SUBJECT MATTER:
What occurs when greedy Literary Thieves and Serial Copyright Infringers
steal from popular Writers. A Story of
Despair. A Story of Hope. How a Series of Events spiral out of control.
RE: How the Smithe
Brothers of Smithe Brothers Furniture & Design and Skip Haynes, songwriter
of the hit single: ‘Lake Shore Drive’ killed Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith’s ‘American
Dream.’
Dateline: Monday,
September 10, 2012
Chicago, IL USA:
Some Stories need to be told. This is one of them.
Today, I’m broke and ‘nearly’ evicted from the home I’ve
lived in since 1990. As a creative
writer, I’m known as:
‘America’s Premier
Eventologist’
by Gene
Koprowski of Insight Magazine
(Washington, DC) – August, 1997
&
‘The Premier
Eventologist in the History of the World’
by Eric Zorn of The
Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) -
January, 2001
I can tell you that an ‘Eventologist’s’ work is never
done. I’ve worked non-stop the last
hardest for 21 years to introduce this new Literary Genre to the world called:
Eventology
The Art of
Event-Making
Adrienne Sioux
Koopersmith’s Campaigns For Humanity ©1990.
In this exciting group of 1,900 Events that span 34
categories (imagine Aesop Fables being combined with a date in fleeting time in which the Celebration can really accelerate
and encompass all peoples), there are goodwill, humanitarian, altruistic,
educational, recreational, spiritual, fun-time and fun-type HOLIDATES to
commemorate. Since 1979, I’ve spearheaded
my own PRAM: Public Relations-Advertising-Marketing biz. Before that, while in
high school as a senior, I’d help rock bands with their promotionals. With all
of this experience gathered, I’m happy to say I’ve succeeded in obtaining exposure
for them and myself as well, helping to establish them and making their dreams
come true. So much so that ‘others’ see my Works/Words
and ‘steal’ and claim them as their own Works, Words, Visions. Later, these literary thieves produce them
and happily ‘speed down’ Lake Shore Drive to the nearest bank, leaving me high
and dry without a penny to my name. This
is criminal. This is known as Copyright
Infringement.
“Succeeded” (whose root word stems from ‘Success’) is the key
word here. Skip Hayes & Walter E., Timothy J. and Mark Smithe have
succeeded on the ultimate abuse & misuse (dishonesty and thievery) of what
can happen to Modern Literature. And, it
is my Material that has been destroyed, leaving me without a cent: no food; no lights and nowhere to go and no
one to turn to.
This is how a person ends up on the streets. It can become the Beginning of ‘The End’ if
action is not appropriately taken. This
Missive is that action in order to call attention to this Story and bring it
into the spotlight so justice is gained and served. And, an incredible Story is relayed due to it
and a Valuable Lesson is learned.
‘What happened to team work?’ is what you may be
asking? As part of who we Americans
should be, there is a fraction of us who are now labeled as Greedy Americans
who are ‘in it’ only for themselves.
With this note, I’d like to point out to you that they are not only of
this low caliber, but consummate Destroyers of ‘The Arts’ – my American Dream
and the Legacy of what a new Holidate (a written and copyrighted Creation)
means in the Life of the tens of 1000s of people I’ve touched since Wednesday,
July 25, 1990 at 9:45 PM when I began working so diligently and so hard to
create, develop and promote these Stories – Stories that others enjoy, but have now left me as a desperate, hurt and
disillusioned American writer.
And because of my Writings, others are prospering while I’m
alone, dismantling and packing my 56 Xerox boxes full of broken dreams without
a new place to go to; no credit established; no car to transport me and no one
to help. At times, I feel so overwhelmed.
Not even any bubble-wrap. Yes,
it’s good to keep a sense of humor in times like these. It somehow helps.
ENTER: The
‘others’ by name who have ripped me off
and have left me in this horrific situation, namely Walter E., Timothy J. and
Mark Smithe of Itasca, IL (known for their NBC TV Commercials) and Skip Haynes,
songwriter of the evergreen hit tune, Lake Shore Drive who resides in Los
Angeles.
We’ll address the Smithe Brothers first who were mailed a
National Smith Day ©1995 press kit 4
years ago asking them if they wanted to hire me to ‘carry out the event’ for
their 11 showrooms. National Smith Day
©1995 is deemed as one of my top 16 Holidates to celebrate, established in 1995
that was also found in Chase’s Calendar of Events, the primo Event-Planning
Directory since 1957. This is the purpose of Eventology. It’s my means to make a living. The Smithe Brothers never responded to my
package; but on January 6 (2012), the start of National Smith Day ©1995, the
Smithe Brothers had produced a TV commercial that aired for four full days on
NBC, WMAQ Channel 5, who did not check their facts as to who the rightful creator/originator
of this holidate was. A 15-second Google
search shows that person is me. Rhesus
monkeys could have found that info out. After
all, part of my job as a promoter and avid social networker, blogger and
twitter enthusiast is to let people know what I’ve created as a writer. Face it:
TV audience members are savvy
today and wish to know who stands behind a great commercial.
That 4-day long airing netted the Smithe Brothers additional
revenues for the 11 showrooms, secured them new customers (especially after the
Christmas Selling Season had passed) as well as ‘making them look cool’ – all
on my BST: Brilliance / Skill / Talent
that they negated to acknowledge, accredit, gain permission and, of course, pay
and compensate me for its usage.
But don’t worry, folks.
My writing gene kicked in full force and I have everything fully authoritated,
documented and written out. I even visited one of their showrooms and collected
‘the evidence’ – both on and off-line.
If and when I ever get back on my feet again, it will make for a
‘stunning book’, revelation and exposé on what happens to one of my most
favorite Holidates – spawning its own Story – a chapter that touches 3.2
million Smiths in America alone.
I’m not done yet.
Please continue: There’s only 3,149
more Words to go:
The second Copyright Infringement Case again concerned the
Smithe Brothers. Having worked with 40
of Chicago’s top rocks bands since 1979 to 1992, and being the first woman from
Chicago to take her bands ‘tapes’ (yes, tapes!) to Tom Silverman’s New Music
Seminar from 1984-1988 in NYC, I firmly and always believed in promoting local
Talent. During this time, the song, LAKE
SHORE DRIVE by Skip Haynes became legendary and used more than any other in
jingles across the area. To me, there
was no doubt about it (via the eyes of a creatif, i.e.: me) that ‘LSD’ (as it
is nicknamed) needed to become Chicago’s official anthem.
THEN MOTHER NATURE SET IN and YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
‘SHE’ ENTERS THE PICTURE: Some call
it ‘Fate.’ The Great Blizzard of 2011
struck Chicago in February, leaving nearly 5 feet of snow in my backyard alone. Haynes (who had moved to Los Angeles years
previously)heard our weather report and immediately seized the opportunity
to rewrite the song to ‘Snowed on Lake
Shore Drive’ and succeeded in getting a Page 2-3 article in The Chicago
Sun-Times that I spotted, read and then subsequently contacted him via his website.
This was to turn into am 8-month long email relationship in which I would feed
him ‘ideas’ hoping to retain him as a client for my promo business. During this period, I told Skip that he
really should again rewrite ‘LSD’ to reflect it as Chicago’s Anthem. Once heard, he instantly loved that suggestion;
immediately did that; sent me a copy via email and even sent one (per my
suggestion again) to our newly appointed Mayor, Rahm Emanuel for his
consideration at City Hall.
2011 marked the 40TH year anniversary of Lake
Shore Drive (the song) and being a promoter with clever, cutting edge angles
(always in the forefront of my mind), I instantly thought that the tune should
be celebrated across Chicagoland by its people and visitors/tourists/conventioneers
and turned into a TV commercial.
However, Haynes lived in California for years; did not know ‘The Scene’
with its latest movers and shakers and didn’t know who or how to contact them
or realize what the area’s ‘Buzz’
was. Again, I was there to help. I then suggested and provided him with not
only the suggestive Idea, but the contacts, the ‘personality profiles,’
address, phone number and wrote the scripts (reflecting their general characters)
for him to submit a proposal to the Smithe Brothers (yes, the same ones who 5
months later would rip off my National Smith Day ©1995 and use it as their
own).
Little did I know that my world would quickly begin to
unravel.
Feeling The Smithe Brothers would have fun zooming down Lake
Shore Drive with the song, Lake Shore Drive playing on their car’s radio while
commemorating its 40-41ST year Birthday – a Milestone in Music – which,
by the way, coincidentally is the Number of the Interstate – Lake Shore Drive
being Interstate 41 – unbeknown to most people, it was me and me alone who was
the Catalyst - Trigger – Liaison – that joined and connected Skip Haynes (of
Los Angeles) and the Smithe Brothers (of Chicago – Itasca, IL), separated by
2000 miles.
Furthermore, I was the one who provided the creative
material that they used to produce their most popular and highest viewed TV
commercial yet. Highly viewed commercials also equate to Sales. ‘Sales’ (collectively) is money in their bank
account, not mine.
Yes, this commercial was such a show-stopper it was aired
for Memorial Day; Independence Day and Labor Day Weekends. It was on 1 of the 3 top American
broadcasting stations, NBC for a total of (some) 29 days of prime air
time.
That is indeed a first for TV broadcasting in the Midwest,
all due to my visions. I would guess
they plan to run it again next summer in the same 3-holiday format. Think of all those royalties Skip has been
collecting since May and the web and Facebook hits he has been receiving.
The Smithe Brothers and Haynes’ websites appeared on these commercials that aired for a total of 29 days, netting them additional
revenues/profits, sales, exposure in 4 Midwestern states and the idea that the
general public (audience who caught the TV commercial) thought they created
this production when it was really again all based on my BST: Brilliance, Skill & Talent. Some call that Blood, Sweat and Tears. I can relate to both.
Every suggestion I gave to Haynes from February through
September of 2011, he ran with. The bottom
line remains: This grandiose Commercial would
never have occurred had it not been for me as the Smithe Brothers’ rendition of
my National Smith Day ©1995 Commercial would never have happened had it not
been for me.
PART 2:
And today, I’m sitting at 5:03 AM on the back step of my
apartment at 1437 West Rosemont in the dark, although a crescent moon and
clusters of stars are high overhead. Luckily, my neighbor’s (to my west) galley
light is shining a shadow that helps tremendously in getting my Story out to
you about:
How corporate
Americans destroy the Writer’s Dream.
Let’s rephrase that
to:
How corporate
Americans destroy the Writer’s Dream
and may virtually
leave us HOMELESS
after tirelessly
working on a Literary Genre for 21 years – or one-third of my life to date.
I’m sitting alone in the dark because my electricity
(lights) was turned off on June 1. I
thought that by giving and sharing the LSD TV commercial while connecting
Haynes to the Smithe Brothers, a partnership would develop based on Teamwork. Everyone would ‘come to the table’ with
something:
I conceptualized; wrote; introduced and (would) promote the
TV commercial;
Skip had scored the sound track – the tune LSD that is now
41 years old; and
The Smithe Brothers provided the production and starred in
the TV commercial.
However, it did not work out that way. Ironically, the Smithe Brothers promote
themselves as being a family-run and operated business since 1945.
Silly, silly me thought they would appreciate someone coming
out of ‘the blue’ with such a dynamic money-making commercial. Silly, silly me automatically assumed they
would appreciate the Creativity and Efforts (as well as time and writings) I
made to make this happen for them. If I
had not introduced them and created this TV commercial (of which NBC did not
check their facts as to who created and was responsible for it), sales and
exposure in selling more Lake Shore Drive – Skip Haynes’ products and ‘trucks’
full of Smithe Brothers furniture would never have transpired, especially in
this slow, sluggish economy where so many people are losing their homes to
foreclosure than buying furniture to beautify and enhance their
surroundings.
Yes, although I may be alone in the dark, I must say that
this is one heck-of-a-story to tell you about.
As a natural born writer, there are lots of genres that we writers can
tackle. My top 5, of course, are:
Creative Writing,
The Introduction of Eventology into Popular &
Contemporary Literature,
Kids Stories,
Movie Scripts concerning Toys, and
Promotions. What I
call: PRAM: Public Relations –
Advertising – Marketing that promote all of the above and others whose
Works/Words I feel are beneficial for ‘Society & Civilization’ to
‘succeed.’
This is what gets me up each morning, bright and early, eager
to start my Day. I’m happy to say I am
quite adept at it all. After all, I
enjoy and am passionate about what I write and I want others to know that it
exists. My words may affect them. It may
make their ‘day.’ Something I said may
make them smile. It may shed a light, even as far away as a
glittering star while seated on a step on my back porch, thinking thoughts that
could change a life, possibly for the better.
This is the reason why (most) writers write.
By the way: Do you
need a contact? I promise to find it for
you in 5 minutes or less! In my heyday,
because of my writings, I’m happy to say that I’ve been featured in the
following circuits:
USA
Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Insight Magazine, The Chicago
Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, ESPN: The Magazine; Fast Company, Redbook, More
Magazine, Woman’s World, Sports Illustrated For Kids, Village Voice,
Nickelodeon, The Times Picayune, The Gainesville Sun, The Springfield
News-Leader, Dave Egger’s Might Magazine, The Milwaukee-Journal-Sentinel, The
Detroit Free Press, The Daily Herald, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Atlanta
Journal Constitution, The Advocate/Greenwich Time, The San Antonio Express, The
Dallas Morning News, Skyline, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Home Cooking,
Cooking Light, Chase’s Calendar of Events, The Daily Northwestern, Popular
Photography and Imaging, Shutterbug, Kennedy’s Confection (London, England),
Eric Cohen Books (Israel) and an Estonian Newspaper as well as an endless
Assortment of Websites, Blogs, Facebook Postings, ‘Tweets’ on Twitter and employing other popular Social
Networks. Besides being the Guest on over 3,000 Radio Interviews (including The
Voice of America since 1990), ABC, NBC, CBS & MSNBC Television Networks
have also featured me for my Creation of these
EVENTOLOGICAL Works.
But times have changed and the Copyright Infringement Issue(s)
involving Skip Haynes and the Smithe Brothers have me living at sub-poverty
levels, with nowhere to turn to except the Media – The Press who may see this
as a great human interest Story, the Story behind ‘the Scene’ – the Story
behind ‘The Story’ of what appears on TV.
The Story behind what seems so glamorous and exciting – found on TV as 3
middle aged men zoom down Lake Shore Drive in the Batmobile and another
souped-up sports car on a gorgeous Chicago Summer day while its creator/liaison
sits on a wooden stoop in darkness with a $92 month ($3 a day) Link (Food Stamp
Card) in her back pocket. Oh, by the way, to rent the Batmobile – it’s about
$4,000 a day. Go figure…
HOWEVER: I’m a
fighter.
I’m determined.
I’m also a Leo and even though my frame is only 5 ft. 3 with
a BMI of 19.6, with the Truth behind me; the facts and my Story here at hand,
I’ll ‘SUCCEED in getting the justice I deserve.
T hat’s a given.
‘Writers of the Truth’ have that on their side.
If it means blemishing the History of one of Chicago’s top
tunes, so be it!
If it means closing down furniture showrooms, so be it!
Never once did The Smithe Brothers and Skip Haynes ever
consider me (in their windfall);
however, I’m here to tell and inform other writers – authors – artists –
creatifs (who are being ripped off and screwed over every day) in order to
feather their ‘nests and beds’ – we could say – that they must protect their
rights. Let me repeat that:
YOU must protect your ‘writes’ – no
matter what your Art-of-Choice is.
And, even if you do protect your Creations, as I had,
Literary Thieves are ‘out there’ to steal your material – the fruits of your
imagination.
That’s why you’ve received this VIM: Very Important Message today. Let this ‘Lecture’ serve as a notice that Greedy
Corporate Americans are as near as your TV tube and PC/MAC Screen and may live
next door. Hiding under the premise of
the ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ label, they will get their day in court.
Which is now the next key word in this Story: Court.
SEGUE: Yes, I
did obtain legal counsel for my 2 cases here in August (on my 60TH
Birthday at that) although this ‘fiasco’ began on in September of 2011 with Haynes
running with my LSD/Smithe Brothers NBC TV commercial. It took me that extended period of time to
locate an attorney who would consider my case on a pro bono bases. Poor people (popularly termed as ‘Starving
Artists’) cannot pay an attorney’s fees, even if the crime is the juiciest in
Literary History. This Story (my Story
here) develops on its own every day.
I met with a Chicago-based attorney who saw the merit in my
case(s). He pointed out to me (as well) that the agreement Haynes had sent me would
have to be honored, although Skip chose to cut me off entirely as of September
25, 2011. Nevertheless, I have all the
proof and paperwork. It’s the
‘secretary’ in me that is so good at keeping those important papers intact. So much for this being the ‘Paperless
Society’ it was touted to be!
However, tragedy struck.
Horrific news that still leaves me nearly paralyzed in grief. And, I can barely write this out to tell you,
but my Attorney (age 43 – a beloved husband and father) that I met only once on
August 17TH was killed in a car crash in late August, leaving a
lovely wife and young son. I don’t know
if his crash was on Lake Shore Drive. I
only know that his family, friends and co-workers are devastated besides those
he was representing (as myself) who are now ‘on our own.’
PART 3:
The dawn is rising now over my Edgewater neighborhood here
on the far north side of Chicago. I
don’t know what the day will bring. This ‘Predawn’ News hopefully will tip-off the
Media to my Story so that I can again get back up on my feet and be the
productive Writer that I was meant to be.
Wasn’t Oprah the one who told us to ‘follow our Passion?’ That’s a great idea to pursue, but you
definitely do not want your passion infringed upon. Plagiarized. Misappropriated. Pirated. Stolen. Converted. Infringed upon. All of the afore-mentioned. In
mid-January of 2012, there were 43 Intellectual Property Attorneys in Chicago
according to AVVO.com. In mid-March of 2012, the number rose to 55. On June 3, 2012, the number toddled and
swelled to 1503. Stealing Literature is
Big Business here in the Windy City.
My idea is to enjoy each day that my 1,900 Holidates bring;
to be able to move and afford a nice new home; to continue my writings and
promotions – now that I’m a fully seasoned 60 year old as of August 9, 2012,
beaming in the knowledge and knowing that as my Friend RON RON from Tokyo
states:
“If I make it to 60 and have my work stolen and put on TV –
be happy – it’ shows you are commercial and still got it!”
As a Babyboomer, I hope to continue to tell my Stories and
the Stories behind those Stories which take on a life of their own and which
are so instrumental and important to the livelihood and continuance of the Literature we read and the lives (just and
truthful) we wish to lead.
CLOSING: Yes,
as the days get shorter and colder, I may very well be out on the streets, but
I’ll continue to write my Story as these are ‘the Events’ that are behind ‘The
Great American Literature’ of our Day – of our Times. After all, what else is ‘America’s Premier
Eventologist’ to do? That’s my job. It’s the basis of a Story that no Crime can
erase or destroy. We do have Commandments
to live by and Virtues to extol. The Three
major pointers expressed here are:
1)
The Truth
prevails.
2)
What goes around comes around.
3)
No Crime
goes unwarranted. Especially when you’re a Writer. That’s always NEWS for Fodder.
I remember quite vividly while speaking with Eric Zorn of
The Chicago Tribune in January of 2001 (at a hip and trendy coffee shop
on Thorndale & Winthrop) that he used the term: “Food For Fodder” and I always felt my
Holidates were ‘just that’ – if not more.
Indeed, they were, proving their commercial potential this year
alone. Being on NBC for 29 times this
year looks good on a resumé, doesn’t it? It
certainly does if ACKNOWLEDGMENT, CREDIT and PAYMENT are rewarded to its
rightful Creator.
On the September 9, 2012 cover of Parade Magazine,
Ms. Katie Couric stated: “Life is a
series of reboots.’ Katie, I can
thoroughly relate…I hope you make that into a bumper sticker. If you run for the Presidency in 2016, it
would make for an awesome motto.
TO REITERATE:
Some Stories need to be told. I
just did mine. Make sure this does not
happen to you.
This – all of this – is now part and parcel of the Skip
Haynes (Lake Shore Drive) Story.
This – all of this – is now part and parcel of the Smithe
Brothers’ Story.
This – all of this – is now part and parcel of my National
Smith Day ©1995’s Story. This 4,222 Word
Drama deals with how ‘the Spiral’ affects my Writings – my Art – my Craft – my Skills
- my Livelihood - my Future - my Life
- that encompasses the Legacy of what I’m attempting to lay down as a
New Literary Genre Literature called:
“Eventology
The Art of
Event-Making
Adrienne Sioux
Koopersmith’s Campaigns for Humanity ©1990.
After all, since
the Earliest of Times when the Alphabet was first created, we have found that:
Stories mirror the
Days of our Lives.
There’s nothing
quite like them.”
Quote of ASK:
Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Monday, September
10, 2012 – 6:24 AM; 12:32 & 12:47 PM
CST
CONTACT INFO: Please
contact me if I can provide more info and insights to you about my
dilemma. I’d entertain the idea of a
fundraiser; pay back any donations and grant Interviews to those
outlets/stations/publications/sites who wish to cover and report on my Story –
the Story of every Writer (Author –
Artist – Creatif) in the 21ST Century.
Please help in whatever way you can.*
I’d like to see this portion of my Story have a ‘happy
ending.’
Because I am living in the dark; am broke and only use
public personal computers at area libraries to access the Internet and look for
work, the following are the best means of how to contact me (besides sending a
snail mail note to my Rosemont address also listed below):
Adrienne.Sioux.Koopersmith@gmail.com
847-890-1489 – REH’s Phone (for
important calls)
847-448-0544 (my Voice Mail)
Thank you for your time in hearing about my Story.
Sincerely,
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Studio 1437
1437 West Rosemont – lW
Chicago – Illinois 60660-1319 USA
*Please help in whatever way you can.
Money, of course, is at the top of the list, but I realize
times are tough for many people (who, like me, are also out of work). Sharing and sending this FB posting and/or
email out to others you feel could ‘help’ would be so appreciated. If you know
someone in the Media who needs a great Story that is not ‘politically’
motivated, this is it! Feel free to
share these Pages with your writers groups; synagogues, churches and
schools. I’m afraid to say, but it’s
true that: Copyright Infringement is
here to stay. Xerox boxes and (even) bubble wrap would
help.
NOTE: This
Story has been placed on my 2 blogs:
Book of Smith & Koopersmithin’ at:
http://adriennesiouxkoopersmith.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-destruction-of-american-dream-story.html
http://bookofsmith.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-destruction-of-american-dream-story.html#!/2012/09/the-destruction-of-american-dream-story.html
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