OUTSIDER

In January 1965, when I was on leave from the ship USS NEWPORT NEWS in New Orleans, wandering around the French Quarters, with a official paper of bars officially Off Limits for Naval Personal, which was my guide where to go, I ran into this lady, Gypsy Lou Webb.  She had art on display for sale and uniquely she had a magazine THE OUTSIDER and a row of TRUMP Magazine hanging on a clothes line held on by clothes pens.

I don’t remember much about her, except she was in her own little world and didn’t care if we spoke or not.  I was impressed because of the TRUMP Magazines.  TRUMP was edited and illustrated by my heroes Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, and Jack Davis (the original creators of MAD comic book) _I bought two TRUMPS and the OUTSIDER Magazine with Gypsy Lou on the cover.  After I got it I saw that she and her husband were the editors, publisher, and main writers.    It also had beat poetry by well known poets of the time.

Later, when the late Joe Stewart and I became email pen pals I knew he loved New Orleans and shared with him my pictures of New Orleans.  He was very impressed with the picture of Gypsy Lou Webb.  She had her own fan base the beat world.

I suppose I was near greatness and didn’t ooh and ahh.  She might have appreciated that.