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Video: This 'Californians' Parody Is A Perfect PSA For WeHo's Street Closure
West Hollywood is counting on comedy and local talent to get the word out about the city's major street closure, which starts this Monday.
To get the word out about the upcoming closure of La Cienega Boulevard between Sunset and Fountain, WeHo took a creative and humorous approach by creating a parody of the Saturday Night Live sketch, The Californians. The parody of a parody, known as The WeHoans, takes the exaggerated California personalities from the SNL sketch to a hilariously local level by featuring two drag stars and other West Hollywood talent. With over-the-top soap opera flourishes, melodrama and platinum blonde wigs, the characters advise each other—in extremely thorough detail—about the various ways to avoid the La Cienega closure.
The video, shared by WeHoville—features drag star Willam Belli, who has appeared on Nip/Tuck and RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as Roy Haylock, perhaps better known by his drag stage name, Bianca Del Rio and Misty Violet as The Maid. You'll also find a classic soap opera love affair—which prompts the various versions of detour advice—as well as California avocado jokes and a great dig at CrossFit. And yes, we're also treated to the dramatic stares at the camera and mirror crowding from The Californians sketches.
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While their directional advice may be elaborate and intoned with the stereotypical Californians' accent, the performers definitely drive home the point that Angelenos are going to have to find alternative routes during the closure. And don't worry, there's more to come from The WeHoans: this is just the first episode with two more planned for Aug. 19 and 26. The next episodes will appear on Willam Belli’s YouTube Channel.
Part of the Sunset La Cienega Project, the street closure will take place from Monday, August 17 through mid-September to allow for major utility construction work. Construction work will only be done during the daytime, and local access will still be available for the Sunset Marquis hotel and residential buildings along La Cienega Blvd. La Cienega will still be open south of Fountain Avenue. Regular updates will be posted to the Sunset La Cienega website.
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