La Grange Village Trustee Tom Livingston appeared on the Fox News in the Morning television program today in recognition of tonight's final appearance of Chief Illiniwek, the controversial mascot of the University of Illinois.
Livingston is one of only 35 Illinois students to portray the Chief, a long-time fixture at university athletic games and events.
The mascot is being retired in response to complaints that the Chief is an insulting caricature of Native American people.
Livingston defended the mascot, telling Fox host Tamron Hall that he always considered his portrayal of the Chief "very honorable."
He said he will continue to attend univerisity events and encouraged others to do the same. But he said that without Chief Illiniwek, "It won't be the same. There will be a void."
Chief Illiniwek will make his last official appearance tonight in Champaign when the school's basketball team takes on the University of Michigan.
