The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 7, 1991 - Page 7
I
Gays, straights party together
by Karen Sabgir
Two local bars, the Nectarine
and the Blind Pig, provide a niche on
the nightclub scene for members of
the Ann Arbor gay and lesbian
community as well as a good time
for members of the straight
community.
The general manager of the Nec-
tarine, Mike Bender, said that Boys'
Night Out also attracts groups of
straight women who just want to
come and dance. "They don't have to
worry about playing the social
game," Bender said.
"Occasionally we'll do shows,
and now and then we'll do some
contests," Bender said, referring to
the annual Miss Nectarine Contest,
an opportunity for males to cross-
dress. "We also have gay male
strippers, Chippendale-type stuff."
Bender praised the regular crowd
that comes to Boys' Night Out.
"As a rule they're of fairly discre-
tionary income. They have legal pa-
tronage to the Nectarine."
However, occasionally the Nec-
tarine gets negative feedback from
the public for having two gay
nights. "Some people have the
mindset that it's a homo bar and
won't come here," Bender said. He
said, however, he would rather that
Local clubs offer variety of
alternative entertainment
those kinds of people just not come.
"It helps me weed out the fools."
At the Nectarine the gay nights
are all planned "in house" - no
outside organizations are involved.
The Nectarine reciprocates the loy-
alty of the gay community with
several benefits and financial con-
tributions to gay organizations.
"The House of Chanel is an or-
ganization that uses the club as a
venue to promote gay night," said
Blind Pig manager, Todd Headrick.
They hire the entertainment and
place advertisements in gay
publications.
The House of Chanel is a male
organization, a "big family of
'A gay dollar is just as good as a straight
dollar. It's for everybody'
- Tony 'Chanel'
House of Chanel
several categories: best attitude,
best costume, best oral response
from the crowd, and best runway
walk. Tony came away with the
Grand Diva 1991 title.
More than 400 people showed up
for the ball, a benefit for the Well-
ness Fund. All of the money raised
went to patients with AIDS.
On various Gay Entertainment
nights there are door prizes, trips
being given away, and themes, pro-
viding people with something dif-
ferent to do. "We have a ball ... we
just have fun," Tony said.
This Tuesday there will be a ben-
efit to send Karen White, Miss Gay
Michigan, to Texas to compete in
the Gay Miss America contest.
Other themes include toga parties,
an Old Fashioned Hoe Down and a
masquerade ball.
"Attendance varies, but it's been
good so far. It depends on what
other bars are doing," Tony said. He
estimated that at least 60 people
show up each Tuesday.
Like the Nectarine, the crowd is
not limited to just gay men. The
Blind Pig welcomes both gay and
straight men and women. "A gay
dollar is just as good as a straight
dollar. It's for everybody," Tony
said.
AP Photo
Twenty-one gun salute
Indonesian Armed Forces members raise their guns in a military salute
during Saturday's Armed Forces Day celebration. A military plane
carrying participants in the celebration crashed, killing all 132 aboard.
Seven years ago the Nectarine
started having gay nights on Tues-.
days, calling them Boys' Night Out.
By 1987 there was a demand for an-
other night later in the week, so
they added Fridays to their schedule.
Tuesday evenings of Gay Enter-
tainment at the Blind Pig are orga-
nized by an outside group, the House
of Chanel.
friends," said member Tony
'Chanel'.
The House of Chanel makes sure
that there is more to do at the bar
than just dance and talk to people. In
September, they held a vogue ball
called the Fan of the Flames before
the premier of the film Paris is
Burning. In a contest which was
held, participants were judged in
*Students: undercover party patrol must go
by Travis McReynolds door. Some people were asked to students are also scared off by un- the officer would ask to see II
D, then
Representatives from the Greek
system and members of the College
Democrats met with Councilmem-
ber Bob Grady (D-3rd Ward) last
night to discuss increasing conflicts
with the Ann Arbor Police De-
*partment over student parties.
Discussion focused on the party
patrol and undercover cops at fra-
ternity parties.
Five years ago, the police set up a
patrol in the campus area on week-
epds to monitor parties, Grady said.
"The party patrol was formed as
an effort to take underaged drinking
more serious," Grady said. "They ...
issue noise violations and alcohol
*rlated tickets when appropriate."
This year, police added under-
cover officers to the party patrol.
Officers enter parties posing as stu-
dents, then issue tickets to minors
consuming alcohol.
"In a way, it's a good thing,"
said Bruce Nameorow, a Business
School junior representing his fra-
trnity. "Our house has cut down on
noise and excessive drinking at our
*parties. But now, police are still en-
tering our parties and giving out un-
justified tickets."
In an effort to control underage
drinking, Nameorow said his frater-
nity started checking IDs at the
sign an affidavit declaring they do
not work for the police.
Many students commented party
attendance has fallen.
"What happened this year is stu-
dents rioting on South U. instead of
partying at fraternities," Name-
orow said.
Fraternity Coordinator Joe Fos-
ter said this has to do with the
colder weather and increased
schoolwork. But, he added, many
dercover police.
Foster said earlier this year, the
police received 40 noise complaints
- six for fraternities. This past
weekend, there were six noise com-
plaints and only one was for a fra-
ternity.
Undercover officers are still at-
tending parties. One Greek represen-
tative said an undercover officer
took control of a beer keg and was
pouring drinks. After filling a cup
issue a ticket if the person was a mi-
nor.
Grady agreed there are problems
with the use of the undercover offi-
cers.
"I think undercover operations
are legitimate. Drinking by minors
is against the law and needs to be
dealt with," Grady said. "But the
business of officers entering with-
out an invitation and giving unjusti-
fied tickets is a problem."
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The
Michigan
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