Computer Times
COMDEX Remembers
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Sher "REDGLASSES" Bolter and his pups!
By: Charlene Jones, Executive Editor, Computer Times
Fall Comdex '99 in Vegas for me wasn't about new products or the latest and greatest in the computer industry. It was about grief counseling and healing-certainly not the usual Comdex cup of tea for press.
After covering Comdex in Chicago in the spring, I hadn't planned to attend Comdex Fall until Sher Bolter, AKA "REDGLASSES" was murdered in Louisville the last week of September. In addition to being a personal friend, Sher was a contributing editor to Computer Times (His coverage of PC Expo '99 assignment he still owes us!) We had expected him to cover Comdex Fall for us as well, but fate thought otherwise.
Within hours of hearing the tragic news of his death, Editor Terrance Kibiloski and I knew that we not only would be attending Comdex but that we would continue the REDGLASSES Press Party List in his memory, in conjunction with a REDGLASSES Memorial Scholarship Fund to Sullivan College in Louisville. What I didn't know was how difficult an assignment that would be.
Sher would often comment that no one knew how much work it was to get the party list information together, printed, and distributed. Press parties are almost like a mini-Comdex within the larger Comdex. While wining and dining the media away from the crush of the convention center floor, the companies can display their products and services and visit one-on-one with the press. Companies make valuable contacts, and news is made from the information the media garners at the press parties. A list of parties with locations and times, available ASAP is extremely helpful to the media. Although we attempted to get Sher's address book from the computers that the Louisville Police Department confiscated, we were unable to get any information at all from them. With no address book and without a clue, we started from scratch.
We first sent a Newsbytes news release to the press and to our own limited database with the news of his death and that we had established a memorial scholarship fund in his name. Immediately we began to receive messages from all over the world. "If this is a marketing thing, you guys are sick!" "Who would kill Sher; this must be a joke." One really big A-hole even complained to our server that we were spamming! When Terrance e-mailed him to let him know that the press release wasn't spam and that Sher had been murdered, the crank sent a scathing message back that he didn't care about some sob story about our friend who was killed. I guess it takes all kinds to make up the world, but who needs to be that way!
Once the reality of the situation hit, the grief messages poured in. Who? Why? What happened?
Although we knew Sher was known worldwide in the industry, we didn't anticipate the intensity of the shock, outrage, anger, and tears that his friends in the media, PR firms, and computer companies would express in reaction to the news of his death. Everyone seemed appreciative that we had sent notification of his death and that we were going to attempt to produce the REDGLASSES Press Party List for Comdex. Some even offered to help. Perhaps, they didn't understand that I would be taking them up on their offers!
Everywhere we turned, people were eager to help with our project. The bank manager at National City waived the normal fees for check charges and account maintenance for the scholarship fund. Some of Sher's friends offered to spread the word by forwarding the press release through their databases. Messages poured in again, and every time a telephone call or e-mail came in, I cried all over again with them. Terrance and I both caught ourselves talking about Sher as if he were still alive and would be at Comdex.
As October drew to a close, with only a couple of press parties for the list and knowing that I am not Sher when it comes to talking on the phone, I thought about panicking. On second thought, I decided instead to plead for help. From the four corners of America, help arrived as Sher's friends forwarded me their invitations to press parties and the contact names. Richard and Elizabeth Oppenheim and Bob Mager offered to help after we arrived in Vegas. Boy! Did I ever take them up on their offer!
We flew out on Thursday before Comdex began, as Sher would have done, and began the final editing of the party list. Party info was still coming in, so we decided to do a Sunday Only list to have available Sunday morning in the pressroom. That would also give us more time to complete the Monday through Thursday list. Richard and Bob had cars in Vegas, so they chauffeured us to Kinko's and to the pressrooms to hand out the Sunday list. We all wore "Ask me about the REDGLASSES Memorial Scholarship Fund" badges with Sher's picture on it as we hawked our "wares" in the pressrooms. As we cried, "'REDGLASSES' Party List-hot off the press-Sunday only list! Monday through Thursday out tonight," bodies turned by the dozens and rushed to pick one up. Some took the list and read the opening statement, learning about Sher's death for the first time. Those who saw our badges first asked, "Where is Sher anyway?" Over and over again, we watched as men and women became visibly shaken as we told them the sad news. Sometimes Terrance couldn't even explain, so he just pointed to the party list and said, "Read that," and then stood by to offer a hug when the tears welled up.
Even Sunday night as we made the round of parties distributing the Monday through Thursday party list that we had finished up Sunday afternoon, there were still many people who had not heard the news and asked, "Where's Sher?" Upon hearing the tragic news, many completely lost it and broke down sobbing, even in the middle of the parties. By the end of the week, we overheard ourselves referred to as "The REDGLASSES people." No one remembered our names our even what publication we were with, but they knew we loved Sher.
Repeatedly, we were thanked for continuing the party list and for establishing the scholarship fund to remember REDGLASSES. What no one said forthrightly, but implied was, "Thank you for being here to help up grieve the death of our friend." Our bodily presence at Comdex gave the computer industry and press someone to talk to, someone to express their outrage and sadness to over Sher's murder. The party list gave them something to clutch, to save, to remember REDLGASSES with. At every party, there was someone new for us to break the news to. Our project had turned into a weeklong wake, complete with food, drink, and friends to mourn Sher. On the last page of the Party List were stories and memories that we had received about this unique individual. Each day, we heard new stories and reminiscences about him. Some were hilariously funny, some typical of his helpfulness and friendliness, and some just described this multi dimensional man who wore so many faces and hats: One man said, "... I thought he was a certified SOB--but so am I. That's why I liked him so much!"
There were a couple of jerks who said negative things to us, but all we had to do was point out the great number of those who missed REDGLASSES and were mourning him to put them in their place. No doubt about it, Sher wasn't the most diplomatic soul, so I wasn't surprised that there were some he had offended by his bluntness. What did surprise me was the intensity and sincerity of those at Comdex who mourned him.
Many asked if we were going to continue the party list every year. I don't think so. It was a tremendous amount of work, even with Sher's friends helping as much as they did. Even though it was a labor of love, I'm not sure it is something I want to tackle every year. This year it was healing for me and for those at Comdex. Even now I can't type without tears filling my eyes when I think he is gone for good. He was one of a kind, and so was his Party List. Even though I tried to add some REDGLASSES touches to the list, it wasn't as good as he would have done, and I know it. By jumping into the Party List project immediately after he was cremated, perhaps it was my way of going into denial. Maybe now it is time to allow the realization of his death to sink in. But, then, I wonder; maybe, it never will.
P.S. (From Terrance Kibiloski, Editor, Computer Times)
As I edited this article for publication I felt an overwhelming connection to Sher and knew he wished me to give the following message to all his friends throughout the world:
"I mean this sincerely. Thanks for the wonderful memories. You are all my good friends and I love you. You'd better be knowing that."
The COMDEX Fall '99 Party List is reproduced below
Go directly to page 5 of party list for stories about REDGLASSES.
OFFICIAL 1999 FALL COMDEX PARTY LIST
MONDAY through THURSDAY
IN MEMORIUM
Editor Terrance Kibiloski and Executive Editor Charlene Jones of Computer Times are continuing the "REDGLASSES" Party List at COMDEX Fall '99 as a tribute and memorial to Sher Bolter "REDGLASSES" who was brutally murdered on Friday, September 24, 1999, as he worked on his computer at home in Louisville. In conjunction with the party list, Computer Times has established a Sher Bolter "REDGLASSES" Memorial Scholarship Fund to assist young people with a business/computer education at Sullivan College in Louisville. All proceeds from the fund/party list will go towards the scholarship fund. Send contributions for the fund to "REDGLASSES," P.O. Box 939, Bardstown, KY 40004. (Press release of Sher's murder is at http://computertimes.com.)
Monday
, November 15, 1999RSVP 831-479-7329
11:30 am - 2:00 pm -
Pat Meier Lunch @ Piero's 355 Convention Ctr. Drive Strict Press INVITATION ONLY Pat gives hungry press ummm good food and a great place to meet with vendors. Lunch@Piero's is packed with a string of vendors who can put you in the know about what's new and hot in the field. Come meet with the vendors on a full stomach cause the smell of that food won't let you do it before lunch!
Monday, November 15 REDGLASSES Party List continued
Tuesday
, November 16, 1999RSVP 831-479-7329
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Pat Meier Lunch @ Piero's 355 Convention Ctr. Drive Strict Press INVITATION ONLY Pat gives hungry press ummm good food and a great place to meet with vendors. Lunch@Piero's is packed with a string of vendors who can put you in the know about what's new and hot in the field. Come meet with the vendors on a full stomach cause the smell of that food won't let you do it before lunch!a) DO LUNCH@ PIERO'S with these vendors Monday throughThursday: Enfish, GraphOn, MacmillanUSA, Macmillan/Linux, Nokia, Vidia, Peachtree, and Proxima.
b) Creative Good, SageUS, Tektronix, Uniloc, and Xerox will be around only on Monday and Tuesday
c) InformIT only on Tuesday 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Wednesday
, November 17, 1999RSVP 831-479-7329
DO LUNCH@ PIERO'S with these vendors
Monday through Thursday:
Thursday, November 18, 1999
DO LUNCH@ PIERO'S with these vendors
Monday through Thursday:
Congratulations to Richard and Elizabeth Oppenheim who were married earlier this year. Sher was VERY happy for these soul mates! Copies of Elizabeth Oppenheim's book The Place: Survival Rations Encouragement for Troops at the Crossroads are available for $10 each. For details, contact AUSTEN46@AOL.COM.
With special thanks to Richard and Elizabeth Oppenheim (The Newlyweds), Arlen Solomon, Glen Anderson, Phil Levi, Robert Mager, Greg Weinstein, Mad Monk, Chris Vogt, Alan Brody, and all of Sher's friends and associates
for their help in making this final party list possible.
REDGLASSES
OFFICIAL 1999 FALL COMDEX PARTY LIST
I spoke with different people here at Philips and we shared some warm, funny stories about Sher [REDGLASSES] but all of them seemed too long and difficult to synopsize without seeming trite, which is how we came up with "Sher touched a lot of people at Philips, and he will be missed dearly."
PHILIPS Electronics (via Jennifer Muchow Massaro)
You did not have to see him to know that Sher had entered the room. More than just "REDGLASSES," his booming voice with the ability to talk across the room with anyone at any time made his presence felt (physically and emotionally). I felt like one of the specials - the ones that got a big old bear hug to show how happy he was to be with you. From that point on, you could not pass him in the aisle or at a press event without him insisting that you sit down and participate in the conversation that was happening. He kept track of everyone, how he did it was only one of his gifts.
Richard Oppenheim
"Baseball had Harry Carey. Television has Barney. Our industry has few colorful characters: "REDGLASSES" was one. He could be your best pal or prickly as a porcupine. But, you could always count on seeing him there, through wind, rain, and flood (quite literally). A true story: my father passed away suddenly, a couple of years ago. Sher surprised me with a kind testimonial on his party list that Spring. You see, he understood. 'May his memory be for a blessing.'"
Greg Weinstein, Editor/Publisher, PC Register
The one thing I remember most about Sher was his exuberant happiness for others good fortune. He seemed to revel in other people's smiles and was amazingly observant and forthright when things were down. Sher was a real people person and never let business block the path to his heart.
Pat Meier (paatmeier@patmeier.com)