John Rutherford, President/ Creative Director of COLT Studio Group, said he "wasn't surprised" that Bill O'Reilly attacked San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for proclaiming Friday, February 23, "COLT Studio Day."
O'Reilly castigated Newsom as "out of control" in his Fox News "The O'Reilly Factor" broadcast of February 28 for a proclamation that honored the groundbreaking company's 40th anniversary. "And you wonder why your city is looked upon as a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah?" said O'Reilly.
Mr. O'Reilly demanded disciplinary action for the staffer who originated the proclamation, adding, "I hope it doesn't involve whips and chains."
Rutherford came to the Mayor's defense, saying, "This is not the first time he's come after Mayor Newsom. Ever since the mayor allowed same sex couples to use City Hall to be married, Mr. O'Reilly has come after him personally and our city's citizens. He's a right-wing advocate and San Francisco represents the opposite of what he stands for."
The COLT co-owner also criticized remarks by former San Francisco supervisor Angela Alioto, who appeared on the O'Reilly segment, accusing her of being "a hypocrite."
Alioto sought to minimize the importance of the proclamation and distance the mayor and the city from the controversy. "The mayor cannot be checking hundreds of certificates," said Alioto. "It's ridiculous to honor any kind of porn, and Mayor Newsom told me he's going to change the protocol for handing out certificates. This is a world class city."
Rutherford pointed out he had attended many Human Rights Campaign dinners where Alioto was "standing by Chuck Holmes, the owner of Falcon Studios — now deceased — with her hand out, looking for contributions to her mayoral race."
Alioto was not alone in trying to control possible repercussions. Mayor Newsom also denied knowledge of the proclamation when Fox staffers confronted him, even though COLT banners hung from the San Francisco War Memorial Building, where the 40th-anniversary party was held, across the street from City Hall.
Rutherford was emphatic that the flap over the proclamation would not have a chilling affect on the relationship between the city and its growing gay adult film industry.
He also dismissed O'Reilly's use of video footage from past gay pride parades featuring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as "just plain stupidity." Rutherford said, "It shows us how ignorant Fox News is and the intent they have to make our community look bad."
In addition to the city's proclamation, Assemblyman Mark Leno presented Rutherford and his business/ personal partner Tom Settle with a proclamation from the State of California announcing "February 23rd Official COLT Day." Jose Cisneros, San Francisco treasurer, also presented COLT with a declaration in recognition of the company's 40 years of creativity and success.
Rutherford/ Settle photo courtesy of JohnRutherfordBlog.com
