Gay Bingo Shows America's Progress

Wow! This is certainly not the Texas of my childhood. Back in those days, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, being gay could get you sent to prison. But not anymore.

Gays and lesbians are becoming an accepted part of our culture more every day. Even though the wingnuts and fundamentalists would still like to deny equal rights to gays, many Americans are ready to accept their fellow citizens, no matter what their sexual orientation happens to be.

As evidence, I submit to you the following article printed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The writer did such a great job with the article, I did not want to paraphrase his excellent writing. Therefore, I have just reprinted the article for your enjoyment.


By JOHN AUSTIN
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

It's hard to imagine having a bad time playing bingo.

After all, the skills needed to be competitive make Old Maid look hard, and you can drink and talk to your friends during the game.

But the good times may have gotten even better, thanks to the sponsors of GayBINGO, now in its fifth year in North Texas.

"A lot of the players dress up in costumes," organizer Henry Ramirez said. "It's a different theme every month."

Run by the Resource Center of Dallas, GayBINGO takes place at the Lakewood Theater in Dallas. Proceeds benefit programs at the John Thomas Gay & Lesbian Center in Dallas. The games are one of the center's top money-raisers and typically generate $7,000 to $9,000 per month, Ramirez said.

The games are hosted by characters who bill themselves as Patti LePlaeSafe and Jenna Skyy, who open the evening with a couple of dancers and a show.

In addition to 15 bingo games, there are free chips and salsa, roller-skating drag queens and special guests, as well as giveaways for events such as Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey concerts, donated by Texas Tickets.

This month's theme is The Fairytale GayBINGO.

"You'll probably see lots of princesses," said Dallas resident Joe Hoselton, aka Jenna Skyy. "It's a great time."

Naturally, players don't play it straight: Instead of the usual parallel rows, winners can count on cards with sassy patterns that fit the monthly themes.
"With the fairy tale, you've got to make a glass slipper," Ramirez said. "In October you had to make a witch's broom."

At one recent show, Skyy dressed as a mermaid and sang Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, then shed his undersea togs as he segued to Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls.

Ramirez said the audience is typically 30 percent to 40 percent straight.

Players are sent to "jail" for calling a bad bingo or for not silencing cellphones and must pay fines to leave.

"A lot of straight women throw their husbands in jail," Ramirez said. "It's a $20 donation to get out of jail."

Money doesn't necessarily do the trick, however.

"If the husband is really, really cute, I might end up making 'em take their shirt off" to get out of jail, said LePlaeSafe, whose civilian name is Rodd Gray.

Gray, who was Miss Gay America 1995, has also been known to confiscate the offender's cellphone, call the owner's mother and require the jailed bingo player to explain where he is.

"And then I'll hold up the phone and make the audience yell, 'We love you, mom,'" he said. "In most cases the mom is quite supportive."

Crowds usually number more than 500, LePlaeSafe said. Patrons may order food, and there's a bar.

Ramirez said that with games in Houston and Dallas, Texas now hosts two of the five or six games he knows of nationwide.

Meanwhile, LePlaeSafe is ready for Saturday's games.

"I have a new costume," LePlaeSafe said. "I'm gonna be a queen."

What: GayBINGO

Where: Lakewood Theater, 1825 Abrams Parkway, Dallas

When: 6 tonight. No December game is scheduled; play resumes Jan. 20 featuring costumes from Grease.

Cost: $15 for 10 games; $20 for all 15 games

Tickets or information: 214-528-0144 or www.rcdallas.org/gaybingo/