Comments (77)

1. In Clare, MI we always had a guy that roamed around named Pop-Can Bob. He was named that because he used to walk all around town picking up pop cans and taking them to the grocery store for money. In MI, pop cans and bottles have a deposit on them so you can get $0.10 per can or bottle. He made some money while cleaning up the city. I did a report on him once in high school. Great Guy!

   posted by Jacob on 12-18-2008 at 8:14 am

2. There’s a fellow in my town that trolls around town dressed in the way of Crocodile Dundee. He’s got the look down.

   What’s more is that he frequents weekly karaoke, every week. He sings ‘Born to be Wild’…EVERY WEEK.

   He’s a nice guy, and his wardrobe is great.

   posted by Michael on 12-18-2008 at 8:20 am

3. In Ann Arbor, MI, until his recent death, we had Shakey Jake. You see him in local restaurants and stores always in a suit and most of the time with a big hat on playing a guitar.

   Here’s an article they did on him after his death:

   Friends recall larger-than-life persona of Shakey Jake

   Shakey Jake Woods was a star in Ann Arbor, almost from the time he arrived here 34 years ago.

   Wearing his trademark three-piece suit, hat and dark sunglasses, the man known simply as “Shakey Jake” could be seen playing his guitar on the street downtown for as long as many can remember. And when he stopped inside local stores or restaurants for breakfast or lunch, it was if a movie-star had walked in.

   “Customers would treat him as a celebrity,” said Kathi Macker, a manager of Expresso Royale on Main Street.
   Remembering Shakey Jake

   Do you have a favorite memory of Shakey Jake?

   When did you meet him? What made him larger-than-life?

   Please post your thoughts below.

   Woods, perhaps the city’s most recognizable resident, died Sunday evening, said Felicia Epps, a property manager for the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. He was 82 years old, according to a friend and the date of birth he gave police in 2001 after he reported being punched in the stomach.

   Though he played his guitar with vigor, it was often out of tune. Sometimes it had only one or two strings.

   But he had a larger-than-life persona.

   Among his claims: That he had been around the world dozens of times but never in an airplane. That he had a dozen bodyguards who watched out for him constantly but couldn’t be seen by other people. That he slept only two hours a night. And that he was born on Halloween and was 104 years old.

   What’s true is that he sold tapes, T-shirts and bumper stickers (”I brake for Jake”) that made their way around the country. Occasionally, he put a bucket out on the street when he played his guitar. But he lived on Social Security and relied on the kindness of many downtown merchants. It was enough to cover the cost of renting rooms all over the city, and later to live in public housing.

   “He was so harmless,” said Chera Tramontin, whose mother, Karen Piehutkoski, opened Kilwin’s Chocolate Shoppe in 1983 on Liberty Street. Woods was one of the first to visit the new shop.

   “It wasn’t that he wanted the handout,” said Tramontin. “He wanted to go out and work, and he thought he was working. He was out playing his music.”

   Woods was raised with 13 younger siblings on a farm in Little Rock, Ark. The family eventually moved to Saginaw, but Woods never went to school.

   Music brought Shakey Jake to Ann Arbor from Saginaw in the early 1970s.
   Ann Arbor News file photoShakey Jake Woods died Sunday at the age of 82.

   Fred Reif, an accounts payable clerk at the University of Michigan who booked blues artists for shows over the years, lived in Saginaw. Woods was a street person there, but played some music.

   Reif invited Woods to play at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1973. He only played for five minutes, but he made an impression. After the show, Reif said, women and girls headed backstage to fawn over Woods, thinking he was a blues star.

   “I ain’t never going back to Saginaw,” Reif recalled Woods saying.

   And he never did. Instead, he became a street legend in Ann Arbor, Reif said.

   Many mornings, Woods arrived at Afternoon Delight before the Liberty Street restaurant opened for the day. He ate breakfast for free – oatmeal and wheat toast.

   “He used to eat clam chowder, but we talked him into oatmeal because it was better for you,” said longtime employee Kim Bewersdorf.

   If a customer was seated at his favorite table by the front door, Woods asked that person to leave. And they always did.

   At Kilwin’s, an autographed poster of a much younger Woods hangs on the wall. He often stopped there to collect a bucket for busking, and when he returned it later each day, he was treated to a cup of ice cream. Employees then called a cab for him to get home; a notecard providing instructions to new employees is taped up near the phone.

   “The whole town cared for him,” said Carol Lopez, owner of The Peaceable Kingdom on Main Street, who managed Woods’ finances and paid his bills, among other tasks.

   A memorial service is being planned, Lopez said. “He had a lot of friends,” she said.

   posted by Rebecca on 12-18-2008 at 8:38 am

4. We had thong guy here in Asheville wandering the streets in a g-string, for a while, but he’s moved on–is he in your town now?

   We also an African-American confederacy enthusiast, who displays the stars and bars regularly from various overpasses.

   Another guy is a perennial also-ran for public office and has a TV show, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of specifics on the web.

   posted by Fairview on 12-18-2008 at 8:42 am

5. In Boston if you’ve ever been on the B line T at night you may have experienced the man, the legend: DJ Night Train. He’s always there blasting his music and spinning those imaginary turntables. Apparently he’s been around for ages, but I’ve not been in Boston for a while so don’t know if he’s still throwing down the beats. I assume so though.

   posted by Colin GG on 12-18-2008 at 9:06 am

6. we’ve got Festival Guy aka Dancing Santa in Rochester, NY. an older guy with a long white beard, he’s retired teacher, and he pops up at pretty much every outdoor show and a lot of indoor shows and just dances the night away, usually wearing only sneakers, a pair of short shorts and a baseball cap. When he’s not dancing, you can find him riding his bike around the city. he seems like a nice guy, and most people like him, but I have heard quite a few stories about some inappropriate groping on the dancefloor…

   posted by Clotho on 12-18-2008 at 9:54 am

7. In Peoria Il. We have Willy York. A homeless fella that eats all sorts of strange creatures such as rats, cats, and roaches. Decorates himself with necklaces of such animals bones, and paints his face. Every year when the weather starts getting cold, he commits a minor offense to get thrown in jail for the free food and rent.

   He is considered an “icon” around here for some strange reason.

   recaptcha: least bar

   posted by Deisel on 12-18-2008 at 10:04 am

8. In Austin we have Leslie Cochran, a cross dressing vagrant who has run for Mayor. He’s the town’s famous “oddity” and he embodies our unofficial slogan “Keep Austin Weird.” He is never at a loss for words about himself. I used to be really intrigued with him and I would sit through long ramblings about his life. I worked in a bar on 6th Street for years, so I saw him quite often. As I got to know him better I realized that he is actually quite normal. He has a taste for alcohol (don’t we all) and, besides the skimpy outfits he wears, the strangest thing I’ve seen him do is drink a bowl of my leftover Salsa. The problem is he has an unquenchable lust for attention of any, and all, kind; just like any other celebrity/ media-whore out there.

   Sadly, I heard on our local NPR station last night that another Austin character, Jennifer Gale, passed away yesterday. Jennifer was a transgendered homeless woman who also ran for Mayor of Austin. A USMC Vet, she was much more interested in policy than fame. She was a kind, quiet person. She will be missed.

   You can Wiki both of them for more info.

   posted by Renis on 12-18-2008 at 10:12 am

9. In Jackconville, FL we had an older man who would stand outside his home on one of our major roads and wave to cars on their way to work. It was always nice to see him, he would make you smile. When he passed away about a year ago alot of people parked and got out in front of his houes and waved to traffic for a little while just to keep it going.

   posted by Jennifer on 12-18-2008 at 10:13 am

10. In New Orleans, particularly before Katrina, we had lots of local characters.
    To name a few:
    Umbrella Hat Guy (he always wore a rainbow-colored umbrella hat and spent the day preaching on street corners)

    Jambalaya Lady (a homeless lady often seen roaming the streets and talking to herself. Closer listening revealed that she was sharing a jambalaya recipe to anyone within earshot)

    And everyone’s favorite, Ruthie the Duck Lady, who just passed away this year. You can run a google search on her for more info if you’re interested.

    posted by 8rustystaples on 12-18-2008 at 10:13 am

11. In my hometown of Madison, CT, there’s this guy who you always see walking or running around wearing only shorts, shoes, and a floppy hat to keep off the sun. He looks like he’s made out of on;y skin and muscle, and he’s out regardless of the weather.

    posted by Alisha on 12-18-2008 at 10:15 am

12. In my previous hometown we had quite a famous local character. I lived in Anderson, SC and Radio was ours. He even had a movie made based on his story. It had Cuba Gooding Jr as Radio. Some of you might have seen it. He was a fixture at football games and everyday he was at the high school greeting and roaming the halls. It was my rival school, but everyone in town knew him and was a fan.

    posted by J Bean on 12-18-2008 at 10:15 am

13. In Montreal we had Great Antonio. “titanic actor/strongman/wrestler/oddball” (from the Montreal Mirror)

    He was very large (over 400 pounds when I saw him last), big bushy beard, dirty matted clothes, and homeless. Last time I saw him was in the late ’90s when he go on a bus I was on. It swayed left to right until he sat down. He didn’t pay when he got on… the driver didn’t say anything… I’m not surprised. There were only a couple seats on the bus that could fit someone of his girth and the pople just cleared away without being asked.

    I remeber him being featured on “That’s incredible” pullling a bus with his teeth.

    Movies, wrestling, etc…. wikipedia has additional information).

    posted by Fotis on 12-18-2008 at 10:22 am

14. If you’ve ever spent anytime tmie in Santa Cruz, CA you know that there are a host of characters populating the town. My favorite was always the pink guy-literally a man, dressed all in pink, walking slowly up and down the street. His outfit includes, among other things, a skirt, a feather boa, and a tweety bird umbrella (the crowning touch in my opinion).

    posted by KPerch on 12-18-2008 at 10:28 am

15. In Toronto, there’s Zanta, who goes around topless and does pushups, whilst wearing a Santa hat.

    St. Louis, and really, all major music venues everywhere, have Beatle Bob, who dances wildly in the front row of all sorts of club shows.

    I tried to include Wikipedia links for both of these, but apparently links aren’t permitted in comments. Still, they’re both in Wikipedia.

    posted by Jacquilynne on 12-18-2008 at 10:34 am

16. heh! We’ve got a runner, too! You’ll find him in the summers running all over downtown Colorado Springs in neon shorts and tennis shoes. Usually, you hear him first before you see his loud shorts. He is always yelling about cars and getting exercise and he doesn’t hesitate to run in front of the moving cars to pump his fist at them. haha! When I lived downtown, I would hear him coming down the street and I would watch for him from my window. It was like a little show just for me.

    posted by christina on 12-18-2008 at 10:40 am

17. In St. Cloud, MN we have “superman”. He is most notorious for standing on the corner by Dairy Queen in a superman shirt and cape and posing for cars that go by on the busy street. He is also known to sing kareoke at some of the local bars.
    Superman gained even more fame about a year ago when he was actaully credited with saving a man’s life.
    Of course there are youtube vidoes and an article or two in the St. Cloud Times.

    posted by Julia on 12-18-2008 at 10:42 am

18. In Austin, TX there is a transvestite named Leslie that is well known amongst not just the people that live there but tourists as well. In 2003, he ran for mayor wearing what he always wears: a thong, stockings, mesh top, cowboy hat, and a feather boa — and has a beard and mustache to match. Quite creepy but humorous at the same time.

    You can see him parading around 6th street and at most music/art events throughout the city.

    Click on my name to see a picture if you don’t believe me.

    posted by Christopher on 12-18-2008 at 10:46 am

19. Renis beat me to the Leslie post as well… haha.

    posted by Christopher on 12-18-2008 at 10:48 am

20. well being from San Francisco most of these people seem like everyday normal kooks. This city is like a wildlife preserve for the craziest and colorful folk.

    posted by tommie on 12-18-2008 at 11:03 am

21. We had Black Pete. Tall, thin, lanky fellow, always walked up and down main street in a big black hat, long black trenchcoat, black jeans, black cowboy boots … I assume his t-shirt, socks and ginch were also black. He would sit in a cafe where a friend of mine waitressed, and he’d smoke, drink coffee, and stare at her for hours. Creepy. I think he’s dead now.

    posted by Kikadee on 12-18-2008 at 11:26 am

22. In Concord, NC we have a man who sits at the intersection of Winecoff School Road and Highway 73 in front of his massive home playing a violin with no strings. He sometimes sings along, and it is rumored that the violin once had strings on it, and he was incredible.

    He’ll also post bizarre sayings on cardboard, old toilet lids, wood, whatever-by his mailbox for everyone to read. The two I remember the most are:

    “Take her to the ocean this mother’s day”

    and

    “It’s the white only KKK taking the forest, I saw them in 1948, my little dog and I”

    posted by KerriH on 12-18-2008 at 11:38 am

23. Here in Klamath Falls, OR we have an older man who walks around town and waves at everybody. He will walk up to just about anybody and tell them how beautiful their car is. He’s a really sweet man.

    posted by JenaG on 12-18-2008 at 11:51 am

24. how funny! I remember Prince Mongo from years ago–good to see he’s still around. Although, I don’t remember him living in a “mansion”. Just an average house in the midtown area.

    posted by old memphis on 12-18-2008 at 11:55 am

25. Charleston, SC has Opera Man. There’s a guy that sits downtown who belts out opera songs loud enough to hear them from inside a car with the windows rolled up and the radio on. He’s good, too.

    posted by Jenn on 12-18-2008 at 12:00 pm

26. In Providence, RI we have Walter Miller. I first encountered him at the local greyhound racing track (”play the eight! play the eight!”). Years ago he won a Johnny Most sound-alike contest and would play a cassette recording of his imitation for any who wanted to listen. Johnny Most was the legendary radio announcer for the Boston Celtics basketball team. If you want to read about his friendship with the former mayor of providence click my name at the end of this post.

    posted by Matt on 12-18-2008 at 12:02 pm

27. In Winston Salem, NC, we have Esther. Well, that’s what she told me her name was, others probably know her as the bike lady. There are rumors that she’s Whoopi Goldberg’s mom. HA! She can be seen all over the city with her bike. Mostly she pushes it, though on occasion she rides. My mother said the woman was old when she was a teenager, so she’s probably 130 years old by now, hunched and slow. She won’t ask for money, but she’ll take it if you offer. She will ask for popcorn if you’re near the theater on Peters Creek. Her bike has been stolen countless times, though she did have the same pink bike with a white basket for about 5 years. The city police usually buy her a new bike every year or so.

    posted by Jenny on 12-18-2008 at 12:06 pm

28. In Portsmouth, VA in the 80s there was a woman with a giant bad beehive wig called the Beehive Lady.

    Even better was the Purple Lady. She lived out near Suffolk, I think. She wore all purple, had a small house (more like a shack) in a field painted purple, and she painted all of the telephone poles near that field purple. I never saw her, but my brother did a few times. I was so jealous.

    posted by D on 12-18-2008 at 12:06 pm

29. D, I grew up in Portsmouth, VA, too, and used to see the Purple Lady. She lived outside of Portsmouth, in Suffolk, and sometimes would preach and sing on street corners in the Churchland area. She was really short, so the telephone poles were painted purple only to the height of about 4 feet. My dad stopped and talked to her once, and said she told him she painted things purple to honor God and her deceased husband, and he also said she owned a considerable amount of valuable land, though you wouldn’t know it by seeing her or her purple house.

    Sorry I missed the Beehive Lady.

    posted by Merlinsmom on 12-18-2008 at 1:19 pm

30. Tulsa, OK has Biker Fox. Look him up.

    When I lived in Savannah, GA, I lived on one of the barrier islands (Wilmington Island) and there was an older woman who rode everywhere on her scooter. Thing was, every year, she’d get a new helmet, and it would be a little bigger. By the time I saw here, she looked like one of the people on Spaceballs.

    posted by Anthony on 12-18-2008 at 1:21 pm

31. I’m living in a small burb now, but for awhile I lived in the major hub city, Vancouver, BC, and right downtown. I also worked in a downtown theatre, where we got all kinds looking for a few hours out of the cold.
    There was a major cast of characters that wandered downtown:
    Tumor Lady (cantaloupe sized growth on her neck)Beavertail Man(huge matted mass of hair) Elvis Guy (old guy in white suit with glued on jewels, always carried a ghetto blaster) One-handed Pushup Guy, Duck Lady (duck in baby carriage)Walker Lady (large, greasy topknot, walker, very very angry) Treebeard (green two foot mohawk and long green beard), Locked my keys in car Scammer Guy, Wheelchair poetry guy, English Scooter Panhandler… the list goes on and on…

    Haven’t seen Tumor Lady in awhile, but it’s wierd, you can mention her to anybody who ever lived or worked downtown and they will know who you mean!

    posted by Marion on 12-18-2008 at 1:22 pm

32. I never knew about Dancing Santa and I’ve lived in Rochester, NY for pretty much my whole life.

    But in Canadaguia, Ny there was a guy we called the Butt Man because all he did all day long was pick up butts to smoke. He wore a trench coat and was pretty creepy but everyone knew of him. He died a few years ago.

    posted by Cassandra on 12-18-2008 at 1:30 pm

33. Where I live, we have Cemetery Guy. He sits at a particular grave almost every day. Brings a chair when the weather is good. Sits in his car if it’s not. I wish I knew what his story was.

    posted by Kelly on 12-18-2008 at 1:39 pm

34. In Atlanta there’s Baton Bob (you can look him up on Wikipedia), who is known for his flamboyant crossdressing and, you guessed it, his swirling baton, and there’s another guy whose name escapes me who used to be seen around town standing around in tight pants that showed off his (alleged) endowment.

    posted by The Stepfather of Soul! on 12-18-2008 at 2:15 pm

35. Biker Fox has been a staple in Tulsa, OK for as long as I can remember. He’s usually spotted in intersections doing bike tricks and often rolls by Patio Bars in the summertime and is usually cheered by everyone out. I also heard he recently allegedly assaulted a police officer for trying to make him stop doing tricks.

    posted by Jared on 12-18-2008 at 2:41 pm

36. In Saint Cloud MN there is a man who stands on the main drag (Division St) wearing a Super Man costume. He has been kicked off many corners but always manages to find a new one. Sometime he makes it to other towns and goes into bars. I’ve seen pictures of him inside bars that are 100 miles south of there.

    posted by Des on 12-18-2008 at 2:41 pm

37. “The Stepfather of Soul” (above) mentioned a guy in Atlanta in tight pants(he wore them year-round). We always just called him “Green Biker Shorts.” Not a clever name, but everyone always knew who we meant. He was usually near Ponce and Moreland. Rumor was that he had some kind of medical problem in his…private area.

    posted by Shasta on 12-18-2008 at 3:03 pm

38. In walnut,CA there is “the walker” and there was “the bike guy”. Walnuts tiny but it is home to a large community college so losts of people knew of these guys. I actually dated “the bike guy” before i knew everyone was calling him the bike guy and when he transfered schools and everyone started noticing his disappearance my sister spread a rumor he had been hit by a car and was found lifeless in the schools nature sanctuary.

    posted by shell on 12-18-2008 at 3:11 pm

39. im surprised that the naked cowboy wasnt on the list. he walks around new york city in his underwear, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat playing the guitar.

    posted by anonymous on 12-18-2008 at 3:19 pm

40. Doesn’t Sutton look just like Donald Sutherland would with a beard? Grub street has to be running a joke . . . it’s definitely Donald Sutherland.

    posted by Cole on 12-18-2008 at 3:22 pm

41. In Newport News, VA it was not a person but a tree. There was an evergreen tree in the median of I-64 that was always decorated for the current holiday. No one ever knew who decorated it. Sadly some teens cut it down one night. A local radio station tried to plant a new one, but the state put a stop to it stating that is dangerous to have people walking about the median of the interstate.

    posted by JohnC on 12-18-2008 at 3:24 pm

42. the local character in burlington, nc, just passed away. he was an old homeless man everyone called sarge. i don’t really know why, but it might have had something to do with the head-to-toe camoflage he always wore. he walked around downtown & sometimes in the summer he would stand by the fence around the playground outside the methodist church where the summer camp kids were playing and tell stories.

    posted by Sam on 12-18-2008 at 3:43 pm

43. Here in Albuquerque, we have The Don, Don Schrader. He’s the local color. There’s nothing that I can say that wouldn’t be better put by a photograph. Click my name for the link to an article about him. Some of the funner facts about Don:

    He is also known for his political activism, and most of all the way he dresses: you can rarely see him wearing much more than a loincloth 5, except in the winter, when he wears tight jeans and a beanie.

    Now he spends his days holding anti-war signs out in front of the University of New Mexico bookstore on the corner of Central and Cornell. On his public access show, “Clearly from My Heart,” Schrader advises that you rub garlic on your body to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases. He also speaks of the health benefits of drinking urine, which claims he has drank every day since Nov. 10, 1999.

    Definately worth the Google.

    posted by leeshka on 12-18-2008 at 4:26 pm

44. In Auckland, New Zealand, we have “One Dread”. There’s even a facebook group dedicated to him. He’s probably about 4′8″ and his long hair has matted into a single dread which resembles a platypus tail. He’s often seen roaming around the city streets in the evenings with his sack, shuffling past the crowds of people going into bars. I’ve never had the audacity to approach One Dread but I hear he’s a pretty angry fellow.

    posted by dangermouse on 12-18-2008 at 5:24 pm

45. Darn, Stepfather of Soul beat me in telling of Atlanta’s characters. Baton Bob now makes a little cash doing appearances – he recently led a wedding party into their reception.

    The other guy always wears bike shorts that show off a huge (and probably fake, unless his testicles grow from his thigh) bulge. He’s known as Bicycle Shorts Man.

    posted by Reid on 12-18-2008 at 5:37 pm

46. This guy was a great one. When we were kids & drove from L.A. to San Diego with our parents (before it was all freeway) the most anticipated town was Laguna Beach. We couldn’t wait to see this man. And he was always there. Check him out.
    Google up “Laguna Beach, CA town greeter”

    posted by DUKE on 12-18-2008 at 5:38 pm

47. Local characters were pretty popular at my college (Macalester College in St. Paul), though they predictably only lasted for four years:

    Running Boy was perhaps the most famous and even had people imitating him in the year after he graduated. Wearing only shorts and a tie-dye t-shirt, he’d run absolutely everywhere on campus. In the -40 winter, the only addition would be a pair of giant winter gloves.

    Pirate Boy (names varied), was famous mostly for inexplicably wearing a pirate hat every day.

    Commie Bob got his name I believe because he looked a little bit like Che and always wore a red beret. I’m not sure any communist leanings were really there, but hey.

    posted by Sara on 12-18-2008 at 5:53 pm

48. Baton Bob actually started in St. Louis. The police gradually turned up the heat on him, so he decided to leave town.

    posted by M on 12-18-2008 at 5:55 pm

49. Until this year, Omaha, NE had the Broom Man, or Rev. Livingston Wills. He was a blind minister who for over fifty years sold brooms door to door. You could see him walking along the old neighborhoods with brooms on his shoulder and a cane in his hand. He trusted his customers to be honest in paying him (since he couldn’t distinguish between bills), and people looked out for him. He passed away just this year, being over 90.

    When his health started failing last year and he got behind on his bills, the Omaha World-Herald ran a story about it and Omahans donated thousands to help him.

    posted by Andrea on 12-18-2008 at 7:17 pm

50. In my hometown, we used to have a guy who stood out in the median of a very busy intersection and just wave at people. Well, not JUST wave. He had a lot of variations on the wave. Two fingers, the gun, what have you. I think the police finally had to make him stop because he was distracting people at that intersection and causing accidents.

    posted by stacy on 12-18-2008 at 7:40 pm

51. If you’re in Nashville just head down Second Ave in the evening and you won’t be able to miss Chocolate Thunder, one of America’s best-known street musicians – note, his songs are rated PG-13.

    posted by partiallyDeflected on 12-18-2008 at 7:45 pm

52. Here in San Diego I can think of two local characters you’ll find down by the boardwalks of Pacifc and Mission Beach.

    The first is who I call the “Thong Skater Guy”. He’s an older man who will Roller Skate up and down the boardwalk wearing only a thong and usually something on his head so you can’t see all of his face. He also will have his butt cheeks painted to match whatever “costume” he’s wearing that day. The link in my name links to a picture of him, with a Charger’s Helmet on, and painted lightening bolts on his backside. Hilarious. I’ve also seen him dressed as Mighty Mouse and Batman.
    I tried to find more info about this guy, but my google searches didn’t yield more than a few blurbs and a few photos.

    Another person, along the same lines as the previous guy, is a man called Slomo. I always used to call him the “Slow Motion Skater”. He isn’t internet-elusive as the previous skater, he even has his own website (iamslomo.com). But what he does is roller blade around the beaches with speakers strapped to his hips, blasting classical music and moving his limbs gracefully like a roller ballet dancer. It’s hard to explain, but you can find him on YouTube to see it better.

    posted by Jenna on 12-18-2008 at 7:51 pm

53. Here in Omaha, up until his death in August this year we had the Broom Man aka Rev Livingston Wills. He was a blind African-American fellow,and his claim to fame is he sold brooms to support himself and his family for a living for over 50 years until just a couple of years ago. He took the bus around the older parts of town and you could see him about the town with his white cane searching about the sidewalk in one hand and a load of brooms tilted onto his shoulder with the other hand. When asked by those who were concerned for him he would say “God will take care of me” and then ask if they wanted to buy a broom.

    posted by Sarah C. on 12-18-2008 at 9:07 pm

54. In Wellington, New Zealand, we have “Blanket Man” (wikipedia article linked to my name).

    He is pretty much naked, except for a thong, and sits on a blanket all day (sleeps in it at night). He just hangs out on the streets of Wellington and smokes pot out of a beer can bong. I haven’t seen anyone give him money – we don’t really have any homeless beggars here – but people do hang out with him and buy him food.

    I walked by him the other day, and he nodded hi and said “permission has been granted! For sex!” haha!

    posted by Dawn on 12-18-2008 at 10:12 pm

55. i went to college in Madison WI and there were quite a few well known characters.

    One was “piccolo guy” aka “orange guy” who played the piccolo (very well) in all weather . also he wore a bright orange jumpsuit and sometimes dyed his long beard orange. some say he is a member of mensa.

    another character was “scanner” dan who always carried a police radio scanner with him everywhere.

    posted by mug on 12-19-2008 at 12:39 am

56. Someone’s probably already said these, but in Austin, Texas we have Leslie:

    From Wiki: Leslie Alicia Cochran (born as Al Leslie Cochran on 24 June 24 1951) is an American vagrant cross-dresser and arguably the most locally famous street person, according to local media sources, in Austin, Texas. He is an outspoken critic of police treatment of the homeless in the downtown Austin area. Many consider him to be the epitome of the ‘Keep Austin Weird’ campaign, as demonstrated by his two time run for mayor as well as numerous articles in The Austin Chronicle and local news stations.

    Leslie hangs out around 6th Street, usually around 6th and Congress during business hours. He can also often be found at Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse during late afternoons and early evenings. He is most frequently seen wearing women’s clothing; his most popular attire is a leopard thong and high-heeled shoes. Leslie prefers to be known as a man.[1]

    posted by Michelle on 12-19-2008 at 1:18 am

57. Jenna- you beat me to it! I was going to say “Thong Skater Guy” in San Diego! He has been around FOREVER, I’ve seen him a couple times a year since at least 1996. He’s very festive.

    Most people laugh, but then you have the occasional repressed Stepford Wife that starts screaming at him for indecency. HELLO, everything is covered… so what if he wants to paint his butt cheeks?

    He’s pretty cool.

    posted by Leigh on 12-19-2008 at 2:30 am

58. West of downtown Honolulu we have a guy I call Mr. McWinkus. I’ve never talked to him because he seems a little out of it and not friendly like most of the other local homeless. Well, that and the first few times I saw him, he was unzipped and had visible… stuff. Hence the name.

    I don’t know if he has an interesting story, but standing on the corner with your pants unzipped makes him character enough in my book.

    posted by Mea on 12-19-2008 at 3:37 am

59. In Tucson, AZ we have quite a collection of characters. they change every once in awhile, but there are some steadies. There’s the cute little old lady who walks up and down north and south 4th avenue in glittery shoes (think dorothy) and fancy sunglasses (exaggerated cats eyes or mardi-gras style glasses) and a big blonde wig. she’s very small so this is all pretty “big” on her! we always have some resident hippie on a bike. and when i say hippie, i mean huge sewn together bellbottoms, big shoes, sewn together vest, long long hair, they ride a bike with paniers with peace flags and signs all over it- and will flash you the peace sign if you happen to look over. I’ve known a couple of them- they are always in their 70s, in the 90s it was Tree (his name) and we all miss him. Beyond that, Tucson simply has loads of “characters”. But those are our extremists!

    posted by tzveyah on 12-19-2008 at 9:32 am

60. We have Shirtless Guy. Also known as Shirtless Jim, if the people you talk to know his name is Jim. Jim is tan as hell and has long blonde hair (think Fabio). You will see Jim either working construction, walking his dog, or laying in a hammock in the little enclosure attached to his garage where he keeps his dog, all while not wearing a shirt. No one has ever seen him wearing a shirt. He obviously has to own one because he must have to go get groceries and dog food and stuff, and we get real winter out here, but no one will cop to seeing it.

    posted by S on 12-19-2008 at 9:41 am

61. In the Buffalo area we had one past and one present.

    In Kenmore there was Billy Lick, a ubiquitous figure about town seen riding his bicycle all day, every day. I can’t remember a time walking though the village, going to Mang Park or any village event without seeing him. Sadly, he passed away in the 80’s.

    In Williamsville we have the man only known as The Williamsville Bum. He is seen daily wandering between a Quality Supermarket and the McDonalds a few blocks away. His distinguishing feature is the long mat of hair that reaches down to almost ground level.

    posted by Mike Wolf on 12-19-2008 at 9:43 am

62. DJ Night Train is still going strong in Boston – and there’s also a man known simply as “Bicycle Guy” who rides a bike around the city all day and makes siren noises. He’s got his own facebook group, too.

    posted by Adrienne on 12-19-2008 at 10:01 am

63. Not my hometown, but i went to school in San Marcos, a small college town just south of Austin TX, here we have Frisbe Dan, a middle aged man who wears shorty shorts and plays frisbe all day everyday with whomever is in the city park,

    posted by lindsey on 12-19-2008 at 11:41 am

64. Well, I live in Savannah Ga. Does Paula Deen count as a “Character”??

    posted by Vickey on 12-19-2008 at 3:51 pm

65. in hyde park, chicago, there exist various characters.

    i aspire to join the spectacular soon.

    posted by malvika on 12-19-2008 at 9:55 pm

66. The police of Atlanta would know the truth about the “Green biker shorts guy” endowment. I know a guy who occasionally gets stopped by police(and night club bouncers) with the request, “Excuse me sir, We’re checking for drugs, would you mind opening your pants?” He willingly reveals his innocence by showing them that the bulge actually is his genitalia. He’s not exactly a local character, and he doesn’t ’show off’ or flaunt his endowment, but he does get refered to as “Big Wang Guy.”

    posted by Tdave on 12-22-2008 at 4:24 am

67. In San Marcos, TX we have Frisbee Dan. He’s really tanned and everyday of spring and summer you can find him at the park playing frisbee in nothing but really short shorts and a floppy hat. His radio blares the classic rock station too. Once on campus I saw some students selling shirts that had the NBA logo modified with the silhouette of Frisbee Dan in action. Awesome.

    posted by Suz on 12-22-2008 at 12:28 pm

68. DC HAS BLEVLIS! BL(ACK) ELVIS

    posted by DC on 1-4-2009 at 3:15 pm

69. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Spandex Guy represents. Photo (not mine) @ my name.

    posted by Alec Petunia Holmes on 1-4-2009 at 3:45 pm

70. As Mug mentions about Madison, WI; there is “Orange Guy” and “Scanner Dan,” but Mug forgot to mention the most famous of them all (in Madison), Art Paul.

    Art isn’t homeless, but he makes his living as a street musician and artist. While strumming his guitar and singing about “Pink Pants” he occasionally breaks out into kazoo solos.

    My personal favorite though is Dot Dot Dot (or as he intends it “…”). Dot Dot Dot is an incredibly intelligent homeless man who often wanders the Capital rotunda by day.

    Finally, the “Marijuana Research Guy” is pretty funny. He stands near Concrete Park on State Street, panhandling with the clever line, “Donate to Marijuana Research?” I cannot pass him without throwing him some change.

    posted by Tripp on 1-4-2009 at 5:27 pm

71. Mike Wolf didn’t give Buffalo, NY enough credit:

    White Ninja – this lady walks around the Allentown area shrouded in white from head to toe, usually cradling what looks like a baby (also in white) or carrying white bags.

    Eric Starchild – drifts around the city trying to sell jewelry that he keeps in a purse around his neck. He also has a flashlight that he uses to show how the jewelry glitters.

    Jeanne – schizophrenic who seems to spend most of her time on Elmwood ave cursing everyone out.

    posted by Buffalove on 1-5-2009 at 10:13 am

72. Santa Barbara (actually Isla Vista) in the 80s had Tommy the puppet man, a tiny, wizened old fella who would put on unintelligible puppet shows. Saw him once in San Francisco later.

    posted by John on 1-5-2009 at 12:21 pm

73. In Adelaide, South Australia, we have the great Johnny Haysman, adored by the public wherever he languidly strolls in a state of eccentric undress.

    posted by TM on 1-15-2009 at 9:20 pm

74. In Sacramento, CA we have Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is recognizable by his large head and bizarre grin. He’ll shake your hand and pose for a picture if you give him $3.50.

    posted by joeb on 3-26-2009 at 5:22 pm

75. Here in St. Augustine, we have the “walking chick” (Also known as “the gray-haired lady”). She logs countless miles everyday walking and arguing with herself. She’s even been spotted in Jacksonville and Orange Park (a good 45 miles north of town. You can’t come within three feet of her or she’ll shriek to the high heavens.

    Her real name is Maureen Thorn. Noone I know can guess her age as her hair is completely sun-bleached and her skin is a leathery tan. All we know is she’s not quite right and has a thing for dark poetry (She leaves disturbing poetry on the churchs’ doorsteps around town, usually with a small dead animal inside).

    posted by Alex on 4-2-2009 at 1:54 pm

76. I’ve also seen the walking lady in St. Augustine. Her story is quite facinating in a “Delta Dawn” kind of way. I haven’t heard about the small dead animal thing, but she has been walking for years.

    She has to be in her mid 50s now based on what I’ve been told by people who knew her back in the day, so to speak. Evidently, she was absolutely stunning when she was younger and before mental illness basically took over. Sad stuff…

    posted by rjb on 4-2-2009 at 7:35 pm

77. Marvin the moonshine guy committed suicide recently. He didn’t want to go back to prison. Anyways search google for the story of his death since I can’t post a link to any here. Laters.

    posted by Julie gc3160-thtuk on 4-16-2009 at 9:34 am

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