Los Angeles - July 12, 2002

Stars in Your Eyes?

Starstruck Exhibit Opens

What are the prerequisites for living in Tinsel Town?

Two-to-one ratio of flip-flops to underwear? Check.
Sushi addiction and burrito lust? Check.
Burial of celebrity-autograph book? Double-check.

You may be waiting around for your fifteen minutes, but you wouldn’t be caught dead caring about anyone else’s. You’ve perfected the subtle over-the-shoulder glance undetected by Tom, Julia, and Tobey. You’ve accepted the fact that no points are awarded for sightings in the 310. And with practice and determination, you’ve overcome the tourist’s Tourette’s urge to beg for an autograph, photo, or smooch when opportunity strikes.

Not so for Gary Lee Boas, who’ll readily admit to being Starstruck, the title of his book and a new exhibit of celebrity photographs from the ’60s and ’70s. A lifelong obsessive fan (in pre-paparazzi Pennsylvania, he’d snap visiting stars with his Brownie Bullseye camera), Boas has assembled an archive of more than 50,000 images of famous people. From Pacino to Poitier, from porn queens to the Pope, he’s caught them all.

Coffee-table book? Sure. Better yet, go see the photos in the flesh — right here in the home of celebrity.

Urge to gawk unabashedly? Check.

“Starstruck” is on view from July 13 through August 17 at Karyn Lovegrove Gallery, 6150 Wilshire Boulevard, number 8, at Fairfax (323-525-1755).

“Starstruck: Photographs from a Fan” is available from our sponsor amazon.com.

  Artsy