European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wolper s Liberty gala everybody in Omaha is flipping out by Maureen Dowd new York Timond avio l Wolper the Man who is bringing to new York 200 Elvis Presley look alikes and 300 jazz excise ladies Shirley macrame and 850 Drill Loam girls on a moving Slage Wilh dancing Waters 5.000 homing pigeons playing doves of peace 10.000 immigrants taking Ine Camol cil a Liberty weekend coherence. His colleague demurred suggesting the president of the Philippines instead. We can t gel Cory Aquino Wolper said we be tried Lor other places in the show. She won t leave her country because she s got a country she s running How Aboul Gerald Ford i could pick up the phone and Call him. After the statue of Liberty. I m doing a three hour show about Betly Ford. If it weren t on 3 saturday we could get Elie Wiesel " Wolper 57, who is Best known for producing the television miniseries roots the Thorn Birds and North and South As Ivel fas the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 summer olympics does not Havo a Tan he does not sport Gold neck chains and bracelets As Many of his Liberty weekend directors from Hollywood do he does not speak in a loud voice to docs not Wear a rolex watch or Gucci loafers yet. He has been cast by critics As the stereo typical Hollywood producer who has swept into Lown to create a gala of Garish proportions and elitist principles a look people Are picking on me As Itie big Hollywood producer who s Selling the rights to the statue of Liberty he said As he Lowed the outdoor Arena he is building on governors Island for the opening ceremony on july 3. I m not made of s Leel. I get hurl by n but it will go away when people see the show the play s the thing that will decide the late of the King " he resents this image As the villain of the Liberty piece and spends a lot of time these Days trying to Correct it almost As much As he spends juggling the schedules and egos of his Galaxy of stars i Don l know Why people Are to uptight Why Don t i hey relax a Little and just go with it he said. Some people in new Jersey Are even complaining Hal Liza Minnelli should t be allowed to sing new York new York at the Weadow lances " Gary Smith a director of the opening ceremonies who was Riding in the limousine with Wolper was sym Allelic. They Haven t written a song called new Jersey new Jersey Yel he said. Wolper says he believes he is unfairly taking the blame Lor a backlash against the commercialism entailed in raising Money to renovate the statue and Ellis Island. They re putting the statue on toilet seat covers and All Iheson  he said i had nothing to do with that. An Abc re of Ler asked me about the Over commercialism i asked him what Symbol has Abc been using for the network All year yes the statue of Liberty. Well 1 guess we re All doing  William d. Fugazy. The travel Agency and limousine company owner who is chairman of the new York state Laluc of Liberty Centennial commission defended Wolper calling him a Greal showman who will produce a great show if he does 1 get run out of town  a doctor May nol have a great bedside manner he added but if he operates and saves lives he s still a great doctor. This Guy understands the Public Taslo he did the Thorn buds and that was one of the greatest shows i be Ever seen " he says that the charge of elitism arising from the fact that Wolper is charging St 0,000 a pair for Nickels for the opening ceremonies is unfair. There Are Only so Many schoolchildren and 111 lie old ladies whose lathers came from Romania who can Send in their pennies Fugazy said. Al some Point real Money had Lobo  he said that Wolper did not understand the Way new York woks desp Jle the Lac that he grew up there Bui now the tickets Aren t Selling and there s a question of Cost overruns and he had to substitute Frankie Avalon when Frank Sinatra dropped out of the closing ceremonies Fie Sard. So now he concluded people Are giving him some of that arrogance Back Fugazy interrupted himself to take a Call Wayne Newton yeah we can Havo him sing Al the  he said. Putting his hand Over the phone he asked his aide. Is he any Good Many of Wolper s problems with new York can be traced to the March announcement of a dozen medal of Liberty recipients a list that omitted Irish italian. Greek and swedish names. Fugazy and others Lailor o persuade him of add More. Fugazy says he has been serving As a peacemaker Between Wolper and Many City officials who were offended by the Way it was handled. Some City Council members were threatening to hold up Money for City employees working on the Liberty weekend and mayor Edward i. Koch announced thai in protest he would give out his own Liberty medals to to new yorkers. Wolper said he has no regrets ii was not an ethnic great showman Wolper who wih produces great show if does t get run out of town  medal i planned to do he said spending Aday with Wolper in this countdown " period is an exhilarating experience he is a perfectionist involved in the smallest detail Oline cascading productions. He never seems to gel upset As one Small crisis after another bubbles up Only a constantly tapping foot and a slight Wilch in his right leg betray the stress Hal Musl be involved n orchestrating logistics for an epic tha makes a Cecil b. Be Mills production look like summer Slock those who Call the plans tasteless should hear what Wolper has turned Down. Like the group of hawaiian merchants who wanted to drop a huge Lei around the statue s neck. And the verse from one of the nation s Liberty Celebration selected events 1opening ceremonies with president Reagan on governor s Island unveiling restored statue of Liberty on Liberty Island 8 30-1 f . July 3 2international naval review wit president Reagan aboard to i Reship Iowa involves ships from 14 countries 9-10 . July 4 3parade of Tail ships on Hudson River 10 fl.m.-4 . July 4 4 Boston pops concert at Liberty state Par. Nj., 8-10 . July 4 5fireworks spectacular or Lowe Manhattan. 9 30-10 . July 4 6 Blimp race along the Hudson River late afternoon july 5 7 new York Thuha ironic concert in Central Park 8-10 . July 5 8 sports Salute to the statue of Liberty at Meadowlands n.j., 7-fl . July b 9closing ceremonies with 20,000performers at Meadowlands nj., 8-11 . July 6 Chicago Tribune graphic source. Chicago Tribune news reports Page 16 the Star band stripes sunday june 29,1986