Annie Jump Vicente, a trans woman, appears to have been intentionally censored in the livestream of Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Two dozen speakers signed up for a turn at the microphone during the public comment section of the meeting, which was broadcast on the City of West Hollywood’s WeHoTV platform and youtube channel. Each commenter was shown from the front while speaking, their faces clearly visible, except for one. Annie Jump Vicente was shown from behind in a wide-angle shot for the entire two minute duration of her public comment.
This is difficult to write off as an error—several other commenters spoke both before and after Vicente took the floor. Yet Annie was the only speaker to be recorded from behind and far away, making her look like a distant shadow. Ironically, Vicente’s comment addressed prejudice she experienced when interacting with a Block by Block Security Ambassador. Known for their colorful blue uniforms and sense of comedic timing (they always arrive exactly three hours after the crazy hollering maniac has left the scene), the Ambassadors are there to witness and report crimes to the police, a task no citizen could possibly do on their own.
A public comment regular, Vicente is known for her confrontational style and thunderous outbursts. This is perhaps why council member John Erickson can be seen crossing himself as she approaches the podium.
Vicente addresses the council: I was walking down Santa Monica Boulevard today and saw an ambassador checking out some women. So I asked him what he’s doing. He said he’s checking out women. I said, “Oh?” He said, “Yeah I’m checking out real women.” “Oh real women? What does that mean?” So I pressed him. And I asked. Right? Press with questions. I asked. I want to get clarity. And he said ones with ovaries.
At this point, Vicente begins playing a recording of the encounter that she had saved on her phone.
Vicente: Why?
Ambassador: Because they’re pretty.
Vicente: So you’re checking out women?
Ambassador: Real women, yeah.
Vicente: Am I not a real woman? Yeah, but you’re checking out women.
Ambassador: They’re beautiful.
Vicente: Yeah, they’re beautiful so you checking them out, huh?
Ambassador: Just like nature intended
Vicente: What do you mean by “real women”? You said it. What do you mean by “real women”, Alovero?
Ambassador: I think you know what I mean.
Vicente: That’s it.
Ambassador: You mean with like a womb and a menstrual cycle…
Annie, bless her soul makes an effort to be vulgar, aggressive and plane rude when provided a microphone: Although her “freedom of speech” rights – as outlined by defenses – when “streamed” to a public that invites younger participants to watch on the YouTube channels has to be censored. The context is not the issue here: I could share my own opinions about the uselessness of the entire Ambassador program; however – as irksome an issue might be – show decorum by when presenting before the Council!
Annie needs to watch My Fair Lady to get some tips on how to be treated more like a lady.
Her “lewk” wasn’t up to WeHo standards, so she doesn’t get to be on camera like everyone else. Duh!!!
I wish that all public commenters had the same camera perspective as Annie’s. The reason I say this is that you can see how council rarely engage/make eye contact with the commenter. Council should not be using their cellphones during council meetings or speaking to each other unless their mic is turned on.
Lastly, I am tired of former Mayor Erickson always delivering snarky comments back to commenters if they disagree with his point of view. I thought council wasn’t allowed to respond in anyway.
At least we see them (some of them) reading their prepare script. When you see that, it means their minds were made up before hearing the public at a Public Hearing.
Erickson’s snark is completely out of order but no one will enforce the code of conduct or the rules of the meeting.
The disrespect shown to public commenters is breathtaking. I expect elected public servants to pay attention to the people who show up, stand up, and speak up on any matter, whether they agree or not.
So when Lauren Meister said “God help me” when Annie Jump Vicente went up to the podium…you have a problem with that too, right?
Erickson is so immature.
Thankfully he’s no longer the mayor – though considering who replaced him, we may be through the looking glass.
Just tell Annie the sun will come out tomorrow. You can bet your bottom dollar. It’s only a day away.
Watch for more censorship by West Hollywood to anyone who is not in the sisterhood of sycophancy. I, too, was censored when my written public comment was censored this week. It took multiple emails to the city clerk, city manager and city attorney to attempt to correct that censorship and then it was only a partial lifting of the censored material. Watch for more disrespect and intolerance for diversity of thought in the left-wing version of trumpism.
The person you’re speaking about has mental health issues. The person should not be allowed to use profanity while addressing the council- if ANY person uses profanity, they should be removed from the meeting. The “security, ambassador“ is allowed to have their own opinion on any matter -that’s not against the law. Because the person speaking seems unstable, I would put little credit into their observations. It’s obvious that this person is desperate for attention and is in need of mental health services.
Profanity is a First Amendment protected form of speech, unless that profanity is part of a call to immediate action and violence, and then it’s less about the actual words than the call to violence. I see nothing in Annie’s commentary that rises to the level of restricting her First Amendment right to expression. Let’s not forget that Erickson used a microphone while representing the city as mayor at last year’s Halloween carnival to scream sacrilegious profanities at the assembled masses that included children and people of true faith (not sanctimonious hypocrites like many politicians). Erickson’s potty mouth, while First… Read more »
wow. Isn’t there a certain level of decorum that is expected at these public meetings to keep things civil? Using profanity usually is a sign of a lack of vocabulary. I’ve seen this person get up and speak before…seems violent to me. I only watch the meetings on tv now because they have become a three ring circus. (at home I can fast forward past the crazies).It’s like a circle jerk at these council meetings. It’s like they share one brain. No outside thought. Same failed policies go round and round. Sad to see how behavior (both public and council)… Read more »
Alan literally explained the first amendment to you and it still didn’t permeate your thick skull. Incredible
“ The “security, ambassador“ is allowed to have their own opinion on any matter -that’s not against the law”
luckily with a new administration that may be true again. But we were headed to a Canadian/UK ban on any speech that didn’t tow the woke line.
Obnoxious person. One of the worst residents of West Hollywood. Attention seeker of the worst order.
Totally intentional and directed by the city manager in a meeting of how to handle this person.
“sense of comedic timing (they always arrive exactly three hours after the crazy hollering maniac has left the scene), the Ambassadors are there to witness and report crimes to the police, a task no citizen could possibly do on their own.”
Quality journalism from drug user and domestic abuser Brandon Garcia!
Annie loves to provoke people and she shouldn’t have concerned herself with an ambassadors personal attractions or what he was doing. One can only imagine how she’s harassed this guy prior to this incident.
It’s AJV, so who really cares if the frame was intentional or not, she needs to learn how to behave and conduct herself cordially, but if will be fun to see her come at this new major and push the envelope like she did with dumb dumb Jonny.
She is an instigating mental case with anger issues with every other word is profanity who shouldn’t be allowed to speak when every other word is f*ck and spews hate