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Today’s quotable: “It’s just show-biz”
Friday, May 25, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller * Zeke’s reasons for staying calm during times of legislative strife was as sound back then as it is today…
The General Assembly can often resemble professional wrestling. The results are almost always preordained and, while the fights can draw real blood, they’re mostly staged.
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- Norseman - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:13 am:
Sadly the shows were PG back in Zeke’s time to NR in the age of Trump.
- Henry Francis - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:17 am:
Sums up the Guv’s attitude towards his job.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:21 am:
I always enjoy someone looking back like this and reminding us of a time since passed, while giving insight to and a long perspective from that moment to today.
To the Post,
The preordained outcomes were never the drama. You know they have “the votes”, or it’s suppose to fail, this vote is for more than this bill, so the tally often isn’t the game. The floor debate, that’s the showbiz and Rep. Giorgi understood that.
When you compare, which is natural, Bill Black… to Mike Bost… to The Owl… and appreciate the work Bill Black did, the captivating, often purposely comical, snarky and sharp… with homespun self deprecation… it’s lost, the element of snarky and sharp, biting, that took to a bill or idea… mesmerizing.
Today and those like The Owl was… it’s sneering and less of an art. It’s still showbiz, it’s still a play to the Coluseum crowds, the arena, with a fully engaged speaker… but the art of those like a Bill Black… even Mike Bost often… the art of the show business… the frustration sold on a stage, singing for their supper, to entertain the concerned… its knowing the magician is doing a trick, and you’re rooting for the steps of the truck and you applaud the trick’s completion… but it’s still a trick all the same.
I’ve felt for some time the real animosity some show towards those doing the magic tricks seem to forget what Rep. Giorgi reminded others… its show business… that’s why at the end of a session day, you can, should, did spend time with your friends who you had such “bitter” disagreement with on the floor. You’re all magicians, yuh know the tricks, you know the outcomes, let the performances entertain the Coluseum, and wait for the curtain to rise and another performance to begin.
Cool tweet. Thanks for sharing, Rich.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:26 am:
Everybody loved Zeke. In these interesting times, you really miss the honest voice you can count on.
Working-class hero, salt of the earth, friend to everyone on State Street and Broadway.
Pearson hit good here:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-05-30/features/9002130876_1_gambling-betting-illinois-house
- Anonymous - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:31 am:
Julius Caeser would have a different take on the ‘show biz’ aspects
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:34 am:
As far as I know, Julius Caeser never served in the Illinois General Assembly.
- The Captain - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 9:49 am:
I approve this Mike Bost subtweeting.
- Boone's is Back - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 10:01 am:
Pretty sure that Bill Black internalized this missive to a T.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 10:06 am:
Zeke’s time certainly was different. Democrat floor leaders were Tom Hanahan, Ted Lechowicz, John Matejevich (budgets), against Republicans Art Telscher, Phil Colins, Pete Peters and others. Actual debates on the merits of the contents of a proposal were held…amendments from anyone on any bill were fully debated (the DOT Approp took a full day on second reading to consider more than 100 amendments (on average) to that bill alone.
Yes, those were better days, and many bills actually were defeated on their merit, not based on sponsorship.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 10:08 am:
And everyone knew there was nothing preordained about Sam Vadalabene slugging Mark Q. Rhodes, except perhaps that Rhodes was preordained at birth to be a jerk.
- Linus - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 10:19 am:
Zeke was gifted with practicality and perspective, and we could use a lot more of both.
- Langhorne - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 10:19 am:
Zeke used to tell new members, “if you get interviewed by the FBI, make sure your lawyer is there. Not cause you did anytthing wrong. You just dont want to say something wrong, and get someone else in trouble.”
- Annonin' - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 11:05 am:
Mr/Ms Henry Francis
GovJunk’s approach is much closer to Blagoof who adopted the motto “we don’t know and we don’t care.”