With ‘Nekkid’ calendar, Ashland holds on to humor
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Michael Paul Williams
Times-Dispatch Columnists Michael Paul Williams video columnAs Ashland celebrates its 150th anniversary, which portrait best reflects this quaint little town with the immodest slogan?
The portrait of NBC travel writer and editor Peter Greenberg, who ridicules the town that touts itself as "The Center of the Universe"? Or the calendar that captures 14 Ashland men, naked behind strategically placed objects, as part of an effort to provide food and financial support for the area's neediest families?
Greenberg, in his book "Don't Go There! The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World," says if Ashland truly is the center of the universe, God has a wicked sense of humor.
Yesterday, I encountered two folks walking through Ashland whose assessment should carry more value than Greenberg's. When told of Greenberg's take, siblings Andy and Janet Merrick were taken aback.
"That's crazy," said Andy Merrick, a Detroit native who now resides in Glen Allen. "I come here as often as I can."
"This is my first time here, and I think it's fabulous," said Janet Merrick, who lives in Michigan and is visiting for Thanksgiving.
"I don't watch the 'Today' show anyway," she said. "It stinks."
Greenberg's barb has had no apparent impact on Ashland's visitation. "The economy is the only thing that's hurting business at this time," said Kay Landry, co-owner of Ashland Coffee & Tea.
In this bleak climate, the "Nekkid Men from the Center of the Universe" calendar comes out next month to raise money for Ashland Christian Emergency Services.
The state of the economy lends a sense of urgency to ACES' laudable mission. But once again, some folks are taking matters too seriously. One man left a voicemail with Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter Holly Prestidge quoting Romans 1:32: "Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Harsh, no?
ACES Executive Director Al Dickerson, 83, posed for the calendar. His wife, Margie Dickerson, said yesterday that most folks have been supportive. "But this morning we got a call. . . . This man said it was just terrible that Christian people would be doing things like that."
She said her husband told their minister about the calendar last week, "and he said Bob [the Rev. Robert Blinn] just laughed and laughed and he brought it out in his sermon."
Blinn, pastor of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church in Ashland, drew inspiration from a different section of the Bible than our reader -- Matthew 25:31-46.
It reads in part: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
These times of poverty, job loss and economic downturn have us looking to God for answers and searching our conscience for how to respond. "We have to ask ourselves, Are we listening to the crowd, who say, 'The poor have it coming to them'? Or do we listen to Jesus, who says, 'These are members of my family'?" Blinn said.
As for the calendar, "It's all in good taste, except it's sort of an eye-catching thing," he said, chuckling.
Yes, Mr. Greenberg, God does have a sense of humor. So, as it turns out, does the town of Ashland.
Contact Michael Paul Williams at (804) 649-6815 or
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Reader Reactions
Hey Ashland1966:
I agree completely. I just wanted to see a picture of Michael “holding” on to his sense of humor.
Michael,
Thank you for your article. I am one of the men in the calendar and honestly was not prepared for the media attention this has caused. Hey, any media coverage is good media coverage, right? So that just means more calendar sales. When I agreed to do this it was based solely on helping those in need. I am very fortunate and have a lot to be thankful for on Thursday. ACES is one of the most effective charitable organizations in our community. All proceeds ($14.95) from the calendar sales goes to ACES. That’s right, no individual is making money from the shooting, printing, and/or marketing of this calendar. All professional services (even the models :-)) were donated. If making a fool of myself will help a family get a hot meal, or clothes to keep them warm in the winter, I’m all in. There are families with multiple children living in a single hotel room cooking their dinner on a hot plate (if they have one). For some, that might be their only meal of the day. I am hoping my participation in this calendar will generate more money for ACES then I could personally give. It doesn’t matter to me if people support or condone what I did, that’s their opinion and they are entitled to it. I do ask one favor of everyone who has an opinion (positive or negative) about this calendar, ask yourself, “What have I done to help someone other then myself.“ If your answer is “nothing”, then take action and change that answer.
micmcconn, thank you for your post.
Michael..you could have at least taken your shirt “off” for this “photo op”..or, maybe that’s all you had on???
I was amused by the voice mail citing Romans 1:32. If you read the preceding verses to see the list of “things” worty of death, you will not find being naked, posing naked or naked calendars among them. (Shocker.) On the other hand, you WILL find that “whisperers” and “backbiters” are harshly condemned.
Almost without exception, quoting the Bible will backfire when it is done to justify self-righteousness and moral judgment of others.
Michael, Thank you. You “get it.“ You get Ashland, you get our humor, you get our sense of community. Thank you.
Thanks for the tip, MPW. About Greenberg’s book that is. Sounds like something I’d enjoy reading! I’m not at all interested in looking at a calendar with naked men on it. I suppose the idea is novel though…or more accurately its ‘radical’.
MPW, great piece! Maybe Richmond could do something sort of like Ashland. To be different, it could feature women instead of men. It could provide clothing and financial support for Richmond’s neediest families.
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