As part of the Pantheon of Leather XXI and International Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather Contest 2011 weekend, in Los Angeles, the first weekend in August, deserving individuals, organizations, and events were admitted to the Pantheon of Leather, founded by Leather Journal Publisher David Rhodes, in a ceremony at the Sanctuary Studios LAX on August 5. Adult film director and star, Eagle LA Mr. Leather 2009, and member of the Los Angeles Band of Brothers Jasun Mark served as MC and also sang Canadian national anthem “O Canada,” which was followed by the “Star Spangled Banner.” Nicholas Lugo and Michael Klyn interpreted the proceedings in American Sign Language.
Judges were 2010 Pantheon of Leather Community Service Award recipients Jeffrey Payne, Jo Arnone, Charlie Matula, Sir Top and slave bonnie, Alexander Henryk Wisniowski, Greg “McG” McDowell, Don Leach, Sir Andy Liu, Karen “Ultra Domme” Crecelius, Tim Starkey, Dr. Jack Fritscher, Lamalani Siverts, Stan Alexander, Randal Kinnear, Archer, Jeff Hyde, John D. Weal, Miss Rae, Riley Black, Steve Ward, Cowboi Jen, and Hardy Haberman.
Recipients for 2011 were Master Tony Palazzo, winning the Canadian Award; Matt Wolf, the Florida Regional Award; David Watt, the Great Lakes Regional Award; Brandon Riley, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Award; Charlie Scheonherr, the Midwest Regional Award; Danny Winters, the New England Regional Award; this writer, the Northeast Regional Award; Andy Mangels, the Northwest Regional Award; Roger Hunt and Lance Holman, sharing the Northern California Regional Award; Leigha Fleming, the Rocky Mountain Regional Award; Dan Perry, the South Central Regional Award; Thomas Smith, the Southeast Regional Award; Richard Denton, the Southern California Regional Award; Jaco Lourens, from South Africa, the International Award; Kevin aka The Stern Hart, from Philadelphia, and Nancy Irwin, the Community Choice Awards; Master Oliver Pratt and pup Sparky, the Couple of the Year Award; Dr. Lawrence Burden, Master Mike Zuhl, and Jill Carter, of the [Jill] Carter/[Vi] Johnson Leather Library, the Mr. Marcus Hernandez Lifetime Achievement Awards, named for San Francisco’s late longtime B.A.R. (Bay Area Reporter) columnist; and redwarrior and Master Taino, the Woman and Man of the Year Awards.
David Rhodes bestowed his Pantheon of Leather President’s Awards on West, a woman active in the Southern California Leather Community; Bo Blaze, of The Eulenspiegel Society, active in the New York and New Jersey Leather Communities; Andrew Love, from Salt Lake City; and Chuck Rodocker, owner of the venerable Chicago bar Touché.
Organization and event awards went to Tribal Fire, for Small Event of the Year; Spearhead’s 40th Anniversary Ball, in Toronto, for Large Event of the Year; AIDS Action Baltimore, for Small Non-Profit Organization of the Year; the Leather Archives and Museum, based in Chicago, for Large Non-Profit Organization of the Year; South Florida boys of Leather, for Small Club of the Year; and the Chicago Hellfire Club, for Large Club of the Year.
The evening also included a parade of Leather club colors; introduction of the nine Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather contestants vying the following night; and a jokey “saliva contest,” in which three contestants vied to give the best tongue bath to shirtless hunk Kurt Wendelborg, Mr. San Diego Leather 2011.