IT'S a rare person who can look genuinely suave in maroon leisure slacks and Mickey Mouse ears, but if anyone can pull it off, it is Charles Phoenix.
The Los Angeles aficionado-historian-entertainer best known for his vintage slide shows is also quite the genteel tour guide, striding the streets in a pair of pink bucks with a pack of urban adventurers in tow for his "Disneyland" tour of downtown L.A.
On Sunday, Phoenix was again testing the theory he devised in 2004: That downtown bears a striking resemblance to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. And you thought Chinatown was good only for paper lanterns and moo shu pork. Tag along with Phoenix, and you'll see it is actually "Adventureland" -- one of dozens of destinations Phoenix has imaginatively reframed.
"I am not a Disneyland freak," Phoenix, 43, explained via bullhorn, officially kicking off his six-hour tour for the 50 who'd signed up. It was noon, and they were standing outside Union Station, where they would soon board the "monorail," er, Metro Gold Line, bound for the first of many themed environments.
"Keep your arms and legs inside at all times," Phoenix deadpanned as the doors on the fully enclosed car slid shut.
Among those sitting in the bus were Christine Davis, 47, and Brian Donnelly, 49, from Burbank. Like many on the tour, the two are Phoenix fans. Two years ago, they saw his Christmas slide show featuring found slides from the '50s and '60s. Now they never miss a performance.
"The way he presents it, with his personality and sense of humor, you never wanted it to end," Davis said. "It's the way he zeroes in on details."
This Saturday and Sunday, as a companion to his downtown tour, Phoenix is also presenting his "Retro Disneyland Slide Show" at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Both experiences offer audiences the opportunity to see Disneyland through Phoenix's eyes -- with a childlike whimsy and appreciation for oddball detail but without any misty-eyed nostalgia.
Indeed, on the vintage school bus the group had boarded in "Adventureland," Phoenix pointed out details few had even registered.
"I don't want this to go unnoticed," he said, running a hand along the metal interior. "This pleasant shade of mint-sagey green." Later, he read the bus rules: "Observe classroom conduct ... do not fight, push or shove."
