AUSTIN, Tx. – Mayor Joel Robideaux exchanged the mean streets of Lafayette to the slightly less mean streets of Austin this past weekend, as he attended SXSW to stand on the street and remind people that Lafayette is the new Austin.
Donning a chest piece Sharpie tattoo, a $150 Bart Simpson tank top and other various cheaper items from the Goodwill on Bertrand, Robideaux arrived in the West Texas city on Saturday full of enthusiasm and ready to spread the word.
Armed with some glossy leaflets on how Lafayette is practically going to overtake Austin any time soon in terms of culture, forward thinking, bands you’ve never heard of and food trucks on every corner, he spent most of the weekend hitting the UoT campus before moving further South to the Downtown area.
“Hey folks, just a reminder that Lafayette over in Louisiana has plenty of space for y’all”, he was reported to have told passers by, “We’re the new Austin, y’know. Yep, we’re practically the same. All the cool dudes and dudettes at Artmosphere tell me all the time. We even have Caffe Cottage. Here, take a pamphlet.”
“You hip, rad young’uns would fit right in. We have thrift stores and everything. Hell, we even have a groooooooooovy movie theater and PBR at every legal drinking establishment. No weed though, please. That’s not allowed.”
Mayor Joel headed back to Lafayette today, allegedly feeling like his recruitment mission was overall successful. It is yet to be seen whether or not any Austinites make the jump East, however. But why wouldn’t they? We’re the new Austin.
