Mardi Gras - Classic or Dud?

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Carnival season kicked off in earnest on Friday. Living in New Orleans, I hate Mardi Gras and pretty much everything about it. I'm curious as to how you guys see it. Is it mindless commercialized debauchery or a joyous celebration of the human spirit? Is it a giant tourist trap or a legit religious tradition? And WHOSE DUMB ASS IDEA WAS IT TO HAVE THE SUPER BOWL HERE? Horrible embarrassing Mardi Gras stories are also welcomed.

― adam, Sunday, 27 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'll start--I don't really have any horrible embarrassing Mardi Gras stories 'cause I try to stay home these couple weeks but my most traumatic MG experience was having a float carrying Whoopi Goldberg get stuck in front of me for like half an hour and looking at her in person is like staring directly into Sauron's fiery vagina. Fascinating but terrible etc.

― adam, Sunday, 27 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

sydney's mardi gras sucks 17 different types of ass too - we went last year for the first time, for a celebration of gay and lesbian and queer culture, there's a hell of a lot of straights who are just there for a freak show and to point and lauigh

― goeff, Sunday, 27 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

New Orleans Mardi Gras mainly represented on British TV by women flashing their tits for 'beads' (and flashing their bushes for 'bigger beads').

― N., Monday, 28 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't see how it can be as good as the Ottery St Mary tar barrels. Only ten and a bit months to go, barrel fans!

― Tim, Monday, 28 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pancakes are better than any amount of tit-flashing.

― Ed, Monday, 28 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How about flashing of chests that are flat as a pancake? With maple syrup!

― N., Monday, 28 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, I think there's a club on Bourbon that offers that. It's just down the street from "Wash a Dirty Girl" place.

― adam, Monday, 28 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

twenty-four years pass...

happy fat tuesday y'all

― Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 18 February 2026 00:31 (one month ago)

in sweden they eat cardamom cream puff thingies

https://watchingtheswedes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/img_2131.jpg

― Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 18 February 2026 00:33 (one month ago)

Funny to read the OP, the New Orleans people I know all get very into Carnival, but I’ve always assumed there are residents who hate it. Kind of like living in a college football town if you’re not a football fan.

We were just down about a week ago, saw a lot of parades, had a lot of good food and drinks, heard good music. I love New Orleans at all times of year, but Mardi Gras season is really fun. Especially the earlier weeks, when it’s more of a local celebration (though still plenty of visitors like us).

― paper plans (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 February 2026 01:45 (one month ago)

I have zero interest in parades and debauchery so Mardi Gras in New Orleans has never held any interest for me, but I went to a swell potluck tonight with red beans and rice and etoufee and such, and later to a band playing NOLA classics where I had a couple hurricanes. So that I dig.

― cinematic hobo hip-hop rock ‘n’ roll blues-jazz soul-review (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 18 February 2026 03:57 (one month ago)

I unfortunately walked into a local pub to pick up a pizza and there was a Tennessee blues band wearing all Mardi Gras colors and playing just absolutely the least competent version of "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" I've ever heard, just murdering it. Made me sad. But I only had to stay long enough to get the pizza.

― paper plans (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 February 2026 04:05 (one month ago)

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