Stefano Rosso has spent more than 25 years with his finger on the pulse of West Hollywood nightlife, but the man in charge of Micky’s myriad theme parties thinks of himself as “the quiet promoter.”
“I’m more about the events and the people that I bring,” Rosso said.
WEHOville chatted with Rosso about the Rainbow District and where it’s headed.
Tell us about your background:
I’ve been working in the community for over 20 years as a promoter. I started helping somebody and then I decided to do it on my own. I have a really creative mind. I’m always thinking of something crazy. So then I started promoting at Micky’s and one of the owners one time told me, ‘You don’t make it, we’re not gonna pay you.’ That was a challenge that I was really cool with. Through the years, it has been great working with the community, working with Gay Pride, with different hotels. I identify myself with everybody here and we’ve become a little community right here.
What’s your day to day operation like?
“I organize events three to four days a week, and it’s a constant challenge to keep things exciting and cater to people’s preferences. I always find myself thinking about what will excite the audience and what they want to experience. For instance, on Fridays, I host a Latino night, so I plan ahead to book Latino artists, DJs, and performers who will appeal to the audience. I usually schedule events two weeks in advance.”
What are partygoers into these days?
They always seem to be following some trend, you know, like the Barbie trend – people are into it for a month, and then it changes. So, I try to keep up with the trends and incorporate them into my events. If you visit my page, you’ll see the diversity of events I offer. I have a small team behind me, and Micky’s always supports me in their own way, even if they give me a hard time. I’ve been working with Micky’s for 25 years, doing the same thing, witnessing various trends and people coming and going. Throughout it all, I’ve remained consistent in my approach.
How does the Latino community fit into WeHo’s nightlife?
Finally, we have found a space to feel welcomed. I’ve been advocating for the Latino community, along with Brandon Anthony. Our goal is to make sure Latinos are well-represented in the community. It’s disheartening when the Latino area is overlooked or eliminated during events like Gay Pride, leaving no dedicated spot for the urban or black communities either. This lack of representation doesn’t align with the idea of everyone being welcome. As promoters, we take diversity seriously, and it’s our responsibility to ensure everyone feels comfortable. On Fridays, for instance, we create a fiesta-like atmosphere where Latinos can feel at home. I’m passionate about creating an inclusive environment, and it’s essential for me to represent the Latino community and make them feel comfortable and valued.”
Have you seen the neighborhood change since you started working here?
Well, it’s become a little political. When it becomes political, the community doesn’t participate. Sometimes bars forget the community is the reason they are on the boulevard, and they become rivals. We can’t be the only one in the neighborhood to be able to be successful as a community. Some bar owners have that mentality of ‘Let’s go kill the rival bar so we can be successful.’ But it’s the opposite. At Micky’s, we have so many diverse events. So we not only focus on bringing everybody together here, we are able to give a space to everybody in a sense.
What do you think about the potential 4 a.m. closing time?
Sometimes California has so many rules. In some ways, we are the most progressive state, but in other ways we are not. You go to Portland, you can see full nudity in a bar, no problem. Or you go to New York where the bars hardly close. You look at Vegas — it’s so under control. Give me a reason why we are so restricted? If the conditions can be applied and followed, why not? You make a nightlife city like West Hollywood, and then you complain that you have too many people?
Anything the city could do to improve safety in the district?
On the corner by Palm and the corner by Robertson, there should be stations for Uber drivers. The problem with Uber is they park in the middle of the street and cause chaos in traffic. So if they had a location like that, you would know exactly where they are and where to meet them.
This man is a genius and has done more for people than anyone will ever know. He has made latino kids who didn’t feel seen not only feel welcome but given them the opportunity to thrive.
This man makes a joke of the Latino community. He treats the mickys staff like slaves- so much for making latino people feel seen. You don’t even know the type of narcissist this awful human being is. I bet he paid you to write this. Shame on you.
Is this a joke? 🤣 I needed a good laugh today.
Hey papa thanks for the fun !
Portland, Vegas (of all places) and NYC are terrible examples.
No matter what time of day I went to 24 Hour Fitness this guy seemed to always be there. He would set up his own work stations with equipment other people may need, but he would not share. Between sets he would be on his phone forever, extending significantly the time others would have to wait to use the equipment he was hoarding. I asked several times to use the three-legged stool that I needed for my work-out, that he was using only to set his phone on, but he was not willing to let me use it even for… Read more »
Hahaha something tells me he now knows exactly who you are. Hahahaha
I wasn’t the only one who was annoyed by his behavior, so I could be only one of many. He was going to get his workout done and everyone else just had to wait.
Cool story bro. Not for nothing, but in the gym sometimes people make a point of doing what you’re describing just to rub your rhubarb if you’re getting too uppity. Why don’t you take your own advice regarding minimum wage workers and use that as motivation to workout harder doing something else. LOL.