Just mentioning the name Jennings Osborne in public can draw emotional responses. He can be called Santa, or Scrooge, depending on who’s doing the talking. The Little Rock businessman is used to this. As a philanthropist he has fed thousands and thousands of people, has given generously to keep an animal shelter’s doors open, has lighted scores of Arkansas towns and has made many Fourth of July celebrations better with his incredible fireworks displays. Still, in some quarters he gets no respect.
We’ve always been curious about this man who seems to be incapable of doing anything small. Here, in his own words, he talks about the past, the present and the future.
Soirée: Jennings, what year was it that you first lighted your Cantrell Road house for Christmas, and is it true that you did it because your only child Breezy said she wanted some lights?
Osborne: 1985. Yes, Breezy asked me for Christmas lights, and since I can’t do anything in moderation … The first Christmas light display was very modest, and as the years progressed it was “Osborne-ized.”
Were you surprised at the reaction of your neighbors? Please explain your answer.
Yes. We were trying to give something away to the whole city. Since some of our neighbors never give anything away but criticism, how would they ever understand what we are doing? We created a situation that we thought was very unique so that a lot of people who never got to go to Disney World could enjoy what we’d created on Cantrell. Possibly a substitute. The two most vocal neighbors against the display live two miles away. They never comprehended what we were trying to do. Their biggest concern was having to turn right instead of left to get to their favorite French restaurant.
What was the worst thing that came out of the whole lighting thing? What was the best?
The worst thing that came out of the lighting display is that I can never put up Christmas lights at my home unless I want to pay $10,000 a day. Thank you, Arkansas Supreme Court. I turned them on one day, and they cashed my check. Been there, done that. Breezy has asked me many times if I would put the lights back for her. I probably will in my lifetime. I must pay my VISA bill off first.
Little did I know that once the Supreme Court told me I could never put Christmas lights up again, the good Lord opened a million doors. We have sponsored light displays in 34 cities throughout Arkansas. We also had the privilege of decorating Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., and my good friend Jimmy Carter’s hometown of Plains, Ga. But one of the best things to come out of our misfortune is that we are now at Disney World. There, millions of people including Mickey and Minnie can enjoy our lights during the Christmas holiday. Our lights have been on display for eight years and will continue for another 10 years.
How did feeding people come about, and how long have you been doing that? How did the fireworks begin?
One of our greatest pleasures (Mitzi, Breezy, her husband Paul and I) is going into a small town and feeding every person who comes to our tent. We serve 11 pounds of barbecue to everyone. We never expect the person to eat all the food in one sitting. Our normal menu consists of a two-pound bone-in beef rib, one whole chicken, three-pound pork sandwich, three heaping slices of pork tenderloin, two slices of beef brisket, four slices of Cajun sausage, potato salad, coleslaw, potato chips, a bottle of Osborne water, one giant candy cane — and we include an Osborne baseball cap.
Normally 2,000-4,000 people attend our BBQs. We never turn anybody away. We always provide take-home trays so that none of the food goes to waste.
We hope that creates lifetime memories.
We started doing the fireworks displays on Lake Hamilton for the Fourth of July and Labor Day and then displays at Riverfest, at Razorback games and to complement our evening BBQs statewide.
Do you keep up with the costs? How much do you think you have spent on lighting, fireworks and food over the years?
No, but I’m sure the Internal Revenue Service does. Maybe it’s $31 zillion.
Are you already working on the fireworks project for the opening of the Presidential Library? Want to tease us with a few details?
We are planning the largest fireworks display in the history of Arkansas.
Jennings, you appear to be nonpartisan in your support of politicians. What’s up with that? What character traits do you seek in the politicians you support? Have you ever supported someone who disappointed you?
I usually support the person I consider the best who is not strictly following party lines. I have never been disappointed with anybody that I have supported, although I have been disappointed in other ways. Two of the worst nightmares of my life were Tim Hutchinson and Mark Pryor when they ran against each other for the U.S. Senate. I had known them both and liked them both. But in the end I supported Tim. Now that all the dust has settled I feel like I have lost the friendship of the Pryor family, and I just hate that.
If you had to describe yourself by completing this sentence what would you say: I am a man who _____.
I am a man who works hard and plays hard. I have a wonderful family, enjoy making people happy and creating memories and am always looking for the partridge in the pear tree.
I’m sure you are well aware that you have critics as well as fans. Some people didn’t like the lighting displays at your home; some people criticize the amount of food you give away at so many events. It makes us wonder, are the critics in the minority? How do you deal with negativity, and how do you deal with it when it becomes personal?
It is very difficult to satisfy everybody, but I try. I receive very few negative letters, and when I do they are unsigned and do not have a return address. (I always consider the source and ignore it.) We receive thousands of thank-you letters and e-mails from all our events, which truly makes it all worthwhile.
When people attack me personally, they have to do it numerous times before I am provoked. If they attack my family, I deal with it swiftly and hard.
On the more positive side, what kinds of reactions do you get from people who appreciate all you do? We know you aren’t being kind just to get publicity. In fact we feel positive about that. Just tell us about the different kinds of thank-yous that must come your way daily.
We have received everything from homemade afghans and windmills to a simple drawing by a first-grader. They all say, “I love you and thank you.”
If you could clear up any misconception the public might have about the Osborne Family, what would it be?
Many years ago when we put up the wall around our home on Cantrell everyone thought we were the Mafia. I think we are an extremely down-to-earth family which usually shies away from fancy social scenes and country clubs. We are truly blessed and use our God-given happiness to share with mankind.
We know you are friends with Jimmy Carter and several celebrities and such. Besides these, whom do you admire? Anyone you’d like to meet whom you haven’t met?
I wish I could have met John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I like to see the faces of people who have just watched my fireworks, eaten my BBQ and have just seen my Christmas lights.
What do you want for Christmas?
I don’t need anything for Christmas, just the life to enjoy what I have now.