How Effective Are Polls - Woody Allen Versus Paco Pena

Fame, like a spoilt little rich kid, is fickle and can be extremely cruel. As applied to individuals, it's effects may span thousands of years, or be consumed in a week. For some reason, certain successful people only attain fame far from home. It's believed, for example, that God-fearing adults in Nebraska or Utad wouldn't know Woody Allen from a bar of soap, whereas in Barcelona, who doesn't know Woody Allen? When his Barcelona movie is finally released (soon!), there's no telling what level of collective hysteria could possibly afflict the citizens of this fair city. As usual, head nodding and thigh slapping audiences will get the jokes way before they are finished.

Now if we were to ask the average Spaniards - oh yes, it's widely held that such a being does indeed exists, maybe a bit worse for wear, but still alive and kicking - to name a famous flamenco guitarist, he or she would most likely say Paco de Lucia. Maybe Tomatito would even get a mention. In a similar poll posed to average Brit, Paco de Lucia might possibly register a mention or two. But for most members of the 4o-ish group, the immediate answer would be Paco Pena, with Manitas de Plata not far behind.

Let's move on to the next leg of this intriguing poll. Spaniards chosen at random in any city of the kingdom are asked point blank: Who is Paco Pena? Excluding the long winded replies of caballeros who happen to have been christened with the said name, it's odds on nobody knows. Ah, but if an astute interviewer were to ask former Prime Minister Aznar the same trick question, the whole nation would soon learn that Paco Pena (Cordoba, 1942) is no other than a world famous Flamenco guitar virtuoso, composer, dramatist, and Tony Blair's personal friend and mentor.

Does his name ring a bell now? Think back a decade to the balmy April days of 1998. Blair was Paco Pena's guest for a few days in Cordoba. There are photos to prove it.

Tags:PacoPena,WoodyAllen,TonyBlair

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