Strong Silent Types The Colt 45’s celebrate 25 years of helping the community

Calling themselves a "brotherhood of charity," the Colt 45’s are the sort of organization that feels like it’s always been there, its Western-garbed members a quiet presence at so many fundraising events–as they celebrate their 25th anniversary this year, they come pretty close. Even more amazingly for this behind-the-scenes organization with only 17 members, they hit the $1 million mark this year in funds given to the community.

The Colt 45’s were started in 1976 as a social club; members were required to own a full compliment of boots, leather vests, and hats. They became an official non profit in 1981 and soon thereafter started the AIDS Trouble Fund.

The Colt 45’s work closely with many other community organizations–Miss Camp America, the National Leather Association, Diana Foundation, Halloween Magic, the Krewe of Olympus, and especially the Royal Sovereign and Imperial Court of the Single Star of Houston. Jerel McNeil, current Colt 45’s president, says he’s been in Houston for 20 years and seen the way the organizations work together.

"Certain times the economy is low, donations get really low, and when that happens we can help each other out," he says. "That’s basically the way the culture is set up. The MCA fund just gave us $9,800 for Stone Soup. That was a shocker, when I got up on stage and got that check."

This helpful camaraderie is not found everywhere, according to McNeil. "I was once emperor of the Imperial Court," he says. "When I was traveling around the country, I saw the state of the organizations in other cities. They haven’t learned to work together, to pool resources. The Houston community–whether it be leather, drag, transgender–we here in Houston can work together."

Brian Martin, one of the Colt 45’s two vice presidents, chimes in. Originally from St. Louis, Martin says, "There’s not the unity there that we have here. This is the first community I’ve been in where everybody interacts with everyone."

Now the Colt 45’s members focus on three efforts: the AIDS Trouble Fund, their $18,000 annual pledge to the Stone Soup fund, and the Till Thacker III Memorial Fund (named in memory of a past Colt 45’s member). They raise money through their fall carnival, a Christmas show, and a June show at the BRB. Members volunteer their time and pay for all expenses, so any money raised goes directly to those who need it.

So dedicated to helping where it’s needed, the Colt 45’s have experienced their share of the community’s losses. Norm Seguin (stage name Norma Jean) died of a heart attack two years ago when he was doing a Colt 45’s show at the BRB. ("He died with his Colt brothers," Martin said.) The BRB sports a glass case with the sheriff’s-style badges of all past Colt 45’s officers. When a member passes away, they put a black stripe across the badge. Over one-third of the badges in the case carry black stripes.

It’s amazing and inspiring that such a small group of men can do so much–and seem to do it with willing good-natured enthusiasm.

"I was so impressed with what the Colts did when I first learned about them," says McNeil, who is serving his second term as president, even though he suffered severe appendicitis on the day of their big spring anniversary fundraiser. "It’s a bug, I just can’t stop."

Says Martin: "The feeling of when you give without a selfish thought, it’s just a high." –

The Colt 45’s annual Fall Harvest event is Sunday, November 18, at the Brazos River Bottom, 2400 Brazos; light buffet 6 p.m., show "A Celebration at the Yellow Rose Saloon," 8 p.m. $5 donation. For information on the event or the Colt 45’s, call Jerel McNeil at 713/524-3688.

Obituary: Creath Robinson

Creath Robinson passed away October 16. He died in his sleep, and the cause is not yet determined. He had just celebrated his 47th birthday on October 1.

Robinson had been a familiar face in the Houston community for the past 30 years. He was a co-founder the Misfits social club, along with Bill Havard. He served as chairman of the Houston Council of Clubs, which organizes the "Let Us Entertain You" weekend. In the past he has been president of both the Colt 45’s and the Garden Party. He had been quite active in the leather community; he was the current Mr. Prime Choice, was the radio host of KPFT’s late-night "Leather Line," and had hosted Texas Drummer and Bare Chest, among other events. He owned Big Dog Leather custom leather.

The son of Charles Wallace Robinson and Mary Marjorie King, Robinson was born in San Antonio, and grew up in Three Rivers, which is midway between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

"Creath’s favorite saying was ‘evil spelled backwards is live,’" said his close friend Jim Nixon, "–and that’s how he lived his life."

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Robinson’s name to the Houston Buyers Club, 3400 Montrose Blvd, #605, Houston, TX 77006.

Black Tie Dinner

The 2001 Black Tie Dinner, "And The Beat Goes On," will be held November 17 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, with an expected attendance of almost 1,400 people.

This year’s featured keynote speaker is Alec Mapa, best known for playing Vern in Some of My Best Friends. The Advocate featured Mapa in honor of National Coming Out Day (October 11), since he is, as they write, "one of the few out gay actors playing a gay character on television–and one of the sauciest."

"When I came out [professionally]," Mapa told The Advocate, "I realized it really wasn’t going to make any difference [in my career]. All these people kept telling me, ‘You’re going to limit yourself,’ and I was like, ‘Why? I’m not going to get to read for all those really good roles they’re writing for heterosexual Asian males under 5 foot 5?’"

The Black Tie Dinner will give their humanitarian award to Kevin Davidson for his work with H.A.T.C.H, and their political award to State Senator Rodney Ellis for his work on the Hate Crimes Act.

The always-popular Houston Gay Men’s Chorus will open the dinner with a tribute to our country. Sharon Montgomery and Charlene will provide entertainment keeping with the ’70s theme of the dinner.

The Houston Black Tie Dinner began in 1988 when, at the request of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, Jay Hollyfield, Gene Harrington, Monte Frost, and Scott Holman hosted the first dinner in the wine cellar of Tony’s Restaurant. The dinner grew, and in 1993 incorporated as the Black Tie Dinner, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization intended to raise and distribute funds to both local charities and to a national beneficiary. Throughout its life, the Black Tie Dinner has distributed over $1.2 million to community organizations.

For information, please call Gail Swinney at 713/529-4426.

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day has been observed since December 1, 1988, in response to the need for greater understanding and education globally. Throughout the world, AIDS has already claimed 22 million lives, and in some countries the disease is spreading so rapidly that more than one-third of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS and more than 10 million people, ages 15-24, are living with HIV/AIDS. Young people under the age of 25 represent half of all new HIV infection cases, and, every minute, five young people are infected with HIV.

NAMES Project Houston will observe World AIDS Day with a Friday, Nov. 30 candlelight march and AIDS Quilt panel dedication ceremony. The candlelight march begins at 6 p.m. at the NAMES Project Learning Center in Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose, C-140, and ends at the Menil Collection, 1515 Sul Ross, a 7 p.m. ceremony in which new quilt panels will be dedicated and entrusted to the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The NAMES Project is also hosting Houston's Tree of Remembrance at its learning center Nov. 30. Family and friends of those who have died from AIDS can visit the center and hang a memorial ornament on the tree anytime from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 713/526-2637 or stop by the center, Saturday and Sundays, 1—5 p.m.

The Houston Buyers Club is sponsoring a World AIDS Day Health Fair on Saturday, December 1, 10 a.m. at Bering Church, 1440 Harold. Featured will be national AIDS expert Lark Lands (see interview p. 46). Call 713/520-5288 for information. more

AIDS Foundation Houston will hold their annual World AIDS Day luncheon on Friday, Nov. 30, 11:30 a.m., at the Houstonian Hotel. Sponsored by Wells Fargo, the event will honor society columnist Shelby Hodge. For tickets or more information, call 713/623-6796 or visit www.aidshelp.org.

Goodbye to the Little Room Downstairs

We’re sad to report that the Little Room Downstairs Theatre has been forced to close its doors.

Although the theater was struggling, with box office receipts down $10,000 from last year, a full season was planned. But then on October 10, just two days before opening night of Over the River and Through the Woods, the fire marshal dropped by. He found so many items that weren’t in compliance with code in the old rented building that founder/director Richard Laub decided it was time to gracefully bow out. "We had a good run. It’s really been about seven years–that’s a pretty good run for theater in Houston."

Laub tried to find other venues in which Little Room could continue their season, but nothing worked out. "We just don’t have the money," Laub said. "The theater is definitely closed."

Little Room has always been dedicated to gay and lesbian scripts, although it had expanded its range in recent years. "We had decided to make it broader," Laub said. "Instead of just focusing on gay and lesbian issues, we were expanding it to include human rights issues in general.

"But the gay audience that we built stayed with us as subscribers," he continued. "The majority of the subscribers at the end were gay."

The Little Room Downstairs is very much Laub’s baby, and many of the plays and musicals produced were his own compositions. "We did some things that I’m really proud of–it’s something I’ll take with me, it’s very much a part of what I’ve become as both a creative person and an administrator."

After living in Houston for 20 years, Laub says he plans in December to return to the northeast, which is where he’s from originally.