Tuesday, May 09, 2000
Group anonymously mounts Pig protest
Oh, puleeeeze. That in honor of a group protesting the Big Pig Gig. And, for some reason, anonymously.
A group name of Quo Jure (Latin for By What Right), is distributing fliers urging people to write or call ArtWorks, the Big Pig Gig sponsor, and “Give your voice for the slaughtered animals who can't protest the death camps. Protest the Big Pig Gig.”
Another flier tells artists they shouldn't “celebrate Cincinnati's proud heritage when blood from the slaughter of terrified beasts ran through the gutters . . . ”
Nobody knows the perps.
Tom Meinhardt, activist in the local Animal Rights Community, has no idea. “Seriously? Protesting? Anonymously?
“Our group (Vegetarian Resource Group) has a big pink pig with veggies painted on by artist Karen Freedman. We see it as an opportunity for education.”
Sean Gifford in the national office of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) doesn't know either.
PETA, he says, has two pigs because, “PETA chose to draw attention by participating.” PETA pigs ask people to think differently about the animals who end up as bacon and chops.
According to a letter going around — anonymously — the Gig “trivializes the terrifying reality of slaughter ... we find the collaboration of the artistic community ... in complete violation of each participant's integrity.”
Oh well.
Seen around town: That would be Steve Wariner, in Longworth's last Thursday, playing guitar and singing.
That's Wariner, as in country star of the '80s and huge again now thanks to hits “I'm Already Taken” and “Been There,” his duet with Clint Black.
“Damnedest thing I ever saw,” says ad exec Rob Riggsbee, who was there for happy hour. “He popped in, sat down and started singing.”
Wariner was in Lexington with Black, then drove here to pop in on WUBE-FM (he did that Friday morning). Thursday, he wandered Mount Adams.
WUBE types hastily assembled a party of about 15 and met him at Longworth's, where he confused a bar full who didn't know who he was.
Until he broke out a few old hits. Then the crowd caught on and started singing along.
Hunk patrol: And you thought the hardest thing about opera was hitting a high C. Consider Evelyn Stubbs and Carolyn Giles, who have to find guys in loin cloths.
Opera staffers Giles and Stubbs need a ton of supernumeraries (non-singing extras) to fill the stage this summer.
Right now it's Aida: “We need two guys who look good in a loin cloth,” Stubbs says. “Where do we find them?
“Plus, we need 75 male soldiers, some buff and topless. And 10 male guards.”
Besides Aida,they need seven hunks for Salome, eight men (normal bods) for Cinderella and five women and seven men (also normal) for Peleas.
Call Giles at 744-3435.
Knip's Eye View appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
