PLATFORM : Everybody’s Festival

I love the L.A. arts festival. The printed schedule of events is as stimulating as it is unreadable. The events themselves are as exotic as they are unpronounceable.

L.A. could have used the festival to propel itself to the heights of civic and cultural empowerment in this country. It’s almost denying that part of itself for a change. L.A.’s reputation as a mainstream cultural mecca will not be really served by its presentation of Wayang Kulit or Kings of Kambuja copulating with heavenly dancing nymphs.

One of the great things about L.A. is that everybody is here. One of the worst is that it’s geographically, economically and culturally segregated. We never get to see each other, much less that elusive everybody, except at Dodger games. The festival is out to change that, at least for a moment, and for some of us, forever.

I’m proud to be a part of it.