Most people that know me know that I have very strong opinions.  Not in a bad way, but in a “I do not see things from only one point of view, makes more sense kind of way.”  At least it does to me.  I see people get fired up over political issues, economic issues, moral issues etc.  Again, I am usually middle of the road.  I try to see things from all perspectives.  However, some things get me real fired up.  I got fired up the other night when I went to the premiere of Long Live the Wild Hare. I did not get fired up over the content of the movie.  It was a well-made documentary.  Props to Rick and Gio (I thinks it’s Gio).  I got fired up because of what the documentary pointed out.  Corporations fuck up good things. 

Classic story, a radio station is locally owned and does well for 20 some-odd years.  A corporation takes over and within a few years it is gone.   I remember the Wild Hare.  I actually did a bit on it.  It was by-far the best rock radio station in Fresno (or anywhere for that matter) at the time.  It was real.  It was real mostly because it was under the direction of a local person, E. Curtis Johnson, and he was directing local talent for the most part.  They felt the true pulse of Fresno and tended to that pulse.  It was great.  It was funny.  It was controversial.  Most importantly, it felt REAL.  I’m sorry but I do not much care for a radio show produced somewhere else with a guy my age telling cheesy jokes which are laughed at by a side-kick being paid to laugh at them.  Fuck that.  I want to know how to say the word penis a thousand different ways or learn about freaks (these are just a couple of the very memorable bits done on the station.)  But maybe that’s just me.  But wait, the Tower was Full Saturday.  It obviously isn’t just me.

The corporations had to step in and make everything “better.”  After that it’s mediocre tamed down radio drivel and a format change.  AND the worst, the firing of a bunch of local talent, many my friends.  Now I turn to 103.7 and I hear what, the music they were playing at dances in MY high school years.  WTF????  Where’s the good radio.  That’s right, it’s being canned somewhere back East by someone from an Ivy League school with a weird accent who “knows what I like.”

This gets me to why I am fired up.  I am fired up because a corporate suit is telling me what I like.  He is telling me what kind of music to listen to, what to eat, what to wear and on and on.  They took away MY radio station.  Go to Riverpark any given night.  You will see people waiting two to three hours to eat at the Elephant Bar.  I fucking hate the Elephant Bar.  It is a corporate owned restaurant that is popular because they say they are.  People flock like mindless sheep to wait for hours to eat mediocre food with no SOUL.  On the other hand, I went to the Schoolhouse Saturday night.  It has a local chef, is locally owned and everything there, down to the ketchup, is made by hand.  The food tastes great, it has atmosphere, and you actually meet the person behind the creations.  It has SOUL.  But was there a herd there waiting to get in?  No.  I didn’t have to wait.  Why?  Because there is not a corporation telling people that it is the place to eat.  Try it sometime, it is incredible. 

People need to stop being led by corporations and being told what is the “right” thing, then following along like fucking sheep.  I know what I like, and so does everyone else.  These corporations are killing our restaurants, our radio stations and everything good that makes our area, Fresno, really Fresno.  We have local restaurants that absolutely put the corporate chains to shame.  Ever had Dusty Buns???? Tako BBQ????  A taco from La Elegante….wait that’s in Chinatown not Riverpark!!!  Who cares, the food is GOOD.  Branch out, and break free from the “Riverpark is it” mind set and eat chicken and waffles in Chinatown at 2:00 a.m. at Come and Get It Chicken and Waffles.  Eat Pho at Pho 99 a First and McKinley.  Quit going to Elephant Bar because that’s what the corporations tell us to do.

As Fresnans we have a responsibility to make sure our locally owned businesses thrive, even when people are flocking to the corporate feed troughs.  I eat almost exclusively local now, and I have had the best meals I’ve ever had by doing this.  (I am keeping my local trainer in business by doing this.)

I have been told by a number of people I should make a list of good local restaurants.  I am going to share this info as much as I can. I am not a food critic who will say “this place is good because the savory set off the sweet perfectly.”  Hell, all I know is if something is good or not.  If it’s good I say so AND GO BACK.  This is what we all really need to do, go back, before these local gems we have face the demise of the Wild Hare.