ASK A VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. THIS MONTH’S QUESTION WAS SUGGESTED BY DENVER VOICE VENDOR LARMARQUES SMITH Q A Who was your childhood hero and why? Now that you’re an adult, are they still your hero? JERRY ROSEN I would say that Superman was my hero, as he did quite astonishing things that no one else could do. Yes, he still is my hero as he was quite an individual. LARMARQUES SMITH My mom and I watched a lot of cartoons together. My two favorites were Jonny Quest and Scooby Doo. Both shows were mystery-based, and I thought it was so cool that the cast of Jonny Quest was a family, and they worked on solving mysteries together. The Scooby Doo cast was essentially the same – a tight-knit group of friends solving mysteries together. Fast-forward some 30-odd years… Jonny Quest still is one of my heroes. The show’s theme song takes me back to a simpler time, when music was music, and full orchestras were used during the opening credits. Dr. Quest, Race Bannon, Jonny, Hadji, and most of all, their dog, Bandit, still are my heroes, along with those “meddling kids” and that “damn dog,” Scooby Doo. JASON MARTIN My childhood heroes were definitely Batman and Robin. I remember watching [the TV show] religiously every week. Then came the dreaded weekends. No Batman until Monday after school (Ugh)!!! Yes, Bruce Wayne could still be my hero, mentor, and god. Bruce Wayne was definitely [part of] the Illuminati, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and a Free Mason. He is the stand-up, philanthropic type of guy we need to save Mother Earth. MICHAEL BURKLEY My childhood heroes were my school teachers. I grew up in Tulsa, and later, I went to high school in Houston. I can’t stress enough how important they were. One teacher who sticks out is my music teacher in elementary school. She is still my mentor today. CASSANDRIA CARMOUCHE There’s only one man on this entire planet that will forever be my hero. He has been there to encourage, inspire, and motivate me my entire life. Even though I have caused him great pain at times with my poor decisions, he has never put me down or belittled me. My hero stands 5’9”, however, in my eyes, his stature is taller than Goliath. He has the faith of Job and seeks God’s heart like David. This man isn’t wealthy, but rich in spirit and love. He’s not a perfect man, but he is humble about the wrongs that he’s done in his own life and taught me not to make those same mistakes. If you are wondering the name of this incredible man, it is Casanovia Faircloth, however, I call him Daddy. REA BROWN Many heroes come and go as we grow some are made of steel, others are made of snow some move very fast, others can fly or glow. whatever the substance, though, they seem to always let us know in the end, good will win even if it’s just a show. JOHN ALEXANDER King Fonzer was my childhood hero, and today, some 68 years later, he is still my hero. He was a big, big, Black man, and he was built like Paul Bunyan. He lived in the South. I am not just speaking about a big Black man who lived in the Deep South. I’m speaking of a Black man who lived in Mississippi, raising his family in the 1930s, ‘40 and 50’s – during a time when racism, prejudice, segregation, lynchings, and other atrocities against Black people were the worst in the world. As the Ku Klux Klan oversaw these activities at record-breaking levels, King Fonzer faced them – often by himself. King Fonzer had very little knowledge of what was legal or illegal, but he had a great understanding of right and wrong. If any other kid – white, Black, or other – bullied his children, he would come looking for the offender. Once he tracked them down, he would grab that person and take them to their home, where he would explain to the parents what their bullying child had done, and why it would be best not to do it again. News of King’s actions got around fast. When the police, Klan members, and people from all walks of life heard about him, they would say, “Oh, yes. That’s King Fonzer. Don’t pay him no never mind. He’s just one of those crazy n-----! Don’t waste your time with him.” But King Fonzer was not crazy. He was a man who believed that when it came to defending right from wrong, nothing would stop him. He believed in a full and honest day’s work. He would arrive at work on time, and at the end of the day, he often would say, “Well, King is tired. Now, King is going home.” Sometimes, he would stay longer. When that happened, if the boss man saw him, he would tell King that everyone else had already gone home, and King would answer, “Well, today, King is going to work a little longer.” That was King Fonzer. He stood up for what was right, protected his family, and worked hard. King Fonzer, my hero, was also my grandfather on my mother’s side. At 2023 DENVER VOICAugust 2023 DENVER VOICE 5
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