Almost a year after Hollywood celebrities joined leading LGBT and women’s rights groups to call for a boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the boycott seems to be easing according to various celebrity news sources.
Among those celebrities seen frequenting the hotel recently are Russell Crowe, Sean Pitt, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie according to Showbiz 411, a celebrity news site. This month Los Angeles Confidential magazine held an event at the hotel that was boycotted by John Legend, the singer-songwriter who was supposed to be one of the honorees. Heidi Shink, a leading West Hollywood lesbian figure and a candidate in the June 2 race for a West Hollywood City Council seat, also was photographed recently with friends in the hotel’s Polo Lounge.
The boycott was sparked by a decision by Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, to put into effect in that nation a system of laws based on the Islamic Shariah that calls for death by stoning, severing of arms and legs and flogging for those who commit adultery, have abortions or engage in gay sex. The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air in Beverly Hills are owned by the Dorchester Group, which is owned by an investment group controlled by Bolkiah.
Among those the celebrities who have publicly boycotted the hotel are Ellen DeGeneres and Sharon Osborne and Jay Leno, whose wife, Mavis Leno, is chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls. LGBT organizations that have supported the boycott include the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s leading LGBT rights organization. The Beverly Hills City Council last May voted to ask the Sultan of Brunei to sell the Dorchester Group.
Is it me or does this seem a lot like the GOP brew-ha-ha-ha-ha over Hilliary’s emails?
Maybe Abbe Land might get back into the fray – she’d win easily. The question is whether non-winners next week might be back. Thx for the update.
STEVE MARTIN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE!!!!
Hank – who are the announced candidates for the June elections? That’s a pretty important election possibly. When is the deadline for candidates? (Whether it is before or after next week is relevant).
No one has formally declared best I know. But it is understood that Cole Ettman and Heidi Shink will be in the race.
well steve, that’s progress. keep it up.
For once I am speechless!!!
but mike dunn, you’re forgetting that if you merely present yourself as a progressive and make sure you spit out the usual diatribe against haters, then you are inoculated from actually walking the walk. so ms. shink says she’s been an activist for thirty years…and yet, she enjoyed the beverly hills hotel with her ‘gathering of friends’. what’s the problem? she says she ‘stands’ with the ‘community’. isn’t that enough? you actually want her to be authentic? it’s not just a mistake, it’s poor judgement, and we need character strength on the counsel, not platitudes and pandering. NO VOTE FOR… Read more »
Ms.Shink- what a half a–ed apology. First it’s an excuse. Then your so called apology. Then another excuse about a higher standard. Huh? Higher standard? How about the standard you set and asked others to follow. You probably were not that active in Act Up, anymore then you throw these titles around of things you have accomplished that are only half true as in your repremand from one board for claiming you were on the board when you weren’t and use of stonewall names that were prohibited. Your approach seems to be I’m a lesbian vote for me. Your just… Read more »
Last Friday night, I was invited to join a gathering of friends already in progress at the Polo Lounge in order to see a friend’s mother who was in town briefly from New Zealand. I have been an activist for LGBTQ and women’s issues for over 30 years, starting as a member of the original “ACT UP!” in New York. I was proud to stand against the Polo Lounge’s owner, the Sultan of Brunei, and his brutal regime when we originally protested the Hotel last year, and my mistake does not that make that protest or the boycott that followed… Read more »
Ms. Shink’s promotes herself as creative, progressive, liberal or otherwise-Democrat? I don’t know based on these developments! Really, Ms. Shink, don’t you think you should consider all West Hollywood residents especially the 40% LGBT when you publically proclaim and show your support the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Sultan of Brunei anti-gay agenda. This is deplorable. You certainly gave, with your own action, the marginal % of voters Election Day in June an easy choice. I will be the first to vote for any candidate that shows, walks-the-walk like I have seen from Councilperson Land these past many years. You… Read more »
Ms. Shink is just a typical Democrat. Do as I say, not as I do. Former Congressman Henry Waxman advocated pro transit but he introduced a bill many years ago that STOPPED the continuation of the Purple Line Subway west under Wilshire Bl. It was only last year he backed the repeal of that legislation. Former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley advocated public transit but spearheaded the privatization of many RTD lines and the formation of Foothill Transit which is operated by private contractors. Laidlaw, the largest private contractor in the U.S. , was a Canadian Company and Viola which… Read more »
typical liberals, do as i say, not as i do.
i expect nothing from republicans, but the dems fain the idea that they are better, more evolved, more progressive. liars.
I was there in may for the protest. Patronizing a place that ultimately harms lgbt….not ok by me.