July 26, 2006

Jenny Shimizu, Model

Sofitel Hotel, Thurs., July 20, 11am.

On Philadelphia: “This is the first time I've been here, and it's funny because I lived in New York for five years and I just never thought of coming to Philadelphia. It's like a hidden secret. A lot of friends who are architects in Los Angeles and people interested in design said I really got to go to Eastern State. So I'll see the Liberty Bell and the Penitentiary, the yin and yang of Philadelphia. There's a Gayborhood, I hear, but I don't think it's as segregated as it might be in Los Angeles, where people feel unsafe being outside of West Hollywood. I haven't been here long enough to know about the history of hate crimes, but there doesn't seem to be that kind of tension here. I'm going to Sisters tonight, and then they're taking me to another bar down the street. I love to go see all the clubs in whatever city. It tells what the community is about.”

Jenny Shimizu was in Philadelphia to accept the Lesbian Icon Award from the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Posted by jfusco at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2006

Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, Directors

Four Seasons, Wed., July 12, 11:30am.

On Philadelphia: “I hate to bring up Rocky,” says Dayton. “It's a little bit like people asking us how we work together, being married. But what was funny to me today is how small the steps are where he does his famous run. But I realized that works well, because he's actually much smaller in real life. So the scale served him well.”

“When you fly in you get this aerial view of the city,” says Faris, “and it still was like a half an hour before landing, and there was just so much farmland. It's really beautiful. Our geography is terrible, but what was interesting was seeing how the rivers are a really big part of this city. I would never have thought of Philadelphia as having so much water.”

Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton's film Little Miss Sunshine opens Aug. 4 in Philadelphia.

Posted by jfusco at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2006

José Alberto, Salsa Singer

Penn's Landing, Sat., July 8, 6:15pm.

On Philadelphia: “I played in a couple of festivals here before—big events with artists like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente. What can I say? It's a very fun city. It has a very good nightlife here. I've seen beautiful womans [laughs], eaten very well, and I did about three boat rides a couple of summers ago, like private parties and stuff like that. They are very great audiences, especially the Latinos. They go crazy when they see me onstage. They ask me for so many different songs, and I say, ‘Wow, I can't sing all this. Too many.' It's a lot of memories in Philly. You want me to say them? You're not missing much from other places. You have a little bit of everything. I love coming here. I come maybe three, four times a year. I can't complain. They pay me very well. That's one of the most important things.”

José Alberto performed last week at the Hispanic Fiesta at Penn's Landing.

Posted by jfusco at 12:48 AM | Comments (0)

July 08, 2006

Esera Tuaolo, Author/Former NFL Player

National Constitution Center, Wed., June 28, 4:30pm.

On Philadelphia: I remember coming over here with various teams and your fans were very, uh, colorful. When you're the opposing team walking into an environment like that, it's not a pretty sight. When I was here it was at the old stadium, and the turf was horrible, horrific. The worst field I've ever played on. It was like playing on concrete. They would tell us to keep our helmets on just in case someone would throw something at us. I met Randall Cunningham because he played with the Vikings, and I knew Reggie White throughout my whole career. I live in Minnesota. I love places with history, and there's a lot of history here. It's incredible—all these cobblestones and old buildings. We don't have this in Minnesota. Philly's so diverse, right? You guys have a Chinatown, a Germantown, an Italian section and stuff like that. We don't have that in Minnesota."

Esera Tuaolo's book Alone in the Trenches: My Life as a Gay Man in the NFL is in stores now.

Posted by jfusco at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)

Gunner, Porn Mogul

Trocadero, Sat., June 24, 8:45pm.

On Philadelphia: "I live in Louisiana, but I have a home here in Philly. I just purchased it, but I haven't finished moving in yet. My family lives in Dover, Del.; they're military so they're stationed there. I like Philadelphia because it's kind of like a small New York and accessible to the whole tristate area. There's an underground industry and it's kind of surfacing with people like myself. Philadelphia is not the mainstream, but it's a lot easier than New York. There are no strict laws against porn here in Philadelphia. I know who the pioneers are. I don't want to mention them, but I'm among them. The whole curfew thing, that's the part that kills Philly. There's an array of different types of nightclubs, and I know a lot of bar owners. I think the adult film industry is growing here. I did a lot of filming here without living here, and that's why we decided to move here and bring the headquarters to Philadelphia."

Gunner was in Philadelphia to judge the Miss Exotic Butterfly Contest.

Posted by jfusco at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)