5. May 20, 1990

The annual party found a new home at the city park in front of the Cedar Door on West First. “Gus Koerner at the Cedar Door is a great guy to work with,” says David Arnsberger. “We always had a great time at his place.” This year’s event goes down in history because Jim Franklin’s poster featuring a crushed can of SPAM® and the legend “Paté Passé?” (an homage to his earlier SPAMARAMA™ poster from the Seventies, Dead Armadillo in the Middle of the Road) so offended the humorless Hormel Company that they began filing lawsuits. They sued Franklin, Be-Bop Printing, The Austin Chronicle, and SPAMARAMA™ founder Dave Arnsberger, once they could find him. A settlement was finally reached, and SPAMARAMA™ lives on.

This article appears in March 31 • 2000.

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