And they turn out a nice breakfast, too

Didn’t get out this week. Not to the usual haunts, not to the open mikes, not to the lap-dancing bars, not even to the company Christmas party. Didn’t watch television, either. Why? Chalk it up to one of those weeks where Murphy’s Law and the old adage “when it rains it pours” came together like a tsunami of bad-mojo jinkiness.

When the situation gets this vile, sometimes one must cast about for a likely culprit. What bad deed, what malevolent words might be responsible for triggering such a cosmic juggernaut?

Hmm. Seven weeks ago, I ran a harshly critical item in this space (SN&R Scene & Heard, Oct. 19) about the Monday-night open mike at the Fox and Goose. I later received this letter, signed by host Bill Harper and a number of performers:Sacramento continues to struggle in its support for the arts and its tolerance for diversity, and although Jackson Griffith’s item regarding the open mike at the Fox and Goose on Monday, Oct. 16, was interesting and somewhat insightful, it definitely came across as mean-spirited. From one perspective, it looks as though he entered the granddaddy of open mikes with a predetermined bias to slam whomever or whatever might have appeared before His Hipness. However, the whole purpose of open mike is to provide a forum for artists to present their creative endeavors regardless of the type of presentation or style with which they may decide to experiment.

As for the host—flannel shirt-wearing Bill Harper—giving Griffith the ”evil eye.” Get over yourself. Besides, the host does not recall extending the “evil eye” to anyone that night. As the host’s spouse says, “What he doesn’t know is that you’re old and half-blind and were probably just trying to see who was there.” Maybe the host was not really looking at His Hipness but was simply lost in thought.

The rest of the article was a little more troublesome, because it attacked some of the artists on a personal level. How does a folk-music artist dress? Does one’s personal appearance determine the quality of an artistic presentation? Does Griffith have any type of artistic presentation he has developed that could be shared? Is he just too hip to associate with us common folkies? Is he available for clothing and artistic creative consulting? Is he so narrow-minded he didn’t understand what was being “bellowed” by one artist in commemoration of one of the most tragic periods in this nation’s history?

I’m actually extremely surprised the SN&R would allow such a shallow and feeble attempt at journalism. Again, the spirit of the article was mean, and the author exhibited little understanding about, or tolerance for, the three artistic expressions he critiqued.

I really don’t expect this response to be published, but the people Griffith attacked are friends of mine, and what he did was completely unprofessional and uncalled for.

OK. You’ve got me. Call off your hellhounds, Harper, and I’ll bring my guitar this Monday and take my lumps. Capisce?