Eric Garcetti Goes After Hollywood Hustlers What About The Homeless

I think it is a great thing that the new mayor is going to clean up Hollywood Blvd. I hope Eric Garcetti will also do something about the growing number of mentally challenged homeless people all over the city.

Exclusive KAT Bumps Into Bobby Brown On Hollywood Blvd

 

 Bobby Brown crosses KAT's path again on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday, October 18, 2013.

Transients Drink In Public & Harass Passerbys Less Than A Week After Christine Calderon's Murder

I got a phone call from a friend who asked me if I heard about the lady who got stabbed in Hollywood. The person gave out incorrect news and said it was a "Character". On further investigation it turns out that it was three transients with signs who were panhandling for tips. Allegedly Christine Calderon took a picture and didn't give them a dollar so one of them, according to reports, Dustin Kinnear stabbed her to death while his partners in crime either held back her friend or participated in other ways with the subsequent murder.
If you know anything about KAT TALES TV, then you know besides doing entertainment pieces, I have also included several stories about Hollywood Boulevard: the growing problem with mental illness, drug, alcohol addiction and the increase in violence in America. It is unfortunate that one can't just walk down the street without being harassed by people begging for money or attention. This doesn't just happen in Hollywood, this is happening every where in every neighborhood. I don't have the answers and don't profess to have them but I do know I'm tired of being harassed when I go into a store or walk by a group of mostly men there has been several women who have joined into the fray. I don't like it. Something has to be done. It isn't safe nor has it ever really been for some of us. But we all have to do our part in coming up with solutions to the problem before more people lose their lives. Some say this dangerous situation began with Governor Ronald Reagan was in office and he shut down many of the mental health facilities in California. Then later as President Reagan closed more institutions.  Subsequently, America started to see a growing increase in the number of mentally ill and or drug addicted homeless looking for a place to go. All I know is every day the problem gets worse. The new Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti will have his hands full with this one.
In regards to the above videos, I was covering another story when I noticed these three men harassing people and one drinking in public. So I filmed the tail end of their shenanigans and what you see is what you get.

U.S. Judge Dean Pregerson Upholds 1st Amendment Rights for Hollywood Street Performers

According to the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, "Right, as stated in the 1st and 14th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on content." Long story short, Judge Dean Pregerson agreed that the street performers and costume characters
had rights to be on Hollywood Blvd without the threat of arrest or harassment by the LAPD on Wednesday, November 17, 2010. "It may not seem like a traditional form of free speech, but their right to perform is protected under that provision of the U.S. Constitution," wrote Judge Pregerson in his ruling reported by Robert Jablon of the Associated Press.
It was also stated in Jablon's article covered by the Sacramento Bee that "Chamber President Leron Gubler said as many as 60 characters sometimes congregate before dawn in front of the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where they crowd tourists into the street and refuse to move unless their photos are taken." I have to refute that claim. It would be too easy to call it a bold face lie,
and that would make me no better than the politicians and the police who lied, slandered and treated all the street performers as a unwanted "gang" instead of treating us as citizens and individuals. The Chamber of Commerce President Leron Gubler is mistaken, which can easily be proven by photographing Hollywood Blvd at dawn. When was there ever 60 characters on the blvd before 9am? Before Noon? Also I don't know the exact length of Hollywood Blvd but when characters are spread out down the length of the blvd, there is enough room if everyone respects each other.
Show me the evidence. I hate to tell you this most of the characters arrive in the mid day. Definitely not dawn, there are no tourists there at dawn. Also Gubler said something similar to what Kerry Morrison did during an infamous BID Patrol and H.E.D. meeting, "We have had no one - and I repeat not one person - who has said they miss the characters," he said." That also is a lie. I've personally shot numerous videos over the last months
were I have interviewed tourists without editing on what they think about the characters. I have also sent links to the videos to Kerry Morrison's personal email. All this can be documented and proved. I don't like being bullied, slandered, harassed, threaten, given false loitering tickets, or having my or anyone else's 1st Amendment Rights being trambled on. I do not appreciate how Eric Garcetti, Tom LaBonge, Kerry Morrison, The LAPD, The BID Patrol as well as Leron Gubler has handled this matter. 1st Amendment and 14th Amendment Rights were violated.
I have no problem if someone is breaking the law that the police have the right to handle the situation in a lawful manner but to blatantly disregard the law of the land and treat some good people (all of the characters/street performers aren't bad just like all politicians and police aren't good) is unacceptable. Numerous people like myself tried to have a dialogue with the aforementioned and we were insulted, silenced, ignored, harassed and made to wait for justice. So when it comes time to re-elect for said parties, believe me when I say I will not be casting my vote for any of the people involved. I never said the situation on Hollywood was perfect, we have tried to resolve issues and even asked for permits like in Santa Monica but were told that they would cost $1,000 by Kerry Morrison and would take up to three years to process please see my previous article on the ban http://kattalestv.blogspot.com/2010/09/discussing-hollywood-blvd-characters.html
Please feel free to send the following testimonies to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President...

New Zealand Tourist

Young Girl asked about Character Ban


Joe Mcqueen Hulk






Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/18/3195736/hollywood-superhero-street-performers.html#ixzz15q3PTMtp

Carter Comes Back To KAT

People keep asking me if there are any updates to the Ban of the Hollywood Characters. Personally I haven't heard anything new. Trying to get a straight answer from the city officials or the police seems to be a waste of effort. I tried several times to speak to police at the Wilcox Station. I never was able to talk to the Watch Commander. I'm sure he is busy. Anyway, Kerry Morrison of the Hollywood BID told me that no one wanted the characters back and that she hadn't gotten a single request for the performers to come back. I said that was untrue. This is another video, unedited and unrehearsed of some of the fans of the Hollywood Street Performers. Carter who I haven't seen in a long time surprised me today with his fabulous mom and dad. They have brought so much joy to my life just by being who they are. I have had the luxury of seeing Carter grow taller and grow his hair long. Carter is one of the sweetest kids you could ever meet. He would come up and take pictures and he often times would wear costumes like Darth Vader, Spiderman or Batman. I loved taking photos with him. And he has the sweetest parents. So for all the people who don't get why anyone in their right mind would go and dress up like a Superhero, Carter is the best reason. If I brought joy to a cool kid like Carter than I have done something good.

LAPD Using Threats, Citations & Arrests to Keep Performers off Hollywood

LAPD has issued a verbal ban on all characters and street performers. Although there is no official law on the books to enforce it. Because of a few bad apples, the LAPD and the city have wiped out all performers on Hollywood Blvd. To enforce the ban, the LAPD has used threats, bogus citations of loitering and arrests to get their point across. City Councilman Eric Garcetti who is responsible for Hollywood & Highland has denied numerous attempts to open a dialogue or to speak on the matter. Needless to say, I will not be voting for him in any capacity again.

Is Disney Behind Hollywood Characters Assassination

As of this writing no one has heard officially from Councilmember Eric Garcetti or the LAPD regarding the enforced crack down on the street performers and Characters on Hollywood Blvd. Across the internet there are stories, rumors and allegations behind the crack down. It seems that the majority of the public doesn't understand the harshness and the waste of police power for a few bad apples. Many people think that DISNEY, who also owns ABC as well as the El Capitan Theatre and the Jimmy Kimmel Show which sits directly across the street from the Kodak Theater, is behind the push.

Josh Sussman Talks About the Ban on Hollywood Characters

Josh Sussman of Glee and Warren Ape is told about the new zero tolerance for characters and street performers on Hollywood Blvd...

BATMAN Gets Arrested June 2, 2010 As Garcetti Goes After Hollywood Characters

An NBC Channel 4 Reporter doesn't think Batman will be arrested while doing an interview...

In a world where companies like BP get a way with Wildlife Murder and destruction of the environment and people's ability to make a living off of fishing in the Gulf, it is only natural that in a broke city like Los Angeles that the LAPD and the City Council have the abundant resources to arrest and ban all the characters on Hollywood Blvd. Since Friday, there have been numerous arrests and citations given to any street performer who appears on Hollywood Blvd. It will be interesting to see where this is eventually going to lead as the LAPD uses extra man power to sweep the street clean and to enforce as many believe an Unconstitutional Law and Ban.