As business owners’ anger continues with COVID-19 restrictions, even after the end of the statewide lockdown last month, the desire of many to jump into politics have begun to parallel another California small business owner who turned their anger with local government restrictions into a political career to fight them The man? Sonny Bono.
One of the largest music and TV stars of the 60’s and 70’s with musical hits like ” I Got You Babe” with his then-wife Cher and shows like the The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Bono settled for a quiet semi-retirement in Palm Springs, like many celebrities of the day. But, after noticing that there was no decent Italian restaurant in the city, his business partner E.J. Steinke told him that he should open his own restaurant. Bono immediately set out to build a restaurant…only to be sandbagged by the Palm Springs City Council.
To Bono, it wasn’t hard to see why: the Palm Springs City Council, at the time, was made up of only developers and real estate people, and they didn’t seem to like Bono trying to add a big name marquee restaurant built on star power on a prime piece of land surrounded by resorts. Beginning in the early 1980’s, Bono was mysteriously denied permits, had delayed construction due to unusual regulations, while others could just build similar buildings without them, and had to fight tooth and nail for licenses. And to Bono, they were the ones holding him back.
“The mayor and our city council is made up of contractors and real-estate people,” Bono said of the Council in 1988. “It’s important that you don’t place your personal gain before the gain of the community. You have to be ethical to the overall goal of the community. We’ve got council people that are selling land, like Eli Birer. I’m either going to run against Mayor Bogert or Eli Birer. They’re big real-estate moguls. Our convention center was brokered by him. You can’t be impartial on something like that.” more
“You have to be ethical to the overall goal of the community. 1988”
Sonny, that was 33 years ago, don’t roll over in your grave watching what’s going on on this planet right now. Your wife and Spawn of Satan went hard left, go ahead and roll over.
Sounds like the mayor and city council didn’t Cher his dream.
California is more Cher (dumb) than Sonny (smmart). Sonny was not a singing head like Cher – he was a businessman. Without Sonny, no one would have ever head of Cher. Without Cher, Sonny would still be sucessful – he was big in thr music business long before he met that idiot Cher. He could have picked any female singer and he would have wound up famous.
Sonny was married 3 times after Cher. The woman he was married to when he was Mayor of Palm Springs was named Mary (I think). After his death she went on the be elected as Mayor and continued his conservative values.
I just spent the night in Palm Springs. It’s currently full of gay men.
For twenty years Cher never had a good word to say about Sonny. After he died she was on all of the talk shows playing the grieving widow.
WRONG!
I think Evan was not born when Sonny entered politics. For sure he did no live in the West. Sonny won for the same reason Pete Wilson beat the GOP’s leaders equivalent of Meg Whitman was – Ronny came out West to work for his election. Pete and Sonny were both far too conservative for the GOP “leaders” but the voters here are conservative and Ronny got both elected.
Brad. – Right on both. PS has been the “Frisco of the south” for over 30 years, in that respect. Big diff it is not nearly as liberal as Frisco. Shit on the street and it s”Grey Bars” for you.
If you don’t live in the West the radical leftist Meg may not register. After being the GOP “man” losing to the much more conservative Brown she no longer run sfo election. BUT, if you watched the ’20 DNC , Meg was on of 7 GWB “featured speakers”! Which is why Brown beat her!
Sonny was conservative, and the Cal GOP was against him. Ronny got him elected more than once!
run. sfo. is really. RUNS FOR ELECTION
an ol exJarhead
Palm Springs actually has a fascinating history. As does near by 29 Palms.
We all know why the GOP tends to be against anyone who is really conservative. GOP leaders tend to be like the Palm Springs mayor and city council when Bono first tried to start his restaurant.
We need to kick both parties to the curb. I am sure there are as many disgruntled Democrats who are as unhappy with their party as we are about the GOP.
We need a new party, and this is the time to start it.
Sonny’s death was no accident.
It is well past time to flush the GOP!
The republican revolution in the 80s was before the democrats perfected their vote fraud game. It would be a miracle if history repeated itself.
Palm springs is gay?
So….the big pink elephant car wash really is the gayest street sign I’ve ever seen.
No wonder all the golf courses looked so prim and proper.
Just hope the new guy is not Chaz Bono.
BRAD
If I said I spent time at 29 Palms over 55 years ago; would you believe
?
True
Old
exJarhead
You bet. We had relatives we use to visit there about that time. Cool place.
It’s rumored a multitude of bandits, including Joaquin Murrieta, Black Bart, Rattlesnake Dick, Tiburcio Vasquez, and others buried their loot around 29 Palms and most of it’s never been recovered. I can’t imagine
Rattlesnake Dick was to popular with the ladies. LOL
My Petey B gets a political rise when he filibusters my unbleached elastic starfish!
Sonny may have been conservative, but I still blame him for the fact that we have ever heard of Cher.
So, I looked up Rattlesnake Dick. Nothing was said about him being particularly well hung. That’s a heck of a good name though.
Can you imagine the hours that Cher spends trying to look like she’s 25 again? What is she like 80 now?
Word on the street is she has people around her with an airbrush full time.
Sonny always seemed a likable person, ‘Chair’, not so much.
joe6pak
Not as good as my old nickname. Anaconda Brad. LOL
Oh yeah…..well…..never mind, there’s no point saying what they called me.
joe6pak
I already know. King Cobra Joe. He’ll spit in your face. LOL. How am I doing?
@Kcir: Chaz ain’t a guy, no matter how much testosterone she takes.
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/rattlesnake-dick-loot/
@Brad: “I just spent the night in Palm Springs. It’s currently full of gay men.”
I’ve lived in California all my life and have never been to Palm Springs. It’s always been out of my way. However, I’ve always wanted to visit Palm Springs, and I heard it was populated with gayness. I think I’ll pass on visiting, San Francisco is closer if I choose to gawk.
Goldenfoxx
It’s worth visiting if your close. Some very interesting architecture, and a lot of historical sights. Including those of the original old western stars that put the place on the map. Guys like Tom Mix etc. Having said that EVERYTHING there is over priced.