Mayor Giuliani allowed Hollywood CELEBRITIES to TOUR Ground Zero! (Sept/Oct 2001)

[npincus]

So THAT'S why he spent so much time down there!

Giuliani provided access to the wreckage of the Twin Towers to curious Hollywood celebrities and other rich and famous folk in the immediate aftermath of 9-11, access to a grave site for thousands of his constituents, a site of massive heartache off-limits to "ordinary" grieving New Yorkers and victim's friends. In fact, it was impossible to get within 3 blocks of the barricaded site (I was there), but I suppose all a celebrity had to do was call Giuliani and show up with his/her camera to snap a couple of mementos. Not to mention, the presence of these celebrities created an dangerous distraction for the workers involved in debris removal and handling of dangerous materials.

I think this ought to be brought into the conversation, since Giuliani is touting his role at Ground Zero, elevating himself above the Rescue workers there.


Miss America, Katie Harman, Looking Lovely at Ground Zero

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-78947811.html (Oct. 7, 2001)
At least some of the old rules still apply in New York. So when the mayor Rudolph Giuliani declared ground zero to be off limits to everyone except those involved in the salvage effort, you knew what to think. It means you can't get in unless you have contacts or a famous face.

A famously pretty face helps, too. The brand new Miss America, Katie Harman, breezed past the roadblocks recently to give, or so she hoped, a morale boost to the guys clawing through the ghastly wreckage. They liked it so much they had her autograph unused body-bag tags.

British royalty has also ...



http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,622717,00.html (Oct. 4, 2001)
While New York City officials work around the clock to return the city, especially Lower Manhattan, to normal, they have also put out an unusual request -- more in the form of a demand -- to stars who wish to visit Ground Zero: Stay away. "We've asked celebrities and people in the entertainment business to please not go to the site," Richard Sheirer, director of the mayor's Office of Emergency Management, told the New York Post. Besides the safety factor, celebrities also create "a distraction," he said. "They think they're helping. In some instances, you shouldn't be distracting (rescue workers). That's a very dangerous site right now." Broken glass and debris continue to fall in the area, which has been visited by several American and foreign politicians, including the presidents of France and Mexico, always under tightly controlled situations. Among the celebrities who made it past the barricades, which have been reinforced and made harder to break through in this past week: Muhammad Ali, Bette Midler, Chris Rock, Miss America Katie Harman, Chevy Chase, Candice Bergen, Alec Baldwin and boxing promoter Don King.

[Initech]

1. And this is the guy who is leading all the polls right now? There is no hope for America.

Un fucking believable. :argh:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Some celebs didn't go out of curiosity

Alec Baldwin and Sam Waterston (among others) worked at a relief center near Ground Zero, and went out to personally thank the rescue workers. Neither gentleman used this as publicity for themselves--I only found out about it reading an account of some rescue workers who had come from Illinois to help.

[AlCzervik]

3. Unless Guiliani spent weeks working the bucket brigade he needs to STFU.

and what about the radios Rudy?