His profile on Twitter (@BaphometOKC) describes “a kindly, evil demon lord” who is looking for tolerance, equality and a place in Oklahoma City … on the state Capitol lawn.
Yes, we know it’s some real dude pretending and hailing and tweeting ... and drinking. What is fun, though, is the quasi-fame that has grown around the persona. We won’t out the originator, but we’ll talk about his personality, his sense of humor, his take on politics ... and the flavorful, quirky cocktail trend that has formed in his wake.
“OKC is like a delightfully oppressed pit of strict liquor laws and ultra-conservatism; who wouldn’t want to live here?” the so-called “spirit-ual equality” pseudo-underworld ambassador said in an interview with Oklahoma Gazette. “After all of this hullabaloo about monuments, I decided to take a vested interest in the state.”
For all of his bluster, he is surprisingly normal. He struggles with his weight and loves good food and good times. He also shares everything via social media.
“I am deeply involved in politics,” he said. “By ‘deeply,’ I mean most of these people are my minions.”
He provides comic relief with the occasional community commentary and is always good for a laugh by pointing out our state’s bureaucratic mishaps.
“After being around for a while, there really isn’t anything new under the sun,” he said. “Same game, different pantsuits.”
In a few weeks, he has gained almost 1,000 Twitter followers, and his subjects are a veritable who’s who of cool in OKC. With his darkly humorous posts and quick wit, Lord Baphomet is officially one of the metro’s more entertaining local celebrities.
Baphomet as mysterious barfly
Baphomet is also a bit of a man-abouttown. His habit of sending tweets from local bars and restaurants lets his public know that he is not isolated in some dark cave or fiery underworld.
“I
did learn these people love to eat and drink,” he said, then laughed.
“I’ve had to go on a cat-free cleanse to keep the weight off.”
The
trend is genuine. Appearing at WSKY Lounge, 228 NE Second St., not long
after Baphomet came into the public eye was the Jucifer.
Michael
Powers, a bartender at WSKY, conjured up the liquid confection. It is a
bright red, Frangelico foam-topped drink with 12 ingredients, including
a mix of Haitian rum, grapefruit, ginger, pimento hot sauce and
bitters.
“I have not
met Baphomet,” Powers said. “But when I heard we were challenged with
crafting a cocktail befitting him, I wanted to create something
complex.”
The mysterious Baphomet passed judgment and declared it a masterpiece.
The
Lobby Bar, 4322 N. Western Ave., crafted the Helter Skelter, a
bloody-looking concoction created by bar manager Christopher Angel.
“I went with a more whimsical, fun interpretation of what Satan himself would drink,” he said.
The
thick cocktail is a potent combination of Lobby’s house Bloody Mary
mix, Sriracha chili sauce and tequila strained over ice and garnished
with an Anaheim pepper fashioned into horns and served in a ghost pepper
salt-rimmed glass. To say it’s hot is an understatement.
“I wasn’t sure anyone would really order it,” Angel said.
“Reviews have been mixed, some people really enjoying it, some thinking it way too spicy.”
To calm palates, Angel added Big Sky Brewing Co.’s Moose Drool to the mix. The brown ale “calms it down a little bit.”
“It’s
potentially dangerous,” he said. As Powers and Angel lead the charge,
they both said others will follow. The Twittersphere is abuzz with
mention of area restaurants taking up their swizzle sticks to have a go
with the devilish drinker. Baphomet has his favorite districts,
including the Plaza District. He’s frequently afoot at The Mule and
Empire Slice House. A few days ago, a special additive — jalapeño juice —
was even added to his smoothie at Organic Squeeze, 6434 Avondale Drive.
It’s not for everyone, he said, but it was perfect for the Dark One, especially after a night prior of too much food and drink.
