He eats terribly. He drinks like a fish. He never has any money—if an employer won’t give him time off for an event, he simply quits. He’s tumbled through a second-story plate glass window at The District Hotel. He’s been run over by a car. He’s been struck by lightning—twice. It’s almost incomprehensible that “Mayor of Gay Oklahoma City” Floyd Martin has made it to 60, but the community is grateful that he has.
The first meeting of Chris Andoe and Floyd Martin in 1993. Floyd and a gentleman caller streaked the apartment complex later that evening.
The community loves Floyd because Floyd loves the community. He seems to know everyone who has ever passed through Oklahoma City’s LGBTQ scene and, like a mother hen, keeps track of their lives as they scatter. Through his social media posts, he beautifully weaves past and present, regularly paying tribute to those who have passed—some decades ago—keeping their stories alive and introducing them to new generations.
And he keeps his audience engaged because he’s wildly entertaining. I’ve quoted him many times over the years, including in a 2023 Riverfront Times cover story where I mentioned his longtime feud with “Tiger King” Joe Exotic.
“Joe’s relationship with [The District Hotel, formerly The Habana Inn] went south when he left three lion cubs in a room,” Floyd said. “You can imagine, at an all-gay hotel, what I have seen through the windows over the years. However, these cubs were hilarious and put on quite a show. A large group of us stood around watching as they pulled the curtains down and destroyed that room.”
Years ago, while celebrating his birthday in Las Vegas, Floyd recalled the second time he was struck by lightning. An elderly drag queen named Arnold Lee lived a few blocks from the 39th Street District and hosted afternoon cocktail parties in her yard.
“The next thing I remember, I’m looking up and Arnold Lee is bent over me,” Floyd recalled. “She said, ‘Floyd, you’ve been struck by lightning. You need to go in the house and smoke a cigarette. When you get struck by lightning, you’re supposed to smoke a cigarette.’”
Floyd said he did just that. “But I’ve looked that up since, and I’ve never found anything saying you’re supposed to smoke a cigarette after getting struck by lightning!”
The celebration takes place this Saturday at Angles. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the show will start promptly at 7:00. I’ll be hosting alongside the outrageously funny Angel Hamilton, and more than a dozen entertainers are slated to perform.
Even if you’ve never met Floyd, it’s never too late to become part of the family. Everyone is invited to celebrate—and the Mayor is always happy to accept birthday donations.
CashApp: $MayorFloyd
PayPal: [email protected]
Venmo: Dyton-Martin
Chime: $Floyd-Martin-23
