Historic Event as Mayor of Los Angeles hosts "the gays" at his house to Celebrate Pride

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hosted a Garden Party on Sunday afternoon at his home - the official Mayoral mansion The Getty - in honor of Gay Pride Month.

It is the first time a gay event has ever been held at the Mayor's house, and several hundred attendees were there including out gay actors Doug Spearman (Noah's Arc), Daniella Sea (The L Word), Jack Plotnick and Pride Parade's Grand Marshall's Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, along with Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ivy Bottini, Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk), Oscar winning producer Bruce Cohen (Milk, American Beauty) and the hosts of PRIDE here in Los Angeles, CSW (Christopher Street West), who this year are celebrating 40 Years of producing LA Pride. The event was also jammed packed with gay politicos and community leaders from all over Southern California.

The event was MC-ed by the always stunning and entertaining Momma, and produced by Chad Hudson Events.

Villaraigosa noted that this may be the first time an official gay party has been held here, but unofficially he claims all his family reunions are also big gay parties (he has several gay relatives, including State Assembly Speaker John A Perez, his cousin, who also spoke at the event).

Villaraigosa has been a strong supporter of lgbt rights in Los Angeles. He donated $30,000 to the No On Prop 8 initiative himself, and after the marriage ban passed, he was instrumental in providing vital leeway in allowing marches and protests. For eight days following the passage of Prop 8 (making marriage legal only between a man and a woman), he approved police support for the marches that occurred all over the city, so protesters would be protected, and not detained or arrested which made it possible for large and long showings of support for our community.

The Getty House is a historical site, having been built in 1921 in the Windsor Square area of Hancock Park and designed by the same architects who did Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian Theatres in Hollywood. The house became the official home of the Mayor in 1973, when Mayor Tom Bradley took residence for 16 years - which was a milestone because decades prior, African Americans were prohibited from buying property in this area (similar laws were in place all over the city which also banned Asian Americans from buying property in certain areas).

On the day of the brunch, the gay rainbow flags were proudly hung in the front along with the state and country flags.

The highlight of the event for me was the chocolate cheesecakes on a stick, and getting to meet the resident pound dog Monkey, who belongs to the Mayor's girlfriend, Lu Parker. I'm always thrilled to meet a rescue pup! Also, Kelly Osbourne complimented me on my glasses and asked the name of the place I got them (Old Focals, in Pasadena - where Johnny Depp has been getting his glasses for years!). She was a bit hit at the party since she looked particularly stunning.

Even in the sweltering heat of the Southern California sun, the attendees had an absolute blast, and it was a great honor to have official recognition of Gay Pride, thanks to the work of CSW.

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