From the Chair

My dear fellow tongzhis:

CRA had a busy and successful July. We took part in the 2001 API Sportsfest, GAPSN's Casino Night at the El Rey, and Outfest.

At the Sportsfest, our volleyball players, just as skillful as the "Iron Ladies" but much more butch, again won the tournament and became the champions this year. To all the players, congratulations! Special thanks to our chief organizers Liming and Simon S. Medals will be deservedly presented to them at a future CRA general function.

Be sure to join us for dining at the GAPSN Classic/CRA event on Sunday Aug 16. These dinners feature great food, lively conversation, friendly and intimate atmosphere. People of all ages share relaxing quality time together, and these dinners will soon be a tradition. We plan to have one such dining experience every 2 months, sampling the best Asian restaurants in the Southland. The next ones will be Shanghai cuisine (my specialty), Thai, Indian, Hong Kong-style Western cuisine, Korean BBQ, to name just a few.

Other exciting social and cultural events are being planned as you read this -- A picnic at the park, a dance party, Asian costume Halloween party, a Chinese Rainbow Awards banquet, tongzhis "family" thanksgiving dinner. You will be called upon to help organize these fun, meaningful activities, so all can enjoy them.

CRA will soon have a new logo. It will feature its acronym in the shape of a stylized dragon, which is the symbol of Chinese power and heritage. Features of this logo will convey the essential characteristics of our organization -- Chinese, proud, "not-straight," and colorfully diverse. The logo is being refined currently and will be presented to the general membership at a future event.

Also, please keep your eyes peeled for an article in a local Chinese daily newspaper on the activities of the our tongzhis in the Southland. It will be both informative and discreet.

Yours in Pride, Andre’ T.

The Days When Oscar Took Place

Simon Sun

Ever since my boyfriend, Ed was hired to run the TV campaign for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” our “domestic” life became closely tied to the epic. For several months, the main topic in our household had been nothing but the film. Each night after returning home, Ed would first boil himself a fresh cup of tea, then carry it over to the sitting area, settle in his big comfy chair and start recounting his day of work. Though the accounts rarely broke their formula and were forever made up of two parts: the development of the project and the stress he experienced from the job, the contents varied each day. Being the sole listener in the house, I managed not to overreact to the 2nd part of his accounts. After all, Ed was working on something big – something that might make film history and retroactively enrich his own career. Based on such a belief, I patiently sat through all of the sessions and looked for ways to cheer him up.

Several days before Christmas, Sony Pictures Classics, the distributor of the film, summoned Ed to New York to discuss new media plans. He left on a Sunday afternoon. After dropping him off at the airport, I drove straight to the Regent Theater on La Brea where Tiger had just began its L.A. debut. Although I had seen the film with a bunch of “industry” people at TriStar a couple weeks ago, out of whatever impulse, I longed to sit in a real theater with real audience and experience the excitement again. But once I got to the theater, I immediately became fluctuant about whether to go in or not. A huge crowd had already gathered along the sidewalk and the line was well extended to several blocks away. Judging by the number of the people, I figured, even if I made into the theater, the best possible seat would be somewhere at the far corner of the first row. Was that worth it?

As I was wavering, Rick, an old acquaintance of mine and a notorious “movie buff” who spends his annual vacation at Outfest, suddenly materialized in front of me. It turned out that Rick was there to see the film also and best of all, he’d already got a nice spot in the line and invited me to jump in. Could I be any luckier? Without hesitation, I returned to the box office and bought one of the remaining tickets.

Needless to say, I had one of the best movie experience ever in this theater. To me, Tiger looked even more fascinating than it did last time – largely because I was with a house full of “real” audience and their crazed response couldn’t be more contagious. If I had vaguely believed, based on Ed’s preach, that Tiger might do well in America, In that particular theater, I became totally convinced that the movie would be a sure hit.

As expected, Tiger continued its tour-de-force in the following months. With its box office receipts approaching $100 million and 10 Oscar nominations, Tiger had by then become the most profitable foreign film in U.S. history and a solid contender for not one but many Academy Awards. For those who were involved in this history-making process, the imminent question had now become how to celebrate.

Roughly two weeks before the Oscar ceremony, Ed called me from work. “Guess what?” Such an expression generally signaled good news. As expected, I soon learned that he had just received an invitation to Sony’s Oscar party on the award night and that, if I were interested, he could put me on the list too. Of course I’m interested! Being a faithful Academy Awards viewer, I knew how extravagant a party like this could be. Also, since I have chosen to study film and fancied a career in Hollywood, attending such a party would definitely broaden my view and help me to make valuable contacts. So, without thinking, I told Ed I would go.

Because the party was to start at 9 o’clock on Sunday night and I planned to stay as late as possible, I emailed a “warning” to my sit-com teacher, telling him that I might miss his Monday morning class. He tacitly consented to my “proposed” absence by not replying the message, but spread the news among other students. When I showed up at the Film Analysis class the next day, some of my classmates shouted: “Sony’s party? Get out of here! How did you get invited? Are you someone’s date?” Before I could say anything, Aaron Coleman, the other “comrade” in the class who knew my relationship with Ed, cut in: “Yeah, Tom Cruise’.”

For the rest of the week, I spent half of time finishing up the 1st draft of the sit-com script and half of the time imagining whom I would see at the party. In between the two tasks, I also drove to the mall once and bought a new shirt from the Gap. Although Ed had suggested that I rent a tuxedo – as he would do for himself, I decided to go against his idea. Money was of course one of the considerations. Also, I’d like to go with an informal “student” look. I had a nice dark sports jacket and a pair of thick corduroy pants which, to my belief, would work well for this occasion. If I added a red Hilfiger’s silk tie to the newly purchased blue cotton shirt and finished with a pair of funky J-Crew loafer, the overall look would definitely make me feel more of myself. But in the end, a sudden change of plan disallowed me from carrying out the design.

Friday afternoon, Tom Bernard, President of Sony Pictures Classics, called Ed and told him that there might be a chance for both of us to go to the actual Awards, but Ed must call him the next day to confirm the ticket availability. Carrying his newly rented tuxedo, Ed returned home and announced the news. We both got very excited and hoped that Tom’s tentative invitation would eventually become definite. Saturday morning, Ed phoned Tom as agreed. Within minutes, we learned that the tickets had already been delivered to the Concierge of the Beverly Hills Hotel and were ready for pick-up. None of us could believe our good luck. Out of the blue, we were to attend not only an Oscar party but also the actual award ceremony!

Right off the phone, Ed started to “nag” on the urgency of my getting a tuxedo. I didn’t argue. If that’s the rule, I had no choice but to obey. Soon, we left the house and began to search for my tux. We made our first stop at a shop near our home but found nothing. We then drove to another one on Westwood Boulevard. There, I found this superb 3-piece suite made by Ralph Lauren. I tried it on and it fitted perfectly. Ed found a vest that would go with his tux and decided to take it. Each of us also rented a pair of the so-called “tuxedo shoes.” Out of the shop, we grabbed a quick lunch, then drove to the Beverly Hills Hotel to pick up the tickets. By time we returned home, dusk had fallen.

Next morning, Ed got up and began to arrange the transportation. Since the owner of his company would also attend the Awards and had already hired a limo, Ed asked if we could go with her and get a lift. She agreed. At around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, we drove to her house on Doheny Drive. There, we were joined by her boyfriend Don and two other guests. After taking a few group pictures, we jumped in the limo and took off.

It was not until at the Shrine that I realized how advantageous to come in a limo. Unless you are Julia Roberts (who actually arrived in a black SUV), those who came in regular sedans had to park their cars faraway and walk a long distance back to the theater. But for the limo riders, they had the privilege to drive and stop right at the main entrance, wait for the door opened by the parking attendants and get off as big-shot celebrities. So if ever you have the chance to go to the Academy Awards, do hire a limo or at least board on someone else’s. This will definitely give your Oscar experience a nice start.

From the moment I stepped out of the limo, I felt as if I was someone special. Across from the Shrine, layers of bystanders crammed behind a long fence and watched every move of those who came out of the limos. If they saw the face of a star, they would shout out loud. On the opposite side, the regular attendees (meaning: those who were neither the featured stars nor their publicists) formed a queue along the sidewalk and waited to check in. They also paid attention to whoever arrived. So in that brief moment, I came to understand the meaning of “under the spotlight.” Luckily, the attention we received was soon shifted to Hilary Swank, whose limo was right behind ours. As she and her husband Chad Lowe began to make the grand entrance, we promptly withdrew ourselves from the “limo” ground and walked to the end of the queue: waiting.

Since the stars needed to see the press on the red carpet, they were allowed to go in first. As a result, our line moved quite slowly. When we finally passed the security gate and stepped inside, my heart began to pound. I felt as if I had just entered a splendid movie set. Covered by the wall-to-wall red carpet and brightened by the industrial search lights, the entire ground had been transformed into a stage where the stars played the central roles and we, the ordinary people, made up the extras. There were two parallel lanes along the carpeted entrance way: one, to meet the press; the other, to the theater. As I flowed in the “none-press” lane with the crowd, I spotted a middle-aged Asian woman standing alone in the other lane. Her hair style and the clothe she wore somehow made me believe she’s from mainland China. So I decided to talk to her. Were I in China at that moment, I could have asked what “work unit” she’s from. But apparently it’s not the way to start a conversation here. So in Mandarin, I asked: “You are...?” As soon as she turned around, I realized who she was. Yes! The woman is mother of Zhang Ziyi. As her daughter was busying talking to the press upfront, she quietly stepped aside to an inconspicuous spot. Holding Ziyi’s fabulous summer coat, she just stood there, watching.

Our entire red carpet session lasted a minute or so. Once in the theater, an attendant ushered us to the third floor. Though our seats turned out to be quite far from the stage, but thanking to the two big screen TV hanging from the ceiling, we could still catch all the details. After Tim Yip won the first Award for Art Direction, I whispered to Ed: ‘It’s started.” I thought it was a sign that Tiger would sweep the awards. But soon after, several consecutive losses dampened my ardency. At the third commercial break, we decided to go out and smoke.

When we walked down to the first floor, we found the entire lounge was packed with people. Marcia Gay Harden was there, so was Ed Harris. Because there was a bar, a TV and close to the smoking area, a lot of people simply hanged out there during the entire ceremony. Looking back, the biggest regret I had was that we should also stay in the lounge. By doing so, we would have seen more celebrities - as they constantly passed the lounge to go to the restrooms. But in reality, we didn’t. After smoking, we returned to our seats.

As the show progressed and especially after Tiger won the Best Foreign Picture Award, our hope on Ang Lee to win Best Direct escalated. We thought, based on the results of various polls before the Oscar, that Lee could, should and would win this award. So one could imagine how hard we felt when he actually lost to Steve Soderbergh in the end. But that’s Oscar. Anything could happen. If I haven’t believed this notion previously, I do now.

With a sense of disappointment, we left the theater. Since most of the celebrities had to pay a visit to the Governor’s Ball at a tent set right beside the Shrine, only the regular attendees crowded by the front gate and waited for their limos to show up. From there, these “regulars” might either go home or to other parties in town. But the waiting turned out to be a bitch. By time we heard the number of our limo, it was already close to 10 o’clock. Hastily we boarded the car and asked the chauffer to drive directly to Crustacean Restaurant in Beverly Hills. That’s where Sony’s party would take place.

But when we got to Crustacean, the restaurant had reached its capacity. A Fire Marshall guarded the door and barred the new arrival from going in. Of course this rule didn’t apply to the celebrities, as we saw Chow Yun-Fat walk straight through with no troubles. We could also choose to wait since we knew many celebrities had to leave pretty soon for the other parties. But by then everyone was dying for some food. Instead of waiting in the dark, we decided to eat first.

We stopped at a nearby restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard. There, we waited another hour or so before seated. By time we finished our “light supper,”, it was close to midnight. The owner of Ed’s company and her boyfriend wanted to go home. The other two guests weren’t crazy about going back either. They were more interested in having sex in the limo after dropping us off. (They rented the car.) So we returned to Doheny Drive. After saying goodbye with each other, Ed and I left the house.

On the road, Ed asked if I still wanted to go to the party. I answered yes. We then made a sharp turn on Santa Monica Boulevard and drove straight back to Crustacean. This time, we met no hassle to get in. Although most of the celebrities had already gone, the place was still packed with some “leftovers” and the majority “industry” people. After Ed left to say hello to Tom Bernard, I ordered a Martini and began to stroll around. The splendid underground tropical fish tank – which wriggles across the ground and has been the trademark design of this place - led me to the inner section of the restaurant. To my surprise, I found most Chinese lingering in this section. Michele Yeo, now changed to a silk tan-top, was eating at a table with her rather serious looking boyfriend (or husband). Ang Lee, the center of the room, stood by the far corner and chatted with friends. Although the familiar smile had never left his face, he looked a bit tired and melancholy.

Lisa Lu, one of the pioneer Asian actresses in Hollywood and whom I had just seen a couple days ago at USC, also happened to be there. We talked and had a picture together. Overall I had a quite relaxing time there. Of course the proudest thing I did was to talk to Ang Lee and took a picture with him. Although no deeper contact was established, I felt satisfied. If ever we met again, I could at least say: “Remember Sony’s party...?”

We left Crustacean at two in the morning. Officially, our days with the Oscar also came to an end. Next morning, life would resume to what it had been. Ed was to return to work; I, school. Only the memories would remain inside of us until, who knows if it’s not at all impossible, we became tied again to the next Academy Awards.

I LOVE MY JOB by Andre T.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I always answer, "I teach ESL." By now, most people know that ESL stands for English-as-a-second language. In some places, people call the subject EFL, English-as-a-foreign language.

Though my degrees are in science, I have taught ESL for over 20 years. Actually I have been a teacher/tutor in Malaysia, Hong Kong, the U.S., and Brazil. In the past few years I have been fortunate to have the upper level classes for those who already know how to speak English, but want to improve on their writing

skills and the use of perfectly correct grammar and punctuation. One of the tools I use in the classroom is the L.A. Times newspaper.

Without making it too obvious, I often steer my students to read articles on tolerance , understanding, and diversity. Within the context of latter, I can mention the importance of the acceptance and respect of the sexual minorities, including the GLBT.

I'd try to discuss the issues of sexual orientation in a normal tone, trying to make the discussions objective and all-encompassing. However, my school is in the conservative Orange County. So besides the college and college-age students, I also get some house-wives and retired people from all over the world. From the responses and reactions of the students, I can tell who is homophobic, who is questioning, and who is open-minded. I have a few very religious people who think that gays are "sinners," and some Asians who think that being gay is being "abnormal." These people give me a reality check from time to time.

For too often, some of us, having lived as gay persons in the liberal state of California for a long time, take it for granted that all is well and we are comfortable and powerful enough to do whatever we want. But in reality, even in the US and Western Europe, homophobia still exist. We are not exactly equal to the straight people in every way. There is much work and education to be done.

Still, being a teacher in the classroom has many advantages. For one, I have the podium and I use it to the max. Students already look at me as an authority (in English at least). They are likely to consider seriously my opinions on other subjects as well. Thus I often say that being gay is genetic, and gay people are normal people too. That in a democratic society all people are equal and each person, regardless of their orientation, has just one vote. So a gay vote is just as important and powerful. Gay people should never accept a second-class citizen status.

Being a professor has other advantages -- very short working hours and very long vacation time are some that came to mind. Oh, feeling happy that we are helping people to learn everyday is another. But for me, I am proud of the fact that I am influencing people regularly. Educating the straight people to accept the GLBT is a slow process, but the rewards can be very satisfying. I am happy that I am doing my share of this process, sometimes one heart or one mind at a time. But I will keep trying until the day I retire.

I am happy that I have a job I truly love!