Fang Banger?

It took me almost a month of stalking at Blockbuster to finally get my hands on the first two episodes of Trueblood. Almost every one of you bloggers have taunted me with a few spoilers, or at least enticed me to want to watch this series.

I am just a wee bit creeped by the fact that more than one of today's vampire tales come from the Louisiana swamps. These are my stomping grounds. Great fishing, GREAT FOOD, good people, Electric MUSIC (we call this swamp boogie), and lastly really strange characters on occasion. The next time I go to New Orleans, I will venture to "that" neighborhood, and take a few pictures of the self proclaimed blood suckers for all of you to see. Of course I know that vampires don't exist. Right? They don't ya'll Right? I am a very logical person, and reason most things as it's the trend right now.
However, for years before these tales ever hit the mainstream there have been our "campfire" Louisiana vampire stories. Is this the circle from where these writers feed? Furthermore, are they capitalizing on the doubt that each of us around those campfires have had at one point or another.
New Orleans is all things Voodoo, and some natives of New Orleans have some really strange trains of thoughts. Some just simply state, that people are strange, especially in New Orleans. That's my main theory, but I'll be "dadgum" if there aren't certain aspects of these stories that don't ring a bell.
For instance, drainers. Drainers are another claim from The Voodoo capital of the world. In the voodoo shops of The French Quarter, a vampire's blood is touted to cure impotency in men, and thrush in babies. It's $6.99 for a small vial. Of course, I'm never going to drink anything sold in a small vial off Bourbon street, but the correlation is odd to say the least. I have long since considered it common knowledge that the collectors of this blood are called Drainers. Even knew a "drainer" when I worked in New Orleans, and just blew it off, as some sore of mental oddity that he sold himself as such. I've heard this claim since I was a "wee little one." There is no way it could be a reference from these series.
Clairvoyants (defined as those able to sense things beyond normal senses), simulates to the Gypsies of Jackson Square. Creepy I tell you. Creepy.
Marketing majors of the Swamp South are jumping all over this, as in recent tourism ads, they are have been flashes of these vampire trends. Did any of you remember the movie with Lisa Bonet called Angelheart? Try and rent sometime, and you'll see what I mean. Very authentic Big Easy culture.
Off the subject for a second, Halloween in New Orleans will leave chill bumps on your arms. Promise, strange seeps from the woodwork that night. This year KISS and Eminem will be performing in City Park. On the posters advertising this there is a large declaration at the bottom that states, "NON-SEASONED NEW ORLEANS TOURISTS SHOULD NOT ATTEND THIS EVENT!" Now what marketing mind would ever warn potential spenders of danger? Only in New Orleans.
Two things even in two episodes of Trueblood that are not authentic. The food served in the restaurant where Sookie works. In the swamp we don't do burgers and fries. Come on LA people. It's crawfish, shrimp, and fish. We don't use ketchup either, it's Crystal Hot Sauce Ya'll. Get a Grip!
Secondly, the "accent" coach for Rene needs to be fired. That is the worst interpretation of Creole I have ever heard. A beautiful, and sexy language made to sound down right handicapped. Get an authentic, caramel-skinned, brown-eyed, muscled bound Cajun to play this part, and watch the ratings soar a little.
My last bit of realism tied to fantasy is this little statement that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Certain women who are Gothic in NO, refer to themselves as Fang Bangers. These women live in what's called the Marigny, and have what I believe disfigured themselves to appear to have been bitten by a vampire. My friends in New Orleans when I worked there called them Fang Bangers. It is really odd to hear that term used on HBO twenty years later. Something to think about it.
Despite all this creepiness I am hooked, or should I say I have been bitten, again. I really want to read this series. I have found it on EBAY for cheap and am bidding away. I dropped out of the Twilight saga after the first book.
We'll see where it goes. Anyone want to come visit and me, and aide me in a supernatural research series about the Big Easy. Come on ya'll don't be scared it's not real. Right?
Love,
The Bumpkin