Saturday night Lee and I attended Knoxville’s Front Page Follies at the Knoxville Convention Center.  The annual event pokes fun at politicians who have appeared in the news over the year as part of a dinner/auction to raise funds for journalism scholarships.

It was a pretty fun time considering that awards were given to the editor of the Sentinel and the brave attorney Herb Moncier.  Do you think Knoxville is suffering right now?  If these guys are your county award winners, Knox County is in trouble.

I got to meet several new folks as well as get to meet the faces behind the stories in the Sentinel such as reporters Scott Barker and Rebecca Farrar–two of the best.  I didn’t see Tom Humphrey–though I looked.

As far as politicians go, we chatted with Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey about the upcoming session and plans there.  I said I wouldn’t report the conversation, though I was pleased with his plans regarding some of the issues close to my heart.  

We talked with Congressman Jimmy Duncan about oil and Nancy Pelosi.  We also talked about the quote that Ron Ledbetter had used on one his mailpieces in his race against Campfield.  Was Duncan endorsing Leadbetter?  No, Congressman Duncan said.  It was not an official endorsement but was a quote that Duncan had made in a letter approximately 3 years ago recommending Ledbetter for a position at the University of Tennessee.  Of course, Duncan and Leadbetter go way back, but Congressman Duncan emphasized that he didn’t want to get involved in a GOP battle though he has endorsed Campfield in the past, and in fact, recorded a phone call on behalf of Campfield when Democrat Schree Pettigrew was mounting an expensive campaign against Campfield.

We talked to Senator Randy McNally about changes going on in Nashville.  For the record, I asked about the Tennessee Plan and toll roads.  He said he wants Tennesseans to vote for their justices and will work to see that it happens and he is not in favor of toll roads.

I met Senator Burchett’s lovely new bride Allison.  She’s very outgoing and quite beautiful.  Why is she with Burchett?  (wink)

I had a good conversation with Sharon Lee who has submitted her name for consideration for the Tennessee Supreme Court.  We talked about local politics, legal issues and a few other things.  But for the blog, I asked her if I could report on what her intentions are should the Tennessee Plan remain expired and candidates for the Tennessee Supreme Court go to ballot.  Sharon said that her intentions are to run statewide for a seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court if the Tennessee Plan remains expired.  Sharon is a Democrat judge who started locally down in Monroe County.

As far as the performances go, most of them were pretty funny.  Probably my favorite performance, and the one receiving the most applause, was on Cynthia Finch and the purchasing cards.  To the tune of Aretha Franklin’s song Respect, it was spun off to emphasize her lack of receipts.  Absolutely hilarious!  The one on Mayor Ragsdale received a lot of laughter and applause as well.  From O Brother! Where Art Thou?, the song was Mayor of Constant Sorrow.  I must note however, that the lyrics were whitewashed to reflect the spin that Mayor Ragsdale had a problem controlling the spending habits of his staff.  That’s BS.  Mayor Ragsdale himself engaged in nefarious spending and as reported in the Sentinel, Margie Lloyd stated that Ragsdale ordered her to take a commissioner out for lobster.  It wasn’t just “out of control” low level flunkies making his life hard.

The Mayor also operated the slush fund known as the Hospitality Fund.  And if justice works the way it should, he should be in lock up for it.  

Most of the skits however, were pretty funny, though quite obviously missing were any jabs at liberals or the Democrat players.  No Bredesen party bunker skits.  No Tennessee Department of Revenue cigarette enforcement skit.  No Al Gore energy hog skit.  No Democrat Robert Bratton banned from school property skit.  No skit on the Democrat County Clerk candidate’s Mellow Mushroom marital brawl.  Mike Padgett did get a little jab for taking on Alexander, but it was geared towards his long shot status–kind of light.

No, it was all GOP bashing fun–very establishment, very insider, and very obvious.  One skit had the media actor as Lt. Governor Ramsey with cash in his hands as it poked fun at the lobbyist culture in Nashville.  Where was Naifeh?  Democrats don’t control the House?  Dems haven’t controlled the state forever?  Please.  Only Republicans take special interest money?

The most politically incorrect East Tennessee song of the evening was their piece on the UT Vols football team.  It featured player/prisoners singing a song about Rocky Top. I can’t remember the song this morning, if I do, I’ll put it up.  Oh my goodness.  I wasn’t sure whether to laugh out loud and risk being photographed! 

And probably the biggest bomb of the evening was their hit piece on Rep. Campfield’s bill that limited the introduction of transgenderism and homosexuality into the Kindergarten through 8th grade curriculum.  To the tune of the song What a Wonderful World, the song began with “don’t know much about sodomy…”

There were a couple of chuckles, but even this audience wasn’t laughing about talking to little kiddies about such topics.   While this event was hosted by the Society for Professional Journalists, they actually used the photo-doctored picture of Campfield holding a sticker that was altered to read “confederate values.”

Oh, it’s just spoof, right?  Well, the event featured all genuine news articles as well as the editorial cartoons of Charlie Daniels up on the screen as each skit was performed.  To throw that altered picture of Campfield up on the screen with all the genuine news articles on the politicians was journalistically unprofessional.  It didn’t identify that it was doctored or spoof.  It was low class.  But then what do you expect from the folks that are so desperate to beat the guy?

All in all, it was fun to chat with friends, meet some listeners of and callers to the radio program, and have a good laugh.