NEWS FROM THE NATION'S CAPITAL MAL Roundup by Wayne Nesbitt From L to R: Ken Snowden - First Runner Up, Mr.DC Eagle 97-98, and Second Runner Up - Doug Gatewood This year The Centaur's Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend was a blast. Duh -- like every year. The Centaurs did their usual kick-ass job but it was even more exciting this time because as a judge I got an up-close and personal look at the contestants, and was in on all the action. There were over 2000 leathermen and women from all over the world and that's a conservative estimate -- I'd say it's really more like 2500 at least. There were 13 contestants all very hot and most of them actually had brains! During pre-judging the panel was quite impressed with the quality and candor many of the contestants displayed. They made selecting the winner very difficult. In the end Dean Ross, a firecracker from Ottawa snagged the sash, Austin Masters from L.A. was first runner-up and Mark Innocenzi from NY was second runner-up. All are fine leathermen and great choices. Also gracing the MAL stage was Gary Vandeventer, Mr. Iowa Leather 98 who competed with me at IML 98. He has just moved here to join the Washington area leather community. Nice job, Gary! The judging panel consisted of outgoing MAL 98 (and current IML) Tony Mills, Joseph Bean longtime leather author, advocate, and now director of The Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago, Magan DeJarlais our current International Ms Leather, Lenny Broberg IML 92, Joanne Gaddy IML Office Mistress, Jim Bennet owner of Lambda Rising, and myself. Frank Nowicki did his usual outstanding job entertaining the crowd and keeping the flow of the contest upbeat and festive. Frank should also be commended for his gung-ho attitude. He actively recruited several of this year's contestants. The now famous Centaur leather cocktails was absolutely jammed and Dougie Gowin AKA Santa Claus out did himself with the amazing set design - an art deco fantasy complete with a deco cityscape skyline parts of which were 3-D, and art deco figures bearing spherical light fixtures - spectacular! The other traditional highlight of the weekend, the opening number for the contest was a charming yet sensuous romp in which 3 three Twinkies are transformed into leathermen - can you say sweaty half naked men writing to a disco beat? Fun! All the contestants were brought out on stage all tied up in royal blue ropes and steel chains - in their jocks of course! Mmmm, baby! Of course the lobby of The Washington Plaza was it's own leather happening and inspite of my very busy schedule… well let's just say a certain red haired bear from San Francisco kept me busy for quite a while. Did I say bear? Maybe I should've said pig! Woof! Well, that's the story from MAL headquaters. Ya'll come back now, ya hear?