Mayor of San Diego Hates Comic-Con
Last weekend was the San Diego Comic Con, as I'm sure you already know. It's a huge financial draw for the city, a major economic boon. This weekend alone, over 140,000 people came to San Diego to geek out and spend money on accommodation, souvenirs, restaurants, etc.
So you'd think Jerry Sanders, the Mayor of San Diego, would be pretty pleased with the convention, or at least not be so stupid as to say something as insulting as this, in relation to the imminent advent of American Idol in San Diego:
We’ve put up the superheroes and now we’re on to the people with actual talent.
Oh, right. Actual talent, like a fat woman piercingly ululating her karaoke impression of Toxic. Not like the fake talent on display at the Comic Con, which included such talentless hacks and charlatans as Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Stan Lee, Robert Downey Jr, Matt Groening, J.J. Abrams, George Romero, Jhnonen Vasquez, Scarlett Johansson, Ridley Scott, the cast of Heroes... and that's just off the top of my head. There were hundreds more writers, actors, directors and artists in attendance this weekend.
You know, one idiot politician's snide off-hand comment isn't really worth getting too upset about, but with ingrates like this running the show, is it any wonder that the Comic-Con is thinking of packing their San Diego show in and opening in Vegas?
The Mayor of San Diego on the Comicon [Pink Ray Gun]
That is one of the dumbest comments to ever come out of a mayor's mouth, one of the dumbest comments about Comic-Con, and one of the dumbest comments about American Idol. Oh wow, a triple threat! God, I want to beat this guy's brains out with my copy of American Gods. Or not. That's just my fanboy-ism kicking in. And I came here from Ectomo, John.
What an ass.
It made milk come out of my nose, and I don't remember the last time I had milk...
As if American Idol was actually useful to someone somewhere? Where does this guy get off?
Hey guys ... please share this around. thanks!
Anybody who thinks that Jerry Sanders doesn’t really love Comic-Con doesn’t know about his history with this convention. When he was chief of police he helped make this one of the most secure and fun conventions to attend in the world. Since being elected mayor, Jerry has gone to opening day for each of the past two years.
In his first year as mayor, Jerry joined Comic-Con president John Rodgers to help unveil the DC Comics Super Heroes stamps, saying to a packed house of more than 3,000 in attendance:
“Comic book Superheroes continue to capture the imagination of people young and old, and the Superheroes of DC Comics are some of the mostly widely recognized icons in the world. I can’t think of a more fitting subject to be memorialized in a U.S. Postage Stamp Series, and I couldn’t be prouder that these stamps are having their exclusive First Day Stamp Issue here in San Diego.
You can’t help but get caught up in the energy and buzz that takes over San Diego each year when more than 100,000 participants flock to Comic Con. This is truly the one convention that everyone talks about each year, and I’m so pleased that Comic Con continues to call San Diego home. I hope you continue to come back for many years to come.”
Then just last week, as he kicked off the Yu-Gi-Oh! World’s Fair and International Championship Tournament sponsored by Upper Deck and KONAMI, the mayor said:
“We also appreciate how Yu-Gi-Oh and all its players add to our local economy and to our status as one of the world’s leading creative communities. I’m proud to say that in addition to everything else Upper Deck and the KONAMI Corporation bring to San Diego, they also bring jobs.
That’s a great local business connection and just a small example of how important creative games and creative companies like Upper Deck and KOMAMI are to cities like San Diego.”
The mayor went so far as to declare opening day at Comic-Con “Yu-Gi-Oh! Day” in the City of San Diego and gave Upper Deck’s John Sepenuk a special resolution commemorating that declaration.
The mayor gets it, the mayor likes it, the mayor has a good time, and like everyone else who attends, he enjoys the excitement, the energy, and, yes … all the costumes and hoopla that are such a big part of what Comic-Con has become.
The mayor in no way meant to disparage the talent and attention to detail shown by anyone attending Comic-Con. He loves you guys and looks forward to seeing you next year, and is sorry for the misunderstanding.
George Biagi
Deputy Press Secretary
Mayor Jerry Sanders' Office
City of San Diego
Sorry if I sound unconvinced but that whole thing sounds like spin control to me. he's a politician and is expected to do politician type things like "declare Yu-Gi-Oh day" and show up on opening day but it's all for the good of his city and more importantly, the good of his elected office. Sometimes however, a politician is caught off guard expressing their true feelings when they think the people that would be offended aren't listening. 99% of the people who attended San Diego left shortly after the show ended so the mayor would have no problem saying something like this when he thought he wasn't being heard by the people he's offending. In this case he got burned and I hope he makes personal amends instead of sending one of his staff to speak for him.
I'm impressed that the mayor's office answered back here.
That said, I think the convention has gotten so big it may have outgrown SD. I for one would welcome a change to Vegas.
Hopefully CCI can relocate to a more inviting area.