You may know him by his trademark beard, from Eagle Wilton Manors, or from Netflix’s hit reality competition, “Squid Game: The Challenge” (SGTC). Sam Lantz is a man for all seasons, making his home in Broward County and riding the wave of coming in third on the show.
Now he’s launching a line of beard care products and going to premieres and is about to hit the water. Lantz is grand marshal of this year’s FLoatarama, and according to organizers, the largest LGBTQ boat parade in the country.
“It’s everything I wanted to do post-show,” Lantz said. “Being the grand marshal of a Pride is a pretty big deal. I feel really special.”
He talks with us about everything from his favorite spots in Wilton Manors, the very real tension on SGTC, and attending his first Pride.
Below are excerpts from our conversation. Watch the entire interview on the OutSFL Live YouTube channel, to get a better sense of his humor, passion, and love of our community.
Are you a boat person? Do you own a boat or do you have friends that have boats?
I don’t get out on the water as often as I would like. Growing up, all my friends’ families owned boats, so I was on the water. I’m excited to be back out on the water and partying with everyone. I’m looking forward to it.
What is important to you about FLoatarama specifically, and Prides in general?
It’s all about happiness. Prides are about celebrating all the good parts of being gay and showing that we are resilient. No matter how hard people and organizations try to snuff us out, we’re here for the long haul. We’re going to be happy about it and exist in happiness, because that’s the antithesis of what they’ve been trying to squash us with.
You were very open on SGTC about your struggles growing up in Idaho and with your family. Eventually you were able to accept yourself and live your own life. What was it like attending your first Pride?
The first Pride I ever attended was in Palm Springs. It’s such an uplifting and warm environment that you can only appreciate it when you walk in and let it wash over you. It was so surprising to me that, after years and years of hating who was to see thousands of people who were there being “this is who I am.” I’m happy with it and the people I love are for it. It really was an unlocking of a whole new part of me in being proud of who I was and not feeling shame.
It must have been so liberating.
It was. That’s why I’m so excited about being a grand marshal for a Pride. I’m almost at the reins of that good feeling I remember having.
After Prides or any night for that matter, where do you and the hubby like to go and chill?
We really like Rosie’s and DrYnk. We have good friends at both of those places. Also, anywhere you can catch DJ Trevor. And, I helped open the Eagle.
Really?
[Eagle owner] Chuck [King] and I have been friends for a long time, since I lived in Baltimore, and he opened the Baltimore Eagle. That’s how I made my way down here. I had met my [not yet] husband online and had been toying with the idea of moving down here. Chuck said if I did, I'd have a job. That was the catalyst for me moving down to Broward.
FLoatarama is Saturday, June 8. For details, visit Floatarama.org.
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