It’s been about three or four times a day over the past 12 days or so that his phone has rung with the caller ID listing only as “Private Number.”
And Johnny Haught has answered his phone anyway and he’s talked with the callers, too. He’s heard the hate because the Wheeling business owner offered to be a guard during a drag show that was canceled a month ago because of threats.
And yes, he’s told those men too, well, to put it politely, pound salt for criticizing him for offering to work security at the Primanti Bros. at The Highlands.
While explaining those experiences during an interview Thursday afternoon on River Talk 100.1/100.9 FM, Haught answered the anonymous call live on the airwaves.
“And there’s another call,” Haught said. “Another private number. I’m going to answer it right now.
“Hello.”
Jesus is going to send you to Hell …
“That sounds amazing. I can’t wait to talk about that on the radio right now. Do you want to be on the radio?”
(inaudible)
“What’s your name?
Dave.
“Dave? Dave from? Weirton? Dave from Weirton. You should tune into the radio right now. … OK, I guess he hung up.”
Haught paused.
“Well, there ya go. Jesus is going to come down on me because of what I’m doing. That’s what the man said,” he told the radio audience. “Now, I am not a religious person, but I was brought up in a religious family and I have learned the teachings of Jesus.
“And I’m fairly certain the people who are bringing that (hate) to me do not follow Jesus’s teachings,” Haught insisted. “We just have to remember that this is just a few people who seem to be the loudest because the rest of us are just trying to live our lives and be happy. But they have to spew all kinds of hate and I know that’s not included in Jesus’s teachings.”
Hateful Phone Calls End with a Click
It was February 3 when S&S Productions posted the following on the company’s Facebook page:
*UPDATE CANCELLED*
We were so incredibly excited to bring you a fabulous brunch to Wheeling WV. Unfortunately due to the amount of threats towards Primantis, the entertainers, & sometimes even patrons, we’ve decided for the safety of everyone involved to cancel the event. We couldn’t wait to party with you all, support the local lgbtqia+ community, and show that a little glitter never hurt anyone. We hope in the near future we can try to bring another brunch to the area – we were only 2 tables away from a fabulous sold out event so we know y’all want us there!
It was February 10 when Haught took to Facebook himself and posted the following:
I volunteer me and a couple of my fighters to work security if Primanti Bros. decides to reschedule their drag brunch. I’m sure we can make sure the event stays safe…..#primantibros #dragbrunch #lgbtqcommunity #saysomething
It appeared between one update about sparring at his Market Plaza gym and another that proclaimed he’s married his best friend. But on the next day, other Facebook members approved of his post so much they began sharing it.
“I meant it when I posted it because I know I could ask some of my guys to help me stand guard so the event could go on as planned, and that didn’t mean we wanted to come to start fights. That’s not what we do,” Haught said. “All I wanted to do was to be there in case someone else wanted to start something because they were against the event taking place.
“All it was supposed to be was a show, a production, and people had a lot of issues with that, but that same company (S&S Productions) is a busy organization because they have shows everywhere,” he said. “But not here, and now I know why.”
The “Drag Brunch” was scheduled for Sunday, February 26th at Noon. Performer Luna Skye and Indi Skies were featured on the promotional poster, and tickets could be purchased online. At the time the company owners canceled the event, it was announced that only two tables remained unsold.
“When I made the post, it was a real offer, and then when it got some attention, I thought we might be able to stir some things up here locally, but this whole situation went viral and here we are. I’ve been contacted by media from here and the UK, and it’s been a little overwhelming,” Haught said. “Once the attention reached a regional level, WTRF did a story on the web only, and little did we know that the web story turned into this.
“There’s been a lot of attention from the media and it’s been a crazy experience,” he said. “But that’s told me that there’s far more positives in the world than negatives and that people are more like-minded about those things than maybe I thought. That’s been a very good thing.”
The Frightened Freak Out
Haught likes stunts. Especially when it comes to raising funds for non-profits.
For example, he ran a 5K race in 2019 backward to benefit the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley.
“Yeah, I do. I like to make things interesting, and I like the camera, there’s no lying about that,” he said with a broad smile. “But I don’t think I’ll run a race backward again. Believe it or not, my neck was the sorest thing on my body after that because all I did the whole time was look back so I didn’t run into anything.
“I didn’t count on that,” he said. “That hurt the worst.”
Haught also is a former professional boxer who was known as the “Hyperactive Hillbilly” during his career.
“I’m only 42 years old so it’s weird for me to say that I am retired at anything,” he said smiling. “But I am a retired boxer and I teach now, and my guys did great during the (recent) Toughman competition.”
Those are the men who, in fact, would have stood guard with Haught at Primanti’s last Sunday afternoon. Instead, he’ll continue answering his phone and hearing the hate and shaking his head and waving his fists in the air at a frustrating fight for fairness.
“But at least 98 percent of this has been extremely positive and the folks involved with the canceled show have been super thankful,” he said. “And hey, we’re talking about a group of folks who have been persecuted and bullied and run into the ground and all I am experiencing a small amount of the that they face every day.
“And it’s worth it because I’m just one of the majority of people who feel the same way I do about it,” Haught said matter-of-factly. “The people who are making the threats, well, they’re only a few people who have sad lives. And listen, I’m not trying to argue with people. When I posted that, I was just trying to step up and squash bullying I saw happening so people could just go on with their lives. No one is trying to hurt anyone, but there is this malice, and there’s just no reason for it.”
