---
date: '2020-02-15'
layout: page
title: 'King Freret IX'
---

In 2020 I was [King Freret IX](/2020/02/25/mardi-gras.html).

The local press [introduced me as "His Majesty"](https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/article_d6a70bc4-395f-11ea-93c6-8f7514e1fd3f.html) and [covered the parade](https://uptownmessenger.com/freret-fills-uptown-with-the-music-of-new-orleans-photo-gallery/) more times than I care to track down. The national press was conspicuously silent on the matter.

France 2 sent journalists to cover our parade as part of their mid-day news. I am intereviewed briefly in the first and last of their daily segments:

(As of August 2023, these videos are missing from France TV's site. If they don't return, I will eventually find a place to host the copies I downloaded.)

The [February 24th introduction](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/culture/musique/jazz/la-nouvelle-orleans-toute-en-couleurs_3839553.html) starts with our Krewe, profiles [Margarita Bergen](http://www.livingneworleans.com/?p=10852) and one of the Lucha Krewe dancers, and concludes with my arrival.

<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//embedftv-a.akamaihd.net/443e6fae73b2f3acd42c880b3dab3981" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe><figcaption><a href="https://translate.google.com/?tl=en&text=L%27esprit%20de%20la%20Nouvelle-Orl%C3%A9ans%20souffle%20d%C3%A9j%C3%A0%20sur%20sa%20majest%C3%A9%20et%20sa%20valisons.%20La%20f%C3%AAte%20va%20pouvoir%20d%C3%A9coller.#view=home&op=translate&sl=auto&tl=en&text=L'esprit%20de%20la%20Nouvelle-Orl%C3%A9ans%20souffle%20d%C3%A9j%C3%A0%20sur%20sa%20majest%C3%A9%20et%20sa%20valisons.%20La%20f%C3%AAte%20va%20pouvoir%20d%C3%A9coller.">L'esprit de la Nouvelle-Orléans souffle déjà sur sa majesté et sa valisons. La fête va pouvoir décoller.</a></figcaption></figure>

The [second segment](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/mardi-gras-une-tradition-francaise-exportee-a-la-nouvelle-orleans_3840989.html) gets into some neighborhoods, history, and Bobby giving a tour of our floats.

<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//embedftv-a.akamaihd.net/1cb3d4a4ca56b1a8a8aa94974fec4312" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>

The [third](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/culture/patrimoine/mardi-gras-un-business-juteux-pour-la-nouvelle-orleans_3842239.html) surveys costuming, king cake, and the amazing [Lucha Krewe](https://www.instagram.com/luchakrewe/).

<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//embedftv-a.akamaihd.net/9d1ad5b0dddc62e1f2fef84d6757999d" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>

The [fourth](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/carnaval-de-la-nouvelle-orleans-des-traditions-heritees-de-l-esclavage_3843673.html) covers the indians, Krewe of Cork walking parade, and Original Illinois Club debutante ball. You can see me being Bobby's personal audience at the end.

<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//embedftv-a.akamaihd.net/8575cb36b881bde50c94116e1e2a980d" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>

The [final segment](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/carnaval-de-la-nouvelle-orleans-au-coeur-des-defiles_3845335.html) on February 28th is all about our parade day.

<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//embedftv-a.akamaihd.net/39e3285723e53b707de1fb4329cc1bff" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe><figcaption>Your King appears about two minutes in.</figcaption></figure>
