Psychedelic icon and former presidential candidate Wavy Gravy (above with Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy) turns 73 today. Not familiar with his political career?
It all began back in the 1960's when many people voted for Lyndon Baines Johnson over Barry Goldwater because they thought that Johnson was the peace candidate, only to discover later that, in Wavy's words, "LBJ teamed up with Bob McNamara to kill more people, more efficiently than anybody since Attila the Hun." In response, four years later Wavy Gravy countered the lack of good candidates by running a swine for president called Pigasus, "a hampshire hog of great stature, and the first black and white female candidate."
In the next election cycle Wavy Gravy decided to run a Rock n' Roll ticket, consisting of an actual stone for president and a jelly roll for vice-president. At campaign events they would pass out jelly rolls so that the audience could devour the vice-presidential candidate at each rally. The Rock n' Roll campaign came to an abrupt end however when Wavy Gravy (who used to be known as Hugh Romney, a friend and contemporary of Lenny Bruce, before he changed his name to Wavy Gravy after an LSD trip in which he experienced himself melting into an undulating pool of gravy) lost the rock he used as the presidential nominee by leaving the candidate behind in a taxi cab.
Totally frustrated by the political process, Wavy decided that Nobody should be President, declaring the office "an insult to the intelligence of a free people and a complete waste of money." At that point he decided to become Nobody's Fool and devote himself to campaign for abolishing the presidency by electing Nobody for President.
Indeed the more he thought about it, the more it became apparent that Nobody was really qualified for the presidency. After all, Nobody was president before George Washington, and of course Nobody can make apple pie better than Mom. In fact no matter what the issue was, it was obvious that Nobody has all the answers!
Nobody!
Who will lower your taxes?
Nobody!
Who will bring peace in our time?
Nobody!
Who should be running your life?
Nobody!
Who should have that much power?
Nobody!
What can be done about apathy?
Nobody Cares!
And so ever since, in each presidential election year, Wavy Gravy works like Nobody's business to elect Nobody instead of somebody because Nobody is better than the candidates that are actually running.
In 2008 Wavy Gravy did not run Nobody for president. As you can see below, for once there was a mainstream candidate he could support.
There is an award winning documentary on Wavy Gravy you should make a point of seeing sometime.
You can also buy some clown gear from Wavy Gravy for the next time you're in a funny mood. For example you could buy a clown nose. It looks really sharp with a tuxedo!
You might also want to buy some bubbles to blow at your next concert or protest rally.
How about this rainbow propeller beanie for the gay activist with a sense of humor?
Actually, hippies were using rainbow colors long before gay rights activists adopted it. Ken Babbs has written about how he sometimes gets mistaken for a gay activist when attired in full Prankster regalia.
You can get clown gear and other Wavy Gravy products by clicking here.
Among those other products is collage art that Wavy Gravy creates, such as this Beatnik Mount Rushmore with the presidents replaced by Corso, Cassady, Kerouac and Ginsberg.
Now that's a true Mount rush more!
For many years Republicans have been trying to get Ronald Reagan placed on Mount Rushmore.
However Democrats have other ideas.
But Heavy Metal heads are holding out for Ozzy!
This Morning
How come I never noticed this weird sculpture beside the Hotel Northampton before?
Nearby is the courtyard leading to the courthouse.
Few people enter those buildings with happiness. Generally, if you're hanging around courthouses it's because something in your life has gone seriously wrong.
But such troubles are better than not being around at all, as these purple hoods all along the street suggest that someone of importance has passed on.
Of course everyone's death is important to someone, at the very least to the person who died.
At UMass
Someone was doing equations on the wall of the Fine Arts Center.
As students complete each final exam, they rush to the campus center to exchange the books they never intend to open again.
Some of the money will be spent this weekend in downtown bars as Amherst braces itself for the last big party weekend of the semester.
No comments:
Post a Comment