There is so much win in this photo...

...that I don't even know where to begin.

Yes, your eyes don't deceive you, that's Debbie Gibson and Jordon Knight (from the New Kids on the Block) singing in the background. Awesome, right?

Some background of where I am and who I'm with. That's Dave. We were in the band Motokops 2000 together for almost six years. He moved to San Diego and I was out visiting him and attending the ultra stylish San Diego ComicCon that week. He's also lost something like 170lbs since this was taken. But I'm glad he was fat in this picture, it's just funnier. Skinny people aren't funny.

We decided that we'd head up to Hollywood for the day and check out all the touristy things to do. (Tour of Beverly Hills, see Grauman's Chinese theater, party with Lindsey, etc) It was 110 degrees out and Dave wore a heavy knit polo style shirt, so we had to hunt for a 5X light t-shirt for him the second we got to Hollywood. Amazingly enough we found one almost immediately. I guess they are prepared for the typical tourist.

While visiting Amoeba Records on Sunset (what a dump of a strip) they announced they were giving away two free tickets to a private show for SUGAR RAY. I happened to be standing next to the giveaway and seeing as we had nothing else to do that evening besides drive two hours home, we thought, what the hell. Free show, right? I know, it was SUGAR RAY!! We were that bored.

The show was actually at Paramount Studios, right on the NYC backlot. And it wasn't a show, it was GIGANTIC benefit for preventing AIDS. They had auctions, vodka tastings, a big entrance where the paparazzi were waiting, the NYC Gay Line dancing team and Debbie Gibson. Excuse me, Deborah.

How could we NOT stay for this?? She played ALL her hits, including....that one. And, you know, the other one. What am I, Casey Kasem?

It was a strange crowd. Some people dressed up fancy, some in very casual wear like us, and some people dressed like colorful sprites. Whatever they were dressed like, they didn't take kindly to our brand of East Coast tomfoolery while Deborah played. Amongst the photos of the GoM were also many of me mimicking various ways to kill myself in front of the stage.

Deborah has held up pretty well. Better than Tiffany, anyway. Though I'd have to say that half-shirts are not her friend...