Iconoclasts was Dinner last night ;-)

"Grey Goose Entertainment and Sundance Channel are hosting an advanced screening of the premiere episode of the Sundance Channel original series, ICONOCLASTS.

Each episode of ICONOCLASTS brings together two innovative leaders from different fields including film and television, architecture and design, fashion, food, music, and sports and presents an intimate, unpredictable portrait of today's provocative creative leaders.

Join us and watch acclaimed actor Samuel L. Jackson go one-on-one with basketball legend Bill Russell.

Wednesday, November 2, 2005
7:00 PM Cocktails & hors d'oeuvres
8:00 - 9:00 PM ICONOCLASTS screening"

So I said why not, it might be interesting. The amount of info needed on the RVSP seems a bit odd, name, name and spelling of guests name, normally they don't ask about the guests name. I often blow these things off, but I am glad I didn't this time.

So my friend and I get there a few mins early having found the perfect free parking space. I tend to be good at finding those, but that's another post. So we are standing about talking when this guy walks up to us and starts talking about the screening. Then he says "have we met?" and I answer "I don't think so" then he says "at convergence?" Oh no, I was at Convergence one night (until -2:30am but still), not in costume and only at the parties, and only a few parties at that. Turns out he only does the parties too, but we were not at the same ones, very strange, the place was packed and somehow he remembers me, hmmm....

Then it was time to go in, we do the guest list thing, admire the ice craving (I took a pic) and view entire the space through a corridor of tables with special "Iconoclast" boxes full of popcorn so I grab one thinking, I hope this isn't the "hors d'oeuvres." Beyond the tables of popcorn are wait staff holding trays of cocktails. I ask about non alcoholic and they tell me I can ask for anything I want at the bar. So I get a spirit with star fruit in it.
The room had been an old art house theater with the seats ripped out. Oriental carpets on the floor, tiers with tables on either side, platform with tables, couches, armchair in the back and small tables around and in front of the stage. It was a bit dark but there was a mirrored disco ball going, and large lengths of iridescent cloth artistically draped from the ceiling, and a huge movie screen. The tables all had low lamps or candles. My friend and I picked a front table slightly to the right.

The music playing was very upbeat mixture of Latin, hip hop, Motown, dance music. The hors d'oeuvres started coming: polenta with sun dried tomatoes, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, stuff mushrooms, incredibly great beef kabobs, Indian spiced chicken, sushi, huge peeled shrimp. It was great, there was nothing with wheat or milk in it. I only had to avoid the sushi, stuff mushrooms and the salsa which had red bell peppers in them, not hard at all. The cocktails had something from Grey Goose in them, I think Vodka or something and they were going faster than the dish washer could keep up with. From 7 to 8 it was seemingly endless free flowing drinks and food.
The music was a bit loud but fun, my friend and I were bopping in our seats between rounds, it was hard not to. I was happily singing and dancing along to "Upside, boy you turn, inside out, and round about." I found myself doing a rib circle on the "round about" part without really realizing it. My friend started laughing and I realize what I did, then I thought oh no, I shouldn't have done that, I am not warmed up! I also thought of another friend, who I think would have loved this, and his ribs ;-)
I talked to everyone who wanted to talk, I figured I should because they were feeding me so nicely, besides there were a lot of interesting people to meet. Artists, film people, Sundance people, people in very interesting outfits, suit people, whacky sunglasses, everyone was very nice and after an hour of cocktails...
We invited a few people to join us, 2 of them turned out to be the president and director of a black movie festival or film board, One was a mother of 5 daughters, ages 18 to 4! They offered to put me on their screening list, so I gave them my email.

At 8pm the endless army of food and drink bearers stopped and we viewed the program. I don't want to spoil it for any of you who see it so I won't say too much. I was afraid I would be bored to tears because I knew nothing about Bill Russell, and don't follow basketball, but I wasn't!
It was very good, a documentary of sorts with Samuel L Jackson interviewing Bill Russell and vice versa. Parts were very funny, they are funny guys, and surprisingly likable. Bill Russell has a whirlpool jacuzzi I would love to have! It was deep enough that I could be submerged up to my ears while sitting and big enough to hold a party in! The series which will have 6 episodes premiers with the episode we saw on Thursday November 17 at 10pm e/p on the Sundance Channel. I recommended seeing it. Iconoclasts

It was a lot of fun, but I wonder why they did the screening for a 6 episode show, but I am doing my part and telling you guys to see it!