There's no glamour in the tabloids. We have the same dozen stars in the same dozen positions, particularly one's that don't look very good in pictures. Just today The New York Post, everyone's favorite conservative tab-news rag, featured a picture of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan with a caption "Bimbo Summit". None of the women look particularly glamorous, nor do they invoke envy, sympathy or wonder.

If photographer Ron Galella had his way, we'd never have to look at another grotesque display of celebrity debauchery again. Sure, his pictures of the disco era captured enough debauchery to kill the Pope, but there's more to his work than deliciously excessive partying.

Galella's entire professional career has revolved around documenting the innate beauty and captivating enchantment of the world's most famous people. Described as the "godfather of American paparrazi culture", Galella actually got his photographic start during the Korean War. Returning to America, he found himself drawn to New York's nightlife, a scene he chronicled tirelessly in pursuit of the perfect shot. And there are many.

Consider this picture: Bianca Jagger (by far the coolest of all Mick's girls) and the late actor Sterling St. Jacques. When was the last time you saw two celebrities living in up at such a natural, carefree way? The days of intimate portrayal have ceded to either embarassing snapshots or publicist-approved, editor-contrived "exclusives". Not a pretty picture, to say the least.

For those of you feeling a little nostalgic, head on over to the powerHouse gallery from now until January 7th for their celebration of Galella's most recent collection: The Disco Years (which, not incidentally, was published by the gallery's publishing house sibling, powerHouse books.)

Featuring Galella's shots of people like Grace Jones, a truly frightening picture of Betty Davis, a young Elton John and Ali McGraw's controversial nipple (Steve Rubell banned Galella from Studio 54 for publishing that particular tit-pic) the show gives viewers a look at a by-gone era: when celebrities evoked awe and oozed splendor. No Bimbo Summit's here: just glamorous people, fabulous parties and a whole lotta fun.

Galella may not be snapping his ways through the bars and clubs these days (he lives forty minutes outside of New York City), but that doesn't mean he's not working hard. While he's got a number of projects on his plate, we're sure you'll like to hear that he's working on a collection of gay icons. Now that's something to dance about.