Sunday, December 22, 2002

All I want for Christmas is ...

Quotable notables tell us what gifts they desire most

"For the kids at St. Paul's Childcare Center in Newport to have all their desires and needs met this Christmas...and an AirHog Helicopter for myself."
- Rob Carson, WVMX FM


"A cure for all the sick and the mentally disturbed and blessings upon the poor in spirit."
- Bootsy Collins, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer


"Peace on earth, goodwill to men, and a Scooby Doo Chia Pet. I'd also like to see all the radio talk show hosts and their callers wake up Christmas morning with thinner skulls. Then, maybe we will all just get along."
- Gary Burbank, WLW radio


"You know what I want? I want to have all my shopping done. That would be a good present."
- George Clooney, actor


"To me, Christmas is the gift of giving many things love, or understanding, or patience, or food or clothing if they're homeless. To me, Christmas is giving that special gift that someone doesn't have. I'm a giver."
- Buddy LaRosa, pizza magnate


"My own CD under my name."
- Philip Paul, 1940s '50s house drummer, King Records


"For Christ to continue to bless me and my family."
- Don Sherman, artistic director, Cincinnati Black Theatre Company


"I'm going to quote Ezra Pound. An American lady traveling to Paris in 1913 asked Ezra Pound what he thought art was for. Pound replied, `Ask me what a rose bush is for.' All I want is our community to remember the glory of the human spirit. If we're poised on the edge of war (as they were in 1913), art matters more than ever. It affirms and sustains life at the highest level."
- Ed Stern, producing artistic director, Playhouse in the Park


"To see 500 vacant buildings in Over the Rhine fill up with crazy people, crazy about their city."
- Jim Tarbell, Cincinnati City Councilman


"For someone to clean my house! OK, I know as a poet I should come up with something more, well, poetic, but I hurt my back about six weeks ago and I haven't been able to vacuum and I think I'm growing new kittens from all the cat hairs gathered in the corners!"
- Pauletta Hansel, poet


"For my Mom, who is sick, to recover and be well."
- Valerie Lemmie, Cincinnati city manager


"All I want for Christmas is more sleep... and more viewers!"
- Kathrine Nero , co anchor, WCPO TV's new Good Morning, Tri state


"A new life for downtown Cincinnati."
- Annie Bolling, art gallery director



"Three studio films in 2003 to leave $30 million in our local economy and showcase our region as a great place to live and work. I'd like our local independent films that have been produced to be picked up by large distributors so the rest of the country can see we're a mecca of creative forces. . . . and while I have Santa's ear, some warmer ski gloves."
- Kristen Erwin, executive director, Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission


"A full scholarship to CCM (University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music)."
- William Menefield, jazz pianist; 2002 Duncanson Artist in Residence at the Taft Museum of Art; UC sophomore


"Good health and a Cincinnati that is on the move forward."
- Alicia Reece, Cincinnati vice mayor


" Peace and security on earth, a supportive economical and cultural environment for music making, art making, and many other beautiful and good things. For myself, I really want to find an ideal piano under my Christmas tree this year."
- Xian Zhang, professor of conducting at UC and winner of the Maazel/Vilar Conducting Competition


"Underwear. My kids always ask me what I want and I tell them underwear, I always need new underwear."
- Charlie Luken, Cincinnati mayor


"Peace and tolerance between all religions."
- Peter Frampton, guitar hero and '70s rock superstar


"A man wrapped in a box."
- Burgess Byrd, actress


"For people in Cincinnati and around the world to work toward racial harmony by walkin' the walk, not just talkin' the talk. Also, I'd like to have more people break bread around dinner tables as friends and family, either at home or in their favorite local restaurant."
- Paul Sturkey, restaurateur


"For everyone in the whole world to fall in love with ballet; if that's not possible, then that all the Nutcracker performances sell out; if that fails, I'll take a nice pair of earrings."
- Victoria Morgan, artistic director, Cincinnati Ballet


"A city filled with hearts, transformed by God's love. I think only when you have hearts that have been transformed in that way can you replace hatred and indifference with a compassion and understanding by the people of other backgrounds."
- Ken Blackwell, Ohio secretary of state


"For our region to realize that the terrific and diverse arts and culture we have are our greatest asset so that we can all get behind a local, regional and national campaign that celebrates our arts, culture and diversity."
- Melody Sawyer Richardson, arts patron


"A stiff penalty if not the death sentence for telemarketers who call usually at dinnertime and greet me by my first name and say, `How ya doin'?' and try to sell me something involving four free nights in Orlando."
- Stephen Birmingham, best selling novelist


"A Zeal Stratocaster, the top of the food chain Strat. (He designed the instrument and Fender Guitar is building one to his specs.).
- Ernie Isley, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and guitarist with the Isley Brothers


"To be a year younger" (his birthday is Dec. 24).
Mr. Pig (Paul Sebron), barbecue master

"For (Bengals President) Mike Brown to feel the same way about his fans as he does about his wallet."
- Jungle Jim Bonaminio, entrepreneur


"My kids to know that they are the most important thing in my life, and that they make everyday seem like Christmas for me.... And for the Hit King, Pete Rose, to be reinstated and inducted into the Hall of Fame, and for ONE more Bengals win in 2002.
- Brian Douglas, WKRQ FM (101.) DJ


"Significant and forward progress on the challenges and opportunities facing Cincinnati today."
- Spencer Crew , executive director, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center


"Peace. Peace in the world, that's all I want. Because I don't think we're going to have it."
- James Conlon, May Festival director


"Three good report cards for my three good kids, Britney, Brandon and Dillon."
- Jeff Ruby, restaurateur


"Peace for our community and for our nation. I also hope Cincinnatians will continue to turn to the arts as a catalyst for deeper understanding of ourselves and of others. This is one of the greatest gifts the arts can give."
- Nicholas Muni, artistic director, Cincinnati Opera


"4,000 watts to add to the 1,000 we already have."
- Lincoln Ware, WDBZ AM (1230) program director and talk show host


"(singing) My two front teeth. All I want for Christmas is peace on earth. Wouldn't that be a beautiful blessing to everybody? And I mean that."
- Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops conductor


"Is for our city to come together and solve its problems so we can be on the path to healing and to being the mega city I know we can be. We need to have respect for each other. I want people to begin to smile again."
- Sharon Hardin, executive director, Arts Consortium


"Continued good health, happiness and safety for my family and friends, and for myself to continue to grow closer to the Lord."
- Regina Carswell, WXIX TV weekend anchor


"A multi million dollar deal in Hollywood!"
- Gwen Gordon, actress and casting director


"The ability to slow down and appreciate life spent NOT on the stage life/time that is honest, simple and free of any contrived "character." I'd like all of us theater artists to find and like our REAL selves this holiday season and share that with those we love. That, and world peace."
- Aretta Baumgartner, puppet artist, actress, teacher and Northern Kentucky University theater manager


"A happy, peaceful and loving time with my family and friends."
- Katie Reider, singer/songwriter


"Truly is peace on earth and goodwill towards men...and women...and children. A couple of sold out productions would be nice, too, but that is a gift that is earned. I already have the gift of welcome, love and support from the community and that gift is all that one could ask for."
- Nick Rose, actor and new artistic director of Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival


"An end to hunger and homelessness in the world.
- Sarah Vance, director, Patricia A. Vance Foundation, art collector and patron


"A little sunshine and a breath of fresh air."
- Elizabeth Cobbe, playwright newly arrived from San Francisco


"Peace of mind."
- Emily Buddendeck, artist and director of SSNOVA gallery


Compiled by Marilyn Bauer, Jackie Demaline, Janelle Gelfand, John Kiesewetter, Margaret A. McGurk and Larry Nager