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The Pink Flamingo losing its leg to stand on
I'm not going to try to make this relevant.
I'm going to post what others are saying about the company which manufactured the things that stopped production today. It's hard to believe that not enough pink flamingos were being sold. They populate the suburbs. They winter in Florida, they pop up in dorm rooms, and on your birthday a flock of them might appear on your front lawn, courtesy of FlamingoSurprise.com. At Christmas, they wear Santa hats. The Arizona Daily Republic wrote: You may have read recently that the plastic pink flamingo has gone the way of the dodo bird.The Buffalo News:
Associated Press: The pink plastic flamingo, a Florida-inspired icon that has been reviled as kitschy bad taste and revered as retro cool, is dead at age 49.
Kind of makes you sad doesn't it? What's next, drive-in theaters?
Posted by Steve E. Swenson 20 comments from 9 users
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posted by
TomW
on Nov 1, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Poor flamingos. I've been a fan. Of course, just putting a flamingo out is not cool. A flamingo with a lei? Definiately cool.The Banner of the Week is annoying. Astroturf? Done right it great. All of these things are like humor at a funeral. If you don't think you can pull it off, don't try. posted by
robinislost
on Nov 1, 2006 at 12:50 PM
I heard about this on NPR yesterday! The poor pink flamingo. It makes me sad.www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php Click on the "Listen" button if you want to listen to the story about the guy who created the first pink plastic flamingo. It was interesting, I thought. posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:05 PM
Anyone else here see the John Waters movie Pink Flamingos?
posted by
AudreyB
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:21 PM
Pink flamingos are alive and well in my back yard where no one else has to see them. For some reason, they make me happy. posted by
TomW
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:32 PM
Audrey, I know how you feel. Something so joyful about them. They are very few things that just make you happy to look at. I had a plastic Jack'o'lantern years ago that I used as a shade on my porch light for Halloween (one of the wall mounted sconces). After Halloween, I put a Pilgrim Hat on it, then a Santa Hat. Made me smile every day.
posted by
robbwillis
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:36 PM
Yup, they don't make 'em like Divine anymore...
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:39 PM
How did I know that you saw it Robb.
posted by
steveeswenson
on Nov 1, 2006 at 01:44 PM
Robin,Great link. I love that the designer thought they were poor people's bad taste. posted by
mattloch
on Nov 1, 2006 at 02:37 PM
They're still being made. Just not in the USA. Guess the lawn flamingo isn't American anymore. Like the Chuck Taylor All-Star, I would not be surprised if the price doubles now that they're being made by slave labor. I'm ashamed to say my "Dogs Playing Poker" tapestry was also made overseas. But my "Christmas Story" leg lamp and Jackalope mounted head were made with pride by Americans right here in America. Guess you have to go pretty far over in the "kitsch" spectrum to find pride in workmanship these days.....
posted by
dusty1215
on Nov 1, 2006 at 03:56 PM
I love John Watters movies Pete..this raises you and Robb to new heights in my book :)
posted by
sbranco
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:05 PM
Speaking of drive-ins, Visalia lost the Mooney Drive-In last month to bulldozers. And the old-fashioned Mearle's Drive-in diner shut its doors, too. Very, very sad. :(
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:06 PM
mattloch, "Chucks" were bought out by reebok. I think that's why they're more expensive. At least they have new styles available. I'm beginning to think I'd like your decor. dusty, or new lows, depending on how you look at it. I was really mad when I rented "A Dirty Shame" and it was the clean version. I'm not sure where to rent the "normal' version, but it ain't blockbuster. posted by
TomW
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:09 PM
Pete, it's never Blockbuster. Get yourself some netflicks.
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:20 PM
Yeah, I know. I tried netflix as a trial, and it was too annoying to wait days to get your movies. I also like the whole going down and staring at the covers part of picking a movie. Actually these days, I don't get to watch as many as I'd like. It seems like only about 1 or 2 a month. I'm usually watching NHL games. It's an unhealthy obsession really.I just wish there were still some independant movie rental houses. Most of them went out of business. posted by
mattloch
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:22 PM
They weren't bought out by Reebok until after they shut down their US factories and set up camp overseas. The two pairs I still own were bought for $20, and were made by American hands. I'm constantly searching ebay for some more, that were made in the US and kept on a backroom shelf until now. I almost had a pair for $45 last week, but they stealth-bid me out. (Like "conversestore" was a private buyer.) Why should I spend $40-50 on shoes made by a 12 year old kid for 30 cents an hour, when I used to get the very same style for $20 when made by unionized American labor? I can only hope they'll be the first ones against the wall when the revolution comes.
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 1, 2006 at 04:28 PM
I guess that explains why the last pair I bought (pre-reebok, but probably post outsourcing) fell apart faster than usual.
posted by
mattloch
on Nov 2, 2006 at 10:52 AM
Dunno when you bought yours, but I've had mine for around 12+ years, and the only thing seriously worn on them is the outer heal where they hit the floorboards while I drive. BTW Pete, my decor is that way because there are no moderating female influences on my household. Do you think any woman in her right mind would permit a 3'x6' "dogs playing poker" tapestry in their house? posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 2, 2006 at 11:07 AM
Mine totally would, if it was in the right spot. She also watches hockey with me. I'm pretty lucky that way. I've never had a pair of chucks last anywhere close to that long. My latest pair has all the glued on rubber stripes on the sole peeled off, and the heel/achillies part of the insides has totally cracked and is falling off, one of the shoes has about a 4 inch tear on the heel, but other than that, they're in great shape! I wear them out by doing yardwork. They're still one of the most comfortable shoes I own. posted by
mattloch
on Nov 2, 2006 at 11:13 AM
I've also got two pairs of suede Airwalks that have lasted that long (and have finally worn through the heal so badly that my socks get wet if I walk through a puddle). I guess a sedentary lifestyle has side benefits extending beyond blown knees and bad backs. I only hope the new Pumas that I purchased last month last that long, but I'm not holding my breath.The one piece of kitsch that I refuse to get is a velvet Elvis, or crying clown. Pretty much everything else is up for grabs..... posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Nov 2, 2006 at 11:33 AM
You're anti-velvet Elvis? I can't believe it (ok, yes I can). I have this odd guitar shaped elvis cd rack that's "signed" by the King himself (not). I've never been able to wear Pumas comfortably. Those and Adiddas are too narrow for my feet. It's too bad because I like the look of both. My longest lasting shoes that I don't really wear anymore are a pair of work boots that used to be my dads that are from Sears. They've got to be over 30 years old. I only wear them if I'm doing some seriously nasty work.I just realized your poker dogs tapesty was 3 feet by 6 feet. No, my wife wouldn't allow that. Half that size and she'd be cool with it.
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