This is so Perez-y, I know, but it was exciting for me that a red carpet premiere -- of Milk, no less -- was going on tonight a few blocks from my humble home!


Being a pop culture junkie, I was not gonna miss this. Castro Street was blocked between 18th and Market, and there was indeed an actual red carpet rolled out in front of the Castro Theater for the stars to walk. There were bunches of No on 8 supporters as well, shouting from behind the blockade, erupting each time an actor emerged from the motorcade. Milk stars Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco, and they were all out in full force, and thisclose to me! The movie is a biopic of the beloved Harvey Milk, and many of his friends and supporters from back in the day were out on the red carpet as well, including my old landlord (!), Carol Ruth Silver, who was on the SF Board of Supervisors during Harvey Milk's time and was apparently also targeted by Dan White. She is even portrayed in the movie! This is all news to me! The most surreal moment was definitely seeing Carol Ruth, rail thin and in one of her ever-present hats, arm in arm with Diego Luna and Emile Hirsch, being photographed by the paparazzi. Also on the carpet were the gorgeous Diane Lane, Robin Wright Penn, T.R. Knight and his nearly underaged boyfriend, and, of course, Gavin Newsom. I also spotted Phil Bronstein, former Chronicle editor, former husband of Sharon Stone, and one-time victim of a grisly Komodo Dragon attack.

It was fun to watch each star speak with Access Hollywood and Extra, shows like that, and to ham it up for the cameras. Sean Penn swept past the photogs, but made a point to walk up and along the large crowd that was chanting "No on 8!" I don't live in Los Angeles, so this was as close to Hollywood glitterati as I could get, at least 4 blocks from my apartment. Here's some pictures my boyfriend took before his camera's battery unfortunately died. Argh, bad timing.

To check out the trailer for this film, click here.