Kinky Friedman
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Richard S. "Kinky" Friedman (born October 31, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election for the office of Governor of Texas. Receiving 12.6% of the vote, Friedman placed fourth in the five-party race.
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[edit] Personal life
Born in Chicago to Jewish parents, Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and Minnie Samet Friedman, Friedman moved with his family to a ranch in central Texas during his childhood. He had a keen interest in both music and chess at an early age. Friedman was chosen when he was 7 to be one of 50 local chess players to challenge U.S. grand master Samuel Reshevsky to simultaneous matches in Houston. While Reshevsky won all 50 matches, Friedman was by far the youngest competitor.
Friedman graduated from Austin High School in Austin, Texas in 1962 and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology while participating in the Plan II Honors program. He is also a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity. It was during his freshman year at the university that Chinga Chavin gave Friedman the nickname "Kinky," in reference to Friedman's curly hair.[1]
Friedman then served two years with the Peace Corps on the island of Borneo in Malaysia with John Gross.[2][3] He has been featured in the news including 60 Minutes on CBS and made an appearance as one of Jay Leno's guests.
Friedman lives at Echo Hill Ranch, his family's summer camp near Kerrville, Texas. He also founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, the mission of which is to care for stray, abused and aging animals; more than 1,000 dogs have been saved from animal euthanasia.
[edit] Music career
Friedman formed his first band, King Arthur & the Carrots while a student at the University of Texas. The band - which poked fun at surf music - recorded only one single in 1966 (Schwinn 24/Beach Party Boo Boo).
By 1971 Friedman had formed his second band, Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys. In keeping with the band's satirical nature, each member had a comical name: in addition to Kinky there was Little Jewford, Big Nig, Panama Red, Rainbow Colours and Snakebite Jacobs. Friedman's father objected to the name of the band, calling it a "negative, hostile, peculiar thing",[4] which gave Kinky even more reason to choose the name.
Arriving on the wave of country rock following on from Gram Parsons, The Band, and the Eagles, Friedman originally found cult fame as a country and western singer. His break came in 1973 thanks to Commander Cody, who contacted Vanguard Music on his behalf.
His repertoire mixed social commentary ("We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To You") and maudlin ballads ("Western Union Wire") with raucous humor (such as "Get Your Biscuits In The Oven and Your Buns In Bed"). His "Ride' em Jewboy" was an extended tribute to the victims of the Holocaust.
He confronted racism and anti-Semitism head-on in the song, "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore," a song in which the fictitious Kinky verbally and physically beats up a drunken white racist who berates African Americans, Jews, Greeks, and Sigma Nu's in a bar.
Sample lyrics:
- "Oh, they ain't makin' Jews like Jesus anymore,
- They ain't makin' carpenters that know what nails are for"
Other Friedman tunes include "The Ballad of Charles Whitman," in which Friedman lampooned Whitman's sniper attack from the University of Texas tower on August 1, 1966. His cover of Chinga Chavin's "Asshole from El Paso", a parody of Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee" is, perhaps, his most famous song.
In the spring of 1976 he joined Bob Dylan on the second leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
Friedman was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live in October 1976.
It has been reported by Mr. Friedman himself that he is the only artist known to have taped an unaired episode of Austin City Limits.[5] He has also claimed to have been the first full-blooded Jew to take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry.
[edit] Discography
- Sold American (1973)
- Kinky Friedman (1974)
- Lasso From El Paso (1976)
- Live From The Lone Star Cafe (1982)
- Under the Double Ego (1983)
- Old Testaments and New Revelations (1992)
- From One Good American To Another (1995)
- Classic Snatches from Europe (2000)
- Mayhem Aforethought (2005)
- They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore (2005)
[edit] Writing career
After his music career stalled in the 1980s, Friedman found a new lease on life as a detective novelist. His books have similarities to his music, featuring a fictionalized version of himself solving crimes in New York City and dispensing jokes, wisdom, Texan charm and Jameson's whiskey in equal measure. They are written in a straightforward style which owes a debt to Raymond Chandler. To date, he has only written one novel that did not star the Kinky Friedman character, Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned.
Friedman has also written a regular column for the magazine Texas Monthly since April 2001, although it has been suspended during his run for governor of Texas; his last essay appeared in the March 2005 issue.[6]
Two books have been published collecting some of these non-fiction writings, as well as previously unpublished ones: 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out and Texas Hold'em. He has also published a travelog (The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic) and an etiquette guide.
The recurring character "Rambam", a New York private investigator and friend of the Friedman character in the books, is based on the real-life investigator, Steven Rombom, who acts as a technical advisor for the real Friedman.[7]
[edit] Selected bibliography
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[edit] Politics
- See also: Texas gubernatorial election, 2006
In 1986, Friedman ran for Justice of the Peace in Kerrville, Texas, but lost the election.
In 2004, Friedman began a serious, though colorful, campaign to become the Governor of Texas in 2006. One of his stated goals is the "dewussification" of Texas[8]. Among his campaign slogans are "How Hard Could It Be?", "Why The Hell Not?", "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy" and "He ain't Kinky, he's my Governor"[9].
Friedman had hoped to follow in the footsteps of other entertainers-turned-governors, including Jimmie Davis, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Ronald Reagan. When the campaign finance reports came out after the second quarter had ended, Friedman had raised more funds than the Democratic nominee, former Congressman Chris Bell.
During Friedman's campaign, he appeared on The O'Reilly Factor, Real Time with Bill Maher, 60 Minutes, Glenn Beck on Headline News, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman. On May 11, 2006, Friedman submitted his petition to get on the November ballot, with 169,574 signatures to support his candidacy. In response to a question of how he got the signatures, Friedman replied, "Thank God for bars and dance halls"[10].
On June 22, 2006, Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams announced that both Friedman and independent gubernatorial opponent Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the current State Comptroller, had enough valid signatures to put their names on the ballot. 81% of Friedman's signatures were declared valid, for a total of 137,154. The Strayhorn campaign, by comparison, had only 49% of its signatures certified, dropping her initial 222,514 count to 108,512 -- over 28,000 fewer than Friedman. Both candidates, however, more than doubled the required 45,540 signatures (one percent of the total voters in the 2002 gubernatorial election). [11] [12]
On July 10, Williams ruled that Friedman would appear on the ballot as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman", citing Friedman's longstanding use of "Kinky" in public. However, Williams denied Strayhorn's request to appear on the ballot as "Grandma" Strayhorn, suggesting that Strayhorn's "nickname" was merely a slogan used during her campaign for state comptroller. [13]
On October 10, gubernatorial rival Chris Bell called on Kinky to drop out of the race, and join him in defeating Rick Perry. Bell campaign aides said that Friedman had performed poorly in the only debate of the election, and that Friedman supporters have told Bell that they'll support him if he could persuade Kinky to step down. Friedman's camp, however, has said that Bell's camp is "desperate and scrambling." Kinky himself addressed the issue: "No. You're kidding ... for Chris Bell? What do you take me for?" [14]
On election day, November 7, Friedman was defeated by a wide margin having received less than 13% of the state's votes in the five candidate match up.
On the WFAA-TV ad for the election debate, WFAA said "Rick Perry, Chris Bell, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, and 'Kinky' Friedman (Kinky instead of Richard) on YOUR issues." Not very many major news sources used his given first name, Richard.
[edit] Issues and positions
- On education, he supports higher pay for teachers and working to lower Texas' dropout rate, which is the highest in the nation[15].
- He supports more investment in harnessing Texas' alternative fuel resources such as wind and biodiesel[15].
- Kinky is opposed to the Trans-Texas Corridor since it relies on toll road construction. He feels that the TTC is a land grab of the ugliest kind, with land being taken from hard-working ranchers and farmers in little towns and villages all over Texas.[16]
- On the death penalty, he previously summed up his position, "I am not anti-death penalty, but I'm damn sure anti-the-wrong-guy-getting-executed"[17]. More recently, he has clarified his position: "The system is not perfect. Until it's perfect, let's do away with the death penalty"[18].
- On illegal immigration, Kinky wants to increase the number of Texas National Guard troops on the border (from the current 1,500 to 10,000), impose $25,000 and $50,000 fines on companies that hire illegal immigrants and require foreign nationals seeking employment to purchase a foreign taxpayer ID card once they have passed a criminal background check. "Texas can no longer wait for our federal government to solve our illegal immigration problem," Friedman said. "These are steps that Texas can immediately take to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants penetrating our border." Had he been elected, he had promised to meet regularly with Governors Bill Richardson (New Mexico) and Janet Napolitano (Arizona) to develop a coordinated border state plan to supplement federal efforts to curb illegal immigration. [19] Previously, Kinky put forth the "Five Mexican Generals" Plan, to pay Mexican officials to halt immigration on their side of the border. Although he originally stated "When I talk about the five Mexican generals, people think I’m joking but I’m dead serious," [20] Friedman later told the Dallas Morning News that the plan, never meant to be carried out, was a joke with an element of seriousness. [21]
- According to his official Web site [22], Friedman's answer to the question "How does Kinky feel about abortion?" is "Kinky believes in a woman's right to choose." In person, however, he hedges his bet, saying "I'm not pro-life, and I'm not pro-choice. I'm pro-football." [23]
- On social issues he has supported gay marriage, answering an Associated Press reporter's question on the subject on Feb. 3, 2005, "I support gay marriage. I believe they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us"[17] (Friedman himself is not married).
- According to Cigar Aficionado magazine, Friedman plans to roll back "any and all smoking bans" if elected. One of his favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain: "If smoking is not allowed in heaven, I shall not go." [24]
- Friedman supports the decriminalization of marijuana, though he doesn't advocate making its sale legal. "I'm not talking about like Amsterdam," he's noted, "We've got to clear some of the room out of the prisons so we can put the bad guys in there, like the pedophiles and the politicians". [25]
[edit] Support for the campaign
Don Imus, the host of Imus in the Morning on radio and on MSNBC TV, publicly (and frequently) announced his endorsement of Friedman for the governorship of Texas. Imus also made a prediction that Kinky Friedman would win the election.
In March 2006, entertainer Mojo Nixon announced his "un-retirement" as a performing musician to support the candidacy of Kinky Friedman. Previously, Nixon had retired as singer-songwriter to focus on his new career as a disc jockey for Sirius Satellite radio. To celebrate Kinky's campaign, Mojo re-wrote his hit single "Elvis is Everywhere" as "Kinky is Everywhere," which can currently be downloaded at the MojoNixon.com website.
Country singer Willie Nelson recorded a campaign radio spot to assist in the petition drive to get Friedman on the ballot. Kinky had also promised Willie a job in the State Capitol as the head of Kinky's proposed "Texas Energy Commission" due to Willie's promotion of biofuels.
Penn Jillette had Friedman as a guest on his radio program, Penn Radio, and often spoke of his support for his campaign, saying that if Friedman were to win it would "destroy all the cynicism I have toward American politics."
Singer Jimmy Buffett performed a benefit concert in Austin, TX on September 19 to benefit Friedman's campaign.
Jack Cafferty mentioned on CNN that he supported Kinky.
Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC-TV's Scarborough Country, predicted that Joseph Lieberman would win the Connecticut elections as an independent and that Kinky Friedman would win the Texas Governor's election.
Friedman also received overseas support by radio show in Melbourne, Australia "The Sunday Roast", on 94.1fm.
Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, who made a successful run as a non-traditional independent candidate in 1998, campaigned with Friedman during September 2006. [26]
Syndicated gossip columnist Liz Smith wrote in a September 26 article [27] that Ann Richards, Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995, supported Kinky's bid for the office. After protests from Richards' family, as well as from Democratic candidate Chris Bell, Smith retracted her assertion -- but not before Friedman trumpeted the endorsement on his web site [28]. Responding to this incident, as well as to accusations of racism in the preceding days, Friedman said, "The unforeseen event is it is shoring up the support of every redneck in Texas. That's a lot of votes." [29]
[edit] Controversy
One allegation was brought to the public by the newspapers, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Houston Chronicle. They reported on an interview with Friedman that aired on the cable television network CNBC in 2005, which he was asked what to do with sexual predators. Friedman replied, "Throw them in prison and throw away the key and make them listen to a Negro talking to himself." In response to the criticism, Friedman's spokeswoman, Laura Stromberg said, "Texans who know anything about Kinky know that he's not a racist, and they're going to see through all of this political correctness very soon. This is what they've got? Bring it on. Texans can see right through."[30]
[edit] Campaign quips
- On Carole Keeton Strayhorn's assertion that her fundraising lead makes it a "two person race" between her and incumbent Rick Perry: "I agree with her; it's between Carole and her ego." [31]
- "Musicians can run this state better than politicians. We won't get a lot done in the mornings, but we'll work late and be honest." [32]
- "I just want Texas to be number one in something other than executions, toll roads and property taxes." [32]
- On the possibility of losing: "If I lose this race I will retire in a petulant snit," he said. "I'm not going to go out gracefully, I promise you." [32] Friedman later clarified his statement, saying "If Perry wins, I retire a petulant snit on a goat farm. If Bell wins, I move to France with Barbra Streisand. If Strayhorn wins, I blow my (expletive) head off." [33]
- On his personal faith, he notes that he's a Jew, "but not a practicing Jew. There are those who say, 'If Kinky was a practicing Jew, he needs to practice a little more.'" [34]
- On pandering to ethnic minorities: "I don't eat tamales on the barrio and then go to a black church and eat fried chicken and then go have a bagel with a Jew. I treat all people the same. If you ain't Texan, I ain't got time for you." [35]
- About big game hunting: "Somebody that goes out and kills a polar bear or has to go out and shoot an elephant, I believe God punishes 'em by giving them erectile dysfunction... That's just a theory, though." [36]
- Regarding education in Texas: "This system is really broken. No Child Left Behind has really failed and the only way to solve education is to leave one governor behind." [37]
- Kinky's explanation about drinking a Guinness beer in a moving vehicle in Dallas, Texas on St. Patrick's day was "I admit to drinking it, but I did not swallow." Drinking an alcoholic beverage in a moving vehicle is illegal under Texas' open container law though Friedman was not cited by authorities. [38]
[edit] Trivia
- Kinky Friedman appeared in the 2004 documentary film Barbecue: A Texas Love Story" by Austin-based director Chris Elley. In the film, narrated by Governor Ann Richards, Kinky exclaims that "Jesus loved Barbecue" and analyzes the speech patterns of Texans versus New Yorkers. Raw footage from Friedman's interview appears in the 2005 DVD release of the film.
- Kinky Friedman's persona as a politically incorrect raconteur has been likened to that of movie critic and commentator John Irving Bloom, better known in print as Joe Bob Briggs, with whom he appeared in the B-movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. [39]
- Kinky Friedman prefers to smoke Montecristo No. 2 Cigars, the same brand once smoked by Fidel Castro. However, he also smokes Bolivars, noting that "Simón Bolívar is the only person in history to be exiled from a country named after him". [24]
- Kinky Friedman is given brief praise in Joseph Heller's 1976 novel, Good as Gold, in which a governor (meant to satirize Lyndon B. Johnson), tells the main character, Bruce Gold: "Gold, I like you. You remind me a lot of this famous country singer from Texas I'm crazy about, a fellow calls himself Kinky Friedman, the Original Texas Jewboy. Kinky's smarter, but I like you more."
- Friedman is friends with Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and he has visited both at the White House. He wrote about his friendships with them in his November 2001 column ("Hail to the Kinkster"[6]) for Texas Monthly.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050822fa_fact
- ^ http://www.kinkajourecords.com/kinkybio.htm
- ^ Notable Former Volunteers / Arts and Literature
- ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/19/sunday/main788935_page2.shtml
- ^ http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2004-09-17/music_string_all.html
- ^ a b List of Friedman's articles and Hail to the Kinkster from Texas Monthly
- ^ CNN.com "Kinky Friedman inspiration gets busted" July 26, 2006
- ^ http://www.ccrayz.com/news/?id=7604
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=81
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060511/ap_on_el_gu/governor_kinky_1
- ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/062306dntexcandidates.b0490395.html
- ^ http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/23govrace.html
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/10/texasgovernor.nickname.ap/index.html CNN: "Kinky" but not "Grandma" to be on the Texas ballot
- ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/101106dntexfriedman.26c35d7.html Dallas Morning News: Bell calls on Kinky to drop out
- ^ a b http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=28
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/issues/faq.html
- ^ a b http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/19/sunday/main788935.shtml CBS News, Aug. 21, 2005: Kinky Friedman Turns To Politics
- ^ http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=3948211
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/issues/faq.html
- ^ http://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/news/2005/0717/Front_Page/002.html Friedman says all Texans independents, Kilgore News-Herald
- ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/discusslive/viewpoints/stories/081106dnkinkychat.5dc3680.html Chat with the candidates: Kinky Friedman, Dallas Morning News, August 17, 2006
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/issues/faq.html
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2005/10/friedman_draws_celebrity_suppo.html
- ^ a b http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,218,00.html Cigar Aficionado, Lone Star Long Shot
- ^ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4185618.html Friedman urges pot be decriminalized
- ^ http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA092606.01B.Kinky.3069e76.html
- ^ http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/lifestyle/bal-to.liz26sep26,0,1471934.story?coll=bal-artslife-today Supporting Kinky Friedman's bid to become governor of Texas
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2006/09/liz_smith_kinky_was_ann_richar.html Liz Smith: Kinky Was Ann Richards’ Candidate
- ^ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4217362.html Kinky fan? yes; endorsement? no
- ^ Associated Press. "Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Kinky Friedman Under Fire Over Remark". Retrieved on September 29, 2006.
- ^ http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/23govrace.html
- ^ a b c http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2006/03/is_texas_ready_for_governor_ki.html
- ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/110206dntexkinky.a9562b6.html Kinky punctuates birthday lunch with zingers - Dallas Morning News, Nov 1, 2006
- ^ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4176843.html Contrasting views emerge on the mix of faith, politics
- ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/discusslive/viewpoints/stories/081106dnkinkychat.5dc3680.html The Dallas Morning News, Chat with the candidates: Kinky Friedman
- ^ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4173997.html Houston Chronicle, Sept 9, 2006: Friedman backtracks on his shot at hunting
- ^ http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?s=5627373
- ^ http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2006/03/not_your_usual_blarney_but_the.html Not Your Usual Blarney: But then, Kinky isn't your usual politician - Dallas Morning News, March 19, 2006
- ^ http://www.joebobbriggs.com/drivein/1991/dialingfordingbats.htm Correspondence with fellow raconteur 'Joe Bob' Briggs
[edit] External links
- Kinky Friedman's official website and official MySpace page
- Kinky Friedman's blog "getkinky.org"
- Candidate Kinky Friedman interviewed by Texas Monthly Talks
- Returned Peace Corps Volunteer stories about Friedman
- Biography at Kinkajou Records
- Profile of Friedman's political campaign in the August 22, 2005 New Yorker
- Kinky Friedman interviewed for Texas Monthly Talks
- Kinky's Run For Governor Of Texas (Article; Video) 60 Minutes, January 22, 2006
- Kinky Friedman at the Internet Movie Database
- Kinky Friedman podcast interview - Texas music, dogs, and politics
- Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch
- Being There Interview November/December 2005
Categories: American country singers | American humorists | American male singers | American novelists | American satirists | American songwriters | American mystery writers | Austin High School (Austin, Texas) alumni | Jewish American musicians | Jewish American politicians | Jewish American singers | Jewish American writers | Peace Corps volunteers | Texas musicians | Texas politicians | Texas writers | 1944 births | Living people | Comedian politicians | Musician politicians
