Video Surfaces of ICandy Owner Darryl DePiano Saying the N-Word
ICandy owner, Darryl DePiano, in Philly Gay Calendar interview in 2011. Screenshot from YouTube.
A YouTube video posted publicly on September 27th titled “ICandy Philadelphia Owner Uses the N-Word” has been circulating on social media. The video first circulated in the comments section of G Philly’s story on the recent boycotts on September 27th. In the 21-second video, it appears as though two men (never pictured) are in an office with a surveillance monitor and a business desk; heard off camera is an exchange between the men conversing about black people, white people and drink passes.
Here’s the transcript:
Guy No. 1: “And Ricky Peterson, nig, nig, nig, nig, niggers — everyone of them. (laughs) Does Ray ask you for drink passes — white, obnoxious white, but white?”
Guy No. 2: “No he’s never asked me.”
Guy No. 1: (laughs) “There you go, and he was definitely your real boyfriend. All three of them that ask you for drink passes are niggers.”
Background voice: whispers “oh my god” and the video ends.
The YouTube account, called “Gay By Gay,” claims in the video’s title that Guy No. 1 in the video is Darryl DePiano.
“It makes me sick, I am never setting a foot in there again,” said Daniel Hart. Hart, who has performed at ICandy for various drag shows and musical events, shared the video on social media the moment he was informed about it through his friends. “I hope my friends who host shows there reconsider their venue..… the gayborhood is totally not a safe space and it depresses me consistently.”
Since the appearance of the video, numerous attempts by G Philly to reach DePiano for comment had been unsuccessful. Then, earlier today, DePiano confirmed on Facebook that he is the man overheard in the video. He says that the video was recorded about three years ago. And he apologizes.
The video comes at a time of concern over racism in Philly’s Gayborhood, a topic G Philly has been covering actively.
In response to the video, and before DePiano’s Facebook admission, a protest called “Addressing Gayborhood Racism at Icandy!” was scheduled for 5 p.m. outside of ICandy.
