Palin the Rock Star?

Sarah Palin is in the news again, this time she's accused of being a Diva:

The requirements stated that first-class transport should be provided for Palin, including return trips to and from Anchorage, Alaska, a private jet that "MUST BE a Lear 60 or larger (as defined by interior cabin space) for West Coast Events; or a Hawker 800 or larger (as defined by interior cabin space) for East Coast Events", one suite and two single rooms be booked in a "deluxe hotel", "laptop computer and printer (fully stocked with paper) and to provide access to high-speed internet and WiFi".

For her actual speech, "unopened bottled still water (2 bottles) and bendable straws are to be placed in or near the wooden lectern", while questions had to be screened.

"For Q&A, are to be collected from the audience in advance, pre-screened and a designated representative ... shall ask questions directly of the Speaker to avoid delay time with a roving microphone in the audience," the contract stated.

Look I'm no fan of Sarah Palin - her policies and her lack of knowledge immediately rule out any potential support I might have - but this "revelation" is hardly going to bother me.

The fact is that Sarah Palin is a famous person - like a rock star or an athlete or an actor. As a result of her fame she has certain differences between her and Joe normal about how her life is led. Palin can't walk into a supermarket without causing a stir, and can't walk down the street without causing a minor riot. In order to make her life more bearable and more common sense, she has to hire a small army of minders and security people to follow her around wherever she goes lest she be accosted by rabid fans or rabid enemies. Public appearances require contracts to be signed in much the same way as a touring rock band requires contracts signed as well.

The inclusion of things such as water bottles, bendable straws and certain types of private jet into a contract is quite normal for someone as popular as Palin. if you look at similar contracts for George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and touring bands like U2, things such as those "disclosed" in the Palin contract are present.

Perhaps the most infamous performance contract in rock history was that required by the band Van Halen - namely that a bowl of M&Ms be present in the band's dressing room before the performance, though with all the brown ones removed. Yet what seemed like an illogical request that hinted at the band's unstable ego was actually a deliberate attempt to ensure that the promoters kept the contract, especially when safety was concerned. Van Halen didn't really care two hoots about brown M&Ms, but if they discovered that brown M&Ms were present in the bowl then it was a possible indication that the promoters did not honour other, more important, parts of the contract (such as electrical safety). The presence of bendy straws in Palin's contract may, in fact, be a contractual necessity to prevent bigger problems (especially those faced by famous people interacting with the public).

Rock bands and other famous musicians also include food and drink requirements for the after show party. One band I know had a performance contract which stipulated that certain wine varieties be present while Shiraz must not be included at all. While it made me goggle at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, I nevertheless saw the importance of keeping the rich and famous happy if people wish to make money out of them.

So for me Palin's "performance contract" is nothing more surprising nor controversial as other performance contracts that famous people use. It must be a slow news day for the media if they think such a report is newsworthy.