Like A Boss: Taking Over NOLA At The GQ Party

This photo says it all.

After a week of working radio row and getting out and about in New Orleans (I’ll save the poetic and haunting account of the battle between good and evil that I received for another time), it was time to suit up one last time and put a punctuation mark on the pre-game activities. I was ready to unwind and enjoy an appearance by Lil Wayne. He was everywhere during Super Bowl week, and Lil Wayne’s performance was the centerpiece at The Elms Mansion.

My Saturday had already included an interview with Alyssa Milano for my FOX Sports Radio show, an extended stay at a Verizon store in support of a colleague who had had his iPhone swiped the evening before (I can’t do the story justice here) and a celebration of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was time to decompress and celebrate the end of a fantastic, whirlwind week. What better place than a mansion where the sports and entertainment worlds collide?

I rolled up to the mansion, spotting the bright lights of the red carpet and feeling that thump in the chest from the loud bass from the DJ. The iconic GQ logo trumpeted your arrival, and a heavy strand of football-themed beads connected you to the larger New Orleans community.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the Mercedes-Benz sitting under the lights. I slowly circled the car, one of the stars of the evening. My inspection ended with a quick encounter with Kate Upton.

Wait. That probably reads back as an inspection of Kate Upton. You can embrace that thought. It was a quick hello, my second straight Super Bowl with a Kate Upton appearance. Can I get the hat trick in New York?

Anyway, guests were treated to a bevy of bite-sized New Orleans favorites and a couple of signature drinks. I introduced myself to the Beck’s Sapphire and “The Onyx,” a drink based on the Patron XO Cafe Trequila (Tequila plus coconut milk) before heading to the printing press. Lacoste had set up an instant screen printing process to produce a t-shirt emblazoned with the sponsors’ logos.

And, of course, the lead photo for this piece says it all. Attendees posed in front of the Patron banner with a hat/instrument combination and made digital magic while receiving an instant keepsake. It was an evening filled with great food and spirits, but everything stopped when Lil Wayne hit the stage. The energy when he hit the stage some 15 feet in front of me was intense. You saw flash after flash as his performance continued with people bouncing, dancing and singing along. It represented the best-dressed pit in music history.

I figure that I have 12 months to get my style ready to take on New York next February. I can’t wait to see what GQ unveils for the next iteration.