Licensing of Pageant is not good for Laguna

Money? Really? That’s what the Pageant is all about?

All this time, since 1933, the days and nights of putting the

Pageant together and gathering to watch as life turns into art -- all

that was about money?

Now, to make more money, a majority of the board -- Dianne

Reardon, Kathleen Blackburn, John Campbell, Robert Dietrich and board

President Bruce Rasner -- has voted to allow Executive Director Steve

Brezzo to enter discussions with an L.A.-based entertainment group

about the possibility of licensing the Pageant so others can put on

the show.

Brezzo said it would be limited licensing and the Pageant would

still be Laguna’s for the summer.

Gee, thanks.

Currently the Pageant is protected under the Trade Dress Law, and

while others may be allowed to do living pictures, they wouldn’t be

allowed to use distinctive features associated with the Pageant.

Licensing the Pageant to show all over the world will cheapen it

and likely reduce the draw to Laguna for people seeking a

one-of-a-kind experience.

So, while the Pageant makes some more money, local merchants lose

out.

Of course, it’s not all about money. There is something special

about the Pageant. It belongs in Laguna. It’s hard to hear that one

group of people in this anti-chain town is considering making a chain

out of the Pageant -- turning it into the Kentucky Fried Chicken of

art shows. Surely, it wouldn’t be that cheap, surely, the Pageant

would still be held in high regard. Still, it would be hard to get

the same level of dedication for a temporary show in mid-town USA as

the show gets by the year-round work of those here in Laguna. Would

the Pageant turn into a circus side show?

Why do this? Why? This is Laguna’s Pageant. It is clever, unique,

fun and respected. Increasing profits is usually an understandable

and often admirable aspiration, but it is not always the optimal

goal. It’s not always the right thing to do. It is not the right

thing to do for the Pageant and not the right thing for Laguna.