A Charity Auction With Attitude

The Scene: “Out Auction ‘92,” the second annual fund-raiser for the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Services Center. Wednesday’s event, self-described as “the charity auction with an attitude,” combined a silent art auction with live performance art. The event will close Saturday night with a reception and a live auction for some of the pricier objects.

The Buzz: Press materials described the evening as “a cavalcade of topicality,” and politics were on the minds of the auction-goers as well as the performance artists. More than one of the works on the walls made unflattering reference to Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) and during the performance art the name “Ross Perot” cropped up a time or two as well.

The Setting: A former furniture showroom near the corner of Wilshire and Rodeo in Beverly Hills. Ian Falconer, an associate of artist David Hockney, designed the fanciful red, white and blue stage, which looked like something children might build if Bill Clinton was coming to speak at their kindergarten.

Dress Code: While most of the guests looked like yuppies who had gone out for frozen yogurt rather than controversy, the male ushers were in your face with their combination of bare chests and American flag pattern skirts.

Performers: Emcees Les Stevens and Beth Lapides introduced Luis Alfaro, Jackie Beat, John Fleck, Weba Garretson, Gender, Philip Littell, Ann Magnuson, Linda Montgomery, Taylor Negron, Han Ong, Roger Smith, Rachel Rosenthal and Chloe Webb.

Best Lines: Lapides said that she is running for First Lady with the slogan “Let’s have a figurehead with a figure.” Negron said that his rap music nickname was “Ice-Decaf-Low Fat-Latte.” And on the issue of the Pentagon keeping gays out of the military, Montgomery said, “All they have to do is make the uniforms polyester.”

Obligatory Madonna Mention: Madonna donated a black ostrich-skin leather coat to the auction, and her brother, Christopher Chiccone, donated one of his paintings.

L.A. Being L.A.: Among the items up for auction were four sessions of “regression therapy,” one decorative body piercing, two dinner dates with adult film stars, and--our favorite--”a consciousness-raising session in your house.” (And you thought your home was the one place you were safe from having your consciousness raised.)

Triumphs: An innovation on the charity circuit--a tattoo auction, featuring designs by David Hockney, Rachel Rosenthal and John Baldessari. Lucky bidders will get to have the designs tattooed on their bodies by professional tattoo artists. (Just in time for Father’s Day.)

Glitches: No air conditioning. Groaned one man, “I’m going outside for fresh air and a cigarette.”