Key West Florida Weekly

BARTENDER OF THE WEEK

Mark Watson: Hail to the King



Mark Watson behind the bar at Aqua Nightclub, left, and with fellow royal, Jodyrae Campbell, right.

Mark Watson behind the bar at Aqua Nightclub, left, and with fellow royal, Jodyrae Campbell, right.

As we sat at the back bar at Aqua swapping stories about the celebrities we’ve met, Mark Watson recounted a story about Justin Long, the Jeepers Creepers/Dodgeball/Live Free or Die Hard/Alvin and the Chipmunks actor, who frequents Key West on occasion (and in fact was here barhopping a few days this past week).

“I was waiting on him and Drew Barrymore at La Te Da back when they were dating. They were there to see a show I had been in but it wasn’t playing at the time. He said, ‘Mark, this my girlfriend, Drew.’ I asked them if they would like a drink, and they politely declined. I said, ‘Well how about a shot then?’ Drew said, ‘Makers Mark?’ So I poured them one about like this (three fingers deep). They said, ‘You call this a shot?’ And I said, ‘Welcome to Key West.’

Mark was born and raised in Mount Airy, N.C., where he lived until he was 18 years old. He graduated from the University of North Carolina with a double major in speech communication and dramatic arts and a minor in feminist theory. Off and on during that time and over the period of 15 years, he performed in regional theater in Charlotte, Raleigh, Daytona, Orlando and Naples. “I did a lot of Shakespeare and musical theater,” he said.

He moved to Key West in 1998. “I’d always vacationed down here,” he said. “A best friend in New York was murdered and I was deeply depressed, so I came down here for Fantasy Fest. A friend said, Why don’t you move here?’ I went back, quit my job, packed my dog and everything I had and moved to Key West.”

Mark’s first job was selling boat trips on the Fury Catamaran. He did time at Mile Marker Zero selling reservations and at the Southernmost Mansion. He did the Broadway Three-Way Musical Review at La Te Da and worked at the now defunct Keys Piano Bar, catty-corner to La Te Da. But, he said, “I’ve worked at Aqua ever since it opened, 13 or 14 years ago.” And that’s still where you can find him now.

Aqua is a premiere drag club conveniently located at 711 Duval Street that features Reality is a Drag shows with the Aquanettes: Inga, Elle, Maya, Jessica and Faith, who often spend parts of their act playing around out in the audience. The shows are fun, usually raucous, and a quintessential part of Key West life. If you go, expect a close-up experience if you are seated in the dance floor area. Or, if you’d rather admire the show from afar, take a back seat. For a glance at Aqua’s entertainment calendar, visit www.AquaKeyWest.com.

Mark is also an actor who does stage work whenever he can, and is a successful writer, having written a play, “The Times,” produced for the 2006 Waterfront Playhouse lineup. He was also the 2015 Fantasy Fest King, opposite Queen Jodyrae Campbell.

When he’s not at work, Mark’s hobbies include “… drinking. I also like to get out on the water and I love to travel,” he said. “I love England. I love London.

And St. Bart’s. I’m going to Sweden in

April.”

Mark can be very politically inclined and is not afraid to be quite vocal in his political views, online or in person.

One of his best moments was meeting

Gloria Steinem, quite understandably, since he minored in feminist theory. “It was so cool. I met Martina Navratilova at Bobby Marrero’s balcony watching the Fantasy Fest Parade one year. I talked with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his new wife for an hour before I realized who he was, and I still have her phone number in my phone. I sent him a happy birthday text, and she texted me back ‘thanks.’

“But, still, the best is bonding with Drew Barrymore later on that same night of doing Makers Mark shots over a trash can at the Bottle Cap. She went first. Then, not wanting her to feel awkward or left out, and being a gentleman, I joined her.” Ah, memories that will last a lifetime.

You can meet Mark at Aqua Night Club on Duval Street, either bartending or serving, on Tuesdays from 5:30 till 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays at the back bar from 5 till 10 p.m., Thursdays from 6 till 11:30 p.m., or on Sundays from 8 till 11:30 p.m. ¦

Aqua Nightclub 711 Duval Street www.aquakeywest.com


 

 

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