Grand gesture has its gaffe

By Ken Garcia
Examiner Columnist | 10/2/08 10:42 PM

Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier’s rather impetuous remark that she wanted to get former Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Tommy Lasorda booted as the grand marshal in next weekend’s Italian Heritage Parade had some people wondering if she might have gotten clocked by a beanball.

It’s clear now that in the past week she was getting some high heat — she called me recently to say there was really no plan to introduce a measure at next week’s board meeting to give Lasorda the hook — but only after getting scores of e-mails and calls from people telling her she was way off-base.

She should know better than to think San Franciscans can take a joke.

Last week, Alioto-Pier told a reporter that Lasorda should be rejected in favor of some more politically correct figure such as Joe Montana or Barry Zito to head the parade, a remark that event organizers said was made without any knowledge of the parade or its history. For one, Zito is in the parade (along with fellow Giants Dave Righetti and Rich Aurillia) and Montana, unlike the rest of us mortals, charges a hefty appearance fee to see him wave, let alone speak, to crowds.

“Maybe we should ban the Canadian Snowbirds flying team because they’re not from the United States,” cracked parade chairman Tony Passanisi. “Who cares that Lasorda was a Dodger? I mean, cut it out.”

Alioto-Pier’s wild pickoff throw angered enough people that they were planning to show up en masse at Tuesday’s board meeting to point out the error of her ways. After all, it’s one thing to grow up hating the Dodgers, but really, it’s hard to get steamed up over a retired manager who is a walking poster boy for pasta feeds.

Alioto-Pier admitted that she whiffed, but says she never meant it seriously to begin with.

“There’s a part of me that has to laugh at myself, because it was supposed to be a joke,” she said. “But it just got blown way out of proportion — we were getting crank calls from people. Even my father said Lasorda is a nice guy.”

And for all you fans and descendants of Italy out there, it’s worth noting that the former Columbus Day Parade was relieved of its name after protesters decried the famed explorer’s treatment of indigenous people everywhere. It appears every grand gesture has its own repercussions.

Rainy weather will hardly dampen the bluegrass fun

Only the weather could possibly dampen the enthusiasm generated by this weekend’s annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park. Yet judging from the fact that about 700,000 people attended last year, I doubt a little rain will pose much of a threat to the crowds.

When you get 60 world-class bands together and have a chance to see something called “Gypsy Punk,” or Snoop Dogg songs with a banjo, you know you’re on to something special. And that’s not even taking into account that one of the world’s greatest bluegrass festivals is free.

That’s why I like to ask the musicians who play there what they think of San Francisco financier Warren Hellman’s annual fret-filled gift — an event that started with about 20,000 people eight years ago and blossomed into a three-day festival.

“It’s completely unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” said Berkeley’s own bluegrass legend, Laurie Lewis. “I’ve never seen anything that had the quality of the music and the groups that are involved. It’s more like a love-in.”

Lewis, who started out as a classical violinist before falling in love with folk music, said once she started veering in that direction, there was no stopping her — now more than 30 years and counting.

“I sort of realized that I could play this fiddle music and there was nothing like it,” she said. “I love the interaction — it’s community music. And there’s just nothing like this festival anywhere, it’s amazing.”

Beat cafe a relic for bohemians

Vesuvio, the venerable North Beach watering hole that played a pivotal role during the Beat movement, celebrates its 60th anniversary from noon to 6 p.m., Sunday with a special art show, music and an array of frosty libations.

The bar, which was a hangout for Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady and Richard Brautigan, has always had an eclectic cast of people from the time Henri Lenoir opened the place back in 1948. And no matter who has operated it throughout the years, it has remained something of a time capsule for the artistic community that continues to gravitate to one of The City’s cultural epicenters.

“We’ve always had a real mix of people congregate here over the years,” said Janet Clyde, who started working at Vesuvio in the late ’70s and is now one of the owners. “We’ve always tried to keep the bohemian spirit alive and encourage people from all walks of life to enjoy themselves here.”

The work of Alfred O’Shaughnessy, an artist who is most responsible for the unique look of the corner bar, will be celebrated throughout the month. You can be sure this is one event at which characters will be welcome.

Raiders’ Davis shows Kiffin his infamous revolving door

It’s good to be king and bad to be a servant employed by Al Davis, as the longtime Raiders owner showed to what lengths he will go to fire a coach and try not to pay him. The Raiders’ ongoing soap opera, in which Lane Kiffin was finally, thankfully, let go this week, only underscores Davis’ inability to find the right coach (save for Jon Gruden) for the team during the last 20 years.

Oh, yeah, it also shows that he’s grown increasingly bizarre. Davis rarely gives news conferences — and now we know that’s a very good thing. Instead of reading his own self-serving letter outlining the sins of his coach, maybe next time he can read passages from his personal journal.

The Raiders’ headquarters must have the only exit door that actually revolves. Look for Davis’ next series of appearances — on Court TV.

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