It always makes sense to listen to new ideas that could benefit the city. If we don't like them, we're free to ignore them. I don't understand getting in a huff about it.

 

I'm going to quote and completely agree with X in this case. There is no reason to get all in a tissy over someone trying to offer ideas for improving our city. Sometimes it's easier to affect change from the outside and at least he's doing something. I don't understand why people are complaining about this. It's like complaining that someone gave too little money to charity. Drew Carey didn't have to do a damn thing, but he did. If you disagree with his ideas that's fine, but don't attack the man for doing too little. That's pathetic IMO.

 

No he is not DOING anything

 

TALK <> DO. 

 

If he really thinks these ideas are worth anything he should expend some effort in implementing them.

 

He doesn't.

 

He isn't doing too little he is DOING NOTHING.

 

 

He took the time and expense to produce the video series, did he not?  How is that more or less than running for office, or supporting someone running for office or a political party?  It seems to me that they are pretty equal- he's putting ideas into the public sphere.  Maybe not ideas we agree with, or want to hear.

Video taping me talking about things other people should do is not DOING anything it is TALKING about doing something.

 

I said it in the first post....maybe he has DONE something and if you enlighten me as to what that is I will acknowledge it.  Invest in a local business even?  I mean freaking ANYTHING.  Heck he could have opened a Buzz Beer Brewpub and cleaned up, could have improved his wallet and Old Brooklyn, could have been 10 times bigger than GLBC. Shipped Buzz beer all around the country, lots of jobs....would have given him political clout....employers get listened to.

 

Some crazy guy from Cali bought the X-mas story house and has turned a falling down house in a marginal neighborhood into a money machine......I really mean ANYTHING.

 

But this is NOTHING but talk.

Like I've said many times, I actually agree with most of what Carey has suggested to help Cleveland.  But I still believe that a man of his means can and should do more to help out the city.  Maybe my expectations are too high, but I would think that someone in his position could do quite a bit to make this place better.  Perhaps I'm overestimating what one wealthy/famous man can do.  But it seems to me that he has resources to spur change to his hometown, a place that he supposedly loves, that many others do not have access to.

I may be mistaken, but it sounds to me like a lot of critcs are angry that Drew isn't personally booking a flight asap to personally "save" the city from collapse. In fact, I think the proposition would be pretty far from Drew's political beliefs as I understand them. 

 

I think we have to get far away from the "please rescue us" mentality as possible. The idea that we need the Government or, in this case, a famous actor to turn things around here is not a good one.

 

The steps for real change begin with each of us personally.

I don't want him to save Cleveland.  He is saying that he knows how.

 

won't DO anything about it mind you.

 

So I give him and his ideas the consideration that they deserve  > 0 < 1 on a 100 point scale.

 

The people who keep saying that he has DONE something are delusional and discredit those who DO things everyday to try to make this place better.  including Republicans, Democrats, Independents and even Libertarians...even completely apolitical folks who just work to make their homes, streets and neighborhoods a better place to live.

 

The guy who picks up a piece of trash that was blowing around, just because somebody needs to, has done far more than Drew Carey to make Cleveland a better place.

Okay, point taken, ksonic99.

I don't want him to save Cleveland.  He is saying that he knows how.

 

won't DO anything about it mind you.

 

So I give him and his ideas the consideration that they deserve  > 0 < 1 on a 100 point scale.

 

The people who keep saying that he has DONE something are delusional and discredit those who DO things everyday to try to make this place better.  including Republicans, Democrats, Independents and even Libertarians...even completely apolitical folks who just work to make their homes, streets and neighborhoods a better place to live.

 

The guy who picks up a piece of trash that was blowing around, just because somebody needs to, has done far more than Drew Carey to make Cleveland a better place.

 

What did Drew Carey do to you?  Did you overbid on a DVD player?  It's pretty obvious you don't agree with him and that's fine, but why would you say something like "I don't want him to save Cleveland"?

 

And what the hell are you doing to make Cleveland a better place?  You act like the dialogue created by the Reason TV series is worthless, but it's not!  It might be to you because you don't agree with Carey's ideas, but a lot of the ideas discussed in the series have serious merit and are now being talked about to some degree in the community.  And the reasons why the other ideas won't work are also being talked about.  All of this discussion within the community leads to a greater awareness of the problems and starts to zero in on solutions.  And we all know that nothing will change without support from the community.  He had a comment in the PD about the Cleveland attitude and I think that through this series he hoped to at least open people up to the possibility of change.

 

"Growing up there, I know one of the problem attitudes in Cleveland and all these other cities is, 'This is the way we've always done it. That's just the way we do it here.' " Carey said. "You've got to be able to look at yourself and say, 'Hey this isn't working as well as it should be.' "

 

Could he invest more in Cleveland?  Maybe.  But who am I to sit here and anonymously criticize Drew Carey for his lack of investment and/or involvement in Cleveland?  I have no insight into his personal finances, charity donations, or investments and I doubt you do either.  Give it a rest.

I agree the "saving" has a negative connotation, but honestly, if he were able to effect any change here, it would make a great national headline.  Everyone is always saying how shitty our national profile is; if we could have a big, sweeping change come in and make everyone else think that Cleveland had drastically improved, EVEN IF NOTHING ACTUALLY CHANGED HERE SIGNIFICANTLY, wouldn't that benefit everyone living here?  No one person can "fix" all of the problems in any given city, but I admire those who are trying, including people in government, which in many is a thankless, nasty job that the majority of people get into because they really do want to make things better for people.  I see Drew Carey as no different.  I don't give too hoots where he lives.  If he can change the national perspective about our city for the better, I support it.

Video taping me talking about things other people should do is not DOING anything it is TALKING about doing something.

 

It's more than just a monologue.  It's a video series on a range of issues with interviews, statistics, community leaders, etc.  It actually made me like Cleveland more than I did before too.

 

It's not fair to call specific people out like some people have, but in this case I would really like to know: What have you done for Cleveland ksonic99?  Whatever you might think you've done, it sure as heck hasn't been enough.  Cleveland needs to be saved whether you like it or not.

I didn't ask him to save Cleveland.

 

Anyone and everyone who is willing to roll up their sleeves and DO something is more than welcome.

 

Drew Carey not so much.

 

I will say this...the things we have done, in the manner we have done them in the last 40 years have done us a grave disservice.  At least Chicago gets a reasonable amount of competence with their corruption.

 

I didn't make a video telling you I know the answers....I have the self awareness to get the fact that I probably don't even know what 1/2 the questions are.

 

Somebody who tells you that you should wear pink pajamas to make your life better, but wont put a pair on?  why would anyone listen to that?  unless you already wear pink pajamas or sell them?

 

You have a good idea, sell it to me.  Community gardens?  Un-electing officials or electing ones you prefer? getting together to clean up a street?  Knocking down all the vacant houses? getting rid of the water department?  I will work with you to make this place better.

 

We are about to get a new county government...will it be better?  hard to see that it could be worse than the current one, but people's ability disappoint seems limitless.

 

But when you cant be bothered to expend any effort to implement the ideas that you think are so gold plated.....I will kindly tell you to go pee up a rope.

 

Invest more??? as far as I can tell he has invested and done nothing,  except talk about how great it would be if everyone just listened and did what he said.

Drew Carey is a funny guy.

 

saw his stand up, laughed.

 

Watched the show, until like most of them it went on 2 years too many.

 

Possibly slightly improved Cleveland's image while the show was on....personal anecdotes suggest this is mixed.  Cleveland isn't a filthy cesspool of a mill town who's river burned....but we aren't real bright, friendly, but bumblers.

 

Seems to have done well for himself.  Doesn't really give Cleveland a bad name.

 

Happy for him, wish him nothing but success.

 

And if he came here and ran for mayor I would vote for him....mostly because he could by pass the "machine", and if anything is just more of the same it will be the next mayoral candidate the local democratic establishment spits out.

 

But until he DOES something, anything,  he can go pound sand.

I would say that Drew Carey has done a lot for Cleveland.  His show was a huge success, and it took a very positive look on our city.  I mean, how cool was it to see Shooters on tv once a week.  In fact, the "Cleveland Rocks" song has stayed with us ever since, and it has contributed to our "vibe" as being a city of Rock and Roll.

 

Drew's won $500,000 from Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and that all went to the Ohio Library Foundation.  That's certainly something, and I'm sure that funding did a lot of good, not to mention other collateral and intangible effects, for the state and by extension Cleveland.  (credit http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/04/entertainment/main191844.shtml)

 

Drew is the reason for this documentary about saving Cleveland, and while I haven't actually seen any of it, I'm sure it's a fair look at our city's problems and offers ways to repair them.  Maybe they're redundant or obvious, but that doesn't make them wrong by any means.  Not to mention, this show took time and budget, and I'm sure Cleveland probably received various benefits from it, intangibles and real.

 

Finally, I don't think Bill Gates and Warren Buffet could fix our cities' problems - they are far greater in scope than simply throwing cash around.  Look how many billions have been poured into African nations from the Gates Foundation - has it really had any real impact??? 

 

Drew has done his job promoting Cleveland, more so than any other celebrity I can think of, and even if he could potentially do more, well, why the heck should he?  He has his own life to live and we don't know the state of his investments and charities - perhaps he quietly gives millions a year to local foundations.  Who knows?  And don't get upset with the guy.  He's not patting himself on the back with a holier than thou attitude - he's just trying to right by the city.

 

Tbideon

 

wow you got all that....from NOT watching the videos in question?

 

But you did answer something.

 

Drew Carey did DO something for the Ohio Library Foundation. 

 

Not quite Cleveland, but I am sure there was some benefit.  And what he did was spend an hour on TV.....so not sure how much credit I am willing to extend here.

 

But it is > 0.  That was a very nice thing he did...how much above the bare minimum would you rate that at?

 

Celebrities going on game shows and "donating" somebody else's money to charity is just above the bare minimum in my book.  Kind of like for profit business that have "charities" that take YOUR donations or employee donations and use them for 1) publicity 2) to offset their taxes.

Sorry Avogadro

 

you seem to understand my point.....I think it is quite simple.

 

But for some,  they want to argue about it.

 

 

Ksonic, people wouldn't have as much problem with your posts here if they weren't so aggressive or pointed.

There, I just watched it.

 

Guess what.  My opinion is the exact same.

 

Perhaps you missed that part of the article.  That is hardly washing your hands of Cleveland.  Many on this board who don't live in Cleveland would if we could, but jobs take some of us out of Cleveland, in my case, like Carey, to Los Angeles.  That doesn't mean that we can't still love Cleveland and contribute ideas to the discussion of improvement.  These notions of "if you don't live here, you have no right to say anything" or "why don't you move back here if you care so much"  are absurd.

 

I'm going to re-interate what I posted farther downthread.  Ksonic99, you have no idea how show business works if you think Drew C. can just pick up the entire Price is Right production and move it and the hundreds of people who work for it to Cleveland.  As has been also mentioned, you have no idea about his finances and what he has donated and to whom in the Cleveland area.  If you think that Drew C. should keep his mouth shut, how do you feel about the several participants on this forum who contribute thoughts and ideas from afar?  Making an effort of any kind, whether it's offering ideas or making a video series, is a first step toward something better.  Just because it doesn't meet your lofty idea of what is "enough" doesn't negate the potential impact. 

 

I said anything............that was one possibility.

 

what HAS HE DONE??????

 

He can talk all he wants, it his right....that is all it is...until he DOES something.

 

People who TALK about doing things suck....People who DO things are worth listening to.

 

Leonardio DeCaprio telling everyone to take a bus SUCKS...just like DREW sucks for TALKING about solving real problems instead of DOING something.

 

Charlton Heston DID things Ed Bagley Jr DOES things.  Whether I agree with the things or not is immaterial.

 

DOERS >>>>>> TALKERSABOUTOTHERSDOINGTHETHINGSTHEYTHINKARESOGREAT

TBideon you watched the whole series?

 

or the 1 minute trailer?

 

 

^  Leonardo DiCaprio.  Wow, you butchered the spelling. :laugh:  Actually, he does quite a bit to support his causes, so that's a bad example.  But you just proved your lack of research skills, so I don't know why I should listen when you are just spouting things without any regard to accuracy.  For example, my point earlier that you can't just pick up the Price is Right which employs hundreds of people and move to a different city just because you want to.  If you want people to at least listen to what you have to say, make an effort to be somewhat on target with your proclamations.

Invest in a business, fund a candidate, get a petition drive together to outlaw zoning.

 

there was a big long list of things he could have done

 

HE  HAS  DONE  NOTHING

 

I did no research...he his a favorite "Limousine liberal" of the right.  It is a reference most people understand.

 

DOERS >>>>>> TALKERSABOUTOTHERSDOINGTHETHINGSTHEYTHINKARESOGREAT

 

ACORN and the TEA party people DO things

 

Drew Carey talks about things other people should do, without DOING anything about the things he thinks other people should do.

 

Unless you can tell me something he has done....so far we have:

 

he spent an hour on TV and donated somebody else's money to the Ohio Library Foundation

 

OK, folks, this is just going around in circles.  I think it's safe to say that we've made our points, and this has gone from being a thread on the "Reason" series to an argument on one forumer's opinion on the "Reason" series.  Feel free to keep discussing the "Reason" series.  The other thing, please stop.

I do agree with at least one point that Drew makes.  We have to "fix" the schools,  non functional schools keep functional people/families away.

 

I think blowing up the current construct of the Cleveland Public School District is necessary.

 

I think that we should make many districts centered around high schools making them geographically coherent.

 

1 high school, 1 - 2 middle schools, 2-4 elementary schools are a "district", with the people in each area voting for the "district" school board.  Get any and all decision making out of downtown.  Eliminate all those layers of management.

 

Some people think vouchers are the answer...I can see their point.  What we have now does NOT work, we need to DO something different.  I do not think vouchers are workable simply for the logistics involved.

 

There are simply not 30,000 slots open to put the voucher kids in...so almost all of them end up right where they are, which is NOT working for anybody.

Do people at town halls "suck" when they express their opinions to their elected officials or other influential individuals?  I'm not sure what you expect Drew Carey to "do" about the schools, or privatizing the golf courses and West Side Market, or changing the tax structure to make it more business friendly.  What else can he do besides publicly talk about these issues and the possible solutions?  At least people are now aware that these problems exist and are possible areas for improvement. 

 

Some of the most influential people in history didn't "do" anything according to your definition.  What did Ghandi "do"?  What did Martin Luther King Jr. "do"?  Sure they influenced policy, but they did that by TALKING about issues and making people aware of those issues and leading peaceful protests.

 

I also don't see how the Tea Party is doing anything more than talking about issues.  Just because people donate to their cause doesn't make it any more or less credible than the Reason TV series.

 

I agree with X.  I'm getting dizzy... this is the last I'll say on the matter.

wow you just compared what Drew Carey 'DID' in making this little youtube video with MLK jr and Ghandi?

 

Our education system has failed and I am sad.

 

Alright, this thread is locked for a while.

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that he should put up or shut up -- well, he's made it down to offer his suggestions to the Cleveland City Council. Reasonable but broad suggestions, actually.

 

Drew Carey Lobbies Cleveland: Privatize Government Businesses

MEGHAN BARR, AP, May 27, 2010

 

CLEVELAND — Comedian Drew Carey, wearing a loud black-and-white checkered blazer, marched into City Hall in his hometown on Thursday and told council members what they're doing wrong.

 

Respectfully, of course.

 

"I don't envy anybody at this table," Carey said during the three-hour-long discussion. "I know what's it like to try and change something."

 

"The Price is Right" host, who grew up in Cleveland, was invited to meet with city council members to discuss his ideas for economic reform in the struggling city on Lake Erie, which has been bleeding revenue and people for decades.

The examples he gave, like the Westside Market and city golf courses, are obvious.  Why does the government need to run those things?  On a broader scale, it's not too late to stop moving forward with the Medical Mart albatross and refund those tax dollars.