. . . on Thursday night.

It wasn’t planned, I didn’t go in search of enlightenment, but as Thursday turned to Friday and I began to look back over the previous two and a half days and the months leading up to them I found myself making mental notes, things that I had been reminded of or had learned.

Last Thursday the Chamber held an event to raise money for the Leadership Education & Advocacy Program (LEAP) our new scholarship organization. We had secured the services of a three time Grammy® award winner with nine Platinum Records to her name, Janis Ian. I knew going into this event that Janis Ian was not a household name. Had she died of a drug overdose in the early 70’s people might still remember her (i.e. Janis Joplin).

In the weeks and days leading up to the event I felt I was from another planet. Almost daily someone would say, “Janis who?” Seriously, you would have thought our headline performer was Yma Sumac! If I had a dime for every time I was asked, ’Janis who?’, we wouldn’t have needed a fundraiser. I reminded people over 60 years old of “Society’s Child” and those over 45 of “At Seventeen”. At least that would get a glimmer of recognition (or they were humoring me). After the event on Thursday, where we had 100 very appreciative guests/fans, I began to think about why we hadn’t sold out.

Most of the audience members arrived Janis fans, some very hard core. Others were there to support the Chamber and my family (God bless them) came to support me. At the end they were all fans, evident by the amount of books and CDs that were sold post-show.

I thought back to lunch on Tuesday. Janis (we’re on a first-name basis now) and I discussed her book, Society’s Child: My Autobiography. I was wondering why Oprah had not picked it for her book club. The book has everything, McCarthy-era investigations, infidelity, sexual awakening, physical abuse, sexual abuse, illness (both physical and emotional) drugs, sex and rock & roll. And yet no recognition by the great Lady O.

Then it struck me. Janis Ian is an amazingly talented performer. But that’s just not what people care about today. Somewhere along the line we stopped admiring talent; we traded in talent for fame. Want proof? I would bet anything that more people know who Jon & Kate Gosselin are than know Janis Ian. How sad is that? By the way, will someone please tell me why anyone cares about Jon & Kate? How about Britney Spears? Britney Spears can sell out the American Airlines Center with her circus-show; it has lots of flash, but strip it all away and where is the art? Where is the performance? (Honestly, we’ve tried to leave Britney alone, but she keeps coming back.) I’d put Janis, alone with a guitar against Britney alone with a guitar any day. Then again, I’m not sure Britney would know what to do with a guitar.

Here’s my advice to my new BFF, Janis Ian: If you want to be noticed by Oprah or America (let’s call it “Opmerica”) I suggest the following. Develop a drug or alcohol problem then very publicly go into rehab. A relapse is also good form. You could also do absolutely nothing, but make a big deal about it. (Warning: This may only work for Paris Hilton.) Try becoming a total bitch, there are several examples currently available on television. Join a group that is part religion and part cult, then begin to act all knowing and ‘holier than thou’ (if given the opportunity jump on the furniture). Have a lot of babies all at once! If none of these ideas work for you then find something that you’re really bad at doing and make it into a reality TV show, it could be running a business, modeling, parenting or just living with other people.

On second thought who cares if Opmerica doesn’t know Janis Ian. Being incredibly gifted makes her so unique that she simply transcends ‘fame’. Some of us are just astute enough to recognize her talent and that makes us kind of special too!

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