Import Revolution

Where is the happiest place on earth? A well-known mouse with big ears and a perennial grin would like to think that it's his California summer home in Anaheim, stockpiled with rides and over-priced food and thousands of children screaming at the top of their lungs. This place is known, affectionately, as Disneyland.

I would like to think there's another place that qualifies as the happiest place on earth, a place where the people flock to see cars, women and each other; a place where you can wear a Dr. Seuss hat without getting thrown out by security guards; a place that doesn't have rooms with names. This place, also in Anaheim, is known as Import Revolution.

Actually, Import Revolution isn't really a place; it's more like a traveling circus that tours the continental United States, setting up camp in large metropolitan areas for a day or two to showcase the finest in import performance culture. On May 24, 2002, the Import Revolution folks settled down in Anaheim, literally a stone's throw from Disneyland, to show Mickey and friends who really had the juice.

First up to bat was the return of supermodel Alley Baggett, who appeared at the show signing calendars and doing the rounds with us common folk. In addition, former 2NR cover models Cherie Roberts, Sasha Singleton, Kaila Yu and many others that were undressed to perfection posed and autographed with anything and everything in sight. Meanwhile, at that other place, several elves rushed a group of small children and scared them half to death with their rendition of "It's a Small World After All" while a stoic Minnie Mouse sang backup vocals.

Back at the Import Revolution, a fierce DJ battle was taking place on the ones and twos while several thousand spectators watched. Still others took part in the competition RC car racing in a side venue or partook in the fashion show sponsored by Chase Models. Even the security guards were known to leave their posts for a bit of the event action.

However, in defense of Disneyland and Mickey's pals, they do have lots of rides. The problem with this is that each ride costs you an arm and a leg and a few thousand dollars. Granted, the Import Revolution had rides, and some of those cost more than a few thousand dollars, but those rides weren't ones you got to sit in. They were other people's rides-the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the you get the picture.

All in all, I would have to say that if a trip to Anaheim was on your list of things to do on Memorial Day weekend, your time would have been much better served at the Import Revolution instead of at Disneyland. Unless you're six years old, in which case you probably don't give a damn about kick-ass cars, fine women and the best in import performance culture, anyway.