County Fair Finds Itself the Butt of Controversy Over Tobacco Firm

Normally at this time of year, the publicity-minded folks at the Los Angeles County Fair are cranking out previews of the warm and fuzzy events that are the fair’s staples: cookie baking contests, beekeeping exhibits, trainers of celebrity dogs.

But on Tuesday, with the fair’s opening less than a month away, officials found themselves looking down the other end of the public relations barrel--fending off criticism that a giant tobacco company is sponsoring some of the live musical acts.

About 15 protesters organized by the American Lung Assn. of Los Angeles County picketed at the Fairplex’s front gate in Pomona, calling on the fair’s board of directors to scrub its arrangement with Marlboro Music, which is sponsoring three concerts in exchange for displaying Marlboro banners near the stage and setting up a booth to give away non-tobacco merchandise.

Protesters, holding signs such as “Cotton Candy, Clowns and Cigarettes?” and “Our Kids Are Not for Sale,” accused the fair of sending a pro-smoking message to children who will be brought to the fair’s family-oriented environment.

Fair officials say it’s too late to pull out of the deal and insist that they are not promoting smoking--just good entertainment. Tuesday’s showdown pitted two savvy PR forces against each other: a national anti-tobacco juggernaut and the wholesome, feel-good fair.

“We really do want to be the good guys here,” said fair spokesman Sid Robinson.

But even as Robinson pleaded his case to a trio of reporters drawn to the fairground fuss, the protesters just feet away were chanting, “Butt Out, Philip Morris!” and urging passing motorists to honk.

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Activist Lou Moench, a Santa Monica tavern owner, attacked the fair’s decision to accept sponsorship from Marlboro Music, a promotional arm of Philip Morris USA.

“Knowing what we know now about cigarettes, this board still chooses to actively promote it. To compound it, they’re actively promoting [smoking] to children,” said Moench, who says his bar, Father’s Office, was the first in California to ban smoking voluntarily.

Moench, a former Marlboro smoker who quit 22 years ago, said he still gets a familiar tingle when he sees the company’s logo.

“The tobacco industry needs thousands of new smokers every day. This is how they get them,” he said.

The lung association estimates that 3.1 million smokers are between 12 and 17 years old and that 90% of smokers start as minors.

Carson teenager Janai Humphrey, wielding a mop-turned-picket-sign that said “Honk for Health” and “You’re Right, Smoking Is a Drag,” argued that the fair is no place for tobacco ads.

“It should be something fun--clean fun,” said Humphrey, a 17-year-old senior at the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center Health Professions High School. She has a summer job educating teenagers about health matters.

Robinson said fair officials were sympathetic to the protesters’ concerns and also oppose smoking by youngsters.

“We don’t want to see kids smoking. We don’t want to see teens smoking,” Robinson said.

He said Marlboro Music has arranged and provided musical acts for the fair without controversy since 1994. Marlboro will put on three of the fair’s 18 concerts: Pat Benatar, the Isley Brothers and Latin pop groups Los Mismos and Conjunto Primavera. Although the amount Philip Morris will pay to stage those shows was not available, Robinson said fair concerts generally cost about $50,000 each.

He said Marlboro would get only limited exposure--two banners near the stage and the booth. A spokeswoman for Philip Morris USA said the booth would be used to sell cigarettes and give out free Marlboro lighters to adults over 21 who sign a declaration that they already smoke.

“It’s silly to think anyone is going to start smoking because they attend a concert or see a sign,” said Philip Morris spokeswoman Tara Carraro.

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The cigarette flap erupted even as the fair has taken steps to limit smoking on the premises. Robinson said the grandstand area will be smoke-free during concerts for the first time.

And ever mindful of the vagaries of public relations, Robinson suggested that the cigarette protest might even backfire.

“The attention [protesters] are bringing here through this is more attention than Marlboro would have gotten anyway.”