McHenry pulls plug on mascot merriment

Mattress Man and Lady Liberty are the costumed faces of a fuzzy clash between commercial speech and a city's attempt to ensure public safety

Dressed in a baby-blue costume with comically large hands, Mattress Man danced and waved until recently in front of a store in northwest suburban McHenry, doing his bit to sell the benefits of a good night's sleep.

"We usually send him out for a couple hours to attract attention," said Ray Westman, owner of the Verlo Mattress Factory store on West Elm Street. "He can't be out there for more than 5 minutes without horns starting to blow. People ... Full Story »

Posted by Ezra Fox
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Subjects: Business, Extra
Topics: Odd News
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Posted by: Posted by Ezra Fox - Aug 21, 2006 - 3:21 PM PDT
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Edited by: Ezra Fox - Aug 21, 2006 - 3:26 PM PDT

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Ezra Fox
4.0
by Ezra Fox - Oct. 1, 2008

A bizarre piece of news (and advertising culture in general), but aptly handled and with some greater implications as to first Amendment rights.

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