I got kicked out of Hempfest's backstage yesterday, apparently for suggesting in The Stranger that the event should lose the tie-dyes on the stages and go for a broader appeal. It was nothing personal, and I worked on Hempfest for 12 years, so it surprised me when they demanded that I give up my pass (the pass they'd given me). Then they had security escort me out. I realize that this story may sound like sour grapes, butâI promise youâit leaves me with the sweetest of memories. First, here's a picture of one of those stages:
After listening to a few speakers and consuming one gigantic veggie burrito with pickled jalapeĂąos, I went behind the main stage. I was talking to a friend when a member of the Hempfest board, John Davis, whom Iâve known for about 15 years, approached me and said, âYou canât be back here. You have to go.â
I showed him my VIP pass. Surely, an article I wrote suggesting the event should take down tie-dyes from the stages to debunk stereotypes about Hempfest couldnât make them completely lose their shit, could it? And after working on Hempfest for over a decade, and pushing for many of the things the event organizers love so much (remember how pot enforcement is the cityâs lowest law-enforcement priority now, guys? And that Hempfest steering committee members thought it was a âbad idea,â but it passed and now you appreciate it? You're welcome), they werenât really kicking me out, were they? Davis snatched the pass out of my hand, and as the security guy escorted me out, he said that itâs because I'm a âmember of the media.â
Uh, Iâve been a member of the media in past years, and Iâve always been allowed backstage. And before I was a reporterâback when I was the spokesman for Hempfestâseveral times weâd have reporters walk freely backstage. So what gives? Hempfest director Vivian McPeak reportedly told a staffer, who went to ask what the fuck was going on, that I had âproverbially stabbed [him] in the back.â But, Vivian, I thought you were omnipotent. About 10 minutes earlier, he was on the main stage mic referring to himself as âthe great Vivian McPeak.â
The issue, clearly, is that Hempfest organizers are outraged that anyone would dare critique their event. They cannot separate themselves from their culture from their politics. So any commentary of their political strategy (simply saying they should take down the cheesy tie-dyes) is apparently a personal backstabbing. That's a tragically self-centered perspective for any organization, political cause, or leaderâespecially one that is "great."
So after going to Hempfest every year, Iâm relieved of any duty I ever had. And frankly, even though the eventâs got plenty of good things going for it, at least I donât have to go to it. Likewise, they're probably relieved to be rid of me.
And once more, Hempfest, for the record: Nobody is saying that hippies are evil; I'm just saying that we're not all hippies and we want our "Oktoberfest of Pot" to feel like an event for all the pot smokers. We don't want it to feel like this:
Argh, "tye-dye" is even misspelled.