Now if my calculations are right, £4.3 million dollars equals $6,967,290.00 American dollars. That's a lot of money, right?
Now chances are, I bet you dollars to donuts you didn't see this headline...
Kylie Minogue turns party planner for Sydney's New Year's Eve bash
And, unless you're a friend or family member of Kylie Minogue, a big fan, or live in Australia, or plan to be there for New Year's Eve, I doubt many of you heard about this. And, if you did, I kind of doubt you cared anything about it when you did hear about it.
But, back to the money. Again, six million nine hundred and thirty thousand, three hundred and ten dollars is a lot of money. And if it's not a lot of money to you, chances are pretty good that you're not reading Cater-Hater.
Why did I bring this up?
If you're Kylie Minogue and you're performing at a New Year's Eve event, you're more than likely not doing it for free. So, let's assume she's already negotiated getting paid, which I'm sure she has. Makes sense, right? Okay. And if she's turned "party planner" for this gig on top it, I kind of doubt she'd do that for free either. Now wait there for me. Hold that thought...
Here's are some more numbers for you: $75,000 - $250,000 - and $1,000,000 American dollars. Remember them, I'll explain in a minute. Now somebody once told me that $75,000 plus $250,000 plus $1 million bucks adds up to some pretty serious cash. That's a joke - $6,930,310.00 is getting to be more along the lines of what the rich call real money. And even that's not real money to many of them. They don't consider someone wealthy unless their net-worth is at least 10 million. And, don't even think about what the average billionaire considers real money. Now we're talking real money.
What do these numbers and Kylie Minogue have in common? You know I'll tell you.
But first let's do this. Let's talk about a couple of smaller numbers. In fact, they're much smaller numbers; $49,840 and $23.95.
Twenty-three dollars and ninety-five cents. That's what the average event planners salary breaks down to per hour. And, forty-nine thousand, eight hundred and forty dollars is what adds up to be the total sum of their annual salary. Meanwhile, we have the Financial Cliff GOP-Democratic standoff happening with U.S. politicians bickering and disagreeing about tax breaks and various services for American citizens playing out. All of this is going on as a U.S. senators salary is somewhere in the vicinity of $174,000.00 a year (last year's figure, so this it is likely to be more) and a member of the House of Representatives is raking in an amount identical to the salaries of senators. There's always some excuse that slights America's citizens; some excuse that doesn't touch politicians salaries, ever. Never. Ever.
What am I saying? "Carlo, don't be ridiculous, politicians deserve their six-figure salaries. And the 1%, 2%, and 3% groups that make up the U.S. population shouldn't have to have their taxes increased. Don't you get how this thing works? It's how the system works, silly."
Yeah, I know how it works. I live here. And you know... it's bull s%!@. And because it is, that doesn't mean that we have to agree with it or have to like it.
It's a sad, pathetic "game". Because the real deal is that we're really all the same. But they who control the money and services of the people, no matter how much we don't like it... are in control what happens to all of us here in the States. It's screwed up, but it's the process.
As tradition pretty much always shows, every time there's a Republican in office, there's a moratorium on rich people's taxes and cutbacks on services for the rest of America's citizens - even if we don't like it, even if we question it. Every time there's an election - it reminds me of the party industry's "rules" toward consumers; say that it's about "you" when it's really about "us". And every time things stay the same, the "system" favoring the elite doesn't change, just as party industry culture and prices stay the way that it has always been before.
So sorry, we'd like things to be different, so say the party industry, but nothing changes. And in many ways, the party industry runs similar to politics and U.S. government (staying the same, telling it's people they understand and are for you), true, but that's because people who stand for the status quo are who rule and run things, we don't change anything because of the false belief that "they" won't let us - and so we stand still and it just costs us more. That's the basic economics of the thing. And their thing is, that's capitalism - don't blame us. It's our fault, they'd say - because of who we've voted into office, as if the financial shortcomings and misgivings of the past four years can be based solely on that administration. It's the government's fault and the party industry's fault, if it wasn't for the way things were set up and whatever restrictions that exist we'd have more things being made in this country and less of an uptight, not willing to change status quo of popularity. It's the government's fault and the party industry's fault, if they'd just stop doing "business as usual", and stop taxing the middle class to death, we'd have money and might consider hiring people who service party consumers. It's complicated, I know. And unless you're some type of Harvard or MIT economics scholar, they think that all of us are just a bunch of "sheep" following each other to the slaughterhouse, that don't think we care enough to even try to "get" the complexity of it. That's just what they think.
The dog and pony show. The government's dog and pony show. And, the party industry's dog and pony show. What they're selling us is a complete and stupid bunch of crap. Just like you, I know bullcrap when I see it. And let's tell the truth, we also recognize a game when it's being played on us (even if we don't say anything), and in this case it's a Market Manipulation game, and it's about as ethical as me telling you something is going to be a fantastic price when it's not, and it's no different than the U.S. Government allowing GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) food to be highly promoted and grown by American farmers and then sold to us at our local grocery stores for the sake of making a dollar, while breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer is on the rise every year (We didn't contribute anything toward cancer, it isn't our fault, we wouldn't do that to you, you can trust us), while of course they don't want us to realize that our food being tainted is the reason why.Both entities lie, repeat they lie, about all of this - whether blatantly telling us lies or clandestinely telling us lies (knowing there really could be a different solution, while not seeking one) to keep us from becoming outraged and doing something about it because we raise no big stink, giving them no incentive to make change(s). The government feels no real incentive to ask us what we want or what what we think would be best for us, and the party industry acts much of the same. Proof of that is, it is in their best interest to keep the status quo that restricts anything progressive and new, and to constantly prognosticate and share as many scare-tactic stories with us as possible. Of course, it's in their best interest to use excuses and negativity as a means to say, "We can't help what's going on"; not changing means bigger profits for the fat-cats pockets that are getting lined - they do not want that to change. They want to (and do) tell you they hope to see things change, because it's a hell of a lot easier to tell you that lie when the truth of the matter is that if you truly wanted things to change, you would make change happen.
Don't buy what I'm saying? Go back to the numbers that I've mentioned above.
$6 million and some change. Six million, nine hundred and sixty-seven thousand, two hundred and ninety dollars to be exact. That's what Sydney, Australia is spending on their 2012 New Year's Eve celebration - that Aussie singer Kylie Minogue, named Sydney's official New year's Eve ambassador, is reported to be planning. Which in all honesty, from the Hollywood/Los Angeles World of Parties that I came out of, that's not considered to be a lot of money, not really - not for a big city.
Minogue is being said to have chosen the theme and the color scheme for this big event. Admittedly, I'm not a big Kylie Minogue fan but I'm not a hater, like Madonna, either. But here's the thing... just like this is the best, most profitable time of the year for the party industry, this is also the best, most profitable time for entertainers that decide to perform on New Year's Eve. They get paid mega-cash for performing and partying with their friends.
According to the NY Post, artists like Trey Songz will make roughly $37,500.00 for the night (as the "host" at Lux nightclub in Miami), while other artists like Nicki Minaj will rake in $75,000.00 for a night's performance at Mansion (also in Miami) as Drake gets triple that, pulling in $250,000.00 at the Wall at the W Hotel also in South Beach in Miami. And Rhianna's deal is reportedly for $250,000.00 to play Pure in Cesar's Palace in Las Vegas. And this is on the low side.
You've got Jay-Z and Chris Martin's Cold Play performing separately at first, later performing together -- landing a multi-million dollar deal masterminded by party planner extraordinaire to the rich and famous, Colin Cowie. They're slated to perform at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas on New Year's Eve and from what they're saying, between Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce, together they'll pocket $5 million dollars total. She was just booked for a $4 million dollar performance to perform a 700 guest, private show gig at the Wynn Hotel (also in Las Vegas, where she has history - tapping her "I Am... Yours" DVD there in 2009). Hardly pocket change for folks like us. But when you happen to be, oh say, one of the world's most popular performers this is the kind of paycheck you can command.I had to tell you that to say this: learning this makes me wonder, what will a performer like Kylie Minogue get paid to perform on New Year's Eve? Because you know she's not doing it for free. And how much is she being paid for "playing" party planner for that big bash she's headlining? Who knows, right? But that's kind of the problem.
Did she really need to be the party planner too? No. Especially since party planning isn't even her real gig. Don't you bet that real party planners that work in that area are probably sitting somewhere, seething inside, silently, about this? I have no idea how many professional party planners (oe event planners) are in Sydney, let alone all of Australia at large, but I bet you a million dollars each one of them worth their salt would've loved to have been credited as being the "official party planner" for Sydney's 2013 New Year's Eve event. So that's right, after making a big performer's paycheck on New Year's Eve -- on top of it, this Kylie Minogue chick will walk away with money a real party planner or event planner could have made... and probably would have been paid much less money for it too.
Oh and remember, $49,840 is what is reported to be what American event planners/party planners make annually. So yeah, that means it's possible that Australian planners make roughly $47,255.15 (in their currency, which is equivalent to the same amount in US dollars), which breaks down from $23.95 USD per hour to $22.71 in AUS money per hour. And now, we're talking no money when you compare it to whatever Kylie Minogue is getting paid; you know that has to be way less money (what they make in one year) than what Minogue will likely get paid on New Year's Eve.
And you know what? The way the system works for the average, everyday person... well, they can just plain kiss my ass (or donkey, which is the same thing).
It's tough to report on the earnings of the entire party industry because so many individual party businesses are small businesses that are independently owned. But we do know this... it's evident that you, consumers, have put away your party hats and have cutback and toned down your special occasion celebrations. So, of course there's a decline in demand to hire professionals because you guys are hosting fewer parties or no parties at all.
Singer, Kylie Minogue
And then, you have people hiring entertainers, who are supposed to be singers and dancers, to be party planners -- allowing them to outright steal great party gigs right out from under professionals who are so accustomed to doing big events of this fashion (and are so good at it) they can practically do them in their sleep.
As I mentioned above, the status quo attitudes of the U.S. government and the party industry that have "held court" for too long, doing business the way that they have since forever, have done precisely Jack S%!@ (nothing) to develop something new and change. Is $49,840 Jack S%!@ ? Over paying for what is likely to be a big difference between a legitimate party planning professional and a non-professional party planner, it sure is. When a real planner makes less in one year than the average politician makes. And certainly when a real planner makes substantially less money in one year than many entertainers make in one night (let alone one year), it really is. Yeah, $49,840 is exactly Jack S%!@.
Now we've got professional entertainers acting as "party planners".
Oh great. Look, more status quo, pro-entertainer nonsense. As if...
The party industry is going to make changes? Yeah, right -- and I'm going to be the next Colin Cowie party planner tomorrow. And you know that's some bulls%!@ that's not going to happen.
As a party planner and caterer, I say to Kylie Minogue, go on, do your thing (she's going to anyway). Pretend you're a real party planner. Up yours party planning industry. Kiss my rooty-tooty booty, for thinking inside the box, creating a status quo that doesn't work for party businesses or it's consumers. Don't let the door hit you in the (donkey's) ass. Oh, and the U.S. government? You're getting away with playing with our lives for now, but you better wake up. You're not getting away with everything you have been. Because just like when Mitt Romney and pretty much all of the rest of the GOP were shocked all to hell when he didn't win the recent presidential election when we, the people, spoke our opinions with our votes -- letting you know that "business as usual" had once again been changed, don't you for one minute think that we're all stupid "sheep" who will sit back and allow you to get away everything - like, slowly killing us with your someones-getting-rich, tainted, Genetically Modified Organism seeds that you sell to American farmers to grow into food so that you can continue to line your pockets with blood money, while everyday more and more people are diagnosed with cancer. This is all going to come back to haunt you, when you could have decided to not be so damn greedy and done right by all of us in the first place. How you sleep at night is beyond my scope of understanding (thank God). And just like we spoke at the polls in 2012, be prepared for us to "speak" again in 2016, telling you more mind-blowing things that will have you writing acceptance speeches too soon, while leaving your jaws on the floor again. I dare you to keep thinking we're all stupid. For real. Just keep thinking it.
Because you know what? We're powerful in numbers. And there are lots of us. There are more of us than there are of you. And I guarantee you we will fight these injustices... all of them. In fact, get this, due to my right to Freedom of Speech as an American citizen, I'm going to keep on talking about what you're doing -- warning people about what you're getting away with; purposely allowing farmers to grow and grocer's to sell us poisoned food. Hell, buying what you knowingly are selling to us makes about as much sense as buying organic food and spraying it with chemicals, waiting for it to dry, and eating it. Because the food that you're selling to us here in America is the same damn thing. And, you know you didn't test what you're selling us. You just saw dollar signs and decided to sell it to us anyway, irregardless.
We've got some decent, non-money monger type farmers growing good healthy food and and raising grass-fed cattle and livestock, and some good grocers out there selling organic produce who will get paid big time in the future, making your get-over-on-us-quick system of doing business fail as more and more people wake-up, stop buying "regular" chemically poisoned produce and processed foods. So you know what? Tough s%!@ when your money dries up. Maybe you could ask your girl Kylie Minogue for a loan.
These government and party industry dumbos take no issue with sticking it to us with their nasty tasting Frankenfood and high party prices every doggone day, let's stick together and hold tight and see how they like it for a change.
How to Host a Budget New Year's Eve Party
*****
I do this... I write to help to create to opportunities for all of you to pursue your passion to have parties without regard to economic constraints.
I think if we keep talking about the cost of parties (I blog, you write comments), together, maybe we can break down some of the party industry price barriers and shame some of the people who've taken your money and delivered a poor quality product right into growing a conscious and treating you right (nice thought, isn't it?).
Opportunities to be inspired about parties are everywhere. Yet, people looking out for your wallet are few and far between. My goal is to inspire you, causing you to question the way things are that have been the status quo for too long. When we stand together and speak up, we can be a powerful force.
Let's keep the conversation of change going. Because in the sea of everyone talking, one voice is a whisper... several voices are a scream.
Leave a comment and share your thoughts, ideas and suggestions below. Remember to be as specific as possible because what you have to say helps us all.
Always... be encouraged and encourage others too,
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” - Michelangelo
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