Nursing homes, sponsor a talent contest

My ears perked up last week when my local TV station aired a story about the Ms. Missouri Nursing Home Contest.

I smiled when I saw the video of one of the frail contestants, in great “American Ido”l tradition, crooning “It Had to be You” into the microphone.

I’m foggy on the details, but I seem to remember the reporter saying that the woman who was crowned Ms. Missouri Nursing Home Queen admitted to being naughty many years ago when she snuck into a bar to get some gin.

Then I said to myself, “Now there’s a fun publicity stunt.”

After 10 years spent traipsing in and out of nursing homes visiting my sick mother, I can understand why the media don’t like covering those places.

They’re depressing. And, sorry, but every nursing home I’ve ever been in smelled bad.  Even the super-expensive ones where my mom lived. About the only time the media pay attention to them is when a resident wanders out the door, and police issue an all-points bulletin.

TV stations love stories like the Ms. Missouri Nursing Home Queen. If you manage a nursing home, go ahead and steal the idea. In fact, why not tie it to tomorrow night’s final episode of  “American Idol,” which will air on FOX.

Piggybacking onto hot TV shows, movies and celebrities has never been easier because celebrity news has never been hotter. So why do so few Publicity Hounds take advantage of this trick? See “Special Report #50: How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue.”