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Musical interlude: Shakedown Street

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* Back in high school, I was once put in charge of publicity for the annual school musical. I worked part-time at the town’s only radio station, so that was easy to deal with (and probably why I was handed the task). I met with the town’s newspaper publisher/editor and explained what I was doing and what I’d like and he said, “Where’s my ad?”

What?

“My newspaper ad. You want me to run a story you have to buy an ad.”

But, sir, I don’t have a budget for that.

“Get one.”

Lesson learned.

* This, however, goes way beyond that…

This is Chicago, after all, so even a billionaire’s campaign had to contend with a shakedown of sorts. A steady flow of vendors came knocking at the campaign’s doors, sometimes with outrageous offers, said Quentin Fulks, who oversaw the Pritzker campaign budget.

In one case, Fulks said an owner of a local publication, which he would not name, asked that the Pritzker campaign pay $300,000 to bankroll the individual’s personal book project that had nothing to do with the campaign or Pritzker.

“We told them ‘no’ for the book and they got mad. The same person owns a newspaper publication and ran some pretty negative stuff against us when we didn’t agree to publish,” Fulks said. “You can make a lot of political enemies when people think you have an unlimited budget and you have to tell them ‘no.’ People take that really personally, they feel offended.”

Whew.

* On to the music…

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 11:55 am

Comments

A-maze-ing

Comment by Ok Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:00 pm
We’re talking about Jeff Bezos again, aren’t we?

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:08 pm
Grifters gonna grift, and all those zeroes sure look scalable.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:10 pm
Apparently this dude just landed. We are sure there are better stories than that. Remember GovJunk rented on a credit union 4 years ago. We know that did result from a national study.

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:19 pm
Poor Dan, he will now have to find someone else to bankroll his book–perhaps a card board box king from Wisconsin?/s

Comment by G'Kar Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:21 pm
Rich, I know I am getting old, but where do you come up with some of the musical groups you post on your site at times?

No complaints, the music and lyrics are always appropriate to the topic, but new to me at times. Thanks for keeping me current.

Comment by illini Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:25 pm
I’ve heard about this. Cat juggling.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:25 pm
Rich, your story about the newspaper wanting you to buy an ad before they would write a story about your high school’s musical reminded me of a similar experience that I had many years ago. I was a disc jockey at a small radio station and then on Saturdays hosted a 4-hour, specialty big band program. For one of those broadcasts, I was saluting the legendary bandleader Artie Shaw and interviewed not only Shaw but about a dozen of his former musicians. I thought it was really special, so I tried to convince the town paper to write about it. I wasn’t expecting a feature story, just a small notice if nothing else. Despite my pleas, their response was simple: If it’s that special, buy an ad.”

Comment by Christopher Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:29 pm
Isn’t it unethical for a newspaper to demand an ad buy to cover a story? I mean, they’re free to cover it or not, and the show is smart to place an ad, but the actual quid pro quo?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:30 pm
Jay Ferguson - Shakedown Cruise

Comment by maybe liked this tuneage theme better Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:31 pm
–“We told them ‘no’ for the book and they got mad. The same person owns a newspaper publication and ran some pretty negative stuff against us when we didn’t agree to publish,” Fulks said.–

“Fine, I’ll take my business back to Mr. Uiehlein…”

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:32 pm
===Isn’t it unethical for a newspaper to demand an ad buy to cover a story?===

Um, yeah. That’s why I told the story.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 12:37 pm
Pritzker should have pulled a Charles Foster Kane. Then he would’ve owned the news.

Comment by Boone's is Back Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 1:27 pm
Ferro is writing a book?

Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 1:27 pm
My brother was at a college party in or around 1986 and the Grateful Dead studio version of this song came on. Someone turned to him and asked, “Ooh is this new Kool and the Gang?”

Comment by Lefty "Lefty" Lefty Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 1:28 pm
Henry Francis for the win.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 1:36 pm
Just can’t get enough of that funky stuff!

Comment by NoNameNick Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 1:42 pm
If Governor Pritzker can keep saying “no” in similar situations, he should actually do OK at governor.

Comment by Leigh John-Ella Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 2:21 pm
Side note for all the Deadheads (and those who might become enamored), free downloads of live jams all month at https://www.dead.net/30daysofdead (Scroll to the bottom of the page for all the downloads so far.)

Here’s Shakedown Street from MSG 10/15/1994: https://www.dead.net/30daysofdead/nov-08-2018

Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 2:36 pm
Hip but that’s no Phil Lesh…

Comment by mark Thursday, Nov 15, 18 @ 3:20 pm