Thursday, December 20, 2012

TRIBECA FLASHPOINT ACADEMY STUDENT EVAN BRIGHTFIELD (AND HIS DAD) CREATE "RAHMFATHER" GIFT FOR MAYOR EMANUEL





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The Rahmfather gets 'Rahmfather' portrait

John Kass

December 23, 2012

It's not every day that the ruthless mayor of Chicago, the Rahmfather, can be humbled and overcome by a spectacular Christmas gift presented by a newspaper columnist.

"It's a Hanukkah gift!" he insisted.

Whatever. I wasn't going to argue, especially since he was tearing excitedly at the tasteful Snoopy Santa wrapping paper.

Either way, just the sound of the mayor pulling at that paper was enough. All I needed was a pipe, slippers, a cardigan sweater and a big chair, from which I could smile bemusedly while watching the fun like the dad in "A Christmas Story."

But I stood.

"I'm so excited about this, you have no idea," said the Rahmfather, beaming. "Oh, my God, this is absolutely fabulous!"

And there it was, the Rahmfather holding his very own gorgeous edition of the absolutely cool and mysterious portrait "The Rahmfather" — Emanuel as Michael Corleone from the movie "The Godfather: Part III."

Emanuel was himself, which means we can't use all the video from the solemn gift exchange. It was a tad salty. But he had fun. And so did I. He gave me gifts too.

The ceremony of the gifts took place in his City Hall office the other day. Members of his staff were there. Also there were my friend Old School and the famed graphic artist Eric Brightfield, who created it, and his son, Evan, who inspired it all.

For those of you worried about my relationship with the mayor, relax. I'm not going to sit in his lap, and he's not going to sit in mine. The portrait was donated by the Brightfields, and my additional costs were nominal, around $50. I'm not going to become Commissioner of Lotsa Stuff. He's not going to become my buddy. And there are issues boiling over, from contracts at O'Hare to the police code of silence, and we'll tangle.

It was a year ago last December when the original "Rahmfather" arrived at the Tribune, an amazing work.

I'd been calling the mayor The Rahmfather for quite some time, and Evan Brightfield had an idea, to create a portrait on canvas of Emanuel as Corleone. Eric executed the design perfectly.

"I want you to know that when I saw it in the paper, what did I do? What did I do?" asked the mayor.

You called me and said ...

"I need it," he said. "I need that."

It has that effect on people. But I'd never part with mine. Still, a mayor asks for something of little monetary yet great symbolic value, you do what you can. So Brightfield made another copy for the mayor.

Paul Davey of The Practical Angle frame shop in Streeterville fixed an engraved plaque with Brightfield's name and mine.

We also added a special, cryptic phrase in Greek from ancient days, from the time of Homer and heroes. But we had it engraved in English letters, so the Rahmfather could read it aloud phonetically, as could all his visitors.

"What is it?" asked the mayor.

I told him:

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