This weekend, while out and about in Downtown Los Angeles, me and long time friend & multi-talented artist Chevy Nishinome decided to get video clips and photographs for a project of mine at The Standard Hotel Rooftop Bar. This was the first time I would be going out in full costume looking like Bruno Mars as much as possible and I started to notice an influx of smiles from people as I walked towards The Standard and pretty much for the rest of the day. When we got to the check in located outside the building, there where 4 guys already smiling as me and Chevy worked our way towards them for wrist bands. They just laughed I could tell the loved the fact there was someone there who they thought really resembled Bruno Mars. Such a big compliment.
As we walked into the lobby and up the escalators I started hearing “Bruno!” and “Hey what’s up Bruno!”. I reply with “Hey!”, a smile and a peace sign. At the top of that floor we showed our wrists bands to another security man before we worked our way up an elevator to get to the rooftop bar. Pretty much as soon as we got off, immediately people started looking at me with surprised faces as me and Chevy worked our way to the bar for a drink. At the bar, immediately a BIG BUFF man started chatting with BIG smiles and just full of love and appreciation. He kept telling me how much I really looked like him and asked for a picture, which I of course said yes to. While looking around the pool area for places we could take pictures, people in the pool started yelling “Bruno!”. A gentleman even came out of the pool and talked to me. He kept on asking me if I was Bruno Mars and I simply smiled and said “No, I’m an Impersonator.” So far in my experience even when I say that, people still say something like “For reals?” or “I don’t believe you.”, which I think is hilarious.
After finding spots at the Rooftop to do videos and pictures, me and Chevy decided to sit and chat. During that time, music had been playing and everybody had been lounging on big comfy couches. People come up to me during that time asking to take pictures, whether it was because they wanted to show their child they met Bruno Mars or because because someone was from out of state and wanted to show friends something cool. I even chatted for a bit with a fun group of fans who thought my friend looked like Steve Aoki! (I think he does and YES Chevy I said it haha) After that we headed downstairs to take another picture when I man with his wife waiting for the elevator who asked if he could take a picture. He was so happy and wanted to tell people he met Bruno Mars!
All in all, in my very first experience going out in full costume as Bruno, I can say it was a really fun and a unique experience, plus my face hurt at the end of the night from smiling so much. I loved being able to meet such awesome and loving fans who I could tell really love him. I got a small taste of what it’s like to be out and about as celebrity look alike in Los Angeles and can ONLY imagine how it is for the real deal superstar entertainers, such as Bruno Mars.