[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat could be more gay than the Oscars? The Tonies maybe. But in Los Angeles, the movie capital of the world, the screen trumps the stage any day.
Don’t fret if you haven’t been lucky enough to snag an invite to the Academy Awards, or to Elton John’s annual Oscar Party at the Pacific Design Center (now in its 22nd year and benefitting the Elton John AIDS Foundation), or to get an invite from Graydon Carter to the annual Vanity Fair Oscar Party (this year staged in a rainy parking lot at Sunset Plaza). There are several opportunities for you to let down that hyper-masculine facade and ooh and ahh with the boys as the celebs walk the red carpet and walk on stage to make those long speeches thanking Mom and Dad and Sis and the Agent and the Producer and the ……. (yawn).
One is a benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles at The Abbey, 692 N. Robertson Blvd. south of Santa Monica. The host is N.C.I.S. star Pauley Perrette, and it’s billed as a black tie event (for those of you who are tieless, that means you have to rent a tux). It’s pricey, with general admission at $100 and six-person VIP cabanas for up to $2,500. Still, the money goes to a good cause. It all starts at 4 p.m, and it’s likely to sell out, so you’d better go online and buy a ticket now.
A cheaper alternative is right next door at Here Lounge, where a viewing party benefitting the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles starts at 3:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 (and a six-person cabana is only $600) and are available for purchase online.
Eleven Lounge, 8811 Santa Monica Blvd. at Larrabee, is starting its Oscar celebration with a special brunch. The party goes on until 10 p.m. with dancing, go go boys and drag performers and a free photo booth. At 9 p.m. awards will be given to the best-dressed folks at Eleven. If you’re looking for something cultural, Brandon Purvis, an artist, will be working on a canvas during the event. More information is available on Eleven’s Facebook page.
For a party where you just might be able to take your shirt off, consider the Faultline, 4216 Melrose Ave., in Los Angeles, which is hosting an Oscar viewing event during its regular Sunday beer bust, with cheap Budweiser and the sound turned off during the “pre-awards” period (so you won’t have to listen to Ryan Seacrest asking inane questions to inane celebrities).
Finally, if you’re one of those rare gays who can’t abide the Oscars, consider the Eagle, 4213 Santa Monica Blvd., where the celebrities you’ll meet on Sunday afternoon are the ten contestants in the Mar. 29 Mr. Los Angeles Leather Contest. By the way, you’ll be able to take your shirt off here as well.
