40-Under-40 Galas Are Nice. But Who's Lining Up Chairs For 100-Under-100 Events?

Can you believe Harlequin Cat has been invited to NINE 40-under-40 leadership galas? And it’s not even February yet.

I just hope I don’t get invited to a 5-under-5 gala, although I bet the speeches would be short and sweet – maybe just a few words like “Thanks" or “I wanna go home.” Cupcake centerpieces would grace every table and everyone would marvel over the mac and cheese.

But back to my 40-under-40 invitations. They all pretty much read the same: “Meet business’s hottest young stars under 40. They’re value creators, dynamics leaders and agents of change.”

Recognition of these individuals inspires others, of course. It also builds readership for national business magazines and hundreds of local business journals (translation: advertising dollars).

Not knocking our future ­­­whatever-under-whatever leaders. But what happened to 60-under-60 invites? Or 70-under-70? Or do leadership skills fade at age 41?

Two years ago, the University of West Indies celebrated its 60^th anniversary by honoring 60-under-60 individuals who “support the competitiveness of our society, as well as the humanitarian dimension, to ensure that the care of the most vulnerable in our society, and in the world, are not ignored by the rich and powerful.”

Now that’s nice. Experience counts for something.

I’m thinking it’s time someone throws a 100-under-100 gala.

And I’m not talking about 100 items for $100 or less at Target.

I’m talking about a gala for value creators, dynamic leaders and agents of change.

Some Brand Pairings Make You Go Gaga.

Harlequin Cat was intrigued by Polaroid’s announcement that it has hired Lady Gaga as its creative director for a new product line coming out in late 2010.

After all, a pop superstar bringing instant cameras “into the future” is one of those brilliant ideas that makes you think, “Dang, that's so obvious! Why didn’t they think of that sooner?”

So I offer these other celebrity/brand pairings:

Taylor Swift: BONIVA (sorry, Sally Field)

Ellen DeGeneres: Caterpillar

Willie Nelson: Louis Vuitton

Donald Trump: Volkswagen

Jillan Michaels: Pizza Hut

Terry Bradshaw: Cover Girl

Tiger Woods: Not going there.

Harlequin Cat welcomes additions...

So Do Ya Think It'll Be Another Crappy Year?

Don’t mean to change the subject so drastically from my last blog entry, but last night I watched Fergie singing on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, thinking I’d wake up and embrace the first day of 2010 in a glorious, fresh-start mood.

So much for good intentions. My morning paper says the stock market is as soft as a shriveled avocado and home foreclosures look as sticky as an upside-down pineapple cake.

Guess that makes the 5.8 million Americans who've been out of work for six months a giant congealed salad of sorts -- all cold and wobbly and plopped out on the street with a giant suction sound.

So moving on to our seagull gabfest:

“Think it'll be another crappy year?”

“Since when hasn’t it been? Suppose it depends on your perspective.”