Motivating Employees through Spatulatastic Threats
The Golden Spatula Institute is a joint student-and-faculty group at Kirkwood Community College
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We present a Golden Spatula award (a certificate and gold-painted spatula)
annually to recognize the distinguished achievements and services by organizations and individuals who use a spatula in comedic, educational, or other endeavors.
To submit a candidate for 2008, please e-mail ckiessel@goldenspatula.net a 500-word or less description of an organization or individual who uses a spatula in an innovative, educational, comedic, or other purpose.
Why does the Golden Spatula Institute exist?
It all started in 1989 with a little movie called UHF.
In the film, "Weird Al" Yankovic plays George Newman, a "daydreaming loser",
whose uncle wins a faltering UHF television station (Channel 62) in a poker
game and reluctantly puts George in charge, along with his friend Bob).
Among its employees is a scientist/studio engineer named Philo and a spirited
news anchor/receptionist named Pamela Finklestein. Through a series of
hilarious skits and actions, Channel 62 becomes the most popular television
station of the area.
One of the most memorable skits is Spatula City, a commercial
for a store that sells nothing but spatulas.
As the fall semester started in 1989, two sophomores (Josh Farrow and Jacob Briscoe)
thought it would be funny to send "Weird Al" Yankovic a golden spatula as an
award for his movie, and so they did.
The next fall, their mutual friend Alice Nickolai, partially inspired by their spatula
obsession, wrote a student play that featured a wrathful spatula predominately. It
performed to good reviews. Josh and Jacob created another Golden Spatula award
for Alice.
Soon, the Golden Spatula became known by all students and staff at Kirkwood,
and the Golden Spatula Institute was born. No longer limited to the biased
opinions of Josh and Jacob, this student-faculty group expanded to include
anyone who used a spatula for the betterment of mankind.
In 2000, as the number of positive spatula uses dwindled, the criteria expanded
to include any comedic, useful, or innovative use of a spatula by any organization or individual.
Spatula City
News
Sep 15 2007: We have our own domain name now! www.goldenspatula.net! Sep 12 2007: The 2007 Golden Spatula winner is Tom Lenartz of Grand Rapids, MI! His award will be shipped immediately. Sep 10 2007: The website has been redesigned in anticipation of the 2007 Golden Spatula winner.
Past Winners
Year
Winner
Achievement
Picture
2007
Tom Lenartz
Motivating employees through spatulatastic threats.