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 BREAKING NEWS from your humble Professor!


REX BREAKS TRADITION
 by Professor Carl Nivale

(New Orleans, LA) In an unprecedented move, the School of Design (also known as The Rex Organization) and the Riverwalk Mall have announced that this year the identities of Rex and his queen will be announced at 6pm during the mall's annual Lundi Gras celebration. This is the first time in the organization's 138 year history that the identities of the royalty have been announced before Fat Tuesday morning. Traditionally, Rex and his queen are featured on the front page of the Times-Picayune's Mardi Gras edition. Since 1987, Rex's arrival at the Riverwalk has been the final prelude to Shrove Tuesday. With this innovation in the traditions of a krewe which stands for tradition, the move is seen by some as tacitly acknowledging the waning power of the daily print media, while others see it as the organization''s growth into the 21st century. If the reception for the move is successful, the decision to announce on Lundi Gras will be permanent.


SATIRICAL KREWEDELUSION MAKES DEBUT FOLLOWING KREWE DU VIEUX; HARRY SHEARER TO REIGN!
by Professor Carl Nivale

(New Orleans, LA) The brand new krewedelusion makes their Carnival debut on Saturday, 30 January following in the wake of the bawdy Krewe du Vieux parade which winds through the Faubourg Marigny and the Vieux Carre as the first parade of the season in Orleans Parish. Like its predecessor, the krewedelusion is comprised of 10 sub-krewes, or innerkrewes as they are called, including such popular groups as the Krewe du Jieux, The Noisician Coalition, and the The Camel-Toe Steppers. To inaugurate the new parade, television & film star and public radio personality Harry Shearer will serve as the krewe's first "Le-King-at-Large & New Orleans Captain", a position that Krewe Captain Oscar Diggs lives up to the title.

“Where most Krewes appoint royalty to govern the pomp and circumstance of parades and balls, and most of our democratically elected leaders limit their administrations to similar fundraising endeavors, krewedelusion intends to truly empower its leader to govern. Govern everything. Period. Case closed.”

The krewe will keep the theme of the parade a secret until the day of their march, a treasured Carnival tradition. Krewe Captain Diggs also states that krewedelusion is the root organization from which they anticipate other fascinating groups to grow, such as the innerkrewe of The Allkrewists. This group is made up of those who came to New Orleans to contribute to the recovery efforts of the city following Katrina, and ended up loving the city and staying. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will headline the bands marching with krewedelusion, their first appearance on the streets since the funeral for New Orleans musician Tuba Fats.

4pm on 30 Saturday, the party begins in Architects Alley between Port St. and St. Ferdinand Street in the Bywater. The parade starts right on the heels of Krewe du Vieux, and ends at The Maison at 508 Frenchmen St. for the Celebration of Grandeur. The Celebration of Grandeur is open to the public, with discounted tickets for costumed revelers.

For more information, visit their website at: www.krewedelusion.org or find "krewedelusion" on Facebook.



NEW ORLEANS' BROADWAY STAR DAVID BOLOGNA NAMED
GRAND MARSHAL OF ADONIS ON "SUPER SATURDAY"
by Professor Carl Nivale

(Austin, TX) Tony Award-nominated actor and former Orleanian David Bologna has been named Grand Marshal of the Mystic Knights of Adonis parade, rolling on the West Bank on Feb. 6th, 2010. Master Bologna originated the role of Michael in the Broadway premiere of the multiple Tony Award-winning Elton John-Lee Hall musical Billy Elliot,and was nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

A world-class Irish dancer since he was a child, Master Bologna was a popular child actor during his tenure in New Orleans theatre, originating roles in the New Orleans premieres of Seussical, The Musical (Jo-Jo) and Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Chip). Master Bologna is the son of Rick & Holly Bologna, and brother of graphic artist Ben Bologna, who designed the special coaster throws for his younger brother's reign.

Master Bologna and the Mystic Knights of Adonis will be rolling on what is being called Super Saturday. Due to the distinct possibility that the New Orleans Saints football team will be competing in the Super Bowl, the Krewe of Alla has moved its parade to Feb. 6th, and will be rolling on the West Bank following the krewes of Choctaw and Adonis.




MARDI GRAS INDIAN COUNCIL IN UPROAR OVER WWL NEWS STORY
by Professor Carl Nivale

(New Orleans) Comments made by Carnival expert and WWL correspondent Prof. Carl Nivale have stirred controversy in the Mardi Gras Indian community regarding news of a divide within the tribes. During his 14th annual Twelfth Night appearance on WWL-TV's Morning Show, The Professor told host Eric Paulsen that there had been a long-standing rift between the younger chiefs and the older chiefs now presiding over what is being called the First Mardi Gras Indian Council. Citing growing dissatisfaction with the First Council's performance record concerning the preservation and enrichment of their history, a new Council has been formed, calling itself The Circle of Light. This revelation brought several of the Chiefs to the Morning Show on Jan. 12th to repudiate the report.

The Mardi Gras Indian Council was originally formed in the late 1950's after a highly-publicized hatchet attack during Carnival brought unwanted national attention, focusing on the Indians' violent history. Media coverage and public pressure convinced the New Orleans Police Department to start investigations into permanently halting their annual gatherings. For nearly 30 years, the original council existed to help the tribes navigate the ins and outs of the New Orleans civil, judicial, and legal systems, and hopefully keep their members out of trouble. On Aug. 7th 1987 the council registered officially as a 501(c)(3) corporation with the simple mission of promoting and enriching the history of the Mardi Gras Indians. Since then, several factions within the tribes have been unhappy with the First Council's work and have attempted to either replace them or form councils of their own. The most notable of the 3 previous attempts came in 1992, the year of Glad Yo'Kum, the famous Meeting of the Big Chiefs which proclaimed the unity of the Mardi Gras Indian nation. A second council formed that year directed by New Orleans musical icon Bo Dollis Sr. That council actually succeeded in supplanting the First Council in November of 1997 when the First Council's charter was revoked. Less than two years later, the Second Council would also have its charter revoked by special request on Feb. 11th, 1999. For 6 months the Mardi Gras Indian Nation had no council at all until the First Council returned with a new, rewritten charter on Aug. 3rd, '99. A third attempt in 2000 was mostly unremarkable. That council's charter was revoked in 2003.

On the Twelfth Night broadcast, Prof. Carl Nivale spoke about the formation of a new council calling itself the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians Circle of Chiefs, or The Circle of Light. The Circle of Light became a chartered 501(c)(3) corporation on Jan. 7th, 2009.

On Tuesday's Morning Show, host Eric Paulsen spoke with members of the First Council, headed by Chief Casby who adamantly denied any so-called rift within the tribes, though there were some vague references to younger chiefs 'doing some things'. Throughout their interview the council members repeatedly proclaimed the complete unity of the Mardi Gras Indian community even as they challenged those who had problems with the Council's work to "bring it to the table." When questioned by Paulsen about the new council, First Council members said they did not recognize any other council, reiterating the unity of the tribes.

Currently, only 15 of the estimated 44 tribes in the New Orleans Indian Nation are represented in the First Council.

(Thanks to Willie & Marion Clark of Mardi Gras Digest for their assistance with this story.)
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