A post from GARY!: OSCAR's Coming Out Party‏.

Hooray! Just as I was thinking to myself, "man, I have been a lazy, lazy blogger this week," GARY! went and turned things around! He sent over this great post, and now you are about to read it.  I'll give you the skinny: Oscar Party and drag queens. Gays, do I have your attention?

Anyway, while the SXSW madness rises to a fever pitch - a pitch that makes us want to freak dance - GARY! took a moment to recognize a really cool benefit that's happening this weekend at the Driskill. It involves the 82nd Academy Awards, and in my mind, there's really only one question:

James Cameron or Kathryn Bigelow?

This one is really hard to call. Especially since there are some awesome underdogs this year for Best Picture: An Education (French, sexy), Inglorious Basterds (violent, funny), Precious (I am a bad person because I haven't seen this yet!)

But. The ex-husband and ex-wife, James and Kathryn. Friends, that's a competition made of Hollywood gold, you know it and I know it. My money's on Kathryn, even though I loved Avatar, the way a little kid loves Schlitterbahn. But The Hurt Locker...Jesus.  Have you seen it? If so, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Anyhoo - onto GARY! Here he is:

So I figured it was about time I got back on the wagon... I've been a little MIA lately, and for that I apologize. This weekend promises to be another one of those uniquely Austin weekends where there is literally something for everyone.  So I think Im going to go a little backwards here and start with Sunday evening.

Why you ask?

Well, Sunday is Oscar's "coming out party" (sorry, the pun IS intended), and what better place to welcome that stunning, statuesque figurine back into our lives then at the AGLIFF Oscar Party at the Driskill Hotel?

Not to toot our own horn, but if you've ever been to a great party, chances are a gay person had a hand in it.  Seriously, have you ever been to a gay man's Super Bowl party?  They don't JUST have dip, they have EIGHT LAYER DIP (think seven layer dip, but with an extra layer of fabulousness). Kidding aside, the real reason I'm telling you about this particular Oscar party is that the proceeds help fund one of the oldest and largest gay/lesbian film fests in the Southwestern United States (the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival), as well as the Paul Kirby Emergency Fund at AIDS Services of Austin.  Both organizations provide services to Austin that help make this the city we all love.  So if you have an itch to throw on your Sunday best and hang out in a sea of awesome, hit the link and grab a ticket here.

Side note: The $100 dinner tickets have already sold out, so that only leaves the $30 GA tickets, which include Tito's cocktails, all the fun and entertainment, as well as truffled popcorn and other twists on movie concessions.

The rest of the details are below, or you can view the actual press release here.

The aGLIFF Oscar Party General Information:

• $30 general admission (includes a few Tito's cocktails and truffled popcorn)
• 6pm: Doors open and Red Carpet celebrations with gratis Titos refreshments
• Plan to arrive by 6:30. Rebecca Havemeyer and Mocha Jean Herrup's opening Oscar number will begin at 6:50pm
• The 82nd Annual Academy Awards begin at 7pm
• Raffles for great prizes like a night at the Driskill, AFF passes and aGLIFF memberships will run throughout the night.
• The Oscar Pool winner will be announced at the end of the Oscars. You do not have to be present to win...but it will be a lot more fun if you are!
• Silent Auction will close at 9:15 - 9:30pm
• Attire: Glam it up! We would like for you to come dressed for the Red Carpet, but we are NOT requiring that you dress formal. Many individuals, however, have told us that they are looking forward to wearing suits, tuxes and gowns. Others are making costumes from their favorite movies. This is Austin; be yourself...but know that you have to make it past ol' Rebecca Havemeyer and there will be gifts awarded for best dressed!

That's all I got,
g.