THE WHEEL DEAL
Larry Hagman and David Foster were among the gear heads making a pit stop at the Peterson Automotive Museum for its annual Cars and Stars benefit. The place was bumper-to-bumper with the well-heeled and the four-wheeled.
Cher’s cruising machine was on display along with Elvis Presley’s ’71 DeTamaso Pantera, Robert Stack’s 1960 Mercedes and David Crosby’s ’39 pickup.
More than a thousand car buffs lined up for a look at everything from beach buggies to Bentley’s jalopies to Jags. In addition to outrageous autos, the show featured 45 custom guitars from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton.
The event raised more than $700,000. The exhibit runs through December 31.
BOYS WILL BE … GIRLS
It was a good night to boogie, oogie, woogie as Saturday night fever swept through Universal Studios for APLA’s annual Summer Celebration. They pulled out all the stops for the whooped-tee-do, which featured everything from Asian dumplings to drag queens.
After a tram ride that took revelers through the parting of the Red Sea and a stop by the Bates Motel, the guests hit the back lot for a first-class grazing feast.
They nibbled corn tamales and sipped margaritas beneath a towering Egyptian temple, chomped on Chinese chicken salad on the streets of Paris and snacked on escargot while wandering down dusty wild west trails.
The fare came from everywhere with a taste for every palate. Global Cuisine hammed it up with a whole roast pig festooned with orchid blossoms, Astro Burger created piles of onion rings and La Bohme fixed up some flash-grilled ahi.
The entertainment was non-stop. They did the two-step in front of the Summit Town Cattleman’s Association and frolicked before King Tut’s tomb. Despite the eclectic surroundings, Disco was the big theme here and it was gitchy gitchy ya, ya, ya, ya as far as the eye could see. Anyone dressed like John Travolta got in free, but outrageous was the order of the day.
One guest sported a marabou madhatter’s topper and baby blue lounge wear looking like a cross between Elton John and Jean Harlow. A glittery guy called “Tracy” made the rounds in a bell bottom poly stretch number with six inch Lucite heels. “Sponsor me in the AIDS walk,” he/she implored. “I’m going in my platforms.” Despite appearances, this war-painted lady was not a professional performer, but a clinical lab technician at Saint Vincent’s Hospital. Oh my!
Then there was the drag queen contest, where the lovelies lined up in all their finery. A white-sequined, tube top-wearing contestant named “Raja” took home the top prize. “I’m so excited,” she gushed, poking through her Charlie’s Angels gift basket. “It has everything. I’ve got Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Lu, the poster and the DVD.”
Did this big boned beauty ever think she would win? “Gosh no,” she exclaimed. “I just came down here and didn’t know what to expect.” That’s okay Hon, neither did we.