The Chairman
mixed media on canvas/ 20” by 16”/ $399
Ever wonder how Mao Tse Tung got into into power? He was not loved by the establishment and once in office was feared by the very people who originally supported him.
Gossip and the Media
How many times have you heard people say, “I don’t want to fail.” When you hear those words it is often from a person who is trying hard to succeed. Their efforts may be pushy and the individual willing to ignore the social implications of what they are doing. There are also larger number of people who give up their dreams without striving because they are so afraid of the fallout from failure. They do not try and therefore never learn from their mistakes. They are afraid of gossip fallout and and a media that loves to expound on failures. Strangely publicizing controversy can turn vinegar into honey for a dedicated entrepreneur.
I certainly failed many times over. It would take more fingers and toes than I presently have to count the many instances of trial and error that ended poorly. Luckily, I had enough presence in mind to say, “well that didn’t work, what should I do next.” I try to learn from my mistakes especially when alternative viewpoints make sense. I’ll share a story from my book, Lives of Museum Junkies, that will be published this August.
My adventure began when I visited executive offices in Lansing, Michigan to meet with corporate and education leaders to discuss the idea of starting a new science museum. I wanted to raise funds for a hands-on education center and was not having much luck. One of the men I spoke to was the director of the YMCA. He emphatically told me I would fail because, “in Lansing there are only two things that matter. One is sports and the other is sex and you are not involved in either.” His comment was incredulous to me but I tucked it away to be recalled later.
“One day, with not much to do, I relaxed in my chair reading a magazine article about how the Playboy Bunnies visited communities to engage in sporting events against local celebrities in order to raise money for charity. My brain started churning and I remembered what the director of the YMCA said: “Sports and sex would be the secret of success.”
The Detroit Playboy Club was close enough to Lansing that I immediately called their manager. Much to my amazement, without hesitation or questions the Bunnies agreed to visit and play basketball against our community businessmen.
Days became exciting once more. I began to telephone every well-known chief executive I could think of and asked for his involvement. In the 70s they were all men and no-one declined. The game was on with a who’s who of local participants that included the mayor, president of MSU, superintendent of schools, CEOs of various manufacturing companies, real estate developers, the head of Oldsmobile, and state politicians. When the local newspaper learned of the event the game to became a feature.
One problem — a big one — reared its ugly head and I was reminded of lesson #1, “Nothing ever occurs as you might imagine.” The early 70s heralded in the start of the women’s lib movement with books by Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan circulating and being read by a wide audience. The equal rights amendment was headed to the states for ratification and organizations like Planned Parenthood and NOW were growing in prominence. In East Lansing a group of high school students and university women threatened to picket the Bunny Game. What had started out as a fun crazy event was turning into a political nightmare and we didn’t know what to do. Now we had the makings not of a feature but of a gossip column. In fact, the gossip columnist did pick up the controversy with gusto and had a great time splashing the story daily. A number of the men who held public office called to inform me that they were reluctantly compelled to back out of their commitment.
My stomach churned with worry and I started looking for ways to work with the women libbers, finally coming up with the idea of asking Michigan State University’s woman’s basketball team if they would be willing to hold a practice game against our local celebrities. I hoped that by involving the female team the newspaper would soften the Playboy image and make the game acceptable. Their coach agreed to the practice, and the celebrity men arrived for a grueling session. The women on the basketball team were of course fantastic athletes in perfect condition. Our men, many of whom were potbellied, had to be replaced every three minutes to ensure there were no injuries.
Our celebrity team enjoyed their practice game, but it was not enough to silence the critics. Ticket sales were sparse and we were prepared to fail when a miracle occurred. Thankfully for us (though tragically for a great many) we were rescued by Mother Nature. The night before the game the clouds exploded and it started to rain and rain and rain. The greater Lansing area was deluged with a fifty-year flood and all citizens not concerned with their own water-filled basements were called on to bag the river banks. Jenison Field House at Michigan State, where we were to have played, was swimming in two and a half feet of water, flooding the basketball court.
The Playboy Bunny Game had to be canceled. My sigh of relief is still being carried on the winds today. But the upside to the controversy is that the science museum became a known entity and on its way to becoming more than just an office in a public school. By now the entire Lansing community knew what was being planned and though many did not like the Bunny Game they certainly did support our idea for Impression 5.”
The museum got off to a start with the basketball game that was never played. I learned very directly that bad publicity as well as good can get you towards your goal. This experience is why I understand the phenomenon we call Donald Trump. It is why every time he says something horrible, his publicity increases and more people flock to his side. It is also how social beliefs get changed and evaluated. In my case, the women’s movement entered my consciousness for the first time. As the only female president of a science center I never thought about other women as I pursued my dream. Suddenly I became aware that I as well as others were fighting an uphill battle and we had to join together for a common cause.
Trump has brought to the forefront previously unspoken issues that need to be addressed. He appeals to an underclass of people who have been neglected and are angry. Whether Trump is the one to solve inequality problems I will not comment on in this article. But because of Sanders and Trump there is a good chance that the issues around trade and Wall Street will not go away.
A recurring problem is that when a politician is not ethical or has hidden agendas, once in power the outcome may not be what the voting public desired. A pattern of corruption can be found throughout the world in local as well as national political elections. Unfortunately, once in power the oligarch often controls the very media that helped him or her get elected.
I am not saying that people should barrel ahead and make news worthy waves whenever they want to accomplish something new. I am suggesting that an entrepreneur or politician has to persevere at times and look outside of the box by taking risks. Hopefully the cause is just and the promoter has intentions that will benefit society. A wise viewer listens skeptically to TV news gossip and digs to find the true intentions of the speaker.
References: Quote from Lives of Museum Junkies, by Marilynne Eichinger, presently being published by Inkwood Press. Look for an announcement August 2016.
Art is always for sale. Contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com.
