Pettit to Oppose ‘Controversial’ Kors

PALM SPRINGS – Longtime Palm Springs community leader, Drag Queen, and philanthropist Alan “Alfie” Pettit has filed a Candidate Intention Statement to seek the District 3 seat. He will challenge Incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Geoff Kors, whom he refers to as “controversial.”

The District includes most of the Downtown Palm Springs business district and immediate surrounding neighborhoods.

Pettit minced no words in explaining why he sees Kors as a controversial figure.

“Mayor Moon has been bullied and treated horribly,” Pettit said. “I think Kors has played a big part of it. Moon is not one of them. I hurt for him.”

Until now, there has only been a whisper campaign that Kors would have a formidable challenger in the Nov. 5 City Council election. It is no longer a whisper; it is a full-blown shout with props and fanfare unlike this city has likely ever seen.

Kors now has two challengers — at least on paper.  The second one is Michael Joseph Dilger, 45, who relocated from Manhattan to Palm Springs in April 2018. In March, he told Uken Report he has no occupation in the desert.

Pettit, 49, has been a resident of Palm Springs for the past 13 years. He has been active in all aspects of civic life in the community. He has raised tens of thousands of dollars to help local groups and organizations over the years as “a way to give back to the community.”

Saying he would “be honored” to serve as a member of the City Council, Pettit said he wants to focus his campaign on “issues of substance” and wants to bring an “atmosphere of inclusiveness back to City Hall.”  Pettit said he plans to never engage in the “politics of destruction, but to bring honesty and openness to Palm Springs City Hall.”

In a telephone interview with Uken Report, Pettit said some of the issues of substance are the homeless, educating people about the new district-based voting. the “ugly”  curbs downtown that are in dire need of painting and cleaning.

The first item on his list is the position of mayor. He disagrees vehemently that the position of mayor should rotate among members of the City Council.

“They took away the mayorship and never even talked to the people,” Pettit said. “The mayor’s position should stay as is.”

“We have watched politicians here in Palm Springs use their perceived power of authority to carve out safe political turf for themselves these past four years,” Pettit said. “I believe now is the time to challenge the status quo and to bring public service back to the Palm Springs City Council instead of the current back-stabbing that has been well-documented in the media regarding the actions of my opponent.”

Despite campaigns of transparency from some members of the City Council, Pettit alleges “that there’s been a lot of backroom deals and chatter. I want more transparency. The city has gotten more corporate. There’s big money here. There’s a lot at stake. It’s important we do it and do it right and hold on to the charm of Palm Springs.

Originally from Vancouver, Wash., Pettit arrived in Los Angeles at age 21 and established the iconic “Alfie’s of Hollywood.” Dubbed ‘The Paparazzi with a Pen’ by the Los Angeles Times, Pettit’s Alfie personality and style gained him introduction and industry access to many film, television and pop stars.

Since first arriving in Palm Springs in 2006, Pettit has been a force in the realms of entertainment, philanthropy and politics. A promotional powerhouse, Alfie brings notoriety to all he touches, and can draw a crowd to any event, from fundraisers to dinner parties.

The Pettit for City Council Campaign will be rolling out a massive colorful campaign coach that will surely have people talking.

Alfie’s alter ego Arial Trampway was born in 1998 in West Hollywood prepping for an appearance at Palm Spring’s White Party. She came in a Volvo that would barely fit her big blond hair. Originally just Arial (named after the famous mermaid of the same name), the last name Trampway was an addition that came later when she moved to Palm Springs right near the well-known attraction that coincidentally happens to be called the Arial Tramway. Though her true origins most likely began in her parent’s home as a child, where her mother would often dress little Alfie up in drag, which he naturally took to quite willingly.

Alfie and Arial Trampway have raised money for countless Palm Springs and area Coachella Valley based charities, including Desert AIDS Project, Angel View, the Desi Strong Foundation, HRC, and numerous others with much pride in the effort to make Palm Springs a better and more colorful place for all far and wide.

Arial Trampway was a contestant in 2017’s Queen of the Desert pageant, benefiting The Desert AIDS Project, where she won Best Gown and delighted the audience with her original numbers to “I Am What I Am” and Shirley Bassey’s “Get This Party Started.”

Alfie’s dedication to charity was in part born from his own battles with AIDS, cancer and substance abuse. Alfie, a cancer survivor was appointed as honorary Chair for the American Cancer Society Desert Spirit in 2017.

After being diagnosed with HIV, Alfie began a cross country speaking tour at various venues such as high schools, speaking out about the realities of living with HIV, AIDS, and the perils of people’s adverse reactions and bullying. This was a window into the positive impact of charitable work and the true influence Alfie could have on numerous communities. Alfie is a former client and patron of the Desert AIDS Project.

One of the former owners and show opener for Carnival Cabaret at Oscars Cafe and Bar, Alfie was honored for his charitable and entertainment work in Palm Springs with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame in Sept 2016.

Recently Alfie has been working on his social media empire, giving fans an immersive look into his life in the spotlight in and out, and his campaign for Palm Springs City Council .