself in all the world perhaps. So I have truly found
my needle in a haystack. For us it’s all very Spiritual.]
During the gathering we run into the current International Master and slave,
Roger & bill from Atlanta. We received wonderful Southern hospitality from
them during our travels last summer. They informed us that they were now
the proud fourth owners of the IMAsT contest having received it from our
friends Bob Fifield and joe Coloff, who now live in San Francisco. They were
‘Hot-Lanta’ on-it promoting the next contest to be held, where else? -
Atlanta, in the spring of ‘99.
Maybe we’ll be there. Whew, another trip cross-country! Maybe we’ll just
stay for awhile out on Lake Lanier - or over at ‘River’s Edge’, the
wonderful 66 acre gay campground out in Dewy Rose, Gerogia owned by our salt
and pepper friends, Terry and Tim. The Leather Circuit can be exhausting.
That’s one of the reasons why we don’t go to the bars much anymore. boi
took bunches of pictures which you’ll see when he gets them on-line.
