"BAM!", "Kick it up a notch", "Feel the love", "Oh yeah, babe", and "Spice it up". These are the famous catch phrase of world-renowed chef Emeril Lagasse, grand marshal of Pasadena’s 119th Tournament of Roses Parade themed “Passport to the World’s Celebrations”. He commonly refers to food that is not seasoned as "not happy" and will add seasoning to make it "happy" on his Food Network TV show “The Essence of Emeril”. I caught up with Emeril at the final judging of the beautiful flower loaded floats of the Rose Parade last December 31, 2007 at the Rosemont Pavilion near the Rose Bowl together with Tournament of Roses (TORA) President CL Keedy and the three float judges event and floral experts Sam Lemheney, Jessica Todd Smith and Bryan Wittman accompanied by police escort and numerous white suiters, Rose Parade volunteers who are dressed in all white attire for the annual New Years Day Parade.
“It is truly an honor to be part of our country’s most beloved New Year’s Day traditions,” said Grand Marshal Emeril Lagasse. “I look forward to beginning 2008 with the Rose Parade and paying tribute to the festivities and traditions from around the globe.” Indeed, from the start, it felt like the Rose Parade in its 119 years of history has grown from a small town celebration to a national U.S. tradition and has now commanded world-wide presence. With one million people lining up along Pasadena’s Colorado Blvd. to the expected 30 million plus television viewers around the world including the Philippines thru ABS-CBN Studio 23’s parade broadcast, indeed the Rose Parade has become center stage.
And not only with majestic marching bands, equestrian units and flower-decked floats and celebrities. Falun Gong supporters camped near the Tournament headquarters to bring awareness to the persecution in China of a large number of the estimated 70 million Falun Gong spiritual practitioners, a movement that the Chinese government has outlawed since 1999. Their signs read “No Human Rights, No Olympics” referring to the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing. During the Rose Parade, security detail was tightened around the controversial Chinese-American Organization and Avery Dennison’s Float titled “One World One Dream.” This float sported the “Beijing 2008” Olympic logo with the five interwined Olympic circles the Falun Gong protesters have replaced with five interwined handcuffs on their flyer. The Falun Gong supporter I interviewed was not even Chinese but Romanian who lives in Santa Clara, California.
Pre-parade telecasts were handled by veteran KTLA 5 News Anchors Gayle Anderson, Jessica Holmes, Emmett Miller and Frank Buckley who requested Emeril Lagasse to sign his cookbook for Frank’s young son Sebastian who wants to be a chef one day. The cool and exciting ambience of the Wrigley Mansion, home of the Tournament of Roses, was bathed in bright TV lights of the various live stages doing interviews with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Ramon Villaraigosa, the amiable 90th Rose Queen Dusty Gibbs and her court, and other celebrities.
A close formation of three FA-18 Hornets from Naval Air Station Lemoore opened the parade at a little past 8 am PST. Security was tight on parade route as it navigated its 5 ½ mile route along Colorado Blvd. Numerous local and world concerns were shouting from occasional placards that pops out. Impeach, Free Tibet, Bring Troops Home Now, and Repent are clearly visible and requires fast switching of the TV crew to cut to the next scene. Indeed, inspite of the “political flavor” of world issues from all over, the beautiful tradition and pageantry of the Rose Parade is still Pasadena’s New Year greeting to the rest of the world. The Rose Parade is indeed the “Passport to the World’s Celebrations” …….as well as the world’s difficult issues.
Happy New and Peaceful 2008 to all.
(Photo and article by Jay Fermin)