Craig Smith's Blog
Society Page Special. Monday, Nov. 20, 2006. I rarely make it out to the "A" list social events in this town. You won't see my picture gracing the inside pages of Santa Barbara Magazine or the back pages of Sunday's News-Press Life section only to end up, in the words of fellow blogger Doc Searls, "as tomorrow's fish wrap." But I wasn't about to miss Santa Barbara's social event of the century, District Attorney (and my former boss) Tom Sneddon's retirement party. After 24 years of heading the DA's office, Tom is hanging it up. I dusted off my tux and headed down to the DoubleTree hotel for the black tie optional affair.
In my opinion, this event outclassed last week's News-Press Lifetime Achievement Awards Dinner. Let's face it, having more security people than attendees, as was the case at the Biltmore last week, is downright tacky. Not the case at the DoubleTree last Friday night. Not a bouncer in sight and no distinguished graduates of Columbia University were refused entry. Admittedly, many of those attending were law enforcement types who may very well have been packing "heat" but an opening line of "is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" is not a good conversation starter with this crowd.
So like any good "society" columnist, time to start serving up the names. Of course the DA's office was well represented starting with Assistant DA Pat McKinley and wife Esther, as well as Chief Trial Deputy Eric Hanson and wife Mary. District Attorney Elect Christie Stanley was there of course and Deputy DA and author Joyce Dudley, was also spotted among the crowd.
The dinner, attended by 450, was also something of a Michael Jackson trial reunion. The whole prosecution team was there including deputy DA's Ron Zonen, Gordon Auchincloss, Mag Nicola, investigating officer Steve Robell, and paralegal, Chris Linz. Jackson trial judge Rodney Melville attended. (BTW, have you ever noticed how much Judge Melville and CNN's Wolf Blitzer look alike?) And Sneddon certainly didn't pull a Wendy McCaw and have Jackson defense attorney Bob Sanger, who was accompanied by his wife, attorney, Catherine Swysen, ejected from the ballroom on the grounds that he and Sanger might not always see eye-to-eye on everything, or anything for that matter.
Even the media corps from the Jackson trial was represented. Flying in from New York to attend the event were former Court TV reporter Diane Dimond and her husband, WCBS radio reporter Michael Schoen, seen here with former Sheriff Jim Thomas who worked at the trial as a legal analyst for NBC News. (Jim is on the left).
Local dignitaries were also in abundance starting with Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum and husband Joe, former mayor, Sheila Lodge and her husband Judge Joseph Lodge, County Clerk/Assessor, Joe Holland and wife Kathy, Second District Supervisor, Susan Rose and husband Alan Ghitterman, and County Counsel Shane Stark. Among those seated at the table with me was Superior Court Executive Officer Gary Blair and wife Anna. Gary and I shared an office when we both started in the DA's office way back when.
Former KEYT anchor Debby Davison MC'd the event. After the speeches and presentations the DJ set up and the dancing began lasting past midnight. On the dance floor almost continuously and shutting the place down was Sneddon surrounded by his nine kids and wife Pam. If there was a little "freakin" going on, you didn't hear it from me. And I know what your question is and the answer is no, not one Michael Jackson song was played.
http://www.west.net/~smith/blog/index.shtml
No chyba, że rzeczywiście zacząby się lać w niebogłosy... Nie wiem co lepsze 
Nawet nie mam na mysli bijatyk czy demonstracji, ale na przyklad taki maly dowcip: wkrecic sie na impreze w T-shircie z MJem i z powazna mina, jak gdyby nigdy nic, isc pogratulowac Sneddonowi...
