The Last Supper- Supporting Medical Marijuana
Prominent medical marijuana advocate Ed Rosenthal just
might be sent to the slammer for up to 60 years on bad mojo
Federal pot charges. With love and compassion we threw him a
"Last Supper." I'll let my friend Bruce Bellingham tell the
story...from his San Francisco Examiner column and pulpit...
"Dinner patrons at Gaylord's Indian restaurant in Ghiradelli
Square were marveling Monday night at what was transpiring in
the dining room. About a dozen garrulous fellows were slipping
into Bedouin garb and posing for a photograph that recreated
Da Vinci's "The Last Supper." The shot was staged by Jack
Anderson, who must have cleaned out Britex for the ad hoc
costumes. Famed rock photographer Robert Altman took the
pictures. Among those in robes and biblical roles: Herb Gold,
the prolific novelist ... comedian Will Durst ... Summer of
Love's dad, Chet Helms ... the great keyboardist/composer Merl
Saunders ... Barry Melton from Country Joe and the Fish ...
press agent Lee Houskeeper ... Farley's father, Phil Frank ...
and the consummate counter-culture clown, Wavy Gravy. At the
center of the scene was Ed Rosenthal, a man already considered
a martyr for the cause of medical marijuana. He was dressed
all in white linen. Ed, who was found guilty of marijuana
growing, faces U.S. Judge Charles Breyer on June 4 for
sentencing. ... "I am holier than thou," Rosenthal said, in
mock seriousness. He showed off the proclamation that declared
him a saint. It was issued by the Sisters of Perpetual
Indulgence. With the gloomy specter of prison hanging in the
air, his friends offered Ed a little cheer. There were toasts,
encouraging words and sporadic gripes about what a bum rap it
is. Dr. Hip led the group in a bravely spirited but
cacophonous rendition of Monty Python's "Always Look on the
Bright Side of Life." ... But unlike so many of those
so-called "Only in S.F. Moments," this one was captured on
film. ..."
Left to right: Will Durst (Comedian and salient political
wit) Barry Melton (Famed Defense Attorney and big "Fish" with
Country Joe) Eric Christensen (ABC sports producer) Bruce
Bellingham (San Francisco Examiner's boy wonder columnist) Dr.
"Hip" or Eugene Schoenfeld (Writer and shrink to the stars)
Lee Houskeeper (Renown press agent- standing busboy) Ed
Rosenthal (The Man himself in center field) Herb Gold
(Celebrated author of 40 books) Phil Frank (San Francisco
Chronicle's "Farley" cartoonist) Chet Helms (Our Father of the
Summer of Love, impresario and gallery owner) Wavy Gravy
(Served breakfast in bed to half a million at Woodstock, clown
and Ben & Jerry flavor) Dr. Lawrence Brilliant (Legendary
scientist, doctor and SEVA board chairman) Merl Saunders
(Musical prodigy- duet albums with Jerry Garcia)
