San Diego Pride has always been the GLBT community’s annual major event. Its board of directors has been our community’s caretakers of this event, not the owners. You, the community own Pride, everyone one of you! San Diego Pride has lost its ways, and now it’s up to you, the community, to put it back on the right track.

What has become very clear is that San Diego LGBT Pride, and its now three member board has completely lost the trust, confidence and support of the GLBT community, period. In these most difficult times for so many in our community and our struggling nonprofits, Pride giving out over $12,000 in gifts and staff bonuses should not have happened. I have met with both former executive director Ron deHarte and remaining board members Philip Princetta, Mike Karim and Carl Worrell in more than three hours of separate meetings. I was called by them and as a co-founder of our community’s first Pride event in 1974, I gave them my advice. I commend Mr. Princetta for agreeing to give his $5,000 gift back and all three board members for their apology to the community. I know that there are ongoing negotiations and discussions about the entire board stepping down and an interim blue ribbon board being put into place, made up of respected GLBT community activists who will be caretakers ’til a new permanent Pride board is put into place. I also urge a new and permanent community advisory board be put into place and that Pride commit to quarterly town hall meetings to always have community input, ideas and suggestions. San Diego Pride must be returned to the people, period. Let me make it clear that while I would not have supported any financial bonuses and gifts to any Pride officers or staff members (almost all nonprofit organizations do not ever give out bonuses), I believe that the focus of a re-organizing Pride board is to make sure this does not happen again. While the past executive director received more than $20,000 in bonuses, this is not the time for any nonprofit to give out bonuses to anyone, especially when this year’s Pride festival tickets and booth rentals went up in prices, and Pride will no longer give free admission to active military personnel. During these bad economic times let us cut ticket prices and make Pride more affordable and welcoming to all and bring back a community celebration, not a high price money gauging expo that it has become. Never should our community allow San Diego Pride to be run by three or five people instead of a full board membership that reflects the diversity of our community. Thank you for listening.

You’re all invited to be heard and have your voices listened to concerning San Diego Pride. I urge you all to attend a town hall meeting at the San Diego LGBT Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m.

Last Saturday, Universal and Dish closed their doors after being opened for less than two years. More than $4 million dollars had been invested into this complex, but it was doomed from the beginning, sad to say. For months, before it opened its doors, its straight owners had let word out that this Hillcrest club was going to be an “upscale nightclub,” catering to “gays with money.” Rumors concerning dress codes and high prices for everything swept the community. All these things turned a lot of people off, especially during this deteriorating economy. This was not the time to put a La Jolla attitude nightclub in Hillcrest. The straight owners did not really know our gay market. The Universal staff was told that they were out of jobs only two days before the doors closed. While some are still holding bills, one smart businessowner who Universal owed $5,000 threw himself and friends a New Years Eve party and smartly drank up the debt! Personally I liked one of the owners, James Brennan, who meant well and popular manager Billy was loved by all. I loved the entire staff, both gay and straight. They were family to the community. While rumors are going around concerning interested new owners who want to buy the complex, the number one rumor is that the owners of the Abbey in West Hollywood are interested in buying the complex.

For almost 20 years, MTV’s “Real World” reality series has helped change America’s young people’s attitudes when it comes to the GLBT community. Since its first show, the “Real World: New York”, in the early ’90s, the on going casts have always included gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and a person living with AIDS (Pedro) and a transsexual. Millions of young Americans have seen their youthful GLBT counterparts portrayed as just like them except for who they choose to love. In fact, almost all of MTV’s programming and shows seemingly always include representation of our GLBT community. I have watched all the “Real World” series, and I also love their new hit show “Jersey Shores”, as two of my ex-lovers were East Coast Italian stallions! “Real World: D.C.” premiered last week. Its on every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. “Real World” is about eight young strangers from across America put together to live in one house in a city for about three months. This year’s cast that lives in a real “sick” (MTV’s slag for hot) house in our nation’s capital includes, 22-year-old Mike, who is bisexual and is very religious (goes to church every Sunday) and has slept with 15 girls and 5 guys his entire life! Mike is a hunk with green eyes. Emily is bisexual and is 20-years-old and is an ex-religious cult member from Missouri and is now a party-girl making up for lost times. Other interesting cast members are a cute nerd named Andrew, who is always horny and stupid and says offensive comments about women and lesbians. Ty is a 22-year-old African American built God, who is one hot stud and very sexy. Check out MTV’s “Real World: D.C.” Its one great reality show!

You’re all invited to attend the Imperial Court de San Diego’s 38th annual Coronation Ball on Saturday, Jan. 23 at the Birch North Park Theatre. This year’s theme is “A Night at The Theatre” and great entertainment is being planned. The Imperial Court de San Diego has for almost four decades given out millions of dollars in charity grants. Yes, more than $80,000 alone in 2008! I urge you all to come out and show your appreciation and support for the noble deeds that the court members have done for so many. Get your tickets at the Birch North Park Theatre box office. For more information, call 619-254-6372 or 619-692-1967.

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