Culture Jamming: Santa jams with Bambi...
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Culture Jamming is when people take cultural icons and turn them upside down.
For many years now, Santarchy (or Santacon) has been just such an event where ordinary people dress up as santa and partake in various non-santa like activities including excessive drinking, xxx-carolling, santa stripping and naughty gifting.
Originating in San Francisco, it is now in 30+ cities around the world and while these santas jam many holiday aspects, there is also a good naturedness to it that is still very christmasy… Ho-Ho's are hearty, gifts are freely given and the christmas cheer is contagious.
In New York City… With 700+ santas storming the streets, bars, parks and
subways of NYC, ours is a big red spectacle like non other. Bringing joy to
practically all encountered, our hoh-ho's are most welcomed wherever we go.
Not just Santas, there are many different seasonal/ holiday/ pop culture stylings making this one of the most delightful costuming events year-around. Truly a Christmas tradition now.
Long time participants in santacon, the Kostume Kult arts collective felt extra edgy and had its own culture jam in mind…
Posing as NARSLA, the North American Reindeer-Santa Love 
Association,
two kultists had created another in their growing series of "Art Karts".
Much like the "Merlion" from the Mermaid Parade, they had created
a "Bondage Bambi" shopping cart artpiece.
As their story went… "Bambi is all grown up now and, due to a troubled childhood has now descended into the seedy world of drunken santa love". Supposedly "a long-time submissive" these santas had bound and gagged Bambi and forced her to wear antler horns as their mascot and "spokes-reindeer". The ball gag she was wearing [choking on] was made from a Christmas tree ornament and the golfball+google eyeballs bulged from her head. It was unsettling in a "no you didnt" sorta way.
But,
I am afraid, that was not all… The final assault was the mode by which
the NARSLA team was gifting chocolate kisses… Hershey hghway all the way!
Yes, the spectacle raged… Throughout the day, exceedingly drunken santas (and elves, and snowmen, and chickens, and…) had their way with the wincing beast. Bambi and her "gifts" were a hit with the participants while she delighted and horrified passers-by in equal proportion. The pictures are … Unique.
The full day of Santa Madness brought many new faces and traveled about Manhattan.
We saw Central
Park, Times Square and the inside of more than a few drinking establishments.
We played on swings, danced with street bands and descended en masse into the
subway stations delighting and frightening the other passengers… (and yes,
they let Bambi come into the subway).
Favorite santas included Mr. Frost, the menorah beddazled "Chanukah" and Poodle skirt santa. There was a santa convict, santa kong and huge bear wearing a santa suit. Chanuka Chicken and Chanuka Harry were fighting with Harry proclaiming that the Chicken… "Isn't even Jewish!"…
Bambi's
day got blurry as she flirted her way into the various bars along the way…
She two-wheelied several dance floors and dispensed many a' kiss. At one point
she davinned in front of the "Mitzvah Tank" bus. The night ended,
most appropriately, at a strip joint on Rector street, where, after being parked
outside for a while, ~20 empty nitrous canisters were discovered in her nethers.
Yes, Bambi had quite the day.
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LINKS:
Bambi photogallery, santacon.com, santarchy.com
Also, if you have any good ideas for culture jams , please Inspire
Us.
