Rock on Ben Folds ....

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by craigster59

As someone who has made a career in the arts and worked for many years on a Shonda Rimes show (who also resigned), I understand the need for arts and culture.

But I have also toiled for far too long working for people who felt that their social and economic status was to be placed and protected from those who they felt weren't quite "worthy", or couldn't hold the same appreciation that they had for these projects.

The Kennedy Center should be self funding or funded by those that seem to have unfettered access to its facilities and programs. That's all I'm saying.

If I can't play golf at your Country Club, then I don't want to pay for your greenskeeper.

So you are saying you are a pre-Bill Clinton vintage Democrat.

You honestly can't say what the Kennedy Center should be since you don't know that much about it.

[javadog]

Never heard of Ben Folds, hope the door hit him in the ass when he left, knocked him down and he skinned both knees.

Took a quick look at the last 5 annual reports. It breaks about even in a good year, loses a little otherwise. Last report out was October 2023, one wonders why they don't have the 2024 report done. It doesn't take that long.

In 2022 they had cash of around 50-somthing million. 2023, half that. Now Ric says they have none.

They get about 45 million from the feds which looks like it goes towards maintenance, but it sounds like they spend what they get and it doesn't get everything done, so the ret gets deferred.

Not ideal.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

So you are saying you are a pre-Bill Clinton vintage Democrat.

Pretty much. Along with so many blue collar, hard working Americans who have moved to "The Dark Side".

Once an administration was elected whose wives were named "Hillary and Tipper" I knew we were in an Animal House "Omega Theta Pi" sorority nightmare.

[pwd72s]

How many posting here have been to the Kennedy Center?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by javadog

Never heard of Ben Folds, hope the door hit him in the ass when he left, knocked him down and he skinned both knees.

Took a quick look at the last 5 annual reports. It breaks about even in a good year, loses a little otherwise. Last report out was October 2023, one wonders why they don't have the 2024 report done. It doesn't take that long.

In 2022 they had cash of around 50-somthing million. 2023, half that. Now Ric says they have none.

They get about 45 million from the feds which looks like it goes towards maintenance, but it sounds like they spend what they get and it doesn't get everything done, so the ret gets deferred.

Not ideal.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Pretty much. Along with so many blue collar, hard working Americans who have moved to "The Dark Side".

Once an administration was elected whose wives were named "Hillary and Tipper" I knew we were in an Animal House "Omega Theta Pi" sorority nightmare.

NAFTA was the worst thing he ever did.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by berettafan

So is your position that the obviously disgusting pay shown in this thread (and apparent payoff if the KJP statement is true) should be tolerated because it's a nice place that does a lot of business?

isnt that the entire argument in favor of billionaires like elon musk?



at least when Kennedy does it, society benefits. when billionaires do it, it only benefits themselves.

so much of politics has inverted in the last 3 weeks, you have conservatives spouting how great all these liberal virtues are, they just seem to assign them to billionaries instead of their neighbors and friends and people in their community. like if you wanted a party to take down the rich elites ... dont vote for the party of *rich elites* who plan to use the government, illegally, to make themselves richer. like makes no sense.

i mean im all for taking down the elites. and im glad to hear everyone else is too. but then why did you just hand over the entire government to rich elites? and are gleefully cheering them on making themselves richer at the common man's expense? they are just textbook looting the farmers, workers, and poor of the little money they have been promised by the government, in favor of their own tax cuts, and your telling me you think this is taking down the rich elites?

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by berettafan

So is your position that the obviously disgusting pay shown in this thread (and apparent payoff if the KJP statement is true) should be tolerated because it's a nice place that does a lot of business?

With a tiny bit of research you would find out that the facility was established as a public-private hybrid. The National Parks Service is responsible for upkeep of the building - Congress appropriates money for that. But the legislation establishing the center calls for its programming to be sustained through ticket sales and private funding. In short, apart from acquiring a broad range of performances, both classical and contemporary, the government would not have a direct say in what played at the center.

Obviously, is not financially broke. It also caters to far more than just the elite.

Government funding is for upkeep. It seems to me that the amount budgeted for upkeep does seems high, though that is only conjecture on my part. It also seems the salaries paid seem high, though that comes from a revenue stream outside of the federal upkeep funding.

I also feel that some of the programming targeted to our youth seems inappropriate and should be severely restricted if not completely eliminated. My stance could easily fly against the government having no say in the type of programming that is presented.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

I’m looking at the operating revenues and expenses.

Different deal.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

quick google ai

"According to current data, the average CEO salary for a $200 million company would likely fall in the range of $1.5 million to $2.5 million depending on the industry, company performance, and location, with a larger portion of their compensation coming from stock options and bonuses rather than base salary alone."

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

How many posting here have been to the Kennedy Center?

My wife, daughter and mother have been more than once. They saw Nutcracker before Christmas iirc.

[KFC911]

I really had no clue about the politics recently... just saw the mention of Ben on the news. There was nothing "REALLY" political about his resignation ... not considering Ben's sarcasm and wit ... more like...

"I ain't gonna work on Maggie's Farm no more... " - BD

A packed college bar (I prolly saw 1K shows there ... scheduled dozens of blues bands there myself later) Ben (standing) in front of his Baby Grand, Drums, and stand up acoustic bass.... The BF "Five" .... they freakin' rocked like I had never seen ..... Ben was a profane song writer ... punk .... in yer face. Like Zevon ... live ... or early Elton when they "rocked out"...

Somewhere Ben has a pic he took that night.... he had everyone give him "the finger" and took it !

I told his mom the next day .... yer boy is a "genius" ... but HAD no clue what was coming.... local musician ... good guy ... did OK imo ...

He prolly cares about politics about as much as I do....

"Five Songs About Jesus" - Ben Folds

....A 4 song EP way back when ... none are about Jesus

Rock on in PARF Ben

[berettafan]

as a slight derail Maggies Farm is by far the best song on any Rage Against the Machine album.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Considering Covid, the numbers for 2020, 2021, and 2022 should probably not be considered for almost any business, especially businesses that primarily require large groups of folks congregating together shoulder to shoulder.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

How many posting here have been to the Kennedy Center?

I've never been there, but there are a lot of great performances shared by them on YouTube that I watch regularly. This one is worth 8 minutes of your life.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by masraum

Considering Covid, the numbers for 2020, 2021, and 2022 should probably not be considered for almost any business, especially businesses that primarily require large groups of folks congregating together shoulder to shoulder.

I agree and it's clear Rutter has done a great job running the Center.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Where are you getting these numbers?

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by javadog

Where are you getting these numbers?

I don't know. They don't match up with the numbers in their annual reports.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

I don't know. They don't match up with the numbers in their annual reports.

That's what it looks like to me, too. The annual reports are presented poorly but I still can't reconcile it.

And there's been a huge drop in cash on hand in the last 2 years.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

IRS form 990s