Harry Cohn, the longtime chief of Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, was widely regarded as a tyrant. He made few friends and many enemies. He was loathed and feared.
Yet when he died in 1958 his funeral drew a huge crowd.
Why? Comedian Red Skelton had the answer.
"It proves what Harry always said-give the public what they want and they'll come out for it," he quipped.
Rightly or wrongly, Texarkana has a reputation for failing to support attempts to improve recreational opportunities in the Twin Cities. But this weekend proved that isn't always the case.
Our first Mardi Gras celebration drew thousand to Downtown Texarkana, despite the chilly temperatures and cloudy weather.
The crowd enjoyed the food, the fun, the shopping and the parades. True, rain put a damper on the festivities planned for the evening, but no one can control nature.
All in all, it was a big success for a first-time effort.
We can see the local Mardi Gras growing every year. More floats, more vendors, more activities.
In time, the celebration here could rival-or even surpass-such events in some other cities.
That's good for the two Texarkanas. And visitors who travel here for Mardi Gras are good for the local economy.
It's obvious from the attendance that Texarkana and area residents were happy to see Mardi Gras come to town. The Front Street Texarkana organization clearly gave the people what they wanted.
We are already looking forward to next year.