Underwear on head in restaurant

“How would you like to be eating a hamburger and turn around and see some dude wearing jockey shorts on his head?”

Indianapolis News - May 20, 1977

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 12, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Eccentrics, Headgear, Underwear, 1970s

Pina Bausch

"Is it dance?" is indeed the relevant question.

Her Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Aug 14, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Eccentrics, Surrealism, Dance

Ponyhenge

Article here.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 27, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Art, Cryptozoology, Eccentrics

George Price and Altruism

During the 1960s, scientist George Price came up with a mathematical formula to explain the evolution of altruism. This equation has been described as "the closest thing biology has to E=mc²."

Legend has it that Price subsequently became obsessed by proving that altruism was a genuine phenomenon, extending beyond family relations. He did this by giving away all his possessions to random, needy people — to the point that he himself became penniless, was evicted from his apartment, and after living in various squats throughout London, eventually committed suicide.

That's the legend, but Laura Farnworth discovered that, while the story is basically true, there's slightly more to it than that. Such as that Price was also suffering from psychotic delusions. Read more at nautil.us.

George Price

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jul 23, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Eccentrics, Mad Scientists, Evil Geniuses, Insane Villains, 1960s

Ask Lovecraft

Many, many videos here.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 20, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Eccentrics, Horror, Columnists:  Advice, Gossip, Etc, Parody

The Handy Dandy Evolution Refuter

Read online here.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 14, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Dinosaurs and Other Extinct Creatures, Antiques, Anachronisms and Throwbacks, Authorities and Experts, Eccentrics, Conspiracy Theories and Theorists, Curmudgeons and Contrarianism, Science, 1970s

Marion Stokes and Her 70,000 VHS Tapes

Article here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 28, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Eccentrics, Technology, Television, Outsider Art, Twentieth Century

Spikehorn Meyer, Friend to Bears

One of the forerunners of those folks who cuddle up to bears. Luckily, Spikehorn was never hurt.



Article here.

Find-a-grave site.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 21, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Cult Figures and Artifacts, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Twentieth Century

The World’s Most Unusual Drugstore

See their complete 1942 ad here.

"Stack it high and sell it cheap" was Doc Webb's motto. Over the years, he built his empire from a small drug store at Ninth Street and Second Avenue, opened in 1925, to a sprawling bazaar of 77 stores, covering seven city blocks. Webb was as much a national legend as his stores. The unorthodox, merchandising medicine man always had a gimmick to lure thousands of customers through the doors. At ten cents a dance, no wonder the Dancing Chicken generated excitement at Webb's City in this 1975 photo. He sold dollar bills for 89 cents and bought them back the next day for $1.35. He offered three-cent breakfasts, brought in animals that performed at the drop of a coin and mermaids who "talked." He made other merchants mad because he sold his wares below the suppliers' suggested prices.

Article source.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 20, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Business, Freebies, Come-ons and Loss Leaders, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Twentieth Century

Tony Pastor

Mr. Pastor had a somewhat unusual voice and presentation. I'm thinking Jim Nabors combined with Lou Costello.











His Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Thu May 09, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Eccentrics, Music, Twentieth Century