Senator's Log: July 14th. 8AM. New Orleans. A place rich in diverse culture. A gumbo of international flavor that gives the city it's ambiance. Known for Mardi Gras during carnival but today it was time to pay homage to the tradition in Pamplona, Spain. It was time for El Encierro (bull run).
Thousands of people would converge on the Big Easy to test their strength and endurance while avoiding the ferocity of the bulls running rampant across the streets. It is run at your own risk. Throw in the added party atmosphere and you have a powder keg of humanity ready to explode at any moment. With the that much intense emotion no ordinary photographer could handle this sitution.
An assignment so dangerous, so deadly that only one man could pull this off. That man is Senator Roberto Del Rio. Known to many as El guapo fotógrafo Insane or The Insane Handsome Photographer. There is not much information on this mysterious individual. Those close to him tell me that he is a solid photojournalist, a fan of Licha Libre Wrestling in Mexico, and an admirer of Roller Derby. Guess he has a thing for beautiful women who deliver hip checks while wearing fishnets on roller skates. This will truly be a test of his skills. This is what he brought back and I'm sure he'll want to be a part of this tradition for years to come.
You remember that, “Holy crap this isn’t real” moment I had back in December? Well I can officially say that it happened. It is real and man it is a great feeling. Never in my wildest dream would I be holding an Emmy Award let alone two of them. First let me give praise to God, without the him none of this is possible. Thanks to mom for pointing me in the right direction in life. Thanks to everyone with The 13th Gate & Red Stick Roller Derby for welcoming me with open arms and for allowing me the privilege of telling your story. And eternal gratitude to all of my friends, co workers, and peers in Television, Journalism, & the Media for helping me become the professional that I am. Thanks y’all I couldn’t have done this without you.
Now that one objective in a long career has been achieved it’s on to the next one. After all the quest for the unicorn named “Eleanor” continues.
Some will break your heart. Others will just break you in half. All live a fast life where left turns and hip checks are the way of the land. They are tough. They are quick. They are determined to knock out any obstacle, or any one, that would dare get in their way of total dominance of a flat track. There are sugar, they are spice, and they could probably kick your ass. It’s a good thing that I’m such a lovable character. I mean how else you think I could get this close to the ladies of Red Stick Roller Derby. Actually it was by chance. That and a tour of a famous house in Downtown B.R. got me access to a hidden gem in the Capital City.
Who knew three years ago that the ongoing revival of a sport, thought more of as entertainment during the 70’s and 80’s, would be enjoying success and while creating a loyal core of fans wanting lots of action from ladies dawning alter egos while wearing a pair of roller skates. The action is grueling. It is intense. It is fierce. It’s something right up my alley. You ask what the fixation between me and the Derby Ladies?
We all know my curiosity. I always feel that there is more than meets the eyes. So the five month trek began. From the Baton Rouge, to Lafayette, then Houston I followed them to see what made this revival of a sport so popular. Questions that can be answered best by those whose experience it. Questions like why do you do this? What do you do when the skates aren’t laced up?
It took awhile for all of this to come together and judging by all the reviews it was worth the energy.
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