Dear Jodie, Love John
Identifier
F.2005-08-0142
Date Of Production
1981
Abstract
Content Notice: This material contains depictions of hate speech at 3:40 - 4:50.
A completed work by Bill Stamets offers a variety of juxtapositions, primarily between Ronald Reagan's economic address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, February 18, 1981, the fifth annual pasta-eating contest at Lawrence of Oregano on February 23, 1981, and the Oxford Pub's pallbearing contests held in Oz Park. The title refers to John Hinckley Jr.'s 1981 letter to actress Jodie Foster, in which he explained that he was going to attempt assassinating Reagan to impress her.
A completed work by Bill Stamets offers a variety of juxtapositions, primarily between Ronald Reagan's economic address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, February 18, 1981, the fifth annual pasta-eating contest at Lawrence of Oregano on February 23, 1981, and the Oxford Pub's pallbearing contests held in Oz Park. The title refers to John Hinckley Jr.'s 1981 letter to actress Jodie Foster, in which he explained that he was going to attempt assassinating Reagan to impress her.
Log
00:07 Several shots show various museum artifacts on exhibit, a brief look at an orchestral stage (likely during one of the two Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances at Holy Name Cathedral that Pope John Paul II attended), and then the pope as he greets crowd applause during an open-air mass held in Grant Park on October 5, 1979.
00:16 A clash occurs between a group of Nazis, counter-protestors and police situated in the Daley Center Plaza in 1981, followed by a flurry of shots that document activists as they protest against casualties committed by armed forces in the Salvadoran Civil War and advocate for federal gun control.
03:40 A series of shots capture jumbled slurs and death threats hand-written upon a park bench while marching band music plays.
04:50 Ducks and dogs enjoy themselves at a Lake Michigan beach.
05:58 Chicago Tribune columnist Aaron Gold serves as emcee at the fifth annual Pasta Eating Contest, known as “Pasta Pandemonium,” held at Lawrence of Oregano (662 W. Diversey Pkwy) on February 23, 1981. The restaurant is packed with a crowd of approximately 200, including bureau chief of People Magazine Linda Witt, Chicago Tribune entertainment editor Carolyn McGuire and Chicago Sun-Times columnists Rick Kogan and Sharon Barrett who all serve as judges, and fifteen contestants who include Chicago Bears players Dan Hampton, Dennis Lick, Terry Schmidt and Len Walterscheid He announces that for each bowl of pasta consumed, ten dollars will be donated toward the North Shore Children’s Oncology Guild.
06:24 A televised broadcast shows President Ronald Reagan amidst applause as he prepares to deliver an economic address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, February 18, 1981.
06:58 Pasta-eating contestant George “Eat It All” Michaels of Naperville, Ill. stands at the contestant’s table and claps along with the rest of the room.
07:03 Reagan smiles in acknowledgement of the chamber applause.
07:11 Honey Bear cheerleaders Teri Serletic and Debbie Anthony yell “Go!” to the room, emcee Gold blows a whistle, and Pasta Pandemonium ensues. The camera immediately zooms in on Michaels positioned at the no. 8 seat and the returning champion Harvey “the Gorge” Sandler right next to him at no. 9.
07:35 Reagan is introduced to the podium and receives further applause.
07:41 A WFLD-Ch. 32 camera pans from Michaels further down the table.
07:48 Reagan begins his economic address.
07:56 Two competing teams of four athletes race each other while carrying fake coffins through Oz Park.
08:02 A shot pointed down the table captures several contestants as they hurriedly consume spaghetti, and Gold announces that Gene Fodor is about to start his third bowl.
08:10 Reagan compares the U.S. national debt to a stack of a thousand dollar bills.
08:37 Gold announces, “Bowl number three for Eddie!”
09:15 Serletic and Anthony give an encouraging cheer: “Wash and chew and swallow through!”
09:53 With less than a minute left in the contest, the camera pans anxiously between table neighbors George Michaels and Harvey Sandler.
10:09 Gold counts down, “12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Harvey!” The room erupts in applause.
10:28 Reagan receives applause.
10:33 Nazi leader Michael Allen attempts to politically distance himself and the Nazi Party from John Hinckley Jr. in an interview while televised news footage shows Hinckley shortly before his attempted assassination of Reagan on March 30, 1981.
00:16 A clash occurs between a group of Nazis, counter-protestors and police situated in the Daley Center Plaza in 1981, followed by a flurry of shots that document activists as they protest against casualties committed by armed forces in the Salvadoran Civil War and advocate for federal gun control.
03:40 A series of shots capture jumbled slurs and death threats hand-written upon a park bench while marching band music plays.
04:50 Ducks and dogs enjoy themselves at a Lake Michigan beach.
05:58 Chicago Tribune columnist Aaron Gold serves as emcee at the fifth annual Pasta Eating Contest, known as “Pasta Pandemonium,” held at Lawrence of Oregano (662 W. Diversey Pkwy) on February 23, 1981. The restaurant is packed with a crowd of approximately 200, including bureau chief of People Magazine Linda Witt, Chicago Tribune entertainment editor Carolyn McGuire and Chicago Sun-Times columnists Rick Kogan and Sharon Barrett who all serve as judges, and fifteen contestants who include Chicago Bears players Dan Hampton, Dennis Lick, Terry Schmidt and Len Walterscheid He announces that for each bowl of pasta consumed, ten dollars will be donated toward the North Shore Children’s Oncology Guild.
06:24 A televised broadcast shows President Ronald Reagan amidst applause as he prepares to deliver an economic address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, February 18, 1981.
06:58 Pasta-eating contestant George “Eat It All” Michaels of Naperville, Ill. stands at the contestant’s table and claps along with the rest of the room.
07:03 Reagan smiles in acknowledgement of the chamber applause.
07:11 Honey Bear cheerleaders Teri Serletic and Debbie Anthony yell “Go!” to the room, emcee Gold blows a whistle, and Pasta Pandemonium ensues. The camera immediately zooms in on Michaels positioned at the no. 8 seat and the returning champion Harvey “the Gorge” Sandler right next to him at no. 9.
07:35 Reagan is introduced to the podium and receives further applause.
07:41 A WFLD-Ch. 32 camera pans from Michaels further down the table.
07:48 Reagan begins his economic address.
07:56 Two competing teams of four athletes race each other while carrying fake coffins through Oz Park.
08:02 A shot pointed down the table captures several contestants as they hurriedly consume spaghetti, and Gold announces that Gene Fodor is about to start his third bowl.
08:10 Reagan compares the U.S. national debt to a stack of a thousand dollar bills.
08:37 Gold announces, “Bowl number three for Eddie!”
09:15 Serletic and Anthony give an encouraging cheer: “Wash and chew and swallow through!”
09:53 With less than a minute left in the contest, the camera pans anxiously between table neighbors George Michaels and Harvey Sandler.
10:09 Gold counts down, “12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Harvey!” The room erupts in applause.
10:28 Reagan receives applause.
10:33 Nazi leader Michael Allen attempts to politically distance himself and the Nazi Party from John Hinckley Jr. in an interview while televised news footage shows Hinckley shortly before his attempted assassination of Reagan on March 30, 1981.
Format
Super 8
Extent
200 feet
Color
color and B&W
Sound
Mag Stripe
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Reversal Positives
Genre
Form
Subject
Chicago Bears (Football team)
Chicago (Ill.) Police Dept.
Contests
Food
Marching bands
Neo-Nazism
Racing
Religious services
Celebrities
Chicago (Ill.) Police Dept.
Contests
Food
Marching bands
Neo-Nazism
Racing
Religious services
Celebrities
Preservation Sponsor
Related Collections
Related Places
Main Credits
Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)
Participants And Performers
Sandler, Harvey (is participant)
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