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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 6 March 2019

Dressed up, ready for fun: New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras

By REBECCA SANTANA “no-call” that came during
Associated Press the Jan. 20 NFC Champi-
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The onship game between the
streets of New Orleans were Los Angeles Rams and the
filled Tuesday with excited New Orleans Saints.
kids hoping to catch beads A Rams defensive back lev-
from atop ladders, revelers eled a Saints receiver with
in fancy costumes walking a helmet-to-helmet hit at
through the French Quar- a crucial point in the final
ter and Mardi Gras Indians minutes of regulation time.
wearing finely beaded cos- The Rams went on to win
tumes. the game and then lost to
Tuesday marks the final day the New England Patriots in
of the Mardi Gras season, the Super Bowl.
which began Jan. 6. NFL officials acknowledged
After rainy weather affect- after the game that flags
ed some parades Sunday, should have been thrown.
the weather Tuesday was But judging by the number
cold but sunny. People — of Saints fans dressed up as
some of whom came out blind referees during the
before dawn to get a good Mardi Gras season — and
spot along the parade again on Tuesday — fans
route — bundled up under here have neither forgiven
multiple layers. Tempera- nor forgotten.
tures in the New Orleans The Title Float rolls down Napoleon Avenue as the 1,600 men of Bacchus present their 32-float One parade featured a
area were in the 30s and Mardi Gras parade entitled “Starring Louisiana” on the Uptown route in New Orleans on Sunday, walking group called the
40s Tuesday morning. March 3, 2019. “Robbin Refs” who wore
Lorenzo Bridgewater of Associated Press referee outfits and black
Slidell, Louisiana, got to the but the walking group that St. Charles Avenue fol- to get one. Tuesday’s Rex masks. On the back of
parade route at about 4:30 he led for years still meets lowed by the Rex Parade. parade is also expected to their uniforms? A photo of
a.m. to get a good spot. at Commander’s Palace Zulu’s practice of wearing feature a stop at “The Rex Goodell with a red clown
“I doubled up my jeans, restaurant and walks along black makeup during its House,” despite a fire that nose. TheKrewe d’Etat
doubled up my socks. I’m the parade route ahead of parade has drawn atten- heavily damaged the his- parade featured a float
wearing a sweater under- the parades. Lance Pierce, tion and criticism after news toric mansion. The home called “Willful Blindness”
neath this and underneath of Leonardtown, Maryland, that two Virginia politicians along St. Charles Avenue with a blind referee on the
that a thermal with a shirt got up early ahead of the wore blackface height- has been an important front holding a cane. Many
over it. So I’m pretty lay- rest of his friends to make ened attention nationally stop along the Rex parade parades have also fea-
ered up,” he said. sure he saw the group. to the issue. Zulu issued a route since 1907, and the tured yellow penalty flags
The festivities kicked off ear- “I enjoyed watching Pete statement in February say- Rex king usually stops at the as throws.
ly in the morning with the before he passed, coming ing their parade costumes house during the parade. On Tuesday, some of city’s
Northside Skull and Bone down here and playing so bear no resemblance to A fire on Feb. 20 caused TV personalities got into
Gang walking through the that’s my thing. Everyone those worn by “blackface” massive damage to the the fun. WVUE television
Treme neighborhood be- else is kind of sleeping in, minstrel performers at the three-story, 150-year-old personalities riffed off the
fore the sun was up, wear- taking it easy, getting their turn of the century and mansion whose occupants “no-call” theme with one
ing costumes that look costumes ready to go. But that their costumes are de- over the years include four of them wearing a referee
like skeletons and waking I like to come out here and signed to honor garments kings and a queen of Rex. outfit, another dressed as a
people up to celebrate watch the guys come by,” worn by South African Zulu This year’s Carnival season clown with an NFL shirt on
the day. Another crowd he said. warriors. Zulu’s custom- also has featured numerous and another dressed up
favorite is Pete Fountain’s Then the Zulu Social Aid designed coconut throws jabs at the NFL and its com- like a robber and holding
Half-Fast Walking Group. & Pleasure Club pa- are perennial favorites with missioner Roger Goodell, what appeared to be the
The clarinetist died in 2016 rade along the city’s famed fans who vie for the chance over the now-infamous Vince Lombardi trophy. q

Professional wrestler King Kong Bundy dies at age 61

Associated Press was Christopher Pallies, Bundy had guest appear-
GLASSBORO, N.J. (AP) was born in Atlantic City, ances on the sitcom “Mar-
— King Kong Bundy, the New Jersey. The 458-pound ried ... with Children,” in
6-foot-4 (193-centimeter) (208-kilogram) wrestler which the family on the
professional wrestler best made his World Wrestling show shared the Bundy
known for facing Hulk Ho- Federation debut in 1981. name. He left the WWF,
gan in WrestleMania 2, has He faced Hogan in 1986 which later became World
died. He was 61. in a steel cage match at Wrestling Entertainment, in
Bundy died Monday, said WrestleMania 2, which Ho- the late 1980s but returned
promoter and longtime gan won. WWE said he was in 1994 as part of The Million
friend David Herro. He post- one of the “greatest ... big Dollar Corporation, a group
ed on Facebook : “Today men to lace up a set of managed by “Million Dollar
we lost a Legend and a boots.” Man” Ted DiBiase.
man I consider family.” The Hogan tweeted he was Bundy had been planning
cause of death and other This image provided by the WWE shows professional wrestler “overwhelmed” by Bundy’s to appear next month at
details were not disclosed. King Kong Bundy. death. “R.I.P. big man until WrestleCon in New York
Bundy, whose real name Associated Press we meet again. HH.” City.q