Posts tagged Blaine Kern

BARRY KERN SUES HIS DAD AGAIN!!

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Barry & Blaine Kern

Barry & Blaine Kern

The most renowned and biggest Mardi Gras float builder is feuding publicly again. The family organization that builds Rex, Bacchus, Orpheus, Endymion, and Zulu, among other icon parades in New Orleans has their dirty laundry out for all to see.

The son of famous Mardi Gras float designer Blaine Kern has once more filed suit against his eighty three year old father, this time claiming the elder Kern has reneged on an agreement they made in October.

Barry Kern filed suit against his father Blaine last year in an attempt to oust him from the family float business, but local Mardi Gras krewe captains built a truce.  When Barry last filed suit, key Mardi Gras Captains forged a truce which was they believed was forever but…

Barry Kern announced Thursday that he is again suing his father.  Here’s the lawsuit.

“No one is more saddened than I that my father has refused to honor the agreements we publicly made on October 5, 2010,” said Barry Kern in a statement. “I have been trying for six months to have him do so, but we cannot wait any longer. I love my dad, but I have been forced to act to protect him, my family, our company, our employees, and the best interests of Mardi Gras.”

In the suit Barry Kern alleges that Blaine Kern has interfered with his son’s managerial control in several ways, including: firing his other son, Brian Kern; demanding payments for personal expenses; reducing a contract with a client that put it below the amount needed just to meet costs; and appearing at the cash register at Mardi Gras World, demanding cash.

The original suit in October, 2010, contended that Blaine Kern had mismanaged the business, leaving it “technically insolvent.” Blaine Kern replied at the time that he had fired his son as company president for running the business into the ground.

Blaine Kern said this evening he had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment.

Blaine and Holly before marriage

Blaine and Holly before marriage


Hollywood Heartthrob Andy Garcia to Reign as Bacchus XLIII For Mardi Gras 2011

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Andy Garcia  Bacchus 2011

Andy Garcia Bacchus 2011

Actor Andy Garcia will reign as Bacchus XLIII when the krewe rolls March 6 as part of the Mardi Gras 2011 celebration.

“His fame and his personality will assure that he is a great Bacchus King who helps make the 2011 Mardi Gras stupendous, highly successful and memorable,” said said Owen Brennan III, executive director of the Krewe of Bacchus.

Garcia was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for his role in “The Godfather III” in 1990. He was also nominated for several awards for his portrayal of casino owner Terry Benedict in “Oceans 11.”

The theme of the 2011 Bacchus parade will be a salute to the World War II generation, known as “the Greatest Generation.” Blaine Kern float makers have worked closely with staff members at the World War II Museum to assure that all references to World War II and U.S. armed forces are authentic

Pussyfooters Marching Club Ball to Benefit Metro Center for Women & Children

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I attended this ball last year at Kern’s Mardi Gras World on the West Bank and it was a very fun time!  DJ Soul Sister was the musical highlight of the evening, her set truly kicked butt all the way across the Mighty Mississippi! The event setting, Mardi Gras World, was perfect for the event with all the surreal paper mache sculptures surrounding all event attendees.  I attended with my good friend Jack, who also had a ball!

Pussyfooter at her ball having fun

Pussyfooter at her ball having fun

Pussyfooters Ball 2010

Pussyfooters Ball 2010

For 2011, the Pussyfooter’s Blush Ball will be held at the Howlin’ Wolf, 907 South Peters Street, New Orleans on January 29, 9 pm to 2 am.  The party features Big Sam’s Funky Nation, DJ Brice Nice, the 610 Stompers, the Pussyfooters, plus a Firehouse Cook Off by the Firefighters of New Orleans.

2011 is the 10th Anniversary of the Pussyfooters, and their goal is to do something special: Party with a Purpose to raise $10,000 for the Metropolitan Center for Women & Children.

They hope to sell 800 tickets to the event. Party attendees will also have a chance to win one of 60 raffle prizes.  They have Mignon Faget jewelry, a Picasso print, hotel and dinner prizes, and spa gift certificates.


Suits remain on file against Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras float production company

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Well, well, well. I thought the Kerns had kissed and made up, at the urging of Bacchus Captain Pip Brennan and Endymion Captain Ed Muniz. They may have made up publicly, but the suits Barry Kern filed to dump his Dad as head of the family company remain on file.

A separate suit filed in Orleans Parish is also continuing. In it, Mardi Gras World LLC (MGW) is suing Blaine Kern and BKA, claiming that BKA has violated its licensing agreement and moved property from MGW’s warehouse on the Mississippi riverfront.

That petition for injunction was filed Sept. 15 and claims that the defendants “removed inventory from the plaintiff’s business and have threatened to continue to remove inventory.” MGW and BKA have a licensing deal, a copy of which was attached to the petition, that grants MGW “exclusive license” for all property – including floats, props, costumes and sculptures – possessing a “Mardi Gras theme.”

According to court papers, MGW sought a temporary restraining order against BKA to prevent Blaine Kern or his employees from removing any more Mardi Gras property. A September hearing was continued until Oct. 28 after plaintiffs filed an amended petition for injunction.

New Orleans attorneys Randall Smith, Stephen Gele and Zach Butterworth represent Barry Kern.

New Orleans attorney Stephen Dwyer represents MGW.

New Orleans attorney Marc Stein is listed as the registered agent for BKA.


BLAINE AND BARRY KERN KISS AND MAKE UP

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Barry & Blaine Kern

Barry & Blaine Kern

It was a short public feud, less than 1 month.  There’s so much money for the Kerns at stake, some of the major krewe captains, notably Owen ‘Pip’ Brennan (Bacchus Captain) and Ed Muniz (Endymion Captain) got the Kerns to sit down by inviting the father and son to a meeting without telling each other.  It was a classic usage of the Take Away Sale- If  you don’t kiss and make up, we’ll take away Bacchus and other key krewes.

Blaine Kern

Blaine Kern

This is a hollow threat, there’s no other float builder around to take up the slack if the Kerns don’t build the major krewes.  Carnival is less than 6 months away, and that’s go time in the float building business.  Only Blaine Kern Artists have the size to build Bacchus, Rex, Endymion, Muses, Alla, Orpheus, and many more parades at once.

It’s very ironic that a Brennan was called to settle this family feud, since the Brennans have a large family and have been feuding in and out of the newspapers for decades

The family survived a rift that left the children of the late Owen Sr. about as disposed toward their aunts and uncles — Adelaide, John, Ella, Dick and Dottie — and their 11 children as the Hatfields were disposed toward the McCoys. Since 1974, when the feud split the business, Owen’s children — Pip, Jimmy and Ted — have run the family’s original restaurant, Brennan’s, on Royal Street.

At the same time, Ella, Dick, Adelaide, Dottie and John took over Commander’s Palace in the Garden District and built it into one of the 10 top grossing restaurants in the United States. Adelaide, who did not have children, died in 1983. Ella, Dick, Dottie and John continued to run Commander’s and built five other restaurants — Mr. B’s, Palace Cafe and Ristorante Bacco in New Orleans, Brennan’s and Third Coast in Houston.


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