Admirers throng to Cher-fest
WOODLAND HILLS – John Hostetler and Mike Leech paid $1,500 Saturday for a pink and silver dress designed by Bob Mackie and worn in 1979 by singer Cher. The dress will join some 4,000 8-by-10 photos, posters and other Cher memorabilia in a joint collection maintained by the pair, who knew they had found true love when they realized both were Cher fans.
“It was like, `Hey, I love Cher.’ `Oh, yeah, me, too,”‘ Hostetler said. Hostetler and Leech were among the fans at this weekend’s Cher Convention, which filled the Warner Center Marriott grand ballroom with Cher dresses, Cher jewelry, Cher dolls, Cher mannequins, and Cher impersonators, who challenged fans to answer questions about the entertainer’s various movies, looks and boyfriends. This is the fourth such gathering of an unofficial group of Cher aficionados, originally organized to celebrate Cher fans’ success in 1999 in convincing radio stations to play her song “Believe.”
Convention organizers Judy Didelot and Linda Alamprese don’t consider themselves fanatics, but declare their respect and admiration for the metamorphoses of the entertainer, who had her first hit song as a teenager with then-husband Sonny Bono in 1965, had No. 1 songs in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, and meanwhile had a popular TV show and earned a Best Actress Oscar.
“Her ability to keep going is really admirable,” Alamprese said, admitting to attending concerts dating back to the Sonny and Cher days. “Her music makes me feel good. I never get tired of the production. She pulls you in.” Mannequins displayed costumes being sold to help defray convention costs and raise money for one of Cher’s favorite charities, the Children’s Craniofacial Association, with which Cher became involved after acting in the movie “Mask,” about a boy with a craniofacial deformity.
Javier Ozuna, a 35-year Cher fan brought to the convention dozens of Cher dolls. The dolls were produced in the entertainer’s likeness in the 1970s and Ozuna has dressed them in tiny copies of Bob Mackie dresses originally made for Barbie dolls.
Ozuna said a recent Cher dress purchase shook him out of a bout of depression that followed the death of his mother.
“Cher has been my choice of drug,” Ozuna said.
Cher albums taught Chihuahua, Mexico, native Jesus Medina to speak English.
Cher’s attraction, Medina said, is “a combination of personality and talent.”
“She is not the best singer, but she is very unique and that sets her apart,” Medina said.
Chad Michaels, a 35-year-old former MAC makeup artist, for seven years has made a living impersonating Cher.
“I’ve worked with `Dream Girls’ here in Los Angeles and have done `La Cage Aux Folles’ in Vegas, traveled to London in 1999 and South America in 2001,” he said.
Michaels grew up watching Cher on television at home, but what attracted him was her lifestyle. “It is her reckless abandon and her ability to do whatever she wants,” Michaels said.
Scott Clark drove from Sonoma in Northern California to gather more items for what his partner refers to as “the Cher room” in their home. “I just love her way of reinventing herself,” Clark said. “She tells people to `Accept me as I am’ when she doesn’t fit the part, and I don’t think we have that kind of determination.”
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13 Responses to “Admirers throng to Cher-fest”
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July 9th, 2006 at 9:53 am
Hey Cher, just de-childrened myself for five minutes, my two have got their friends round, crikey it’s exhausting – turned the pc on and there you are again!!! It is so nice to read that dresses you have worn years ago are being sold for such a nice amount of money which in turn can be used for a good cause. If I had the money and did not live in the U.K – well I guess I would attend anything to do with Cher. However, do live in the U.K. – can’t just up and go off across the world, so will have to make do with reading about it on the pc. Can’t wait to see you in 2008. Jan at JANJONIC@aol.com
July 10th, 2006 at 1:01 am
I wanna be a drag queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is fabulous, i know how do these ppl feel, she truely is the queen! Cher is the nucleus of the world!
far out man i love her
July 11th, 2006 at 8:27 am
yeah….that’s nice.
July 12th, 2006 at 10:14 am
I absolutely love Cher. She is amazing. I really wish she would go back on tour. I would love to go to just one more concert. I just turned 18 and i finally saved up enough money to go for the2nd time and she retired. That hurts.
July 13th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
I think that when Cher finally “retired” that she was finally able to take the time to do stuff like visit soldiers, in a war she doesn’t support. I also think that for once, she doesn’t have to worry about how it may affect her “career.” This just brings out her true colors.
July 26th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
wish i could have been there didnt know about it. cher we love you i have collected magazines with you on the cover since 1975 not to much lately. i have about 500 magazines like the star, enquirer. people. rona barrets hollywood, all the fan mags of the 70s,and all your albums and singles your single pirate was great that should have been a big hit. i will try to see you in vegas next year. if anyone would like to talk about cher write me any time.
August 15th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
well,,thats great!!and ill hav to agree with nina-cher!!i wanna be a drag queen too!!heehee I LUV ALL OF U CHER FANS!
LUV YA CHER!!
GO BABE!
August 18th, 2006 at 11:08 am
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September 11th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
hey Cher u know i love u so much i do alot of research on u i hav 11 cds &11movies of yours ijust had a homework assignment about a special day i picked the day august 17, 2002 because thats when u came 2 AR and did ur concert i loved it com back 2 see me im only 12 u know
I LOVE YOU CHER
Love
LilCher
April 20th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
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June 7th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
cher is one hot mama
June 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
chers still got it baby shes the best diva number one
June 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
chers still got it baby shes the best diva number one