City Councilman Tom LaBonge participating in cover up. Literally.
An LAPD “community alert” sent to me moments ago reads:
On February 11, 2010 the Hollywood sign will be covered up for an international campaign. The sign will be covered until further notice.
Do not be alarmed, the sign will remain in place and there will be no changes done to the sign. This is just an informational e-mail so we do not receive phone calls from worried citizens.
Carolyn Ramsay with Councilman Tom LaBonge’s office would provide me with no additional information besides that they were participating in the secretive event. “You’ll have to wait til Thursday,” Carolyn repeated to me when I pressed for information.
*UPDATE 4:59pm: The media point person with the Hollywood sign itself, Betsy Isroelit, told me that the sign cover up would have nothing to do with an Amnesty International announced day of support for human rights Iran also scheduled for the 11th, or the Winter Olympics, beginning the following day. Zach at LAist is also digging into this.
**UPDATE 7:54p: The LA Weekly reveals that the alteration is planned to coincide with an announcement by the non-profit “Trust for Public Land,” which, based on the group’s purpose, could theoretically be purchasing the land around the Hollywood sign, which has been at risk of being used for private development over the past few years. Details will be announced at a Thursday 10am press conference at the Hollywood W Hotel.
Worth nothing: Carolyn insisted this has nothing to do with the fake Hollywood sign vandalism that pop star Ke$ha hoaxed her fans with a few days ago.
Ke$ha’s viral video of her defacing the Hollywood sign… again, a real defacement of sorts will be occuring this Thursday so DO NOT BE ALARMED.
Related posts:
Born in Ohio, grew up in Connecticut, but have lived in Los Angeles longer than anywhere else. To make money to move to L.A. I worked as a walking fire alarm at a nuclear power plant. Upon arrival in the city I was an au pair by day and a bouncer by night. Since then I've made ends meet as an audience wrangler, assistant to an investigative reporter, flower delivery guy, production assistant, audience warm up guy for Ozzy Osbourne, videographer, event producer, red carpet manager, writer, and blog consultant, but the highlight was my visit to Skywalker Ranch where I had to help George Lucas wire speakers to an old stereo. In between it all I've volunteered as a nude model, served jury duty, nearly won Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (the Disneyland version... I only lost a cruise, not money), been punched in the face by a complete stranger, was stalked and killed by a squirt gun assassin squad, and once loaned $5 to Heath Ledger that he never paid back.
I can be reached at unsomnambulist at gmail dot com.
(sigh . . .) Danny Finegood rolls over in his grave yet again.
No, no, no. This is part of the city of Los Angeles’ debut of their Billboard Reduction Campaign. They’re making good on a promise to reduce billboard clutter in the city by starting with the largest one they own.
More details:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/hollywood-sign-coverup-will-announce-effort-to-purchase-cahuenga-peak.html