Posted on 04/22/2002 7:04:23 PM PDT by shaggy eel
A charity gala featuring former United States President Bill Clinton has been cancelled after motor company BMW snared an exclusive deal with him to promote it's new 7 Series model as his only public engagement in New Zealand on a visit next month.
Celebrity-backed children's Variety Club had booked Mr Clinton to speak to 2500 people at a $NZ180 a head gala night in the Christchurch Town Hall on May 28.
South Island Variety Club chairman Tony Stonhill announced the gala on March 27 and said tickets would soon go on sale.
But BMW New Zealand managing director Geoff Fletcher professed no knowledge of the Variety event yesterday when he said Mr Clinton would speak to 700 people paying up to $NZ800 a head on May 27 at a gala event at the Hilton Hotel in Auckland. "We have an exclusivity contract with him," Mr Fletcher said.
It means he will appear only for BMW. He can't appear in any other public occasions."
Staff at Variety's Auckland headquarters declined to comment on the fate of the Christchurch function.
One, Nicole Bassett, said "Things are still being negotiated and I can't say anything." She said the tickets had not gone on sale.
In Christchurch, Mr Stonhill would only say "I can make no comment except that the Christchurch visit is cancelled." He would not discuss BMW's function or say if he was disappointed Mr Clinton would now not be speaking in Christchurch.
Speaking at BMW's Auckland headquarters yesterday, Mr Fletcher said tickets for the May 27 event would cost between $NZ600 and $NZ800. That was less than people usually had to pay to hear Mr Clinton because BMW were making "a substantial contribution" toward the cost.
Since his presidency ended in January last year, Mr Clinton has travelled the world celebrity speaker's circuit raising money for legal bills amassed during his presidency.
American newspapers have reported his going rate for a speech is about $NZ365,000.
The Christchurch gala would have raised about $NZ450,000 in ticket sales if all 2500 were sold. Assuming the Auckland price is $NZ700, the BMW function would raise $NZ490,000 if all 700 tickets sell.
Mr Fletcher said none of the money raised would go to charity. He had looked at that, but the all-up $NZ700k cost of the event did not leave enough margin.
BMW hoped to sell at least 100 of the $NZ208,900 luxury 7 Series cars in New Zealand this year, he said.
But he aint paying 'em. My God there is no low this poor excuse for a human being will stoop to. I believe Xlinton needed a place to hide during Memorial Day and New Zealand drew the short straw. Then the Kiwis drew it again when he opted for the higher dollar venue. There is no sleaze lower than the Xlintons. Not even that slimy stuff slugs leave behind is lower than that lying,cheating,raping,friend of terrorism.
Bill Xlinton defines immorality.This piece of human flotsam defies human perception of all that is just and fair.This Clymer buttlicker blamed America on 19 December of last year for 9/11.Citing our ancestors penchant for slavery,the 'toon claimed the September attacks were our just deserts for African enslavement. This piece of dog excrement presided over the renting out of the Lincoln Bedroom for campaign donations. Do they come any sleazier? No,of course not; This is the same spineless jellyfish who pardoned PR terrorists so his pigwife could court the Puerto Rican vote.
On the pardon issue this piece of excrement pardoned Marc Rich,an enemy of this country. Even CNN,and Dan Rather couldnt hide that outrage.I could go on and on,but it has just occurred to me that my visceral hatred of x42 and his evil pigwife is what contributes to their remaining in the public eye.
3 minutes downunder water would do it.
12, eh? I'm sort of dreading that day, myself - she won't be a little girl much longer, so enjoy it now ;)
,,, yep, it's a lot to pay for a car, I know. [LOL!]
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