The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Makes The Yuletide Gay … Literally – /Film

Drax and Mantis are on a mission to find Kevin Bacon, and end up in Los Angeles. The two decide to investigate a place with lively music and lots of people in the hope that they’ll find the actor inside, but instead end up dancing, doing shots, and being served by the muscle-tank and Santa hat-wearing bartender played by Flula Borg (“The Suicide Squad,” “Bumper in Berlin”). Drax and Mantis, despite their otherworldly appearances, are welcomed without question. Of course, we could argue that humans are a bit desensitized to alien characteristics after living in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but given how many humans absolutely hate mutants like the X-Men, there’s no guarantee the pair are safe wherever they go.

But they are safe at the gay bar.

Even if Mantis breathes smoke after taking a shot — and even if Drax is covered head to toe in scars and ink — these outsiders are welcome no questions asked. For those who have never spent a Christmas holiday at a gay bar, trust me when I say that James Gunn absolutely nailed the energy, excitement, and immediate camaraderie. A few years back, I tricked my own, Joe Pesci-looking father, into joining me at a gay bar for Christmas. Despite his Midwestern, sports-loving, exclusively Budweiser-drinking existence — he had the time of his life. Honestly, he looked a lot like Drax, taking back shots with old gay men who are now friends he’s only known for five minutes.