How to become Rich ‘N Famous

Change your name, of course.

Mason City Globe-Gazette - Mar 31, 1981

As far as I can tell, Thomas Clark Twyman never did live up to his changed name. Actually, it’s not even an original gag. I found several musicians (such as the one below, from Australia) calling themselves Rich N. Famous.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 09, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Odd Names, 1980s

The Ohwadas and their Tattoos

An instance of the Formerly Weird becoming No Longer Weird.







Original article here.

More pics here.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 09, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Art, Eccentrics, Museums, Foreign Customs, 1980s, Asia

The Seat That Burns

Concerned by an increasing number of attacks on cab drivers, Parisian taxi drivers in 1987 began outfitting their cars with a device called "le siege qui brule" ('the seat that burns'), which could electrify unruly passengers with 52,000 volts.


As far as I can tell, the devices were outlawed a few months after their introduction.

Hazleton Standard-Speaker - Oct 23, 1987

Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 18, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Crime, Motor Vehicles, 1980s

Dr. John Bongiovanni, the blind surgeon

So, how many decisions during surgery don't require eyesight?

Philadelphia Daily News - Mar 2, 1984

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Aug 26, 1984

Posted By: Alex - Sat Mar 16, 2019 - Comments (7)
Category: Surgery, 1980s, Eyes and Vision

Mannequin

Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 14, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Delusions, Fantasies and Other Tricks of the Imagination, Fashion, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, 1980s

The day my kid went punk

1987 ABC Afterschool Special. You might recognize Doc from The Love Boat as the father of the wayward teenager.

IMDB page.

Akron Beacon Journal - Oct 21, 1987

Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 11, 2019 - Comments (5)
Category: Music, Television, 1980s

The Garbage Pail Kids Movie

The Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 08, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Antisocial Activites, Bums, Hobos, Tramps, Beggars, Panhandlers and Other Streetpeople, Disasters, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, 1980s, Fictional Monsters

Spanish for the California farmer

First published in 1981. It included translations for phrases a farmer might need to communicate with his workers, such as, “Clean up your camp. You live like a f**king pig.”

One of the authors noted: “This is a practical book. This is not a grammar book. If you want to have beautiful Spanish, you can get your grammar books and go to school. If you want to be practical in a farm case, you have to know the slang. People use the language.”

The book is available on Amazon, though listed as “Out of Print — Limited Availability.”

Wilmington Morning News - Jan 9, 1983

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 28, 2019 - Comments (7)
Category: Languages, Books, 1980s

Mystery Gadget 70

What is this tool used for?

Answer is here.

Or after the jump.

More in extended >>

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 11, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Technology, 1980s

Juror spots stolen shoes

Either this was an ingenious way to get out of jury duty, or a truly random coincidence.

What I find particularly odd is that the shoes were obviously pretty crappy, with paint spots and frayed laces. So somewhat weird that someone would steal them in the first place, and then choose to wear them while serving as a witness at a trial... and then, by sheer chance, the owner of the shoes happens to be in the jury.

Fort Lauderdale News - Jan 18, 1986

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 07, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Crime, Shoes, 1980s