Bowzer, Part II
Apparently we're not the only ones fascinated with Portantino and his 50's nostalgia kick. Today he got a little coverage from the Bay Area press.
From the Mercury News:
- If Assemblyman Anthony Portantino needs a post-legislative career, maybe he can be a deejay for an oldies radio station.
We're not suggesting he's got the radio howl of the long-gone legendary Wolfman Jack, but, hey, Daddy-O, this little old lawmaker from Pasadena seems to know a thing or two about the oldies.
Here's a sample from a speech Portantino - dare we call him Tony 'Tino - gave on the Assembly floor Thursday:
"Music from the Coasters like `Yakety Yak,' `Charlie Brown' and `Poison Ivy;' music from the Drifters like `Under the Boardwalk,' `Up on the Roof,' `On Broadway' and `Save the Last Dance for Me;' to name just a few, continue to inspire us today as these sounds fill our theaters, cable and television entertainment with music that's part of our life, and for some of us, our youth."
Mercy.
After that, you half-expected five guys with snapping fingers and matching suits to glide into the chamber.
Not quite. Actually, Portantino, a Democrat, was encouraging his colleagues to support AB702, a measure that promises to shut down impostor groups by prohibiting any entertainer, promoter, manager or agent from performing in a live concert through the use of certain deceptive practices, such as taking the name of the original group.
According to an analysis of the bill, shady promoters have used the music from legends, mostly African-American entertainers from the 1950s, without proper authorization. As a result, the analysis states, the real legends can't make it to the stage because impostor groups undercut their salaries.
There are some exceptions to Portantino's measure, the Truth in Music Advertising Act. Among them: If one member of the group was previously a member of the original group, and he or she has a legal right to use the name. It's also OK if the performance is advertised as a "salute" or "tribute" concert.
The bill, sponsored by former Sha Na Na leader, Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, hit the right note for the Assembly. It passed 73-0.
Righteous.
