Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
San Francisco
The big event over the weekend in San Francisco was the free Britney Spears concert in the Castro District.
Wait a minute, wasn't the much-ballyhooed event relcoated to the Bill Graham Civic Center in downtown San Francisco?
Well, yes, in the 11th hour a decision was made by ABC brass to switch venues.
This is where it gets tricky!
Initially, ABC's "Good Morning America" cited security issues as grounds for tossing the Pop Diva's blow-out gig at the indoor location instead of in the throbbing groin of of a neighborhood affectionately referred to by the locals as "gay gulch".
But, after the word trickled back that residents of the Castro District felt "snubbed" by the last-minute Britney no-show (for dubious reasons), the suits did an about-face and attempted emergency damage control.
Uh-huh!
Suddenly, the focus was shifted to dark ominous clouds that had been rumbling overhead in recent days and - of course - cries that inclement weather might force a cancellation altogether!
The clever producers seized on the timely weather forecast to explain away their switcheroo - after-the-fact - which raised a few pretty preened eyebrows in the process.
In fact, over the weekend in the picturesque City by the Bay, a posse of gussied-up Drag Queens proceeded to poke fun at Britney in a sort-of light-hearted roast.
For example, comics at a "Britney Night Drag Show" (at a trendy watering hole South of Market) sashayed up on stage to lampoon the Diva, her propensity to slurp down mocha lattes, dangle cigarettes off the edge of a pouty lip, and play up her baby-doll demeanour for whatever reason that was blowing in the wind that day!
What a hoot!
Heklina - a local celeb (and Icon in her own right) - pointed an accusing finger at Ms. Spears in the wake of all the controversy hovering over Brit's pending arrival in fag heaven.
"This whole Castro appearance, I think, was born in some marketing room somewhere," she blabbed to everyone within earshot.
Needless to say, Brit was anxious to offer an olive branch, in view of the wagging tongues that were chirping incessantly - and not always so favorably - around the pop landscape.
Even the editors at the San Francisco Chronicle must have been miffed; after all, they published in Sunday's Edition, that Britney was performing on stage in the Castro that day.
Ooops!
ABC's announcement was issued too late to prevent a snafu!
Notwithstanding, it is doubtful many bought their excuses, in view of the obvious.
Hasn't ABC ever facilitated the use of spritely-colored eye-catching canvas tents, when the threat of rain was expected to spoil a staged event outdoors just prior to curtain?
Needless to say, on the heels of her entertaining upbeat stage show (OMG! Brit allegedly lip-synched the tunes in spite of the fact she was indoors!), the perky pop star was inclined to zoom up to the Castro District to mingle with a gaggle of her die-hard fans in the street as she popped in-and-out-of a handful of shops on the look-out for spiffy threads to don.
In particular, Ms. Spears also made a point of slipping into one community outlet, that raises funds for A.I.D.S. research, funding, and assistance to the afflicted.
Good on you, Brit!
Bottom line, Ms. Spears saved herself from toppling over the edge of the Abyss, thankfully for her wildly supportive fans!
Later!
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