Gays and the Bingo Craze
Did you know that there is a bingo craze sweeping the Twin Cities LGBT community? Yep. And almost every LGBT bar in the area has started some sort of bingo event in recent months.
The craze began years ago. Mother Pearl, a large man in a pink nun costume, drunk on scotch, used to call numbers at the Brass Rail. The Tuesday night event packed the Brass Rail. The gaming commission made them change the name to bango, creating the informal slogan "Bingo with a Bang with Mother Pearl. Then the Brass Rail got sold, and Pearl made her way down to the Saloon.
The Saloon now hosts Big Prize Bingo with Mother Pearl on Wednesdays at the Saloon during happy hour. Much of the boisterous crowd that came to her Brass Rail gig are now at her new bingo night.
The Brass Rail is still doing bingo on Tuesdays from 9:30 pm to 1 am with proceeds from associated activities ("the lunchbox" used to have a patron strip down for money, now patrons can spank the host for money) benefiting PrideAlive at the Minnesota AIDS Project.
Not to be outdone by the two big bingo bars on Hennepin Avenue, the Gay 90s is now hosting Mega Bingo on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Patrons can win up to $2000 nightly. Proceeds go to the MS Society.
Perhaps the most popular bingo in town is at Pi Bar and Restaurant. Dildo Bingo, hosted once a month, benefits the Trans Youth Support Network. Hosted by the Smitten Kitten, patrons can win environmentally friendly, chemically safe sex toys.
If you are across the river, Innuendo has Free Biz-R Bingo. I don't know what that means, but sounds like it could be fun. The Townhouse has perhaps the highest prizes for its bingo on Saturday evenings with $2000 in prizes and a $2000 progressive jackpot. Proceeds benefit Animal Ark.
I don't think Camp, 19 Bar or Jetset have started a Bingo night yet, but rumor has it the Eagle/Bolt will be starting bingo on Thursday nights.
That's a lot of bingo.
5 Comments
Leave a comment
Tips? Events? News? Please share them!
Email me
andy.birkey@gmail.com
" title=""> ()
What can we say? We gotta bingo.
Andy:
Great article, but some things are a bit misleading. The recent bingo craze didn't start until after Pi began Dildo Bingo...take a look at old issues of Lavender and see for yourself. When Dildo Bingo was so popular, all the other bars jumped on the bandwagon (the Saloon may have been doing it longer, but it didn't really get hot with other bars until Dildo Bingo began packing the house at Pi). Big props to Tara and Go Go Pimp Tif for starting the craze.
The Smitten Kitten doesn't HOST Dildo Bingo, Pi hosts, The Smitten Kitten simply donates the prizes. Also, this month's recipient of the proceeds is Trans Youth Support Network, but it differs each month. It's always some queer youth related organization, and in Pi's first year, they have already given away over $17,000 to various organizations.
And finally, Dildo Bingo is the last Thursday of every month....so tomorrow!
I don't doubt that Pi helped the Bingo craze get going, but the Brass Rail's widely successful Bingo night was going on for several years before Pi was even a dream. I think a Lavender article in 2004 or 2005, I can't remember when, generated some interest as well.
At any rate, Pi's dildo bingo has been very popular and I think deserves some of the credit with the Bingo craze, but Mother Pearl has definitely left her mark and the Bingo Craze too.
back in the late 80's, every sunday rumors used to have adult bingo with lotti. i won a cooler once that i still have to this day.
b-4.....before what you old whore! those were the days.
Or, B1... you are one you old bitch. hehe.