Some longtime Hoedowns patrons are upset Charlie Brown’s drag show is part of the country bar’s regular schedule of events, but management says the shows bring in money to keep the bar open. (Photo by Bo Shell)
Showdown at Hoedowns? Co-owner assures patrons bar’s changes will not stampede country roots
Recent
changes
at
gay
country
bar
Hoedowns,
including
the
addition
of
a
drag
show
and
a
$5
cover
charge,
have
some
longtime
patrons
upset
with
what
they
perceive
as
a
turn
away
from
the
15-year-old
bar’s
tradition
as
one
of
the
few
such
bars
in
the
nation.
But
its
owner
and
dance
instructors
insist
country
music
and
dancing
will
always
be
part
of
the
bar’s
mission,
and
that
only
a
few
people
are
upset
with
the
changes
they
say
are
helping
keeping
the
bar
open
and
successful.
“It’s
as
country
as
a
ton
of
greens,
and
it’s
going
to
stay
that
way,”
said
Ben
Elliot,
a
co-owner
of
the
bar
who
came
on
board
in
March
and
is
responsible
for
bringing
Charlie
Brown’s
drag
show
to
the
venue.
He
is
also
bringing
in
gay
comic
actor
Leslie
Jordan
tonight
and
has
slated
Jordan
for
monthly
appearances
at
the
bar
as
part
of
a
rejuvenation
of
the
venue.
Elliot
added
the
club
is
in
talks
with
stars
such
as
Delta
Burke
and
Dixie
Carter
from
“Designing
Women”
to
perform
at
the
bar
as
well
as
hosting
a
“Midnight
in
the
Garden
of
Good
and
Evil”
event
during
Atlanta
Pride
weekend
starring
Lady
Chablis.
Leigh
Broschat
and
her
partner,
Pam
Simmons,
gold
medal
winners
in
country
dance
at
the
2006
Montreal
World
Out
Games,
teach
dance
every
week
at
Hoedowns
and
welcome
the
changes.
“We
now
have
dancing
every
night
of
the
week,
but
the
drag
show
brings
in
the
revenue
stream,”
Broschat
said.
“If
you’re
going
to
tell
me
close
Hoedowns
or
have
drag,
I
say
bring
on
the
drag.”
Several
anonymous
e-mails
sent
out
last
week
from
“Country
Line
Dancer”
denounced
the
changes
at
Hoedowns
and
were
sent
to
officials
with
the
International
Association
of
Gay/Lesbian
Country
Western
Dance,
which
is
planning
the
“Peach
Stampede”
competition
in
Atlanta,
May
25-27.
The
anonymous
e-mail
warned
the
dance
group
of
what
it
deemed
as
Hoedowns’
negligence
to
the
country
dancers
who
frequent
the
bar,
devoting
space
and
time
to
Charlie
Brown’s
drag
show
instead.
A
request
for
“Country
Line
Dancer”
to
go
on
the
record
with
his
or
her
name
for
this
article
was
not
answered
by
press
time.
Elliot
of
Hoedowns
chastised
the
e-mailer
for
not
going
on
the
record
and
said
he’d
been
told
by
many
others
the
e-mail
represented
only
a
small
portion
of
the
local
gay
country
and
western
dance
scene.
“Anytime
you
make
a
lot
of
changes
at
one
time,
there’s
going
to
be
backlash,”
Elliot
said.
Scott
Schrank,
part
of
Southern
Line
Atlanta
who
will
participate
in
the
upcoming
Peach
Stampede,
said
the
negative
e-mail
would
have
no
effect
locally
on
the
dance
group’s
partnership
at
Hoedowns.
Convention
Director
Jim
Chakeres
of
Columbus,
Ohio,
said
the
event,
being
held
for
the
first
time
in
Atlanta,
has
been
assured
by
Hoedowns
management
that
they
will
be
welcomed
with
open
arms
—
and
plenty
of
country
music
and
dancing.
“We
are
aware
of
the
new
ownership
and
they’ve
assured
us
that
we
won’t
see
anything
different,”
Chakeres
said.
“To
date
we
have
nothing
to
indicate
to
us
Hoedowns
will
not
be
a
country
venue.”
Several
longtime
Hoedowns
regulars
are
upset
with
the
recent
changes,
such
as
Charlie
Brown’s
drag
show,
because,
they
say,
it
takes
away
from
the
bar’s
uniqueness.
“I
used
to
go
at
least
three
times
a
week
until
about
six
months
ago,”
said
Brett
Panepento,
37,
who
has
been
a
Hoedowns
patron
for
more
than
10
years.
“But
with
the
changes,
I
just
don’t
feel
like
it’s
the
same
bar
we
all
enjoyed
going
to
exists
anymore.”
Tobi
Ames
has
been
going
to
Hoedowns
about
four
times
a
week
to
dance,
but
the
drag
shows
take
away
dance
time,
she
said.
“Drag
really
doesn’t
belong
in
a
country
bar
—
it
takes
away
from
its
dancing
and
its
image.
This
has
been
a
home
and
community
for
so
long
for
many
people,
but
who
are
we
now?”
she
said.
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