A 'spoiled sport'
What proponent of one side of a political issue going on a ballot would turn down an opportunity to literally parade his views before over 10,000 people just days before the election?
Not a guy who cares a lot about winning is I suppose the first and easiest answer.
Few beyond the minuscule local blogosphere could tell you much about Measure D, the utility tax renewal on Pasadena's Feb. 5 ballot. Funding available for advertising the No point of view is tiny. Free press coverage, not to mention people lining sidewalks looking at and listening to you, is priceless.
And yet the chief opponent of D, blogger and Citizens for Responsible Government chair Wayne Lusvardi, has "decided to decline participation in the Doo Dah Parade as the recipient of the Thorny Rose award," as Janette Williams' news story and Todd Ruiz's Under the Dome blog are reporting today.
Sure, the award annually makes light of the biggest pain in the rear in town, and some of its recipients have perceived it as an insult.
But the savvy folks who have had forced upon them this particular Crown City of thorns have also in the end realized that to decline is not only to be a pill -- it's to show a complete lack of a sense of humor, something no successful political animal can afford to do -- not in this country, at least.
Americans despise pomposity, of which there is no clearer sign than a failure to be able to make fun of oneself.
Yes, my betting line the other day in this space was sure crooked when I said that the smart money was on Wayne's anti-D ally and fellow Thorny Rose short-lister Martin Truitt. But Martin, who then suggested that others would perform the TR's duties better than he could, would surely have taken the prize in stride had he been awarded it. And I would think that his political counsel to Wayne would be to do the same -- clearly to no avail.
Some interesting moments in Wayne's statement of decline: Acknowledging that it was a mistake to write an erroneous original ballot argument struck down by a court as, in his words, "over the top," he says, "I don't want CRG to be discredited again like that in the eyes of the public."
"The Doo Dah Parade is way past its hey day of the counter cultural movements of the 1970's." Um, then why do so many people turn up for it in Old Pasadena every year?
"I would rather make my own cultural statement on that morning by not participating in the parade and attending religious services." Doo Dah doesn't start until 11:30. Join me, Wayne, at the 9 o'clock and there'll be plenty of time to get there after church!
"I realize I run the risk of being duped a 'spoiled sport' but I hope the media and the community will at least respect my decision." I would think that "dubbed" was the word being grasped for here, along with "spoilsport" : "a person who behaves in such a way as to ruin the pleasure of others."
Comments
Leave it to an aging baby boomer to defend the Doo Dah parade, a parade that has degenerated into an excuse for aging baby boomers to be witlessly sexually shocking. The Doo-Dah parade used to be fun. Now it is a raunchy mean-spirited disgrace. The Doo Dah's Thorny Rose award is simply evidence that the Doo Dah parade is a sham controlled by the Establishment who use it to punish the Establishment's critics. These aging Doo Dah baby boomers jumped the shark 6 or 7 years ago. And you know what Larry? So have you.
When was the beginning of the end for the Doo Dah parade. January 9, 2008...the day people were finally confronted with the fact that the Doo Dah parade is a mean-spirited tool of Pasadena's political establishment.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 9, 2008 3:21 PM
Lusvardi's original ballot argument that Measure D taxed Internet use was never challenged by the City...it is in the Sample ballot material 100% intact. The City challenged the rebuttal because the rebuttal said Measure D taxed Internet use and Internet access. After the rebuttal was filed the City passed an ordinance that it claims exempts "initial access" (but not use) and then used that ordinance to claim that the portion of the rebuttal that talked about Internet access should be struck. The Judge bought it. However, the rebuttal still states that Measure D taxes Internet use. The City has never disputed that. However, you and the other supporters of Measure D continue to falsely claim that Measure D doesn't tax Internet use by pointing to the city's ordinance which exempts only "initial access" not use. Measure D authorizes a tax on Internet use and that fact has been stated in writing by the city's own attorneys.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 9, 2008 3:35 PM
Why is the City giving a permit for a man to run up and down the street with a 3 foot plastic penis ejaculating shaving cream onto little girls? You come to see a funny parade and instead you get exposed to people who are displaying their sexual perversions using the excuse that they are being "funny". Sort of like the single guy down the street that sets up a playground in his backyard and invites all the neighborhood children over to play. It's all for fun right?
I also think there are plenty of people who would be surprised to learn that the City of Pasadena allows illegal drug use to be promoted on City streets under the guise of a "parade" that the City and our Denver based non-local newspaper encourages children to attend. It's going to make a nice mailer/commercial...shot of people promoting marijuana marching in the street right in front of elementary school children, shot of city literature and PSN columnists promoting the event, shot of City employees and officials participating. Nice. Things just aren't going in the right direction in Pasadena and Victor Gordo and Chris Holden are going to answer for it. Why are they allowing these white people to promote perverted sex and drug use to minority children?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 9, 2008 10:51 PM
Let's see what kind of sense of humor the Doo Dah parade and more importantly the Doo Dah parades sponsors have. Hey, maybe they think promoting drug use and perverted sex to children is "funny". Let's see how funny they think it really is.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 9, 2008 11:05 PM
It is because of the parade that we have become so obsessed with perverted drugs and illicit sex.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 9, 2008 11:55 PM
What a Faustian Bargain - either the Thorny Rose recipient accepts the award and is forever stereotyped as the devil incarnate and loses his soul in the process; or he declines the award and is subject to the vitriol of Larry Wilson. Pick your poison. I don't blame the guy for declining the award.
Posted by: anonymous | January 10, 2008 1:29 AM
Citizens for Responsible Government completed an "excellent" survey (Larry - that's word you used to describe it in one of your columns) on why Pasadena does not need the Utility User's Tax on the Internet which can be found at the following link:
http://www.pasadenalivingmagazine.com/_ArticleManager/publish/article_3459.shtml
Posted by: anonymous1 | January 10, 2008 1:43 AM
www.crgovernment.net
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 2:30 AM
The whole idea that a "cultural" non-profit would go out of their way to villify someone for fighting a political battle with the status quo is just sick. Clearly the selection process is controlled by city insiders and is consistently used to try and publically humiliate their political enemies.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 2:40 AM
The group that runs the Doo Dah receives funding from local government so this group (the Light Bringer Project) is willing to engage in character assassination to help out the City's telephone and Internet tax measure. The PSN doesn't report that self-interested motivation do they Larry? You should be ashamed of yourself.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 2:48 AM
Here is the Doo Dah parade's "Marijuana Man" dressed as a cartoon character promoting drug use to children. You might think this is funny Larry but I somehow doubt that the LAUSD and the PUSD and the rest of the Light Bringer Project's handful of corporate donors will think its an appropriate use of their money.
http://www.shareapic.com/public/view/11690
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 3:50 AM
Way to go Larry
You have given yourself away as to which way the Star News will go on this issue. I look forward to your well reasoned editorial supporting Measure D.
Posted by: anonymous | January 10, 2008 10:09 AM
Issue??? Lusvardi not participating in the Doo Dah Parade is hardly an issue.
Most of the people in this town don't even know about his site or who he is.
Posted by: anon | January 10, 2008 10:16 AM
At the end of the day both the people who own the degenerated Doo Dah parade and Larry Wilson do the same thing because they are basically the same type of people. They try and shred the dignity of people they don't agree with in order to hurt them. Lusvardi is the first guy with the stones to spit in their eye. Is it really surprising that weasels like Larry want to mock him some more because he won't kow tow to them and agree to be publically humiliated? That is the way these boomers treat people they disagree with...like enemies to be destroyed.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 4:40 PM
"Marijuana Man" should be stoned!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2008 8:53 PM
he is the first guy with the guts to spit in their eye?? how has he spit in anyone's eye?? he is not the first to decline the award and he is not the first to disagree with a Wilson.
Posted by: myron | January 11, 2008 6:49 AM
Martin Truitt is a legend in this business. If you don't believe him, just ask him. :-)
Posted by: AP | January 11, 2008 11:40 AM
actually the PSN reported that Lusvardi is the first person to decline the award
Posted by: Anonymous | January 11, 2008 12:18 PM
My, my, my aren't we being a bit harsh. I salute Larry for even writing about the DooDah Parade (which is a needed vent in this town) and I also salute the Pasadena Pundit for his efforts to inform.
It's all good. Don't be so weird about it. It's so much fun!
Posted by: Miss Havisham | January 11, 2008 10:22 PM
What's up with the number of Anonymous postings reacting to this item? I think debate about public issues is more meaningful with full disclosure.
Posted by: Geoffrey Baum | January 12, 2008 1:12 PM
I think PUSD and City of Pasadena support for a group that promotes illegal drug use to children requires full disclosure the group receiving the money and the governmental entities providing that money. Drugs are a serious problem in a portion of our community. It's not a joke that should be funded by local government.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 12, 2008 4:08 PM
and how is our local government funding drugs?
Posted by: What drugs?? | January 12, 2008 6:29 PM
they aren't.
Posted by: no drugs | January 13, 2008 8:25 AM