I'm bummed Halloween is over. This year, I was Evil Dead 2's chain saw-wielding hero, Ash. And I tell ya, wearing a chain saw as your right hand is not as easy as it looks. Just try holding a drink, lighting a cigarette or writing down a sexy zombie girl's digits with a chain saw. And apparently, it's not kosher to stroll through a casino carrying a toy shotgun and plastic bloody chain saw. I gotta admit though, annoying security is as much fun now as it was when I was 12.
I thought a lot about being 12 this weekend. That was the year a little girl with braces named Brandi stole my heart. It also was when Debbie Gibson hit it big, and Brandi loved Debbie. Brandi had that big hair, she worshiped the mall, and she even made a karaoke CD of Gibson's "Only In My Dreams." Those memories flooded back as Gibson belted out her first note Friday at Risque's Members Only '80s Halloween Bash.
It was a great show. Gibson looked and sounded like a million bucks, though I can't get used to calling her Deborah.
It didn't hurt that this was an '80s costume party. I haven't seen so much big hair, parachute pants and leg warmers since Brandi first wrote her phone number on my hand.
The old-skool vibe was all around this weekend. Boy George was at Club Rio, Biz Markie spun at Bikinis and Tangerine, and Tabú had a swinging retro party.
Same thing went for Studio 54 on Sunday. All the costumes drummed up childhood memories. I got a big laugh from Tiny Superman, while the guy in a Wonder Woman costume almost rendered me sterile. There were lots of Ghostbusters and Michael Jacksons—one even had a removable nose. DJ Frankie made a spot-on Tony Montana, complete with scar, M-16 and baby-powder blow all over himself. The prize for most original costume went to the buff black guys dressed as Venus and Serena Williams. But you should have seen the Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots: 10 feet tall, with voice amplifiers, lighting, spring-loaded fists and even spring-loaded heads!
I am now convinced that my Optimus Prime costume idea can totally work, but I'd better get to work. Halloween is less than a year away!
Antonio Llapur walks softly and carries a big club. E-mail him at
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