What's the deal with the King Mango Strut?
Glenn Terry explained his side of the King Mango Strut controversy in his newspaper column in yesterday's Miami Herald (click here to see it).It's a shame that things can't be worked out. Both he and Antoinette Baldwin (both shown here at the end of last year's parade) have put in the necessary paperwork at the BID, asking for funding, but since two sets of papers came in, both have been declined.
The story going around is that one side says it's about making it commercial, the other side says it is about keeping commercialism out of it. I don't think either of them wants to make it commercial.
I do know this -- a couple of years ago, I asked Antoinette about putting a Coconut Grove Grapevine banner in the Strut or perhaps sponsoring a float, and she flat out told me, "no." She said they want to keep commercialism out of it.
I wasn't thinking at the time, I was just trying to donate money in the way of sponsorship, but I agree, once sponsors are allowed in, some tend to start calling the shots and that might water down the whole thing.
So since Glenn says he doesn't want to go commercial and Antoinette obviously does not want to go commercial, what's the problem? If there were sponsors last year, Antoinette may not have been able to mock Sarah Palin because a sponsor may not have approved, so I think the whole thing really not making much sense to a lot of people.
I just keep hoping for the day, really soon, when a call is put out for the first Strut meeting.
posted by Tom Falco at 10:00 AM
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29 Comments:
According to Glenn's own article, he filed for sole ownership of the trademark, had the Strut organization pay for the registration and wants to use his ownership to exercise creative control. What could possibly be the problem?
What's the problem with "problem" (above)?
When you create something and use it, you have the right to have a trademark. That's common law.
I have always used it to promote the Grove's great parade. I have never made money off of it. I have never charged the Strut for its use other than having it pay for a state fee a few years ago.
Yes, I "exercize creative control" over much of the parade. That's one reason why it has been successful for 27 years.
Also, the current problems have nothing to do whether the parade should be commercial or not. Both Antoinette and I prefer for the Strut to be "commercial free". -Glenn Terry
The trademark should belong to the organization and not an individual. Simple as that. Any future profits go back into the organization, not to an individual. That is so obviously the right thing to do. Get it together Glenn! Transfer the ownership of the trademark to the organization! And hurry up! Time is of the essence!
Bill Dobson would want the trademark to belong to the organization and not solely to Glenn Terry. He would want what is best for the the future of the Strut and that is for the trademark to belong to the organization.
Glen, please get off of your high horse! The strut has always been a community wide effort and while you have contributed alot over the years, the parade is going to strut on long after you are gone. You have no right to hold the Strut hostage with your childish antics.
Glenn, as an outsider, who knows nothing about this, it appears that you are being a bit egotistical and might have ulterior motives. If you wanted to personally trademark the name - you should have done it with money from your own pocket.
You did not do so. You attempted to personally "profit" (gaining legal rights) from money that belonged to the organization.
do you think that you alone are the strut? Are you that narcisistic? I cannot believe anyone would want to be part of this now, with you claiming that it's all you. It's sad and it's a shame. I guess no one else has ever been part of it, or done anything to promote it. I hope you get the one man parade you seem to want.
Glenn Terry is a polite, soft-spoken gentleman, and as far from greedy as you can get.
Why would anyone care what he owns? If you have a claim to his property, then you should be concerned. If you don't, then move on.
A copyright is property. God bless this country where we have the right to own stuff. Toaster, cat, dog, pants, car, boat, or condo....property is property and it is yours, and yours alone.
Tony,
Glenn does not have a copyright, he has a trademark registration, which is a different thing altogether. A copyright exists, for example, on a physical piece of art, a written work or an original song. The trademark gives Glenn the right of creative control over what is, let's face it, the year-after-year work of lots of volunteers, not Glenn's sole efforts. Otherwise we're talking a one man parade.
Glenn may want to check out the costume suggestion over on Old Grover.
I'm on Glenn's side.
Let him have the trademark.
What are you worried about?
He created the Mango Strut and deserves the credit.
When Glenn tried to take this he couldn't even submit a budget, of course if it wasn't for Antoinette their wouldn't have been a parade.
This says a lot of a man character and face it he tried to pull a fast one!
Good morning Grapevine readers. It Glenn again thanking all above for their concerns.
Let me say it again, I've worked hard to put on a great parade for many years. Part of the job is deciding "what the parade should be" and the trademark thing goes along with that. If you don't like the decisions that I have made, why not join "The Mangoheads" and help make them? We are more or less a democracy. We listen to all then make our choices. Maybe you can make the parade a better one.
I'd love to pass the KMS creative director job along to a talented person. We need new blood.
One more thing, it is one thing to complain but quite another to jump and work to solve a problem.
Glenn,
Your "less a democracy" comment captures the essence of the problem.
"New Blood" is needed because most of the "mangoheads" refuse Glenn's tyranny.
Glenn, respond to the concerns that are being voiced if you're going to respond.
Why must you, as opposed to the organization hold the trademark?
If you wanted to hold the trademark personally, why did you pay for it with funds from the organization, and not from your pocket.
Why does everyone else say that you "pulled a fast one" by putting this in your own name, when the rest of the members thought you were putting it in the organizations name?
Would you rather the parade die here and now, than relinquish any control?
"Creative Director?"...
Judging from your column Glen, you are severely lacking in the creativity
department. The KMS has always been a success, not because of YOU Glen, but because of the many people that show up year after year to plan, ideate, and create together....
What you are doing is so un-Grove-like, I suggest you retire to Coral Gables.
Instead of calling the parade the "King Mango Strut" lets call it the "Mango Strut" and carry on as usual, without Glen. Because of different but similar name, Glen could try to sue the group, but he hasn't got any money and he would end up looking stupid, so that really isn't a risk.
Another idea- We could call it the "Queen Mango Strut" (in honor of Antoinette Baldwin and strong, creative women everywhere who don't let white, over-the-hill men, who have a sense of entitlement, push them around!)
Anon 1:44,
Glenn doesn't need to sue anyone to "end up looking stupid" since he's already accomplished that admirably with his column in the Herald.
I vote for the "Queen Mango Strut" with Antoinette Baldwin as the Queen Mango Head. What does everyone think of that? We will trademark "Queen Mango Strut" and the trademark will belong to the people!!!
I like it - go for it - Queen Mango Strut - start it off with motorcycles and let Antoinette and the QMS mangoheads decide what is funny. She did great with the Chonga girls - which Glenn didn't think was funny and it was a big hit - he didn't like Bringing Sexy Back and oh yeah that was a big hit also.....and we'll get a good sound system so everyone can hear and not just the people at the start of the parade. And oh yeah, we will have one helluva after party in the streets and keep the people in the Grove.
Wow. Anonymous commenters sure can spew the venom.
They have no identity, probably because they have never done anything.
The ONLY explanation is that they are in fear of being exposed as a fraud.
It's like arguing with a worm.
Let the Queen Mangos Strut I say!!!
Sheesh! Welcome to Coconut Grove, where the old hippies bicker and whine about a parade. For the record, "King Mango Strut" is funny. Queen Mango Strut is not funny nor original.
Point of Information, Folks... Additional Info about the Trademark situation...
Glenn, after years of refusing to have King Mango Strut, Inc. be a 501-C-3 Non Profit Corporation, he finally said he would allow it.
But as a person who was a Lawyer
and still holds a Legal Licence, he should know this and has been told by an outside Legal Opinion, that it is illegal for any Director or Officer to profit , benefit, or own a Trademark of the Corporation.
ALSO, the Democratic Mangoheads voted for a new 9 member Board of Directors, last year, to get over the roadblock of illegally having only two Directors in King Mango Strut, Inc.(KMS), .
Glenn refused to have these elected Board Members be installed as KMS's Board. He convinced these nonconfrontational Mangoheads to form a new corporation called COCONUT PLAYERS,INC. BUT, ONLY KMS CAN DO A PARADE IN DECEMBER AND CAN RECEIVE MONEY OR SERVICES FROM THE CITY.
If Glenn really cares for the King Mango Strut, he needs to
DO THE RIGHT THINGS...
It appears that Glenn shares a personality trait with our immediate past President Bush in which an increasing level of public scorn and criticism only serves to convince him of the righteousness of his position.
Hey, let's call tha damn thing "Queen Antoinette's Mangos on Motorcycles Parade". She can get it trademarked.
It may not be funny or original but that seems to be where the lawyers are taking this event.
Hey Non Reader...
Antoinette does not want the strut for herself. She said last year she would resign the KMS if Glenn gave the Trademark to KMS.
She takes the "high road" and keeping silent and doing the Right Things. Glenn spues "half truths" in Grapevine and his column in the Herald. That is not fair!!!!
Glenn wanted to take the City's money for an After Party, when he refused to have it, Antoinette froze the bank account. Go after the Real Bad Guy....
Read the FACTS!!!!
Everyone needs to breathe and get back to basics about what is important and what's important is that the Parade goes on. With or without the arguing parties. Grow up kids and think about what you are doing and saying. Now make nice, say yur sorry to each other and let's get on with planning a parade.
Seems to me that Glenn could turn over the trademark to a new 501c3 organization. Then Glenn, Antoinette, and whoever else may wish can execute a separate contract between them.
The show must go on and it is almost October.
I have been involved with KMS for only a few years. I have partcipated on many levels. Here are my comments on Glenn's recent article. For some reason Glennn think's only he is the only one who has the proper taste for what works and what does not work in the Strut. The removeal of the bikers was a community decison made as the KMS post parade meeting we have every year. It was not solely Glenn's creative decision. It never has been.
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