Kitsch Stuff
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By rocky | February 26, 2008
During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Fatso the Fat Arsed Wombat became the unofficial Olympic mascot and was caused quiet a stir doing it. The official mascots were Syd, Ollie and Mille they were a Platypus, an echidna and Kookaburra but they got overshaddowed by Fatso. Fatso was the creation of a Sydney cartoonist and featured on Sport’s comedians Roy & HG’s nightly show The Dream he overshaddowed the real mascots to the point the Australian Olympic Committe tried to ban him or stop their athletes getting seen with him.. Fatso survived and won the day he even ended up standing on the dias during a medal presentation. Fatso eventually got auctioned for charty reaching over $80,000, now living in a glass box in a TV executives office. But Fatso lives on and has been imortalised right outside the Sydney Olympic Stadium where a lifesize model of the fat arsed wombat appears on a pole showing all his glory. A must for anyone visiting the home of the best Olympics Games ever.
Topics: Animals, Australia, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Spam Museum- sure beats an art museum
By rocky | February 16, 2008
In the good old days Spam wasnt a bad email it was some kind of canned meat product which contains ham and pork and today it is as popular as ever. Since 1937 over 6 billion cans of the stuff has been sold and over 90 million cans of it were sold last year alone. A version of it became very popular during the war when food was scarce and being supplied in an air tight tin became a great food to send to the troops. So why not have a museum to celebrate this amazing food. The 16500 sq foot museum was actually a KMart before being tranformed into this wondeful gatronomical centre of fun. The museum is in the home town of Spam Austin in Minnesota. And guess what there’s a great gift shop at the end of the tour where you can buy some great spam stuff, tshirts, novelties and of course a few cans of delicious Spam. The best thing about the Spam museum is it’s free!
Topics: Americas, Kitsch Stuff, Museums, Must see | No Comments »
Superman’s hometown- Metropolis, Illinois
By rocky | February 6, 2008
A small town located on the Ohio River in Massac County, Illinois with about 6500 residents is the home town of Superman. Some may say its Smalltown but in January 1972 DC Comics declared Metropolis the “hometown of Superman”. The town is now home to a Superman Museum, a Superman Festival which is held every June and the Metropolis Daily Planet Newspaper but the best thing about this town is the cool superman statue outside the courthouse, in his blue tights and red Speedos and cape. As well as the 15ft high Superman the town also has a beautiful Superman mural which shows some great scenes from 1930’s circa DC Comics, there’s a 2.5 million dollar Superman Museum but the man of steel better keep away from the corner of Third and Ferry Street as there is a huge kryptonite meteorite dangerously waiting to bring the super hero to his knees.
Topics: Americas, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Lousy amusement park and dirty old man shop
By rocky | January 29, 2008
We have done a lot of great amusement park stories like Disney, Seaworld and zoos and stuff so we thought it was about time we told you about a really crap one. This one’s called South of the Border and its on US interstate 95 in South Carolina. It’s called South of the Border not because its Mexican like Pedro it’s poncho and sombrero wearing mascot it’s because its just over the border from North Carolina. The attraction if we should call it that features a gas station and road house restaurant, a motel and a small amusement park and some shopping but we will come to that a bit later.
The whole complex is a bit kitsch and tongue in cheek, the owners really must know its bad, and having a bit of fun, everyone does, but they do a pretty good job promoting it for what it is- crap. It is well worth a look if traveling down Interstate 95, but don’t spend the day getting there, there are so many other things to do. And as for the shopping there, well they sell fireworks and adult items- as you would expect- not sure if you could buy guns and liquor there but I’d expect so. For the newly weds they have some lovely hotel rooms too, $99 gets you married, a night in an “heir-conditioned” honeymoon suite champagne and even breaky the next morning for both of you if you are still together, probably good if your trailer park isn’t romantic enough for the big night.
Topics: Americas, Hotels, Kitsch Stuff, Must see, USA, fun parks | 1 Comment »
guvus anutha pot luv at the Ettamongah Pub
By rocky | January 18, 2008
Back in the 60’s and 70’s a popular men’s magazine called Australasian Post featured regular catoons by artist Ken Maynard, they were all based around a few Aussie friends and the happenings at the Ettamongah Pub. Some bright spark in the 1980’s decided to build a Ettamongah Pub and with great detail, right down to the busted up truck on the roof. Today the Ettamongah Pub about 10 minutes drive from the Victorian- New South Wales border town of Albury in Australia is home to the amazing pub. It has been so successful with bus loads of tourists and families other Ettamongah Pubs have sprouted up throughout Australia, with Western Australia and Queensland a few of the states which have now got their own Ettamongah Pub. The pub is more than a pub, it has a great restaurant, souvenir shop and even a lolly shop for the young folk. So if you are near Albury call in for an ice cold beer and say G’day to the locals.
Topics: Australia, Beer, Kitsch Stuff, fun parks | No Comments »
Hollywood Walk of Fame
By rocky | January 17, 2008
There plenty of tacky kitsch things to do in Hollywood and one of the most popular and free is stroll down Hollywood Blvd and check out the Walk of Fame, you will never know who’s name you will come across. The walk dates back to 1960 and is home to the who’s who of the entertainment industry. There’s over 2000 names on the stars many famous ones and quiet a few well not quiet as famous as they would like. The personality actually pays $15,000+ to have their name immortalized on the pavement but not just anyone can put their name on a star, there is a nomination and selection process plus a heap of other conditions. The Walk was originally thought up by an artist Oliver Weismuller who was hired by the City to help give the sleazy and run down Hollywood a bit of a facelift.
Topics: Americas, Kitsch Stuff, USA | No Comments »
The giant Murray Cod
By rocky | January 2, 2008
If you are a regular reader of Tripandom you have probably noticed we have a soft spot for ‘Big Things’ and we have found another, and guess what it’s in Australia (they seem to have their fair share of big things). This time its a giant Murray Cod it can be found in Swan Hill in North Western Victoria along the mighty Murray River. The fish is 11 metres in length and 6 metres wide, it was actually built as a move prop for a film called ‘Eight Ball’ and the locals liked it so much and found a home for it. Swan Hill is the gateway to inland fishing in Australia and their is no mightier fish to catch than the Murray Cod which lives along the fallen river gums on the Murray.
Topics: Animals, Australia, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Las Vegas fun coming to Spain
By rocky | December 5, 2007
Plans are underway to build a huge Las Vegas style city in Spain called Gran Escala in the Los Monegros Desert about half way between Madrid and Barcelona. The plan will feature huge resorts with 32 hotel- casinos, a race course, sports stadium, golf courses, equestrian centres and two major theme parks including a water park and spy themed park. Over 17 billion Euros have been committed to the project and over 25 million people are expected to visit a year once this stage is complete over the next decade. Tourism is a huge earner in Spain, it now makes up 12% of the country’s economy. It is hoped this development will further strengthen tourism and threaten France as Europe’s most visited city. We are not sure if there is going to be a Spanish Elvis or the wedding chapels and buffets but there’s every chance.
Topics: Europe, Hotels, Kitsch Stuff, fun parks | No Comments »
Elvis is alive…..isn’t he?
By rocky | December 2, 2007
Well most of us have come to the conclusion the King of Rock and Roll sadly passed away in August of 1977 but there are some die hards who just can’t bring themselves to accept the facts. Well who knows maybe Bill Beeny might be right, he put his Elvis is Alive collection on internet auction site eBay and got him self a cool $8000 from a guy called Key. The Elvis is Still Alive Museum museum is currently housed in a transformed a coin operated laundry an hours drive from St Lois. The new owner hopes to move it to Laurel in Jacksonville or even to Hattiesburg in Mississippi- No one really knows why?. The $8000 got Key a huge collection of photos, books, and memorabilia of the King and even FBI files and DNA reports which support Bill Beeny’s evidence that Elvis still lives. Well we are all hoping that the Elvis will turn up to the opening of this new museum and set us all straight…only time will tell.
Topics: Americas, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Are you up to Hello Kitty Land
By wattsy | November 16, 2007
Puroland in Tokyo is an indoor theme park dedicated to the Sanrio characters of whom the most famous is everyone’s favorite cat, Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty is something of a phenonemum in Japan and elsewhere across the world with fans unable to get enough of Kitty and her merchandise. If you are a Hello Kitty tragic you will enjoy the video above of the park’s boat ride, if you cant make it through the whole 7 mins this park may not be for you. Don’t get us wrong we love Kitty but we still have cute overload flashbacks from Disney’s “its a small world” ride. Sanrio Puroland is located in the Tama New Town district of Tokyo approx 40 mins by trian from Shinjuku station. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Asia, Kitsch Stuff, Youtube of the week | No Comments »