Jumping the shark

Our city may have an image problem, but this isn't the way to solve it, although some people seem to think it is:

But what about those umpteen attempts to depict Milwaukee to the outside world as some place other than the home of "Happy Days" and "Laverne and Shirley," a Happy Days" spinoff that some complain has typecast Milwaukee as a stodgy, blue-collar town?

"This isn't a statue of 'Laverne and Shirley,' " Fantle said. "This is a statue of a TV icon who remains the epitome of cool."

The Fonz represents the old image of Milwaukee, which some visitors still would appreciate, Fantle said. He said the statue could serve as a bridge between that world and Milwaukee's new image, exemplified by the Milwaukee Art Museum and other developments.

"I don't think we want to run and hide from our past, especially when our past happens to be a timeless television character," Fantle said.

Or, as the Fonz, with two thumbs up, might put it: "Aaay."

Right - let's put up a statue of a fictional character from a television series that ended almost twenty-five years ago (and was never filmed in Milwaukee), to help promote tourism. Well, we've had similar lapses of judgement when it comes to "art" in the past, so we really have no basis to judge.

Eh.