eastwest
Mar 31, 02, 7:36 pm
I'm not sure you all want to hear a straight man's view of the gay scene in ANC, but wharvey encouraged me to post a review here, so I will. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif
For my Psychology class (Human Sexuality) this semester, we are required to visit two events in the community that are related to the class that we would normally not attend. I chose to attend a performance of The Vagina Monologues and to go see a drag show at Mad Myrnas.
eastwest's thoughts on Mad Myrna's.
Mad Myrna's is located on 5th Ave on the eastside of downtown. It's a short walk from most of the major downtown hotels. If you get on 5th and go east you can't miss it. It's very near the Sheraton. The front door is not used -- you have to enter through the back. (I don't know if its supposed to be a joke "enter through the back" or if its a security thing or a privacy thing or what . . . but that's how it works.) There is free parking (somewhat limited) around the back as well.
I arrived at 8pm and there was no cover and the place wasn't busy. It's fairly big with a bar in the main room along with pool tables and pin ball and darts. There are two side rooms one of which has a stage and is used for performances. I was there for the 9pm drag show.
The drag show is two hours and is from 9pm until 11pm on Friday nights. I was told that it attracts a mixed crowd (maybe 60% gay and 40% straight) but the bar at other times is almost exclusively gay.
Between 8 and 9 the bar filled up quickly and the show was standing room only. I'd recommend you arrive no later than 8:30 if you want a seat and even earlier if you want a good one.
I've never been to a drag show except this one time so it's difficult for me to make comparisons. My general thoughts were that it was quite fun, that if you are straight and sitting in the front (like I was) you need to have a good sense of humor as you will be made fun of quite a bit. The show wasn't classy by any stretch and to the contrary, people were encouraged to get drunk and expose themselves (several did just that) and to generally behave rather lewdly. I enjoyed the flashing girls but it was difficult to ascertain who was gay and who was straight. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/confused.gif
After the show, I went back out to the main bar room and it was packed. The straight crowd seemed to clear out rapidly and over the next hour or so the place took on a very gay feeling. (No offense meant, I just don't know how else to explain it.)
There was dancing in both rooms and the music and lights were pretty cool. I was getting hit on a lot and the place seemed like a meat market -- lots of same sex couples making out, lots of people picking up on people, lots of alcohol everywhere.
After I had a chance to talk with a few of the performers (who were all quite agreeable to being interviewed) I left.
Other random observations/notes:
-The gay community in ANC is fairly underground. This bar is about as "open" as it gets and its the only one of its kind in Alaska.
-Out of a dozen or so performers, there are two that actually live as transsexuals outside of the club.
-There were women dressed as men as well as men dressed as women in the show.
-People tipped the performers but there wasn't any "pressure" to do so.
-The bar doesn't have a great draft beer selection.
-The bathrooms are tiny.
-I got the impression that meeting people to pay for sex goes on there. It was somewhat discreet but I'm pretty sure I saw some deals being made.
-Overall the people were pretty friendly. Security was present but not overbearing. There were no fights or angry yelling. The police didn't show up at all.
I hope this is informative and if it's offensive, I apologize. Please feel free to post comments, criticisms, questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.
Your FT friend,
-eastwest http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif
For my Psychology class (Human Sexuality) this semester, we are required to visit two events in the community that are related to the class that we would normally not attend. I chose to attend a performance of The Vagina Monologues and to go see a drag show at Mad Myrnas.
eastwest's thoughts on Mad Myrna's.
Mad Myrna's is located on 5th Ave on the eastside of downtown. It's a short walk from most of the major downtown hotels. If you get on 5th and go east you can't miss it. It's very near the Sheraton. The front door is not used -- you have to enter through the back. (I don't know if its supposed to be a joke "enter through the back" or if its a security thing or a privacy thing or what . . . but that's how it works.) There is free parking (somewhat limited) around the back as well.
I arrived at 8pm and there was no cover and the place wasn't busy. It's fairly big with a bar in the main room along with pool tables and pin ball and darts. There are two side rooms one of which has a stage and is used for performances. I was there for the 9pm drag show.
The drag show is two hours and is from 9pm until 11pm on Friday nights. I was told that it attracts a mixed crowd (maybe 60% gay and 40% straight) but the bar at other times is almost exclusively gay.
Between 8 and 9 the bar filled up quickly and the show was standing room only. I'd recommend you arrive no later than 8:30 if you want a seat and even earlier if you want a good one.
I've never been to a drag show except this one time so it's difficult for me to make comparisons. My general thoughts were that it was quite fun, that if you are straight and sitting in the front (like I was) you need to have a good sense of humor as you will be made fun of quite a bit. The show wasn't classy by any stretch and to the contrary, people were encouraged to get drunk and expose themselves (several did just that) and to generally behave rather lewdly. I enjoyed the flashing girls but it was difficult to ascertain who was gay and who was straight. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/confused.gif
After the show, I went back out to the main bar room and it was packed. The straight crowd seemed to clear out rapidly and over the next hour or so the place took on a very gay feeling. (No offense meant, I just don't know how else to explain it.)
There was dancing in both rooms and the music and lights were pretty cool. I was getting hit on a lot and the place seemed like a meat market -- lots of same sex couples making out, lots of people picking up on people, lots of alcohol everywhere.
After I had a chance to talk with a few of the performers (who were all quite agreeable to being interviewed) I left.
Other random observations/notes:
-The gay community in ANC is fairly underground. This bar is about as "open" as it gets and its the only one of its kind in Alaska.
-Out of a dozen or so performers, there are two that actually live as transsexuals outside of the club.
-There were women dressed as men as well as men dressed as women in the show.
-People tipped the performers but there wasn't any "pressure" to do so.
-The bar doesn't have a great draft beer selection.
-The bathrooms are tiny.
-I got the impression that meeting people to pay for sex goes on there. It was somewhat discreet but I'm pretty sure I saw some deals being made.
-Overall the people were pretty friendly. Security was present but not overbearing. There were no fights or angry yelling. The police didn't show up at all.
I hope this is informative and if it's offensive, I apologize. Please feel free to post comments, criticisms, questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.
Your FT friend,
-eastwest http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif