What's New is Old Again
I had a chance to catch the first 15 minutes of the Grammys last weekend. I wanted to see The Police open the show after all, Sting provided a large part of the soundtrack of our lives…well, at least those of us who are old (or young) enough to remember when MTV played music videos.
But what really struck me was the first award televised that evening, the award for best pop collaboration. It was won by Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder, two of the biggest legends in music history.
Tony Bennett looked like a little kid when it was announced and he bounded up the stage, almost forgetting to wait for Stevie Wonder, who understandably needed some assistance in climbing the stairs. Tony Bennett is on the dais, beaming, and Stevie Wonder is sobbing with emotion. Tony Bennett turns the microphone over to Stevie Wonder, and he tearfully dedicates the award to his deceased mother and he quietly steps back as the crowd gives a sympathetic sigh.
Then Tony Bennett takes the mic and turns to Stevie Wonder, asking him to stay on the stage on the moment. Everyone, including myself, is expecting Tony Bennett, with all of his 80 years of wisdom, to drop some sort of memorable nugget on us.
Instead, he thanks Target for being the best sponsor he ever had.
Some people I know were kind of appalled. I thought it was interesting to note. You know, Tony Bennett comes from an era where plugging your sponsors was de rigueur. It wasn’t a comedy show, it was “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” or “The Texaco Star Theatre.” A lot of people don’t know, but the original opening credits of “I Love Lucy” featured animated versions of Desi and Lucy dancing with Philip Morris cigarettes (the satin doily opening was substituted when the show went into syndication).
So yeah, there’s a lot of grousing about corporate sponsorships today (and Nancy Jack eloquently states her case on page 3), but it’s not necessarily any worse now than it was then. If you’ve ever taken a look at the old pictures of Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Ebbets Field, you’ll see that the outfield walls were covered in advertisements. Wrigley Field was basically named after the gum company.
So, what’s new is old again.
Rant #2: The Democratic “leadership” in the house has spent the better part of the last month working to pass a “non-binding” resolution and the media is reporting on it as if this is some sort of great thing. This is one of the most pathetic displays in American congressional history.
For all of your captains of industry and business people out there, can you imagine writing a non-binding memorandum to your employees? I’m really glad that Nancy Pelosi banned smoking in her foyer, because now we can really smell the leadership.
Housekeeping matter: Barbara Lance sent me a scathing letter expressing offense over my column last week where I referred to her as the “assistant city clerk.” To read the letter and resulting correspondence, visit ParkvilleLuminary.com (click “Nice Work if You Can Get it”).
For the record: Mrs. Lance’s official title is “Records and Special Projects Administrator.” I respect Mrs. Lance’s longtime service to the city and I was not attempting to belittle her new job title.
Mea culpa. (Isn’t that better than a “correction?”)