CULTURE WATCH : Laugh Parade

Pasadena’s Doo Dah Parade, facing security problems, is scaling back, according to founder and manager Peter Apanel.

Apanel now talks of a smaller parade, for a crowd of maybe 5,000, with paid admission and, no doubt, with paid security as well. That would still be fun, but it wouldn’t be free fun.

We shall miss the openness of this long-running, home-made spoof of the always sumptuous, sometimes pompous Tournament of the Roses (the Rose Bowl Parade). The memory of Doo Dah’s Synchronized Briefcase Drill Team never fails to bring a quick grin to the face of anyone who has seen the team in action. Or the Lost Sock Brigade. Or the Church of the Ornamental Lawn Decorations.

Indeed, for pure what-the-heck American corn, nothing this side of Garrison Keillor’s radio show can touch the Doo Dah Parade. You come away trading a second round of chuckles with your friends and thinking, whether you say it or not, “Hey, people are OK after all.”

Alas, few free events these days with substantial crowds aren’t clouded by the possibility of rowdiness, at the least, or perhaps even violent crime. Up to now the Pasadena parade has been a delight for a big and broad audience, accessible to the poor as well as others. That’s what would make its change to a limited, paid event so poignant.

Southern Californians badly need to share as many laughs together in public as possible. It would be sad if the number of people laughing were to shrink because of a downsized Doo Dah.