When I received an invite to interview Jack Mackenroth during his trip to New Orleans for the NO/AIDS Task Force‘s 20th anniversary walk, I was more than a little confused. I mean, (a) that’s not the sort of thing I normally do, and (b) if Jack’s PR company wanted media outlets to cover his “Living Positive by Design” HIV education campaign, I would seem like awfully small potatoes — especially compared to the traffic that Andy, Joe, and other LGBT bloggers could bring him. But whatever. I have a habit of saying “yes” a lot, and it seems to work out pretty well, so why mess with a good thing?

I tried to prepare a little before the interview, but even so, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the guy. I watched Jack on Project Runway, of course, but he left so early in the season that I didn’t get a feel for his personality. All I knew for sure was that he seemed a little over the top, a little dramatic — but then, that comes with the territory. The last thing you’d want on reality television is a zhlub of a contestant like me.

We met at a coffee shop on a busy corner in the Marigny. I thought the skies might be cloudy, but they weren’t — not at all. Still, Jack and the PR pros who accompanied him didn’t seem to mind the broiling sun. Jack plopped down with a bottle of water and proceeded to tell me about the “Living Positive by Design” campaign (which is sponsored by Merck), plus a little about his work in fashion. And of course, I had to ask about Dale. Who wouldn’t ask about Dale?

Anyway, enjoy the clip, for what it’s worth. And thanks to everyone — including Jack — who got their asses out of bed and went to the NO/AIDS walk this morning. Obviously, you rule.