Is this the end for Jordy Tollett?

Though I disagree with his conclusion, I kind of like the way Marc Campos phrased this: "Quien es mas macho, Jordy Tollett or Houston Mayor Bill White?"

Longtime local booster and political insider Jordy Tollett intends to fight for his job running the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau over clear opposition from Mayor Bill White.

Tollett has lined up letters of support from prominent civic and business leaders, including Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen and sports-franchise owners Drayton McClane and Bob McNair, in the face of White's insistence that the bureau conduct a search for a replacement when Tollett's contract expires next year.

The mayor wields more than his considerable political heft: The city provides most of the bureau's funding. The mayor is prepared to play that card if the bureau doesn't search beyond Tollett, but White said he doesn't expect it to come to that.

"I do not think the board will want to stake the future or reputation of the bureau on a particular issue of avoiding competition for a job," White said, adding that the search could include consideration of renewing Tollett's contract.

The bureau's 28-member executive committee will consider the issue when it meets Friday morning.

"He wants to see if there is anyone else in the country better than me," Tollett said of the mayor. "And there's not."

Fellas, it might save us all some time and expense if you'd both agree to meet in the men's room with a ruler and a referee. I'm just saying.

I like a colorful character as much as the next guy, but far as I'm concerned Tollett has long since gone past his sell-by date. Honestly, I don't understand the appeal at this point.

You can't say that Tollett's troubles started when he was caught getting schnockered while on the clock - Mayor White has never cared for him, and besides, it's plausible to argue that tossing back a few cold ones is part of the job description. Be that as it may, there's a lot of unlove for Tollett all around. Do a search on housonpress.com for "jordy tollett" some day if you really want to feel the hate. Here's a prime example, courtesy of Tim Fleck.

Personally, I think the best Jordy Tollett tale is the Rick's Cabaret billboard story. From the August 1995 issue of Texas Monthly, as reprinted here:

When Houston Civic Center Director Jordy Tollett explained why he spent several thousand dollars in taxpayers' money escorting visitors to Rick's, [his answer that] "They wanted to go there" became the quote on another billboard. Tollett's public reprimand from the mayor led to what may have been the apogee of Rick's public acceptance, a Houston Chronicle editorial that declared, "As a city trying to attract convention business, we must spend money to make money, and if Tollett was bowing to the demands of clients to go to topless bars, we probably shouldn't fault him too much."

Those were the days, huh? Can't wait to hear how this fight ends. Pass the popcorn.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 16, 2006 to Local politics | TrackBack