Category:
1990s

Survival on Mayonnaise Alone

Never mind that Eiichi Urata managed to survive for 15 days on mayonnaise alone. What seems stranger to me is that he decided to climb a mountain and took only two jumbo squeeze-tubes of mayonnaise as his food.

Tampa Bay Times - May 27, 1999

Posted By: Alex - Fri Sep 23, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Mayonnaise, 1990s

Inflatable Woman’s Bathing Suit Top

We've all seen those famous vintage ads that show inflatable bras.



But I had not realized that the gimmick had been applied also to bikinis. I cannot find any such currently for sale, however, which seems to show the idea was...a bust!

Source of article: The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 30 Jul 1992, Thu Page 11



Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 20, 2022 - Comments (9)
Category: Fashion, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1990s

Harley-Davidson Perfume

Classic business failure: "Hot Road," an eau de toilette released by Harley-Davidson in the mid-1990s and quietly discontinued a year or two later. It wasn't exactly an "on brand" product.

More info: Milwaukee Magazine



image source: parfumo.net

Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 18, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Business, Products, Success & Failure, 1990s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents

Six drown trying to save chicken

Actually, only one of them jumped into the well trying to save a chicken. The others were trying to save humans. But still, it was a mass tragedy apparently started by an attempt to save a chicken.

Edmonton Journal - Aug 2, 1995

Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 04, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Death, 1990s

Self-Witness

1979: Thomas Martin, an assistant manager at a Jack in the Box restaurant, told police he was robbed of $307 while closing up the store. Police asked him to describe the robber. He described himself. He later confessed to taking the money from the store.

I wonder if this sketch is preserved somewhere in the archives of the Oroville, CA police department.

Kenosha News - Mar 9, 1979

Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 03, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Stupid Criminals, 1990s

Robbing a glue factory

I assume they got the charges to stick.

Decatur Herald and Review - Nov 28, 1993

Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 24, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Stupid Criminals, 1990s

Fingos

A classic business failure. In the early 1990s, the marketing team at General Mills came up with the idea of a cereal that could be eaten without milk any time of day. Despite spending millions to promote it, hardly anyone bought the stuff.

From Wikipedia:

The cereal pieces were shaped as hexagons and were advertised as food that could be eaten at any time of the day... Consumers were confused by the marketing concept when Fingos were released due to it being advertised as a snack despite being in the cereal section. Fingos were unsuccessful and were discontinued in 1994.

As the Gone But Not Forgotten Groceries blog notes: "All cereals can be eaten by hand if you don't add milk."

Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 08, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Business, Cereal, 1990s

The Tennessee Head Banger

Tom Myslinski, who was an offensive lineman for the Tennessee Volunteers, had an unusual pre-game ritual. He would psych himself up by banging his head against doors, cabinets, walls, towel dispensers, etc. Without a helmet.

One of his teammates explained that he did this "until his eyes get all bloodshot and, then, blood is pouring from his forehead."

Myslinski noted, "It's just my way to pick up the intensity. To tell you the truth, I have no idea why I do it. Afterwards, sometimes, I say to myself that it sure was stupid because my head hurts."

Myslinski went on to play for nine seasons in the NFL and is now a strength and conditioning coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kingsport Times - Nov 20, 1991



Arizona Republic - Dec 27, 1991

Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 07, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Rituals and Superstitions, Sports, 1990s, Brain Damage

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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