GCL on Chelsea Lately

As I think about how to expand the reach of this blog (posting daily might be a good start but it's just so darn cold out these days), I've decided that my goal for the New Year is to be on the panel of my favorite E! show, Chelsea Lately.

The snappy rapparte between Chelsea and her guests is the best nightcap for yours truly. And the more I see the show, the more I see myself dishing out the vitriol and maybe injecting a little bit of political savvy in the mix.

Thoughts?

Let's start a campaign readers (and by readers I mean James, Marce and the Edel-gays) - let's get GCL on Chelsea Lately by the end of '09!!!!!

Maybe I need better demo videos:

The Railroading of Sam Adams

Someone has to die for the left-wing media to survive.

It's to be expected that in the hubris of Obama-mania some Democrat is to be strung up the flagpole by the press. And that would be you, Sam Adams, (handsome) mayor of Portland whose resignation has been called for after it was revealed you had a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old man back in 2005. See, someone has to die so the left-wing media can continue to brandish its badge of impartiality.

It doesn't hurt that most people would cringe at the thought of a 42-year-old man courting an 18-year-old boy - place that visual in the minds of the public and most people would want to throw holy water at the situation. But this isn't Dateline and I doubt that you, Mr. Adams, are a predator. It seems to me that you met, and developed a sexual relationship, with an astute teen who was volunteering for the city - this wasn't some troubled youth - this kid was out, loud and proud and had scored pillow chat with a man of power.

Readers, think back to whom you were gettin jiggy with it back in your teens and tell me you wouldn't go back in time to trade up to the likes of a powerful politician. The "victim," Beau Breedlove, has spoken out in defense of the Mayor, saying he never felt taken advantage of during their relationship and considered himself an adult at the time.

The issue, according to the press, is that you, Mr. Adams, lied about the relationship to win the office of Mayor and that you encouraged your young paramour to do the same. So The Oregonian runs an indignant editorial clamoring for your head, and the head of the police union wants you to resign as well, as does a local gay publication, Just Out. Nothing stings more than the cold shoulder of self-righteous gays - ouch!

The real issue, however, is that your exploits have become public knowledge at a time when the liberal media has focused all of its cheerleading on one Democrat: President Barack Obama. And that means, Sam Adams, that in any other time post-Bill Clinton you would have counted with breathless support from right-to-privacy activist reporters - however, your shenanigans come at the intersection of History and Change. That's a story no one is going to tire of reading about and you're a buzz kill with your cliched Democrat-who-can't-keep-it-in-his-pants ways.

Still, I think it's terrific that you're standing your ground and refusing to quit. That, too, sells papers and gives the liberal media more time to praise itself for its uncompromising effort to bring light, honesty and chastity to government. Just continue the good fight, continue to generate thousands of words of copy for outraged editors, impregnate a lesbian if you have the time so you can really stick it to the family values camp, and I think all will be fine.

Go See Slumdog Millionaire This Weekend!

Seeing as it's Oscar-nominated and all. James and I saw it last week and loved it. Was great to see India on the big screen - I thought I was going to get to go last year for work but sadly that account is now on hold. Anyway, the film is heart-wrenching, exciting, and hits the right amount of sap.

Above: M.I.A.'s video for Paper Planes, from the movie's soundtrack.

Can't Knock Hillary Clinton's Hustle

You gotta give it to my girl Hillary - braving the cold to watch her rival take the Oath of Office while haters back in the Senate hemmed and hawed about her appointment to Secretary of State - one has to wonder where her ambition (or masochistic desire to save America) will end? Will she become the Dems' version of Nixon who tried and tried to win the Presidency only to lose to a movement and then, finally, win on his final attempt at the Oval Office? Will she play nice like Colin Powell for one term and then exit stage left? Or will she go the way of Eleanor Roosevelt who went on to set her own course as a humanitarian and pave the way for the United Nations?

I'm no expert on women's studies but it seems to me as if Hillary's story is one of a woman who keeps getting screwed by men in power. Forgive me for not having a loftier way of saying this, but really, homegirl has had to watch a cavalcade of her husband's tricks and one nightstands take to the airwaves while she was trying to promote universal healthcare. Then, as she set out to rewrite history, Hillary found herself on the wrong side of the crossroads between the women's rights movement and the civil rights movement. And still she pressed on - rooting for the team (even if some thought she didn't do so fervently enough) and going on to accept a position on her rival's cabinet. And while she sat in the wings of Barack Obama's inauguration she had the dubious distinction of being the only member of the new President's cabinet who had not been confirmed by the Senate -- the course of Hillary's political story never did run smooth.

What can we expect from her in the next four years?

The Responsibility President

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. - President Barack Obama's Inaugural Speech


This is the sort of message you can get people to rally behind only in the midst of an historic election - remember when Bill Cosby tried to make a case for better parenting and proper English? As the country revels in the remarkable achievement of our new President, yours truly is most excited about the onus this places on minority communities to embrace the political process and start feeling empowered to effect change. With "one of our own" in power, there's an even greater incentive for our nation's growing minority population to participate in the improvement of our schools, homes and families. It's everyone's responsibility to put America back on track and I appreciate our new President's reminding us of this fact.

I've written about my dismay with some members of the Black and Latino community who are complacent and settle for the trappings of comfort without wanting more from themselves or from life and I've asked how a Barack election would change that mindset. Here's hoping that the crowds gathered on the Mall and throughout America to watch the Inauguration went home with President Obama's exhortation reverberating in their imagination. I hope they walked away asking themselves, "how can I do that?"

While the powers-that-be sort out the mess that is the economy and Iraq, ordinary Americans can carry out the great work of restrengthening the foundation of our society. This call to civic responsibility and volunteerism is, at least for this twenty-something, unheard of but I like the sound of it and I'm inspired to do my part. We all have a stake in making the next four, eight years work - and there's something every one of us can do to better our communities, our schools, our families, and ourselves. I'm compiling my list now...

Barack's Inauguration: For the Record, I'm Thrilled

I finally realized why I've been - sometimes, though not all the time - a buzzkill when it comes to Obama: I don't know what it's like to like our President.

When I started this blog back in the summer of 2006, I was fed up with the Bush administration's assault on the American identity. Under W the message was clear: America for white, Evangelical Christians - the rest of you can shut up or go to Gitmo. That our economy would tank towards the end of his watch was the icing on the cake following attempts on civil rights and the propagation of a war that so far has done nothing to contain unrest in the Middle East and Afghanistan nor has it produced Osama bin Laden. Remember him? So it seemed as the content would just write itself - so long as W and the Christian right kept swinging, so too would I have something to say.

Then along came Barack Obama and instantly, the world was aflutter. By all accounts, history had a bookend to the nightmare of the past eight years and the sooner we gave control to the unknown Senator from Illinois the sooner civilization would be redeemed. Not being one to believe in happy endings I refused to jump on the bandwagon - experience had to trump personality, right? And I took issue with the praise lavished on our new President's eloquence - it's great that he excels at oratory, but did it not seem the least bit ironic that his middle name is Hussein? It started to seem as if Obama wielded too much power, even as a candidate, so I got to thinking that maybe he was the Antichrist.

In the end, however, personality and a masterful use of social media made the political process real for millions of otherwise disenchanted Americans. And on election night, yours truly was awash in tears because, dammit, I was happy to see a person of color do what I never even dreamed of. From niggers and spics to Mr. President - that's something to marvel at and applaud.

And then, for me, all hell broke loose with the appointment of Rick Warren to lead the invocation at our new President's inauguration. How can a person who staunchly supported a measure to ban gay marriage and hurl an entire group of citizens back into obscurity (perhaps "the long night of captivity" that Dr. King spoke about?) form any part in a celebration of unity and inclusion? How could Barack do that to the people who supported him so fervently? (Trust me, I got into many a row with ultra-liberal gays who were aghast that I hadn't contracted Obama-mania)

That gesture turned me off to Obama once again - I felt cheated and homeboy wasn't even in power yet. I felt like calling up the gays who were all Obama-ed out to say "now what?"

But with the celebration of our new President's inauguration swelling up around us it seems that the gays are giving Obama a free pass (smart move, Mr. President, throwing Beyonce in front of the gays usually shuts them up)...so why shouldn't I?

So, my fellow Americans and friends around the world, I join you in the celebration of this historic inauguration. I celebrate as an American who is thrilled to see government turn a new corner with an eye toward inclusion and fairness; I celebrate as a Latino who sees a fellow brown brother achieve the impossible; and I celebrate as a gay man because we finally have a candidate who paid attention to us and who now has to make good on his promises to our community.

I am looking forward to the next four years and I hope you are, too.

A New GCL

I thought it was the right time to change the "About Me" section of my blog. After all, I can't complain about Bush anymore...

Read it below, or to the right of your screen:

For over two years I've been writing on this blog from the point-of-view of a gay, mostly liberal, man who was appalled by the excesses and carelessness of the Bush administration. Unfortunately, that didn't mean I jumped on our new President's bandwagon either - much to the chagrin of some of my readers. Regardless of my opinions, though, millions of Americans are now revved up on hope and the promise of change - and isn't that a beautiful thing?

So I now write this blog from the point-of-view of a guarded citizen who, while appreciating the enormity and significance of the events surrounding our nation's new leadership, still has some reservations about how all of this "change" will come about. Has our country made a giant leap toward progress? Absolutely. Am I thrilled about our new President? Yes (honest!). Will I expect more from him than I have any other leader in our nation’s history – which means I will write about his triumphs and upsets with even more candor than I ever reserved for W? Claro que si. But it all comes from a place of love and hope. I promise.

Follow Me, and the Inauguration, on Twitter

www.twitter.com/davidperez212

Not Holding my Breath on Guantanamo

When the world is falling apart around you and you're already pissing off a large part of the folks who put you in office, it's wise to throw your political base a bone and make an overture at an issue that matters to them.

President elect Barack Obama is promising to shut down the army prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, which was created by the Bush administration in 2002 to detain suspected terrorists. Since then, the prison has become synonymous with torture and other violations of international law - at least in the minds of the press and those darned media elite.

Of course, Barack can't just go to Cuba and transfer detainees to the White House basement. Where are these people going to go? Some of these folks may very well be dangerous, though we know Gitmo more for its pioneering use of waterboarding than for its effectiveness in the war on terror.

The President elect admits that the facility won't just close overnight: "We're going to get it done, but part of the challenge that you have is that you have got a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom may be very dangerous, who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication."

Bla, bla, bla. Basically, Barack knows a lot of annoying ultra liberal people are clamoring for change and he's got to shut them up. So, yeah, he's going to shut down Guantanamo right after he fixes the economy and gives all US citizens equal rights. Don't worry y'all, he's an exception multi-tasker, remember?

A Note from the Louis Vuitton Party for Stephen Sprouse: Don't Bore Nina!

Remember the last time I met a fabulous latina? I was suave, charming and even managed to share an anecdote about my mom. Well, last night at the Louis Vuitton party for Stephen Sprouse I did it again - this time around I chewed the (non) fat with my Colombian paisana and fellow BU alumn - oh, and fixture on Bravo TV's Project Runway -Nina Garcia.

I've always said that Nina is my soulmate: we're both uppity Colombians who went to Boston U, did a semester in Paris and came to New York looking for labels and love. She was absolutely charming to talk to - looking me straight in the eye at 6 feet in stiletto lace-up booties.

But the night didn't belong to Nina, or even Marc Jacobs, who showed up in a kilt and with his strapping Brazilian boyfriend in tow. The night was all about downtown artist Stephen Sprouse whose signature graffiti and roses are now emblazoned on a new line of Louis Vuitton accessories.

The party kicked off at the Greene street outpost of the luxe French malletier and continued at the Bowery Ballroom, where Debbie Harry performed a set of three songs. Oh - did I mention I was standing next to Mr. Jacobs and his boyfriend, who were all smiles and laughter as they sang along to Ms. Harry's set? I love down-to-earth fashionistas!

Downtown grunge converged deliciously with haute couture at this event where the Veuve Clicquot was abundant and complimentary taxis shuttled partygoers from the boutique to the after-party.

I'd say my 09 is off to a fabulous start. Do you think Nina will call me?

More pix below:


I kid you not, this is a real, breathing (I think), human being.


The video installation at Bowery Ballroom.


The view from the VIP-section...where else would I be at, yo?


Models made the rounds at the party with nifty digital cameras hooked up to HP printers that created branded polaroids.


Sprouse signature rose.


Debbie Harry performance.




Entrance to Bowery Ballroom.

And with the keys to the party, London's loss and New York City's gain, Viet N'Guyen.

How do You Solve a Problem Like Israel?

As Israel pounds Gaza with a might that can only come from thousands of years of rage, U.S. aid and a fearless army, it's time to step back and ask ourselves what, exactly, is supposed to happen after this assault?

The blogosphere and platforms like Twitter and Facebook are buzzing with commentary -"I'm protesting for human rights in front of the Israeli consulate" said one Facebook user on his status update, while another user urged everyone to "stop the anti-Israel rhetoric," to which someone replied "God forbid they should get rid of the terrorists...permanently!"

Ah, so Israel is going to get rid of the terrorists...permanently? And in a matter of weeks, no less, which would render Operation Iraqi Freedom moot and, really, we should all be thanking Israel for doing the job that thousands of dead Americans and trillions of our dollars just hasn't been able to do? Even though Israel was supposed to wipe out the terrorists during the surprise siege on Lebanon in 2006 and come to think of it, for the past 60 years of its existence, Israel has been at non-stop war with...everyone.

So what makes the recent assault on Gaza so poignant? What makes the rising death toll of women, children and, yes, militants, any more compelling than other reports of carnage from this part of the world?

As we enter a new year and rally behind a new world order that's hopped up on hope, my wish is for a more fair assessment of the Israel situation, one that doesn't just pit Israel against terrorists and therefore justifies widespread killing. Yes, it's absolutely and unfortunately true that Israel has suffered countless terrorist attacks and that the Jewish people continue to be the targets of violence around the world, but where does this violence come from? Is it anti-Semitic to even ponder the thought that the bulldozing diplomacy behind the creation of the state of Israel did disenfranchise a large group of people who, perhaps, have a reason to be angry?

Violence begets violence - so when does it end? And how many more nations need to be embroiled in this mess?

Yes, the world needs a safe and stable Israel - the country remains a beacon of democracy in a region of dictators and repression. But the world also needs for Israel to set an example and reject its trigger-happy ways that make the world question the legitimacy of its pursuits.

Hope Springs Eternal, No?

There's an opinion piece in today's USA Today that talks about how the Dems are going to have to re-brand themselves now that they've seized power and won't have W to kick around anymore. It's one thing to be the outsider heckling the cool kids at the party you couldn't get into, but once you're inside the Snow Ball (God I'm watching too much Gossip Girl) it's pretty hard to keep that street cred. So how will the Dems stay real?

According to Jonah Goldberg, editor at large of National Review Online: "...it's worth recalling that Democrats clawed their way back into power by promising to be all things to all people and by hewing to a politics of 'if Bush is for it, we're against it.' Neither of these poses is going to be of much use in power. 'To govern is to choose,' goes the old saying, and the Democrats will have to make choices that will brand it in the minds of voters."

True dat. And with expectations running high that Obama is going to sprinkle magic hope dust over our problems (would be nice if he could assemble a cabinet first - see here and here)the Dems' first order of business is going to be to help everyone come down from the high they've revved the country into and brace themselves for the months ahead. And after that, the business of fixing the economy and ensuring that the Middle East doesn't implode will pretty much take up all of Obama and co's time through 2012.

Yours truly is not expecting a miracle.

Happy New Year!

I took a prolonged break from blogging to reflect on the year that was, and more importantly, to plan my NYE party. Crammed close to 40 people in the studio for the party of the year (which year, though? It was that good...)The Widow Clicquot Ponsardin made an appearance, I had a DJ - how OMFG New York is that? And a dear friend left what's Hot in Hollywood behind to party with yours truly.

So what's ahead in '09 for GCL? More blogging, more opinions, more controversy and of course, love. Stay tuned for my next update...