It is a good time here in the Coachella Valley. The weather has been tremendous. (Sorry to all those who have been affected by weather back in the East or Midwest. Or the extreme heat in Australia or rain in the UK and Ireland.) Also in town is the Palm Springs International Film Festival!! This is the 25th anniversary and it is going gangbusters. Major stars from around the world have graced our Valley with their presence. The Festival has always had a friendly vibe despite the fact a director once banned me from attending.
It all happened a few years ago when I disputed some of the obvious ridiculous financial projections the Festival made. They were counting internet mentions like dollars. I knew I had ruffled some feathers but someone had to. I just waited for the response and it came that afternoon on a rival station. Festival honcho Earl Greenburg who has since passed away went on the air in a rage. Who was I and how dare I make such comments? One of the hosts, who has since been fired twice said I had no talent and was a nobody. Perhaps right on the former but definitely not the latter. Earl then banned me for life.
I started to laugh because the next night, through the good graces of a local listener Nate Israelson, I had already been invited to the Canadian Film party at the Festival. I went to the party awaiting to be thrown onto the street. Alas no such thing happened! The movie screening after some swank eats was based on hockey legend Rocket Richard. It was rather long. After the showing I felt like I had spent 2 hours in the penalty box.
At the after party, while chatting to the director who did I see but an exhausted Earl Greenburg sitting down!! Here was my chance to flaunt my revenge. I could walk up and be a wiseguy. But discretion was the better part of valor that day. I quietly slipped out.
Earl has since passed and curiously has been whitewashed from the Film Festival history. Only one mention of him in the paper's 25 year review that I could get on line. I have not been to a screening since either. I wonder if that ban is still in effect.
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