Rich and Gaymous

by Quentin

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be rich and gaymous? In life, you can have it all if you’re rich and gaymous. I tagged along with my producer to director Roland Emmerich’s party at his sprawling Hollywood Hills estate complete with a mansion and pool house where the early Tarzan movies were shot.

I’ve been there several times, and I’ve always wondered what it would like to be rich and gaymous like Mr. Emmerich.

First of all, on a July 4th party, you have to serve free-flowing top shelf liquor from Patron to Veuve Clicquot with delicious quiches, empanadas, gourmet hot dogs and hamburgers along with fabulous Dandy Don’s ice-cream, friendly servers and American oldies. There was tight security and a strict guest list. Truly the party was a production that dwarfed the upcoming low-budget feature that I would be making.

There were the industry folks, the children, the relatives, and gay party boys. It was truly an eclectic mix of Los Angelenos including actor James Duvall, director Gregg Araki, producer Chris Lee, writer/director Dustin Lance Black, promoter Wayne Castro, DJ Manny Patel, and Outfest director Kirsten Shaffer and her daughter Olive… and many many other queer and Hollywood elites.

“Who wouldn’t have a good time at Roland’s house?” asked my producer.

I nodded in agreement and sipped my champagne with a dash of St. Germain as my skin basked in the Los Angeles’ summer sun.

“One day I’ll have a house like this…” said my 23-year-old assistant dreamily who was a struggling young gay Asian filmmaker not too much unlike me.

What more could a lonely struggling filmmaker/blogger who lived in a little apartment at the base of Hollywood Hills asked for?

It was heaven on earth. Or perhaps queer heaven on earth.