The results of The Sun's second-annual Most Famous Person from Naperville poll are in, and author Susan Elizabeth Phillips picks up this year's crown. We offered 12 nominees, but there were more names we could have included. Who did we leave out?
What was interesting about this year's lineup is that it included SEVEN -- yes, 7 different names than last year's list of nominees. Newbies included reality show stars and people from the political realm. Of course, this meant we had to drop seven names from last year. They were athletes Jerry Hairston, Jr., Justin McCareins and Sean Payton; and entertainers Jim Sonefeld, Marisol Nichols, David Eigenberg and Harry Kalas.
Who should we include in next year's list of nominees, and why?
I just have to offer up winner Susan Elizabeth Phillips' e-mail responses to our questions Friday.
----- Original Message -----
From: Slowik, Ted
To: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 11:29 AM
Subject: Congratulations!
Hey, Susan:
Congratulations! You received the most votes in our 2007 Most Famous Person from Naperville poll.
I’m working on a short results story for Sunday. Care to comment, please?
To what do you attribute your success in the poll?
Did you do anything to publicize the poll to your readers and fans, on your Web site or in any other way?
This year’s designation guarantees you a spot among the 12 nominees for next year’s poll. Any thoughts on defending your title, and becoming the first two-time winner of the honor?
Have fun with it,
Ted.
Susan's response:
A SHORT feature?! You're only planning a SHORT feature to announce this momentous event?! Where is my front page? Sidebars? Photos? Please tell me at least a tiara and sash come with this award! No...? Well, even if they don't, I'm ridiculously pleased. I love this town and, I can't help but note that I was one of the few people in the poll who currently still resides in Naperville. My husband Bill and I have lived here for twenty years and have no intention of going anywhere. Quibble away, but for me, Naperville, Illinois, is the American dream.
I attribute my win to some great Naperville friends, my husband's Cress Creek golfing buddies, and some loyal readers. I did remind my local friends that we live in the Chicago area, which meant they were obliged to vote early and often. Dead relatives count, too. I also posted an announcement about the poll on my website message board but I did not..REPEAT...I did NOT unleash the full power of the Internet and my 40,000 plus mailing list, which would have been beyond unfair. (All right, I was sorely tempted, but only because I was afraid of ending up at the bottom, and after the stink I put up last year about being left off the ballot entirely, that would have been beyond humiliating.)
In the spirit of full disclosure... When some of my readers got wind of the contest, they notified a few other readers, and I happen to know votes came in from Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Germany--places that had never heard of Naperville but now know about our lovely town and the Naperville Sun website, so I don't feel guilty. I also cast a few votes of my own for Candace Parker, and a couple of my readers adore Evan Lysacek. Then there's my small leftover crush on last year's winner, hunky dinosaur guy... So we did spread the wealth around.
As for defending my title next year.... This year was stressful enough; I can't deal with looking ahead. Still...the possibility of becoming the first two-time winner is definitely enticing, and I'll surely have 50,000 readers on my Internet mailing list by then. Oh, the temptation...
In conclusion, I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me and urge those who didn't to at least pick up a copy of one of my books. I promise to do my best to heal any leftover wounds from this brutal campaign and to carry out my reign with grace and dignity. Okay, forget that... I can trip over a clean carpet and no one has ever called me dignified. How about if I promise to continue proclaiming far and wide my love for our wonderful city?
Why Dick Furstenau of course! He pretty much got EVERY Naperville residents attention real quick. Oh, wait a minute, we also have Peter Burchard who was also able to capture the spotlight of all of Naperville.
I know this is rather premature but I suggest you have DUAL nominees for the Most Infamous, or Famous depending on your viewpoint, Person from Naperville for the 2008 poll. At the risk of sounding a little altruistic, maybe they would become friends?
I was surprised that actor David Eigenberg wasn't on your list at all.
How is it that I was born at Edward Hospital, raised in Naperville and still reside here that I have no idea who Susan Phillips is?
Twice as many votes as the second most famous? Something is amiss with either me or your vote tallying.
Note to Tired: David Eigenberg? Except for his stint on "Sex and the City" what's he's done, except vanish from the Hollywood scene. The show's been off the air for a few years now. David who?
Not you, CB. No clue who she is here either. I agree with you, Tired. He came to mind also.
How about our hometown hero, Dan Shanower?
Most famous?
How about the OUT OF CONTROL Police we have?
They made USA Today, CNN, Jalopnik.
I for one am scared to drive past 10 pm.
I for one say our out of control, overbearing Police force is by far what we are known for!
I can't wait for our first taser incident. Its a matter of time.
http://jalopnik.com/cars/news/dont-get-stuffed-turkey-day-list-of-worst-speed-traps-325397.php
I am Naperville's most famous person: SCOTT HUBER!! I ran for mayor, Im on FLICKR.com, I threaten to sue every restaurant that bans me, Im Homeless...Come on readers, Im Mr. Naperville!!! Scott Huber
Neuqua parent Mark Spangler who spent $18,000 on lobbyists in an effort to persuade state legislators not to grant District 204 "quick-take" in the district's boneheaded effort to take the Brach-Brodie farm from the rightful owners. Thank goodness this bill never passed or the taxpayers would have been on the hook for tens of millions more and the unnecessary $124.6 million high school would have become $141 million and growing!
If not the most famous, he should be honored as the Naperville Citizen of the year!
Isn't it funny that K. Zellner never even made the story.I guess working HARD to try to ensure some accountabilies by crooked police officers ain't the Napercity's cup of TEE.See Kevin /Mellisa FOX,Coach Mike,and many others she has SAVED from police who act badly.
Say, what's with that enormous ball of trash that functions as a cocoon for this Huber character? Someone must owe this guy big time to allow him to sleep 24 hours a day on the sidewalk by Barnes and Noble. Who can expose this situation to those of us who see it as an obnoxious eyesore?
Christopher,
You can read about Naperville freedom fighter, Scott Huber here- http://flickr.com/photos/7506162@N08/2370191842/
He starts out talking about how corrupt Naperville is, which is entertaining... then it kind of takes a turn for the weird as he starts ranting about wind sheer and strategic missile defense.
I'm curious: When someone posts on a blog in the archives, how do other people notice it so quickly?
Well if you're using a Mac and Safari you can clip out a part of a web page and turn it in to a dashboard widget which sits on your desktop. I clipped out the "Recent Comments" from the right column on the main page. I think you can do something similar using a PC and Yahoo Widgets, but I'm not sure.
I suspect most people just see it in the Recent Comments section.
John Q., I didn't realize we had that function.
Stick aroun', kid. Ol' John Q'll learn ya a thing or two. ;-)