ICE CUBES: Kal Rudman on ArtsUnleashed and the passing of Dick Clark

For now, Rudman's attentions, like so many others in the national and local entertainment business, are turned toward Wednesday's sad news that Dick Clark had passed away.

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ICE CUBES: Kal Rudman on ArtsUnleashed and the passing of Dick Clark

POSTED: Thursday, April 19, 2012, 12:00 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes

Last week, UArts opened its doors for the fourth annual ArtUnleashed fundraiser where 300-plus alumni, student and faculty artists hit its marble halls to display and auction their wares for the University's Sam S. McKeel Promising Young Artists Scholarship Fund. Days before the event, UArts president Sean Buffington told me that over 5,000 students had been aided with over $100 million in scholarships so far. Along with alums Adam Wallacavage, Marc Williams, Deb Willis and legendary local illustrator Arnold Roth (Class of 1950) was on board for the proceedings. The now 83-year-old Roth — renowned for his work for TV Guide, the New Yorker, Playboy, Sports Illustrated and Punch — smiled and chatted to all comers. Roth reserved his biggest grin for his old friend, philanthropist Kal Rudman (pictured above left with Roth at ArtUnleashed), a UArts benefactor and head honcho of New Jersey published-music-industry bible, Friday Morning Quarterback. Rudman has lots of irons in several fires to speak of at present and all will be revealed shortly (stay tuned).

For now, though, Rudman’s attentions, like so many others in the national and local entertainment business, are turned toward Wednesday’s sad news that Dick Clark had passed away. The producer and host made his bones in Philly. Clark got hold of the reins of Bob Horn’s version of Bandstand, ran with the kid-dancing-to-chart-topping-pop television program, and made a swift success of himself, his programming and his business largesse. Whether you loved him or not (and there were some who would dispute his lovability a la the local documentary filmmakers who released The Wages of Spin) you had to admit he was a forceful and forward-thinking pillar of the dance rock 'n’ pop industry. Rudman weighs in on Clark’s death: “The passing of Dick Clark removes one of the largest foundation stones of the entire pop-music industry for the latter half of the 20th century. Starting with Bandstand, his shows absolutely made most of the hits from the beginning. Others in radio might aspire to the title, but they had to follow what Dick Clark played — especially, and obviously, dance music. I mourn his death. He took me under his wing and became my guide in reaching the tastemakers of the record and radio industries. On behalf of the staff of the Friday Morning Quarterback, we send our deep condolences to Dicks’s wife, Kari, and the entire Clark family.”

Randy Alexander, the guy who handles some of Rudman’s PR also grabbed a statement from Philadelphia International’s twin towers of power, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who together issued this: "As fellow Philadelphians, we have admired Dick Clark and the American Bandstand brand for many years, as it promoted Philadelphia music around the nation. Clark was one of our inspirations for creating the Sound of Philadelphia music brand. More importantly, we thank him for being one of the pioneers in promoting the Philly Dance and Music scene for the nation and world to enjoy. We send our sincere and deepest condolences to Dick Clark's family.”

(@ADAmorosi)

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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