Blago Billboard Confuses Chicagoans

H

e may be imprisoned and impeached, but that hasn't stopped ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, now known as prisoner #40892-424, from being the talk of the town in Chicago. There’s a billboard for a local radio station that features a picture of Blago, along with the words “He Never Listens” in bold block type.

If you’re wondering what that message could possibly mean, you’re not alone. It’s a confusing billboard; is it supposed to mean he never listens because he’s in prison? Is it supposed to mean that he never listens in general and that’s why he ended up in prison? Is it supposed to mean that the fact that he never listens to that station is somehow proof that the station is worth listening to, since he’s a bad guy?

No one seems to know, but the billboard is attracting a lot of attention, which is, of course, the point. 

Not everyone’s happy with the attention, though, least of all Blagojevich's attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, who is considering filing suit against the radio station. Sorosky feels that the billboards violate Illinois’ Right of Publicity Act, which states that a person’s image cannot be used for commercial purposes without their permission.

"There isn't any doubt it's for commercial purposes," Sorosky told the Chicago Tribune. "It's clearly a violation of the law."

A spokesman for the company that owns the radio station, WIQI-FM, claims the station is only exercising its First Amendment rights, a claim that strikes us as dubious, if only because the message of the billboard is so obscure. It really does seem like the billboard is just using Blago’s image to attract attention for the station, and even though the “He Never Listens” attempts to turn him into the anti-spokesman for the station, he’s still the main event.