Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Thea Jackson’s Frozen Mas Redux It only gets better, and maybe a little warmer too! Two weeks ago, the Caribbean Camera told readers about costume maker and carnival leader Thea Jackson’s trip to the far north, where she, along with Calypso singer Edwin Yearwood and DJ DOC (Doc Wright), presented the first-ever Nunavut Carnival Launch Party in Iqaluit, the capital city. The coverage of that event almost broke the counter on this reporter’s social media pages, so when Thea Jackson told us she was going back one more time, we conscripted her photography services for round two of the far north costume party. She and DJ DOC (Doc Wright) returned to Iqaluit during the Easter break. Edwin Yearwood didn’t make the trip this time. The city sits on the vast frozen Baffin Island in Frobisher Bay. Over 8,000 people live there, many of whom are of Caribbean and African descent. “Travel there was great this time; no flights were cancelled,” explained Thea Jackson. “I flew into Ottawa and then...

    Black Tape Or Not this Rated R Section Will Be Turning Heads on the Parade Route By Stephen Weir The biggest question of the spring wasn't about the revealing costumes that the Rated R section will be wearing on the road at this August's Grand Parade. It was whether anyone would be brave to actually sign-up and join in. Imagine revelers confidently dancing down the Lakeshore, cracking whips. They will be adorned in black and purple S&M-inspired fishnet costumes, with optional black X tape covering their nipples and super small silver codpieces to ensure legality. Their full-contact performance will be truly captivating. "Yes, of course we sold out!" exclaimed Thea Jackson, the leader of the R-Rated section. "We received a fantastic response and actually have about 60% American participation, which I love. It's evident that those who choose to wear this costume are incredibly comfortable in their own skin and enjoy pushing boundaries. However, we also ...

                 Rated R!!! Section Thinks So   by Stephen Weir It is not as though section leader Thea Jackson didn’t warn people who attended the weekend Revellers Costume launch that her section was going to be an “adults only” catwalk show. In the days leading up to the Park View Manor fete she sent social media notices saying that “When you just know you are everything I will be presenting to you the Rated R!!!! (section),” she wrote. “For 2023 my section is NOT for the weak!”   It turns out she wasn’t kidding! Picture four models snapping whips as they came onto the stage. Black and purple skimpy S&M inspired fish net costumes with black taped breasts, and small silver codpieces to keep it all legal, they put on quite the full contact performance. “The 500+ crowd went crazy when my section came out on stage,  it Is not seen in Toronto  so they loved it,” reported Jackson, “ It was well received, I...