Engelstad's Hitler birthday parties

[dagies]

The FBI report found that he's not a nazi. I never said he was a nazi. Nothing will ever change the fact that he threw two birthday parties for the most hated man in the history of the world. That's all I need to know.

I should probably read the available materials again before opening my yap but discretion has not always been close at my hand...

I believe there is a difference between throwing a party FOR something/someone and using it/them as an excuse to throw a themed party.

When I was much younger (but out of college, so old enough to know better) I used to joke about being the anti-christ. It had to do with silly coincidences/circumstances that had to do with me personally. I thought it was a funny joke but not everybody did (geez, I wonder why). I mean, I'm a Christian even. Now that I'm older I look back and wish I had not done that. I only bring this up because people can do tasteless things and at some point in the future come to the realization that maybe their behavior choices weren't the best. It didn't make me a devil worshipper. It certainly showed that I was immature, lacking in common sense and insensitive.

I hate to even admit this in a public forum, but it seems like the point needs to be made.

[PCM]

I hate to even admit this in a public forum, but it seems like the point needs to be made.

It's a good point, too. Thanks for making it.

[Sioux-cia]

I know a person who has NEVER made a mistake, NEVER.

Has no friends, family won't have anything to do with him, animals shy away from him, babies cry in his presence, kids don't trick or treat at his home.... Man, it's a bit@h being perfect!!

[PCM]

Here's an interesting perspective on Ralph Engelstad provided to Nevada Public Radio by Jeff Burbank. Burbank, a journalist, wrote a book entitled License to Steal that includes a frequently quoted chapter on the two Hitler birthday parties at the Imperial Palace. His comments came shortly after Engelstad's death.

Burbank refers to the parties as "tongue-in-cheek," meaning that they weren't meant to be taken seriously. He also points out that much of the controversy surrounding the parties was largely based on concerns about perception rather than any actual wrongdoing by Engelstad.

Burbank almost sounds apologetic for his role in helping to create the perception, saying:

It became the stuff of tabloid journalism, a style of writing that I, too, indulged in as a reporter covering it for the Las Vegas Sun.

Note: The link is to a streaming audio archive that requires RealPlayer.

[The Sicatoka]

I don't put throwing a Hitler birthday party(twice) in the category of doing something dumb.

If they were tongue-in-cheek events (as they were by the evidence) at the Nazis (ala Mel Brooks' "Springtime for Hitler" in the musical "The Producers", which is classic tongue-in-cheek) what's wrong with that?

Note to self: Defer any donations from Mel Brooks.

[IowaBison]

Would any of you guys go to a tongue-in-check party with a Nazi motif?

[Slap Shot]

Would any of you guys go to a tongue-in-check party with a Nazi motif?

If any of us had, should we deserve to be maligned for years and years after we died - despite perhaps everything else we had accomplished in our lives? How many famous people in history have their picadillos re-examined as often as this one? Seemingly only those associated with sports programs and usually limited to the fans of their greatest rivals.

[The Sicatoka]

Would any of you guys go to a tongue-in-check party with a Nazi motif?

Do I want to give Mel Brooks from $66 to over $200 to attend "The Producers"?

At least Ralph didn't make a buck off of his "celebrations" of Hitler.

[redwing77]

Do I want to give Mel Brooks from $66 to over $200 to attend "The Producers"?

At least Ralph didn't make a buck off of his "celebrations" of Hitler.

Oh dear Parise, I'm a racist and a Nazi!

I laughed HARD when I saw the Producers (the movie with Gene Wilder). My parents are Nazis because they saw the same movie AND saw Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the Producers on Broadway.

Oh man..... Oh dear....

[HockeyMom]

Oh dear Parise, I'm a racist and a Nazi!

I laughed HARD when I saw the Producers (the movie with Gene Wilder). My parents are Nazis because they saw the same movie AND saw Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the Producers on Broadway.

Oh man..... Oh dear....

I thought Gay Speedskating Hitler was hilarious on SNL.

[PCM]

Would any of you guys go to a tongue-in-check party with a Nazi motif?

Would you go to a tongue-in-cheek private party with a satanic motif?

[IowaBison]

Would you go to a tongue-in-cheek private party with a satanic motif?

Me, no.

(You definitely got the wrong guy PCM.)

[Sioux-cia]

I thought Gay Speedskating Hitler was hilarious on SNL.

Oh my Gawd!!! Sorry for laughing! But I see a Jewish boy, a white Catholic girl and a brown Catholic girl all laughing at the same Nazi/Hitler spoofs. I can almost hear ol' Adolph spinning on his rotissaire in hell!!

[PCM]

(You definitely got the wrong guy PCM.)

Wrong guy for what? I just asked a question.

Here's a couple more questions: Would you watch a TV sit-com about a World War II Nazi prison camp? Would you laugh at the jokes?

[Diggler]

So I'll just ask the question I've always wondered about. Why was it so terrible that Engelstad threw Hitler parties, but no one gives a crap that he had Stalin parties? Both killed millions of people for no reason at all. Why is Nazi so much worse then Communist?

[SiouxMeNow]

For the sake of everyone here I'm going to skip the "tongue-in-check" thing IowaBison...I just don't have the energy anymore...

Here's a little story for you...my wife and I recently got back from a trip to Vegas. We stayed at the Imperial Palace because I figured...hey, if Ralph tossed $100 million plus+ GF's way? The least I can do is return the favor with a couple hundred dollars. When we checked in - the desk clerk (from Pakistan I think?) said..."oh - you're from Grand Forks?" He went on to rave about how Ralph kept everyone on the payroll after 9/11 when all the other Vegas hotels were laying people off left and right and how he and other employees missed him after his passing. I told him we owed him a lot too and lifted up my REA luggage bag and he smiled and gave us a free room upgrade and moved us to a more quiet floor...no extra charge. That whole "Hitler" party thing was a JOKE! (apparently "big time" schools have no sense of humor ) Nice try though making a mountain out of an OLD mole hill. Maybe someday someone will give 'su money like that then you can cry about the rectal exam HE/SHE receives about it...even 5 years after the fact!!! Get a life...

[IowaBison]

Wrong guy for what? I just asked a question.

Here's a couple more questions: Would you watch a TV sit-com about a World War II Nazi prison camp? Would you laugh at the jokes?

I'm very religious. I wouldn't be caught dead in a tongue-in-cheek anti-religious anything.

[IowaBison]

For the sake of everyone here I'm going to skip the "tongue-in-check" thing IowaBison...I just don't have the energy anymore...

Here's a little story for you...my wife and I recently got back from a trip to Vegas. We stayed at the Imperial Palace because I figured...hey, if Ralph tossed $100 million plus+ GF's way? The least I can do is return the favor with a couple hundred dollars. When we checked in - the desk clerk (from Pakistan I think?) said..."oh - you're from Grand Forks?" He went on to rave about how Ralph kept everyone on the payroll after 9/11 when all the other Vegas hotels were laying people off left and right and how he and other employees missed him after his passing. I told him we owed him a lot too and lifted up my REA luggage bag and he smiled and gave us a free room upgrade and moved us to a more quiet floor...no extra charge. That whole "Hitler" party thing was a JOKE! (apparently "big time" schools have no sense of humor ) Nice try though making a mountain out of an OLD mole hill. Maybe someday someone will give 'su money like that then you can cry about the rectal exam HE/SHE receives about it...even 5 years after the fact!!! Get a life...

Was that directed at me?

Have you read any of my posts on this thread?

[Bison Dan]

I really doubt that Ralph was into the Nazi thing like some people want to make out. No sane person would wish to be associated with Nazi's.

[The Sicatoka]

Here's a couple more questions: Would you watch a TV sit-com about a World War II Nazi prison camp? Would you laugh at the jokes?

Ho-o-o-o-o-ogan!

I see no-thing! I hear no-o-othing!

Amazing point.

As good as Mel Brooks.

[siouxforeverbaby]

Ok, I wasn't going to reply to this but I feel I must get this off my chest. Whether he threw Nazi THEMED parties or not, from what I have heard about Ralph he was a nice guy. We are never going to know for sure if he was a Nazi supporter or not because the only person who can tell us that is Ralph. Don't know about you, but I don't have his phone number at the moment. GET OVER IT AND LET THE MAN REST IN PEACE. He apologized, so why can't we all get along and stop ranting over this. Everyone makes mistakes. Sorry for the long rant, but after 4 pages I had to get this off my chest.

Ok, I feel better now.

[fightonsioux]

I wasn't going to reply either, but this thread won't go away.

My understanding is his staff threw the parties as a joke and Ralph took the heat for it.

[Siouxmama]

I wasn't going to reply either, but this thread won't go away.

My understanding is his staff threw the parties as a joke and Ralph took the heat for it.

Where did you hear that? I'm just curious, since this has been here in discussion for a while, and thats never been brought up.

[redwing77]

I'm very religious. I wouldn't be caught dead in a tongue-in-cheek anti-religious anything.

So all I'd have to keep you away is:

1. Hold a book discussion on the "Da Vinci Code"

2. Play Van Halen's "Running with the Devil," Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Devil Gone down to Georgia," and Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell"

3. Play the movie "Dogma"

[IowaBison]

So all I'd have to keep you away is:

1. Hold a book discussion on the "Da Vinci Code"

2. Play Van Halen's "Running with the Devil," Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Devil Gone down to Georgia," and Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell"

3. Play the movie "Dogma"

1. I wouldn't go to your book discussion because I think the conversation would end up being out of your league.

2. No problem with those.

3. That was a horrible movie and yes, I was offended in that case. Being blasphemous for the sake of blasphemy should be offensive to anyone who holds anything sacred.