Fun New Night in LA!

This Wednesday Steve and I will be hitting Funktion (LA), which is a new night at Eleven in West Hollywood. It looks to be pretty amazing. It was started by our friend DJ Scotty K., who was instrumental in the opening of Here Lounge and iCandy, along with various nights around town.

If you're free, please come. Here's all the pertinent info.

DJ/Producer Scotty K. presents...
FUNKTION (LA)

FUNKTION (LA) is the brain child of DJ/Producer Scotty K. of Los Angeles, CA. His long time passion of dance music is rooted in funky/disco house music, which is one of the few dance music genres to embody real musicality and vocal performances. FUNKTION (LA) is about to debut at ELEVEN Nightclub in West Hollywood, CA beginning Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 9:00pm-PST. Every Wednesday, resident DJ Scotty K. will showcase great, uplifting, feel-good funky/disco house music...for everyone! It doesn't matter what your background is, what you look like or what gender you are. Everyone is welcome to this fun event and no one is excluded. Our motto is: "Dance, Lounge, Groove, Be Yourself!"

In addition to the incredible musical showcase from DJ/Producer Scotty K., FUNKTION (LA) promises to showcase some of the best international DJs, including The Freemasons, Stonebridge, Full Intention, Bob Sinclair...and a host of others who fit this style of music. In addition to that, singer/songwriters will also be on-hand to showcase their work in the world of funky/disco house music every single month, including Taylor Dayne, CeCe Peniston, Erika Jayne, Angie Stone and many more.

So, you're invited...to come and be yourself and get your groove on at FUNKTION (LA) at ELEVEN Nightclub in West Hollywood, CA every Wednesday night beginning at 9:00pm-PST.

6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon Separation

Are you familiar with the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Separation? It's based on the theory that all people are connected through six degrees of separation or less, only in this case it's that everyone is connected in some way to actor Kevin Bacon.

Some people with far too much time on their hands at the University of Virginia Computer Science department created The Oracle of Bacon at Virginia , a computer program, to figure it out. It's based on work experience, primarily through info from the Internet Movie Database. My gun-slinging friend Carina in Texas typed me in because she calls me her Hollywood Mogul friend (We met through Comic-Con in the 1990s when she was the Treasurer and I was her assistant-- then I was the Maid of Honor at her wedding. Sweet!)

Anyway. Carina found that I'm only 3 degrees seperated... When I did the search and added in TV credits, I found it was only 2. though I think that it's probably shorter than that through social connections.

It doesn't always work. I couldn't make Steve's connection, which is silly because he has more film credits than I do, and the Oracle says he's not on IMDB (also incorrect, as you can see here). You have to play around with the search parameters but it's still kind of fun.

I Love Easter Porn!

The porn stars were out in force at West Hollywood hotspot The Abbey on our sunny Easter Sunday. I guess even porn stars love a good res-erection.

Enjoying themselves in the beautiful weather were:
Luca DiCorso

Johnny Hazzard

Arpad Miklos

There was also a table of other studly dudes I don't know by name but who looked like they could be pornstars. Or hustlers. Or both.

Amen!

Happy Easter - Where Have We Been?

Let's start with one word: Taxes!

Got everything sorted and in to the accountant (I have some complicated taxes being a freelancer who can write off a lot of his life).

Had my fitness column due for IN Magazine. I turned it in but that will be my last issue for the time being. It's too much work for too little money to fit in with my regular job. It's on hiking and should be out in two weeks. BTW - If you have the current "Sex" issue of IN I write about exercises for your rosebud. Yep. I'm classy like that.

Working on the press kit for Tropic Thunder the new Ben Stiller movie, and that will take me into next week. Yes, this is the movie where Robert Downey Jr. plays an African American man-- kind of. I just wrote a big paragraph for the blog talking about it, but now I realize I'm probably not supposed to do that considering none of my press notes have been approved by Paramount yet. So let me just say that Downey is pretty genius in the role and when audiences see it in context I don't think they'll be offended.

My restaurant listings are due in two weeks for Metrosource, but that should be pretty easy to hit. They couldn't run all my reviews in the current issue so they're bumping them to the June gay Pride issue, which means fewer free dinners for Steve and I. Sadness.

Got some notes on a pilot script I have out so I'm eager to work on that. Finally feeling a bit excited about writing again.

Steve's swamped as well. He's been sought out to do all the promotional art for Little Mermaid 3 and it's a bit insane. I'd post art here, but I can't.

As for Easter, we had a great hike this morning and now we're working a bit so that we can have a nice dinner out. And in honor of our risen Lord and Savior let me sign off by saying:

Jesus loves you, and so do I.
Friends in Christ.
Rick

Portland Day 2

We were attacked by a giant crab!

Portland Day 1

The flight in was lovely, as was the MAX light rail ride out to our hotel. Yes, a $2.05 ride on a very clean, nice little train thingy. If LA's subway actually went somewhere (like the airport) everyone would use it. This was amazing.

We basically hung out and walked around downtown for a bit, then had dinner at Old Town Pizza, which you see a lot on Food Network and Travel Channel because it's haunted. We saw no ghosts. It was good, but certainly not the best pizza we've had. We then shot over to Voodoo Donut, where they bake up the most quirky and amazing treats.

This is a maple bacon something-or-other. It's a maple bar with strips of crispy, salty bacon on top. It tasted like a delicious waffle breakfast. But following a pizza dinner it just sat in our stomachs. For hours. (But yes, I'd go back and have another one-- or any of their other donuts-- in a second!)

Last night we went out to Scandal (Yes, it's called "Scandal"!!!) then Boxxes where we hooked up with our friend Byron (next to Steve) and Juan (in the front) and their friends. Crazy drinks. For CHEAP! And so we drank. A lot.Fortunately, we're not hung over and we're about to leave for breakfast. More later, including a food tour of Portland tomorrow!

Going to Portland for My Birthday!

When Mondo Homo came out I did a book tour through Portland, Oregon. Steve couldn't go on that trip but I met some wonderful people and had one of the most fun times of my life. Knowing this, Steve planned a little trip for us this weekend!
So we're off to hang out, relax, and eat at all of the amazing restaurants! If you're up in Portland and see us, say hi!

Disney's Changing "It's a Small World" & More

I tossed and turned all night. Many deadlines, a fire drill at work that cuts out two hours a day, not hearing from my agent, leaving town for a surprise trip, submitting scripts, AOL program not functioning and the distinct paranoia that something is wrong with my laptop, and my taxes sitting there mocking me. Drama!

Then Steve tells me that Disney is changing It's a Small World, that ride with the cloying song that sticks with you for months and resurfaces whenever you're sick and delirious. The ride which parents adore. The only ride, in fact, my mother insists on riding when we visit the park. Yes, Disney is changing it.

The ride was built for the 1964 New York World's Fair show and was designed by the legendary concept artist Mary Blair, who also came up with designs for Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella (among others).

I knew Disney was planning on making the boats bigger because tourists were getting fatter and the floating crafts kept getting stuck. Fine. I know a group of bears who were stuck in a similar situation (or maybe it was Pirates of the Caribbean-- who knows?) You do what you gotta do to keep the crowds happy.

But now they're going to add in bits of Disney characters into the ride-- like Belle in France or Mickey and pals somewhere-- as well as cutting out the whole Rain Forest portion to add in some big America exhibit.

I'm not even a huge Disney purest and I'm horrified by the whole thing. There's no way they'll make it look organic to the original (think about how they added Johnny Depp into the Pirates ride-- awkward much?). The ride is about world unity and this stuff is going to muddy that idea.

Check out Re-Imagineering, a wonderful blog about Disney. They also discuss a letter writing campaign to "Save the Rain Forest." If you have any passion about the ride, you'll do it.

Crazy Weekend Stuff

Glen and Lori came up. We ate Vegan food all weekend. Honestly? Not bad. There are some really good Vegan restaurants in LA. But the best part of it all? Having a big juicy burger with cheese after they'd gone home on Sunday.

We went to Venice Beach, The Abbey in West Hollywood where we mocked people from a private cabana, and swank clubs. Let me tell you, those two know how to drink! Oy!

This weekend, we also learned there is a Gaysian (gay Asian) theme night at a club on Sundays. It's called... wait for it...

Masturbasian!

I also learned that for my birthday next weekend (Saturday is the actual day, thanks for asking) Steve is taking me on a trip somewhere. I don't know where. We leave on Thursday. I'm very excited.

Weekend Plans and Why You Should Watch Phineas and Ferb!

Our friends Glen and Lori from San Diego are coming up this weekend for a mini vacation. We're going to Venice beach, swank straight clubs, eating at new restaurants (they're vegan so I think Steve and I will be thinner after this weekend--or we'll just eat raw hamburger at midnight while the two of them are sleeping) and having lots of fun. I'll try and take photos.

So here's the big question: Have you been watching Phineas and Ferb on The Disney Channel?It's a fantastic show about two brothers (Phineas and Ferb-- natch) who spend the summer doing random, fun, funny and silly adventures-- while their sister (voiced by Ashley Tisdale from High School Musical). So far they've created a giant beach in their backyard, a roller coaster, released a mummy from its tomb and more.

Meanwhile, their pet platypus-- Perry the Platypus-- is a secret agent. No one knows it (hence the "secret" part). He kicks ass. Truly.

What's even cooler is our friend, the lovely Aliki, Theofilopoulos is a storyboard artist on the show! She created this fantastic 1980's-style robot dance sequence (among others) when the two boys decided to create robotic versions of themselves.

Here's a copy of said dance sequence. I know it's out of context but it's pretty awesome. If you have a second check out the whole show on Disney Channel.

In Honor of Disney's 101 Dalmations...

On Tuesdays new DVDs come out, and today you can get Disney's 101 Dalmations. In honor of the DVD release, Steve made this amazing Dalmations snowglobe that's really big and really cool!

STATS FROM THE WEBSITE:
They'll open a Dalmatian plantation! Roger and Anita are so overjoyed to have their puppies back they don't mind having a few dozen or so more! Imported.
*Lights up and plays ''Cruella De Vil''
*Hand-painted, sculpted resin and glass
*8 1/2'' H x 11 1/2'' W x 6 1/8'' D
*Requires 2 AA batteries, included

Another really cool globe Steve designed is this one from Fantasia. It's rare for Disney to do something for Fantasia, and as such collectors are really excited about this one.

STATS FROM THE WEBSITE:
Spring is the season of love, and two centaurs celebrate in the pavilion as the cherubs serenade the romantic couple. In the snowglobe above stands Artemis with her stag and bewitching bow. Imported.
*Wind up to hear ''The Sorcerer's Apprentice''
*Pavilion lights up
*Hand-painted, sculpted resin and glass
*12 1/2'' H x 6 1/2'' diameter
*Requires 2 AA batteries, included

Finally, Steve's designed a series of smaller globes featuring one of the Princesses and her Prince. Here is the new one featuring Cinderella.

STATS FROM THE WEBSITE:
May I? The dashing prince takes the hand of the beautiful Cinderella in this royally romantic scene. Imported.
*Turn pretty purple key to play ''So This is Love''
*Hand-painted, sculpted resin and glass
*10 1/2'' H x 6'' diameter

Birthday Fun for Rodney

Our friend Rodney Alexander Griffis had a birthday party this weekend at Here Lounge in West Hollywood. Our friends decorated the space with lovely "That's So Raven" party invitations and balloons.

We also had bottle service. That means we drank. A lot.

Here is Steve in his cute Poppa Smurf shirt, with Rodney and our other friend BD.

These pictures come courtesy of Chris Lavoie, who was wise enough to bring his camera. Just as an FYI, Chris is the producer of the Stephanie Miller show, and if you're a fan you know how he's always talking about "My black friend Rodney..."?

Well, this is Rodney, who is now the official black friend of the Stephanie Miller show as well.

Famous, I say! FAMOUS ALL!

Here's the group shot I took with a slightly unsteady hand. Chris is the guy standing next to Rodney on the right in the black coat.
And here I am loving a peanut butter cup cupcake like it was the best thing on earth. And it was. It came from Crumbs cupcakes in Beverly Hills and it kicks Sprinkles' ass.

But fret not, we weren't so hung over that we couldn't go hiking on Sunday at Runyon Canyon. Shirtless. It was hot out. And we passed gay porn star Marco Paris-- light on the celeb sightings. Sorry.