Posted on 09/02/2009 2:20:38 PM PDT by kingattax
Will Chicago motorists tolerate having a chunk of the Magnificent Mile closed to traffic for nearly three days in exchange for the worldwide exposure talk show diva Oprah Winfrey will bring to Chicago by kicking off her 24th season at Michigan and Ohio?
Mayor Daley believes they will.
Oprah Winfrey greets Mayor Richard Daley at a private reception before a women's development conference in 2006 at Navy Pier. Winfrey announced yesterday she's throwing a kick off party in Chicago that'll close down part of Michigan Avenue during rush hour.
“This is a great thing we’re doing. I wish we could do this every day in Chicago. How many people it will employ. How much publicity we’ll receive throughout the world. It is unbelievable. You can’t even give us that exposure globally,” Daley said.
“She’s an icon in the industry. It’s very, very important. What other cities do it? Take New York City. Take Los Angeles. . .For the filming industry, they do this every day, unfortunately.”
But what about the inconvenience to motorists?
“They’ll understand how important this is, dealing with jobs, dealing with international exposure,” Daley said.
“This is really important. This is a great opportunity. I’m very proud. I wish your media outlets would do something like this. Hello?”
Oprah plans to tape her season premiere next Tuesday — featuring a special guest performance by the Black Eyed Peas — at the intersection of Michigan and Ohio.
It will require the city to close Michigan Avenue between Wacker and Ohio at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 7 and keep it closed until 5 a.m. Sept. 9th. CTA buses, taxicabs and other traffic will be re-routed.
Although Oprah’s Harpo Studios will reimburse taxpayers for the cost of police, traffic, sanitation and related city services, the inconvenience to motorists cannot be calculated.
But Daley said it’s worth the cost.
“This is a great opportunity for us. It’s called film production,” he said.
Doors for the taping open at noon, Sept. 8, at the intersection of Michigan and Ohio. No overnight camping will be permitted.
It’s not the first time that Oprah has used the Chicago skyline as the backdrop for her season premiere.
She kicked off her 23rd season by welcoming more than 100 Team USA athletes back from the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. That marked Daley’s first-ever appearance at an Oprah taping.
The Black Eyed Peas recently re-recorded its “I Gotta Feeling” song with a Winfrey twist to promote her upcoming season. Other surprise guests are also planned.
We do this all of the time in Mexico, it slows down the economic apparatus, makes people loose time, miss appointment and makes ‘em all mad. But hey...the RIGHTS of the rowdy are more important than the rights of the quiet guy who just wants to be left alone and get to work on time. YOU know when you SCREAM and get ‘in their faces’, you usually get what you want.
The women in my life have all sworn off of the Ofrah.
Don’t blame Ohio. We have our own problems.
Who cares about Oprah anymore; except Oprah. Open the streets.
Daley is an idiot.
The only people who watch Oprah are slackers, welfare queens and the unemployed- none of which can afford to visit the city after the show.
wonder if “the One” will come back to be on Oprah?
I thought for a second that Tom (Delay) had become the dictator of Chicago.
he's too busy dancing these days
No problem a Wide load sign and a taillight stapled to her butt and turn her loose.
I hope it rains cats and dogs, and a few elephants too, and one of them lands on Oprah. No, I would not want the elephant to be injured.
“...... she’s throwing a kick off party in Chicago that’ll close down part of Michigan Avenue during rush hour.”
Forced attendance/participation for another Obama love/attention party.
It seems that they will use any possible way to interfere with our lives and try to shove their beliefs down our throats.
Indeed. They are the flesh of little value.
da bears PING
How bout a farewell party. That’d be worth closing off Lake Shore Drive for at least a week.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.