People who are known by all locals, but unknown to rest of the world

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

In the New York area, almost everyone knows Yolanda Vega, who announces the lottery numbers.

When I lived back in Houston, everyone knew the furniture guy from TV. It's been 10 years, so I've forgetten his name.

[Paintcharge]

The local car dealers are like that everywhere. When I was growing up it was Jolly John Pulcifer. ("If you're not happy, I'm not Jolly.")

Around here we've got Billy Fucillo and Tom Park. ("It's huuuuuuge!)

I saw Tom Park as the side man for another car dealer in Orlando. Does he just travel around the country doing car ads?

[pravnik]

When I lived back in Houston, everyone knew the furniture guy from TV. It's been 10 years, so I've forgetten his name.Jim McIngvale, "Mattress Mack" of Gallery Furniture. He will save...you...money!

[plnnr]

Everyone in Richmond knows Dirt Woman.

[Whiteknight]

In the New York area, almost everyone knows Yolanda Vega, who announces the lottery numbers.

When I lived back in Houston, everyone knew the furniture guy from TV. It's been 10 years, so I've forgetten his name.

I'm Yolaaaaanda Vega, here with tonight's Pick 4!

[Shagnasty]

Boston is development a superstar homeless man, The Chili Guy. (http://www.soundboard.com/sb/markano.aspx). A lot of the sound clips are just snippets of the longer ones. The full clips have "uncut" after them. Numbers 19 and 126 are a good sampler but there are many more.

[Troy McClure SF]

Frank Chu.

He has a Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Chu) entry, fansites (http://12galaxies.20m.com/), a FAQ with the Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/06/PKGVIB4E271.DTL), and his own Flickr Pool (http://www.flickr.com/groups/62307095@N00/).

Not to mention a nightclub named in his honor (http://www.12galaxies.com/), and a formerly primo spot on Google Street View (http://laughingsquid.com/frank-chu-located-on-google-maps-street-view/).

[Ichbin Dubist]

Not many in the New York metropolitan area will know the name of Dr. Jerry Carroll, unless there's over 30 and you explain it's the Crazy Eddie (http://pocketcalculatorshow.com/crazyeddie/) guy.

There area lot of musicians who are very widely known in Texas -- guys like Townes Van Zandt and Joe Ely -- who remain pretty obscure elsewhere.

[Pithy Moniker]

We have James Spann as the most well known meteorologist in the city. He gained a tiny amount of national publicity from an article he wrote questioning the accepted scientific position on global warming. It wasn't very good.

Apart from that, he's a decent guy and seems to have something of an uncanny ability to remember the geography\streets\landmarks of a the northern 2/3 of the state. When he's doing severe weather coverage, it's not uncommon to hear him mention very specific details about an area down to business names. My brother in law drives for UPS and says that he's never heard James make a mistake about landmarks.

[tdn]

Rockport, MA has Dog-Walking Opera Guy and Captain Steve.

[Sampiro]

On a national level, Johnny Carson said one reason he loved Wimbledon was because he was almost unknown in England (up until the late 80s/early 90s when The Tonight Show started airing there). He was a superstar here but could walk the streets in most countries outside of North America and only be recognized by American tourists.

[Asimovian]

I was going to say that LA weather personality Fritz Coleman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Coleman) probably counted, but I have the vaguest recollection that he had a national TV show at one time.

I guess I'll go with mattress moguls Larry and Irwin of Sit 'n Sleep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sit_%27n_Sleep) commercial fame: "Sit 'n Sleep will beat anyone's advertised price, or your mattress is FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" I seriously doubt there's an Angelino out there unfamiliar with that slogan.

[plnnr]

There area lot of musicians who are very widely known in Texas -- guys like Townes Van Zandt and Joe Ely -- who remain pretty obscure elsewhere.

I saw a Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Dale Gilmore triple bill here in Richmond that was one of the best musical experiences of my life.

[wasson]

In Peoria we have a homeless man named Willie York who paints his face and walks around in various states of undress, sometimes with dead animals wrapped around him. He's an odd bird.

He's got a fan club though, here: http://www.musical-saw.com/willie/id24.htm

Everyone in Peoria knows Willie York.

[bouv]

Continuing the New York trend (I'm in VT now, but spent four years in the Capital District,) there's Justin Resnick and his mattress outlets. One of my college friends did a documentary on him as his senior capstone project.

[elmwood]

I'm Yolaaaaanda Vega, here with tonight's Pick 4!

They know about her in Buffalo, too. (Many locals thought the lottery was fixed, because the big payouts always seemed to go to someone in Brooklyn.)

[Jaade]

Jim McIngvale, "Mattress Mack" of Gallery Furniture. He will save...you...money!

Or, if you stay up late, "Rick" of "Rick's Furniture". High dollar entertainment, some of his commercials are. I had actually forgotten about Mattress Mack specifically til you said that.

Here in the itty-bitty "Golden Isles" everyone knows Carl Gregory, the car dealer. "Friends and neighbors, we're selling cars like candy bars!" He has a voice that paints a very accurate picture of an old, chunky Southern guy with jowls.

Also the attorney, Victoria Renee Weiss, formerly known as R Dean Weiss. This town is just not progressive enough for a man with grown children to have a sex change operation without it causing a fuss like you wouldn't believe.

[kunilou]

Becky, Queen of Carpet. Thrill to the sight of her riding an oriental rug past the Gateway Arch.

Dave Sinclair the most laid-back car dealer ever to do his own commercials. "Thank you and here's my address."

Legendary appliance dealer Steve Mizerany. Retired now, but unforgettable to two generations.

For non-commercial celebrities we have Beatle Bob who manages somehow to make every live gig in the area, no matter how obscure the performer or tiny the club.

[SandyHook]

Everyone knew the, "Stinky People," in Green River, Wyoming.

[minlokwat]

Baltimorons of a certain age who followed the Birds in the late 70's and 80's (i.e. the last time they were any good) certainly would recognize the name Wild Bill Hagy.

Just to clue others in, Hagy was our local goof at the ball park who led the masses in the requisite ball game cheers and who subsequently rose to the status of minor local celebrity. His legend lives on such that two nights ago, they had "Wild Bill Hagy T-Shirt Night" at Camden Yards.

[Duckster]

I was born/raised in Madison.

There is only one Madison. (If you have to ask ...)



There was only one Snowball.

[installLSC]

While growing up in Yakima, Washington, Bob Ivers was a superstar. Here's Bob appearing in three commercials in a row! Here's Bob making announcements about our fair and air show! All this for being a second banana in a number of Elvis movies and the John Forsythe sitcom "Bachelor Father".
In the Seattle area, the late seafood chain owner Ivar Haglund (best known for the slogan "Keep Clam!) and kiddie show host JP Patches (who actually got his own statue in Seattle recently) are iconic figures.
Actually some of the figures mentioned aren't as local as you think. The "Crazy Eddie" guy I remember from when WOR was on local cable systems, and Beatle Bob actually was the subject of a Blender article a few months ago.

[Misnomer]

Another Baltimore name, an oldie from the 80s: weatherman Bob Turk. His theme song was "My Girl," only with his name sung instead of those words.

In the summer of '88 I was at a leadership camp for Catholic high school students in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and one time when all of us were hanging out in one of the big rooms that song came on the radio (or something). Spontaneously, at the chorus, nearly everyone in the room sang "Bob Turk!" -- and then we all laughed our asses off. :cool: The only ones who didn't get it were two guys from Texas (I no longer remember why they were in Baltimore).

Everyone in Richmond knows Dirt Woman.A lot of people in DC do, too, thanks to Elliot in the Morning (http://www.eitmonline.com/). :)

[Autolycus]

Frank Chu.

Am I crazy or does San Fran hold the title for North American eccentrics?

[CaerieD]

I live out in the middle of nowhere, where everybody knows everybody anyway, but here our local celebrity would be "American Idol Troy," a guy who describes himself as "urban Amish." He's one of those people who made it on the show to be mocked for being weird and bad, but in his case it wasn't an attention getting schtick to get on TV. He really does wander around dressed like an Amish man, despite not, in fact, being Amish.

[phil417]

Nearly everyone in Michigan knows Karen Newman, who sings the Starspangled Banner before every Detroit Red Wings Game. This is her at a recent game: http://youtube.com/watch?v=jjb9aT93wMk

Love, Phil

[phil417]

Yes, I know the name of the song is The Star Spangled Banner. Ms Newman also does a mean O, Canada. Ms Newman gave birth a while back; she didn't go into retirement during her pregnancy, though. If memory (my husband, the Red Wings fan) serves, she didn't miss a single game. What a fan!

Love, Phil

[madmonk28]

If you are a certain age and grew up in the DC area, you know Captain 20 and Count Gore De Vol (same guy different costume). The Count was very much like Count Floyd from SCTV.

[Antonius Block]

Frank Chu.
<snip>
...a nightclub named in his honor (http://www.12galaxies.com/).Heh. I'm going to a Brass Menažeri (http://www.brass.menazeri.com/) gig at 12 Galaxies later this month -- to tell the truth the Frank Chu connection had totally slipped by me.

Other current San Francisco icons are the Twins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_and_Vivian_Brown) (Marian and Vivian Brown) and the "World Famous Bushman" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Famous_Bushman) at Fisherman's Wharf.

Of course, they all pale next to that great San Francisco archetype of the 19th century, Emperor Norton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Norton).

[Rhythmdvl]

Any east coast Deadheads remember the disco truck?

It was (generally) this big-assed Ryder truck with a fantastically decked-out stereo system in it playing some out-of-this-world funk/disco combination. After a show, when the parking lot is filled with a hundred thousand or so milling Deadheads, you’d stumble across the disco truck, with hundreds of crazy ‘heads bopping along to some fantastic beats. What about Spaghetti Eddie? The Flag Bus? Man I miss the friends I’d see tour after tour…


Crazy Eddie should have been given amnesty for his tax foibles, if only for giving the Tri-State region such an icon (either that or let off due to, well, insanity). He was parodied in such institutions as Mad Magazine and SNL just to name two. A giant.


Anyone know if Bob’s Discount Furniture is still growing (and growing…)


DC area Dopers – what about the Hymn-singing Korean (?) that would get on for one station and belt out these beautifully-sung hymns? I’m not religious, but he really added a touch of beauty to the morning commute. There’s also the 365 protestor at the WH, the sign woman, and several other institutions to bring visiting guests.


Lastly, any northeastern Dopers remember Willie Whistle? Crazy-Assed Clown was BEYOND annoying, made me come close to putting a shoe through the television, but man could he spin some great cartoons.

[cards]

Becky, Queen of Carpet. Thrill to the sight of her riding an oriental rug past the Gateway Arch.

Dave Sinclair the most laid-back car dealer ever to do his own commercials. "Thank you and here's my address."

Legendary appliance dealer Steve Mizerany. Retired now, but unforgettable to two generations.

For non-commercial celebrities we have Beatle Bob who manages somehow to make every live gig in the area, no matter how obscure the performer or tiny the club.

All good ones, I would add Joe Edwards, who has been the driving force for turning University City into a thriving urban community.

[robardin]

...

[StinkyBurrito]

CLEVELAND: An aquatence from Pittsburgh is in town visiting. She, plus several of us native Clevelanders sit down to watch some TV. We tune into the Big Chuck and Little John show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Chuck_and_Lil%27_John). Everything is seemingly going along fine - the ohioans are all laughing along to the show (Ha Haaaaaa! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxTgg6gs0VE&amp;feature=related)). Then about five minutes into the show the out-of-towner stands up, looks at us in bemused horror and yells "What IS this? What is WRONG with you people?!"

[lalenin]

Back in my hometown there's local named Cheluco, who is supposed to be very well endowed. I say supposed to be because the man is 90 something years old by now, and I doubt he gets much opportunity to display his gifts.

Anyway, he is a local legend, and his name is used as adjective to describe anything that's very big, or in general swearing, as in "¡Me cago en la pinga de Cheluco!" (I shit on Cheluco's dick! :eek: ). Naturaly no one outside of my hometown knows what the heck we're talking about.

[Mahna Mahna]

Most people in the Toronto area are all too familiar with Russell Oliver (aka The Cashman... Ooooh YEAH!). He has some pretty (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQVVHyvOZU) awful (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncy9ZcmDo_8) commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nBIpwnMW9s) on local TV.

We also have the world's strangest/scariest Santa Claus impersonator... Zanta (http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/07/zanta_cant_be_banned_hes_online/).

[Student Driver]

Indianapolis:

Gorgeous George-- pro wrestler back in the 60s and 70s, before local circuits began going national. He did a lot of local commercials.

The Watkins Spa girl-- the daughter (-in-law?) of the guy who owns Watkins Spas; a voluptuous, round-faced girl who would appear at some point during Watkins commercials wearing something skimpy, saying "You need a spa!" or "You need a pool table!" She was a bit perky for my taste, but she was just right for a lot of folks around here.

Sammy Terry, Cowboy Bob, and Janie-- show hosts when channel 4 was the weird-as-hell local station (like Weird Al's UHF station in the movie). Sammy Terry was the corpse-like midnight B-movie horror show host, and he still makes popular visits at stores and concerts nearly 20 years after his show was cancelled. Cowboy Bob was a morning kiddie-show host (with Sourdough, the Singing Biscuit) who played Hanna-Barbera shorts. Janie was a perky schoolteacher-like kid-show host who got her upper-middle-class wardrobe and bouffant hair done by local department store chains.

And, not a person, but we have a chicken limo. There's been a chicken limo ever since I was a kid, and I have no idea if other cities have such things, but... it's a big limo with a giant fiberglass chicken on top. It's for rent, and rent it people do-- for proms, weddings, nights on the town. Every once in a while, you'll go somewhere. A nice date, a trip out dancing. And then you'll see it. The chicken limo, idling in a line of limos in front of a hotel, or pulling out of a sports arena.

[Ichbin Dubist]

I thought of 2 more: few people outside northern New Jersey have heard of the Jackson-Whites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramapough_Mountain_Indians). I doubt many who live more than 50 miles from NYC or Philadelphia know who's being referred to by pineys. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineys)

Both these are pejoratives, I guess, but these are the terms I heard growing up.

[Stringer]

Most people in Chicago know who Ronnie Woo Woo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Woo_Woo) is, unless you absolutely do not follow any baseball.

[Misnomer]

If you are a certain age and grew up in the DC area, you know Captain 20 and Count Gore De Vol (same guy different costume). The Count was very much like Count Floyd from SCTV.Dude, I'd forgotten all about Captain 20! Thanks for the flashback! :)

[shellofmyformerself]

Here in Montgomery we have Sammy Stephens. No one knows the name but they recognize his face and his ads...

"It's just like, it's just like, it's just like...a mini...mall!!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3oHpup-pk


Ironically, despite his popularity, his store is going bankrupt. People come by to see him and get his autograph but no one buys anything!

[madmonk28]

Dude, I'd forgotten all about Captain 20! Thanks for the flashback! :) Do you remember the hamster races? He also did the news and was the DC Bozo the clown.

[Chefguy]

Og help us, we have Mr. Whitekeys. (http://www.flybynightclub.com/hist_keys.html)

[ZenBeam]

In Ann Arbor, MI, it would be Shakey Jake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCJ3Ct0WQIQ), although he passed away in the past year.

[gigi]

Fred Tuttle has also shuffled off this mortal coil, but was famous for running against a flatlander and beating him in the VT senatorial primary. At one point he stumped Jack McMullen by asking how many teats on a cow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Tuttle

"Tuttle was described by Senator Leahy as 'the distilled essence of Vermonthood'. He was considered by many to be an example of both the 'everyman' and of the unique individualist. He was seen as a warm and friendly man who even into his eighties would charm the people that he met at the fairs and farming conventions he attended.

Tuttle died of a heart attack after a day spent digging potatoes, at his home in Tunbridge, Vermont. He was buried in his overalls, with a pen in his pocket for autograph signing and a can of Moxie by his side."

[Nars Glinley]

I saw Tom Park as the side man for another car dealer in Orlando. Does he just travel around the country doing car ads?
I've seen Tom Park in lots of places. Before that, I'd always assumed that he was local. He has his own website. http://www.tomparkproductions.com/ (Warning: video on mainpage)

[Reloy3]

Considering I am the only practicing lawyer in a 50 mile radius, I'd say me. :)

[Antinor01]

In Columbus Ohio there would be Fred Ricart (car dealer) and The "help is on the way" guy (campus area homeless guy).

[Lama Pacos]

In Boston there's the "Jesus Guy" who wears a big anti-abortion sandwich board and hands out Chick tracts at any event where more than seven people are gathered. Not only do most locals know of him, but I think most locals have seen him.

[Shagnasty]

In Boston there's the "Jesus Guy" who wears a big anti-abortion sandwich board and hands out Chick tracts at any event where more than seven people are gathered. Not only do most locals know of him, but I think most locals have seen him.

Boston has more than a few of them. The WBCN Toucher and Rich show is becoming extremely successful because they tap heavily into the local "talent". The first big hit was the Chili Guy who is now a highly sought after homeless person with giant events in his name and honor (which he never goes to).

They are running a contest now to figure out the most interesting person in Boston which means the most fascinating freaks. There are 16 of them nominated and they are going through a 16 person tournament based on whatever content people can present. The Chili Guy is specifically not allowed to play in these things anymore because he would always win.

They presented a contestant this week that I had never heard of but he performs in Harvard Square. I thought I have seen everything but this guy took my breath away in a new way. His simple puppet show is beyond bizarre in ways that you can see.

The video clip below requires quicktime compatible software so it may not work for everyone. It works fine in Firefox for me:

http://ia311502.us.archive.org/0/items/Uncle_Scam_1/unclescam2.mov

Here are some pics for everyone but you need the clip to really understand:

http://www.unclescam.org/pup123.html

http://www.unclescam.org/ascans/15pups.html

http://www.unclescam.org/ascans2/13pups.html

http://www.unclescam.org/ascans2/multipup.html

Let me know what you think is wrong with this guy. I have never seen anything like it.

[bouv]

Fred Tuttle has also shuffled off this mortal coil, but was famous for running against a flatlander and beating him in the VT senatorial primary. At one point he stumped Jack McMullen by asking how many teats on a cow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Tuttle


Actually, the coolest thing about him is that before he beat the flat-lander in the republican primary (and then went on to tell everyone who voted for him to vote for Leahy,) is that he starred in an independent VT made film two years earlier about the exact same thing. He played himself running for congress (although in the film it's the US Representative seat, not the senate) against a flat-lander who's goal was to move to VT and "buy" the seat just to further his own political career.

I actually know people who thought it was the other way around, and "Man With a Plan" was made after his campaign.

[Kythereia]

Most people in the Toronto area are all too familiar with Russell Oliver (aka The Cashman... Ooooh YEAH!). He has some pretty (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQVVHyvOZU) awful (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncy9ZcmDo_8) commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nBIpwnMW9s) on local TV.

I was just going to chime in with this guy!

In lieu, I'll offer "Honest" Ed Mirvish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honest_Ed). Whatta guy.

[Gatopescado]

Carson-Tahoe area has Glenn Lucky. Shoulda been dead 20 years ago, but keeps on rollin'!

[Cerowyn]

I was just going to chime in with this guy!

In lieu, I'll offer "Honest" Ed Mirvish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honest_Ed). Whatta guy.
Why stop there? Even just considering politically-related candidates, we've also got: Mel "Nooooooooobody" Lastman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Lastman) (furniture store owner who was also mayor of North York, and then Toronto after the Metropolitan Toronto cities merged into one), and Al "Pal of Mine" Palladini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Palladini) (owned a car dealership and became famous for his commercials* before his career as a politician) and Ben Kerr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Kerr) (a street performer who sang wildly disjointed but very political songs and started running for mayor in 1985).


* Best commercial was his "mother's" testimonial: "Pine Tree Lincoln-Mercury is the best Lincoln-Mercury dealership called Pine Tree owned by a son of mine."

[Clothahump]

In the New York area, almost everyone knows Yolanda Vega, who announces the lottery numbers.

When I lived back in Houston, everyone knew the furniture guy from TV. It's been 10 years, so I've forgetten his name.
And long before Mattress Mac, there was Art Grindle. He was a car dealer who advertised heavily on Saturday afternoon baseball games - live. His schtick was to have his employees dress as clowns, and then during each commercial, they would drive a clunker up to him, screech to a stop, then roar off as he yelled and screamed about how wonderful the car was.

One day, I was watching and as the car screeched up, the front bumper fell off. Old Art just kicked it out of the way and announced an extra hundred bucks off the price. I fell off the couch laughing.