Sequel to Alamollywood Part I Cancelled

Nine-hundred-thousand dollars for a year-long promotional contract seemed an incredibly high figure, but I was under the assumption Tony Caridi had it covered. Although I did not think much of the banner proposal with the toy-like Mexican soldiers at the bottom, I was impressed he had convinced donors to underwrite such an expensive non-bricks-and-mortar proposition.

That is why I labeled my post about it “Alamollywood Part I,” surely to be followed by updates on the glitzy, slickly produced WME marketing strategies and productions propelling entertainment standards in the Alamo, in this city, in this state to apple-pie-in-the-sky-high California levels.

I surmised the mystery philanthropist was Phil Collins. After all, he has been haunting the Alamo since it fell, according to Mail Online.

I was so wrong.

But the mystery of the anonymous philanthropist is solved.

It is No One. 

Now, I’m a big proponent of what I call “the nonprofit leap of faith” for inspiring board members and potential funders that a nonprofit can accomplish a seemingly insurmountable fundraising goal to achieve a dream, but to sign an unfunded contract?

I am sorry Senator Wentworth. This is no winking matter. This is a breach of trust and responsibility Texas should be examining seriously.

Later Update on April 12, 2011: Senator Van de Putte is not winking….

Update on April 13, 2011: Perhaps Senator Wentworth only was winking to thank her for the Texas-shaped cake?

Update on April 17, 2011: Senator Van de Putte explains her position on the Daughters of the Republic of Texas’ management of the Alamo and how the DRT and Texas Historical Commission will interact if pending legislation passes.

Update on April 18, 2011: If the Daughters were upset by Scott Huddleston’s reporting, editorials in the San Antonio Express-News and Jan Jarboe Russell’s article in Texas Monthly, we do not think they appreciate Ken Herman’s commentary in Sunday’s Austin American Statesman: “Daughters trip over critics, script.” Herman has nominated the Daughters for “Worst Performance at a Committee Hearing.”

Herman wrote of Marketing Director Tony Caridi’s testimony:

He opposes getting the THC involved, telling the committee “Certain things wouldn’t be able to be done like they are now.” Isn’t that the goal of this exercise?

The sharpest plunges of his verbal Bowie knife were concerning the testimony of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Historian General, Karen Thompson, whose earlier email had called SB 1518 the “WORST SENATE BILL EVER!!!!!”

The senator asked Thompson if she indeed thought this was the “worst bill ever.”

“Oh, heavens no,” Thompson said, assuring Van de Putte “there’s been millions of them that have been worse.”

Look out, Mr. Herman. You and the Statesman are about to have your face slapped by the ladies of the Alamo. You will soon be in the same doghouse the Express-News has been in since July:

The Daughters also issued a release Friday, accusing the San Antonio Express-News of directing “unrelenting attacks” on the DRT through its articles and editorials.

Beware. You yourself quoted the Historian General as saying she was a “very dramatic person.”

Later Update on April 18, 2011: Senator Van de Putte continues to press the DRT’s President General for answers relating to finances at the Alamo.

Update on April 27, 2011: Editorial in the San Antonio Express-News:

A group that is truly acting as a trustee for the Alamo wouldn’t fight reasonable requests for transparency, wouldn’t be acting like the owner of the Alamo rather than its caretaker and wouldn’t neglect its primary duty to preserve the historic structure.

Update on May 2, 2011: Scott Huddleston reports on money woes and rats infesting the DRT’s headquarters in Austin….

Update on May 19, 2011: Senators had no worries about being seen crossing or not crossing the line in passing new legislation regarding the management of the Alamo. Ken Herman reports on statesman.com about how the ghosts of Senators current passed the bill placing the Daughters’ role under the supervision of the General Land Office. He also noted a change in leadership:

As I reported last month, DRT Historian General Karen Thompson perhaps was a bit more combative than she should have been at a Senate committee hearing….

But, it seems, the daughters read the legislative tea leaves about what was going to happen. This past weekend, at their state convention, they approved a resolution “in anticipation of compliance with new state laws regarding the Alamo complex….”

The resolution calls for a “transition team” to work toward the new era at the Alamo. The transition team would be appointed by the new president general elected at the weekend convention. That would be Thompson….

Thompson. A self-described “very dramatic person.”

Update on June 2, 2011: Yes, she is a very dramatic person among 8,000 others, points out Herman.

Update on June 11, 2011: Express-News editorials

• Improvement in Alamo Oversight
• Transparency Would Help DRT, Alamo