“Excuse Me Mr. Freak, But May I See Your Invitation?” Dept.: Rick James and his entourage couldn’t make it past the bouncers, but Puffy and J-Lo were there and Agent Scully arrived sporting “a great thong.” If you’re like me, your invitation to Vanity Fair‘s legendary post-Oscar shebang at Morton’s the other weekend was — once again — lost in the mail, but rest assured Austin was represented in style nonetheless. BookPeople‘s Advertising and Display Manager Jinn Nagaoka won an all-expenses-paid trip to the affair courtesy of Vanity Fair and Viking Press for her work on an in-store display for the coffeetable tome Vanity Fair’s Hollywood. Viking not only flew Nagaoka out to Hollywood, but also gave her free rein on their corporate credit account, put her and a friend up at the dangerously fabulous Standard Hotel on Sunset Blvd., and even flew out a stylist from New York coifmaster John Barrets‘ salon to make sure she looked über-scrumptious. How awesome was it? “Very,” relays Nagaoka. “We walked in past these three checkpoints and Rick James and his two chicks were there, but they weren’t on the list and couldn’t get in. Neither could Donatella Versace — her gowns were in there but she wasn’t!” Nagaoka’s list of drool-worthy moments include hanging with Willem Dafoe and family (“One fine fox!”), Paul Reubens, and icon du jour Benicio Del Toro. Björk, sans swan, politely declined a photo op, Stormin’ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, provided beatmatched mayhem, and Austin was duly in the house… Cine Las Americas‘ fourth annual Festival of the Americas begins Thursday, April 12, and runs through April 21. The fest features the most recent, cutting-edge, and contemporary films from Latin communities around the globe. This year’s fest will present not only a wealth of films, but will also present renowned Brazilian DJ Dolores, Wednesday, April 11, 5:30-7pm at Thirty Three Degrees (4017 Guadalupe) and Thursday, April 12, 10pm-2am at the Red Fez (209B W. 5th St.). Any and all other info is available at www.cinelasamericas.org… This week’s film fest V2.0 is the first annual African-American Independent Film Festival, April 6-7 at Southwestern University in Georgetown. A variety of features and shorts will be presented, and all films are free and open to the public. Call Greg Holland at 512/863-1770 for more info… Alleywood Studios (1902 S. Congress) will be hosting a series of Thursday-night workshops conducted by casting director Gary Chason beginning today (so call now), Thursday, April 5, and running through April 26. Chason’s credits include The Last Picture Show, Logan’s Run, and gobs more. Registration is $200 for all four classes (offered in both in afternoon and evening time slots), and more info can be had by calling 441-3738 or e-mailing sidkid@austin.rr.com… Here’s one for the rest of the industry: The newly formed Austin Film & Video Images Association will hold its first meeting Wednesday, April 11, at 10pm (location TBA). Billed as a “creative film and video think tank,” their press release says they’re aimed at “actors, directors, hair/make-up artists, audio techs, prop masters, etc.,” which pretty much covers all the bases. For location and other info, call 323-2002… The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Fest will present a drive-in-style screening of the 1958 sci-fi pic Queen of Outer Space, Tuesday, April 17, dusk, at the MACC (600 River). Penned by famed Twilight Zone scribe Charles Beaumont, the film stars Zsa Zsa Gabor, and also features Miss America 1946 Marilyn Buferd — who also happens to be Chronicle publisher Nick Barbaro‘s mom! Classic space-kitsch with an Austin twist for only $5. Call 302-9889 for more info.
This article appears in April 6 • 2001.