
Of course, all royalty must have their admirers and protectors. For the DIVAs, that role is played by spouses and partners who are collectively called the Elvi. This group of Elvis clones is led by the “mayor,” who is really Elvis incarnated. Every year, they provide a pre-banquet proclamation—and sometimes even a little bit of entertainment—as they toast the DIVAs before being kicked back outside of Arnaud’s to their proper place of worshipping from below the balcony. During the Promenade, they protect the DIVAs from excited crowds, and carry their bags of trinkets and Mardi Gras beads.