RYSSUAVE: RT @RYSBANO: @RYSNAYEWHYTE U DO GOT SUM BIG ASS TITTIES SIS! NOT THAT I BE LOOK OR ANYTHING #imjustsayin.. Lol..>>>giggty gig ga ty(quamire)
about 12 hours agoostrumb: .NET or MQ consultant? Want an awesome contract gig in 2010? Our client has big projects coming up. Details, email bostrum@otterbase.com
about 24 hours ago
_tbass: @JeremyShields i'm tempted...but i cant really party or stay up late cuz i have a big gig sunday early =(
about 1 day ago
CindyWarwick: @SAMIEPARKER Hey Samie! Lookin' for a new gig right now, but paid my dues at a big retailer here in OR.
about 1 day ago
iidawi: just listened #thisiswar for the first time. i'm not like big #30stm fan or nothing, but i love it! it makes me wanna go to their gig:(
about 1 day ago
Follow us on Twitter ...
 | By Steve Jagler   Special to OnMilwaukee.com E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Steve Jagler |
| Published May 25, 2007 at 8:06 a.m. |
|
In its 40th year, Summerfest is as healthy and vibrant as ever, and its identities as a Milwaukee icon and the largest music festival in the world are secure (see the cover story biztimes.com).
Yet, there still is some unfinished business that continues to hover over the lakefront at Big Gig, and it isn't going away. That unfinished business is the respect, honor and indeed gratitude that is due to Bo Black.
You know most of the story. Black spent 20 years as the executive director and the public face of Summerfest before she was unceremoniously banished from the festival in 2003.
Theories and opinions abound as to how it came to pass that Black ended up on the outside looking in at the festival she had built. Some folks embrace the sanitized explanation that she had dared to publicly disagree with the Summerfest board over the more expensive lease that the city, under former Mayor John Norquist, had demanded and ultimately won from the festival.
However, there's more to that story than has been reported. Suffice to say that it was Norquist himself who set the wheels in motion that led to Black's dismissal. But that's another story for another day.
Right now, the important thing is that the festival and the city have a chance to do the right thing and acknowledge that Summerfest is the house that Bo built.
Keep in mind that Black's successor, Don Smiley, is not the bad guy in this drama. He was recruited by an executive headhunter for the post after Black was banished into exile. Smiley graciously acknowledged Black's contributions to the festival when he accepted the Visit Milwaukee Lamplighter Award on behalf of Summerfest last week.
It's the Summerfest board that ultimately owes Black a public apology. That will never happen. But the board could do the next-most respectable thing. They could permanently dedicate a monument, a flower garden, a gate or maybe even an ornate fountain to Black as a testament to her years of blood, sweat and tears.
The players in this drama have changed. The board has some new members. Norquist has since moved on to Chicago. His successor, Tom Barrett, was not in anyway involved in Black's dismissal. But like Smiley and the Summerfest board, Barrett too could make good with a public city ceremony that acknowledges Black's legacy.
It's not too late to do the right thing. But the clock is ticking. Black is at her Arizona home, trying to recover from the complications of operations for a stroke and an aneurysm. Her recovery was going well - until recently. When I spoke to her last week in a brief telephone conversation, she told me that her condition was taking a turn for the worse, and her outlook is not bright.
As we celebrate Summerfest''s 40th year, let's take care of this unfinished business. Milwaukee, we owe Bo Black one.
|
22 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by danno on May 29, 2007 at 12:55 p.m. (report)
"That is such a Milwaukee cheap classic line. No wonder you don't like Summerfest or Bo Black. Trust us, it's OK if you don't go. More room for the rest of us who realize what a treasure Summerfest is for Milwaukee." Rufus, I am not cheap. But given that the crowds are too large and music is way too loud, those are my primary complaints. But don't worry about me as I don't go to Summerfest anymore unless there is an artist I really want to see and never plays Milwaukee. But if you look at the inflation rate at S.F. it far out paces regional inflation. Enjoy getting ripped off.
| Rate this: |
Posted by faigans on May 29, 2007 at 12:26 p.m. (report)
The reason the blog began was because the writer suggested there be some great recognition for Bo Black. The point is Bo Black was fired, released or let go. Not by some vindictive Mayor but buy a panel of independent elected officials that have nothing to do with each other. They certainly could not tell each other what to do or who to vote for. Unfortunately just like everything else she did (which can be seen as bad or good) she was a PR darling. When ever something didn't go her way she would cry to the paper or news stations. Some how there was this big conspiracy for the Mayor to get her fired. Sorry she was let go because she wasn't doing her job. As pointed out in my last post the Mayor doesn't the tell the Governor to think or do and vice versa. An independent panel decided she wasn't doing her job and let her go. Also why are we erecting a monument or god blessing some one who ran 10 summer festivals a year worked for 5 months and got paid 206,000 dollars? What heroic and amazing things did she do for the City of Milwaukee? She got a bunch of young people to go to a place where they had live music and beer. That must have been a very complicated business to run. I am sure sponsors wanted nothing to do with have hundred of thousands of people seeing their billboards on a daily basis. Should we boo her no? We should appreciate the job she did just like any one else would have. We should also appreciate the job that all citizens of the City of Milwaukee who are positive members and do good things to impact our community. But again to single out a person for recognition in a community where people tirelessly work day and night to make it better. I think is petty and not deserved of some one who managed a music festival. If you really want to recognize some one their are thousand of residents of this great city that should be considered for the endless commitment to much larger problems and who are still here today working on them.
| Rate this: |
Posted by rufus on May 28, 2007 at 7:17 p.m. (report)
"Yeah, if you like music that is WAY TOO loud, ridiculous prices for drink and food, and the ticket price to get in." That is such a Milwaukee cheap classic line. No wonder you don't like Summerfest or Bo Black. Trust us, it's OK if you don't go. More room for the rest of us who realize what a treasure Summerfest is for Milwaukee.
| Rate this: |
Posted by danno on May 28, 2007 at 5:50 p.m. (report)
Yeah, if you like music that is WAY TOO loud, ridiculous prices for drink and food, and the ticket price to get in. Then the move away from independent artists. And I think the Marcus Amphitheater has some of the worst acoustics around. The last show I saw there was Fleetwood Mac and after the show a couple from IL asked me if shows always sounded that bad to which I said "unfortunately yes".
| Rate this: |
Posted by rufus on May 28, 2007 at 10:52 a.m. (report)
You gotta be kidding me. To say that Bo Black was overrated is delirious. The truth is that for years, Bo Black did an amazing job prying precious sponsorship dollars out of the corporations in Milwaukee. Those conservative big wigs were not prone to opening their corporate vaults, but they did for Bo. She used those sponsorships to build Summerfest. How do you think the permanent buildings and stages and even the Marcus Amphitheatre were built? Duh. Ultimately, it was Bo who brought in the dollars. It didn't just happen magically. Get a clue and give Bo her due. Now!
| Rate this: |
Show me the other 17 Talkbacks
Recent blogs/briefs by Steve Jagler
|
Milwaukee leaders react to Chicago's Olympic elimination Oct. 02, 2009 Chicago will not host the 2016 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee today ... |
|
Mercury Marine workers approve contract offer Sept. 04, 2009 Voting of the third time, members of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace ... |
|
Canadians think Wisconsin is business paradise July 31, 2009 We've been told on talk radio for years that Wisconsin is a terrible place to do business. ... |
|
Who do ya know wants to buy a job? July 13, 2009 While attending a conference recently, a couple of friends from Louisiana gave me some ... |
|
Unleash your employees to take your company into social media April 17, 2009 To Tweet or not to Tweet? That is the question. Perhaps more generally, the question every ... |
| Top Clicks | Top Searches | Most Talkbacks |
- A gift a day: Summerfest gift cards
- Summerfest to alter beer operation for 2010
- Tim McGraw opens Summerfest 2010
- Best venue for food, 2009: Milwaukee Public Market
- Empowerment is key to servant leadership
- Corporate wellness has its own rewards
- I've grown back into State Fair
- Sunday Sound-off: Big or small festivals?
- Father Phoenix is high voltage rock and roll
- The post-Summerfest hangover
