By Dana Miller

Last week the Christopher Street West Task Force held a Community Workshop. Who knew there was even a task force? The event was co-hosted by the City of West Hollywood and Christopher Street West. I think I was expected by some to say tons, but I said nothing. Councilmember Jeff Prang said, "I thought you were gonna give 'em an earful," but I didn't need to. The crystal clear topic of the night from the community to the task force was the parade sucks. The facilitator tried to move to subjects like theme, dates, and expansion, but the crowd wanted to stay on why the parade sucks. Time and time again people said, "This is the entertainment capital of the world. This parade has to be better." A buddy of mine who is a former City Council aide came up to me and privately said this meeting wouldn't have even happened if it wasn't for schmucks like me. Sad if true. If it takes a gossip columnist to stir up a community's critical review of the parade, then we are in real trouble. My colleague Karen Ocamb asked questions about the money and was given some assurance that it all will be posted soon on the Web site. I honestly don't know anything about their money. I guess that's Karen's job. Yet it's a nonprofit so we all have a right to know. All I know is that the parade sucks. The task force members seem nice, even though they exchanged glances, smirked, and rolled their eyes when a few people spoke, but I chalk that up to a bond or a fraternity who hopefully had thought these very thoughts themselves over the past few months. There were a couple of seemingly credible event producers there who have apparently offered up their services in the past and were turned away time and time again. There was no instant outstretch of arms saying, "Welcome, we need your help."...I hope the task force really listened at a meeting they called themselves. I fear this fraternity may just be exclusive. Come on, gang, at least admit you need new blood, especially those who are volunteering....Look, I've been to this dance before. Either this task force and board will cop to the parade's entertainment value shortcomings, or they won't. The chap heading up the thing is a guy named Rodney Scott. I don't know him, but at this event he seemed caring, sincere, and only a tad defensive. Seems to me it's all up to him. Now, Mr. Scott didn't say it, but I felt that he doesn't think his parade sucks. If that is the case, we are in real trouble. But hell, there is a task force and this was a community workshop so they must know the patient is at least ill. I think we have to give those in charge the benefit of the doubt. They certainly have heard the complaints. Let's see what they do with their parade in 2006. If it's great, our quacking was well worth it. If it sucks, I have a plan. In 2007, we stay away. Just boycott the damn thing. I suggest we all find the time to go stay in a local hotel for a night and eat locally. I don't want to hurt the retailers. But just like voting, the only real way to effect change is use the power of one. Heck, if the parade continues to suck, maybe it's time for a gay Pride parade in Silver Lake? The gauntlet is down. Mr. Scott and company have heard the pleas. Let's see what it is they do or don't.

The other day Ryan and I took the train from Union Station to Fullerton. It takes 20 minutes and is so damned fun. After a great dinner we stumbled onto the Brea Jazz Festival and it was a blast. It was like we were in small town America. Honestly, there was more production value in Brea at their Jazz Festival than there is at our parade. I know I'm beating a dead horse, but it's tough not to make comparisons.

I have to admit I like the reality show Open Bar on Logo. It's all about the trials and tribulations of Tyler Robuck and company opening up the i candy Lounge on Santa Monica Boulevard. This Tyler guy is quite charming. The producers have built in a steady bit of staged drama with a ticker tape on money to be raised before the opening. Well hell, living here, we know the place opened so the drama is a tad mitigated. But it's well done and they effectively rope you in to care about this team. Yawar, of O-Bar and Here fame is his general manager and comes off interesting and totally professional, and Tyler is a hell of a lot more interesting and charismatic than Rocco DiSpirito was in the big budget NBC reality failure, The Restaurant. It's by far the best original programming on Logo.

Have you seen Carson Daly's late night show Last Call on NBC since he moved from NYC to Los Angeles? I cannot explain it, but for some reason this former MTV hottie looks like Paul Anka now. It's very odd.

Over the weekend we went down to the Orange County Performing Arts Center to see Maureen McGovern in the Broadway musical version of Little Women. She has an exceptional voice, but it's not used much in the play. The music of Little Women is pleasant but the book is silly. It was simply done and quite intolerable. Yet the sets were first rate and the theater itself is stunning. The show moves from town to town in seven semi trucks! Phoenix is next with plans to hit the Pantages here next year. After telling Maureen the play was terrific and she exceptional, we fled to Woody's at the Beach in Laguna to pay penitence or at least get a pop.

Bob Denver's passing reminded me of a local restaurant. The Skipper on Gilligan's Island was named Alan Hale. After the show went off the air he opened Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel at 826 N. La Cienega, where the Spanish Kitchen is today. The Skipper wore that hat and greeted customers and would come up to every table. I remember Hale cruising around making sure your bib was on to protect you from the butter you dipped your lobster in. Seems kind of surreal today.

I'm so excited about Phillip Seymour Hoffman portraying Truman Capote in the new movie, Capote. It opens here at the end of the month. There is already award talk after a viewing at the Toronto Film Festival. Hoffman is always great. Capote spent some time here in West Hollywood back in the day. He died back in 1984 here at Johnny Carson's ex-wife's home. Truman was always the center of attention at any party he was at. As a twink I was thrilled to be able to hang with him from time to time. He was not very reliable and was generally swacked by 9 p.m., but he was a true American treasure. In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany's were only outdone by his world famous "Black and White Ball" in New York back in 1966. Legend stands today that was the greatest party of all time. Truman was a sad man. Boys would flock to him at Studio One or the old Friendship bar and he would regale for hours with classic stories from his childhood in New Orleans to conquering New York City. What a total trip he was. Maybe this movie will spark interest in a revival of the one-man Broadway show, Tru starring Robert Morse. Morse won a Tony and an Emmy for it about 15 years ago. I hope so; it was one of the best nights in the theater of all time. Morse is now finally the right age to play Truman. Capote was lonely and pretty insecure -- anyone could tell that. Grand Society turned their collective back on him when he wrote nasty gossip about them. Total truth and dirty laundry. I can totally relate!

See You Out & About

Contact me at: Malibudana@aol.com