Zombie "L'Origine du monde?"

October 3, 2008 10:15 AM

Beardo Halloween: I would kinda like to go as Gustave Courbet, but fear a) trying to come up with a good costume that reads as Courbet, and b) having to explain who Gustave Courbet is over and over. I do look like him, but what else might there be?

So, other cheeky ideas of how to be Gustave Courbet (or Zombie Gustave Courbet), or other chubby beardo Halloween costumes that will work better.

And yes, I've already gone as Rasputin. Even in full evil cassock, I had to explain who he was about a thousand goddamn times.

posted by klangklangston to media & arts (29 answers total)

Romeo Stoddart?
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 10:27 AM on October 3, 2008

I went as Sylvia Plath WITH an oven on my head and I still got "Hey, Mrs. Jack In The Box!" WTF? There's no guaranteeing the tolerability of any sort of literary costume over the course of the evening. If I were trying to play off a beard for Halloween, I'd at least go with Ulysses S. Grant, or, better, Alferd Packer.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:29 AM on October 3, 2008

You could go as a fat bearded lady.
posted by Evangeline at 10:38 AM on October 3, 2008

Can you go Mr. French with a satanic Mrs. Beasley doll? (or zombie buffy and jody for that matter)
posted by nightwood at 10:53 AM on October 3, 2008

Can you go as...
posted by nightwood at 10:54 AM on October 3, 2008

Mario, of the Nintendo Marios.
posted by redsparkler at 10:55 AM on October 3, 2008

Perhaps even Surly Mario, as pictured here.
posted by redsparkler at 10:56 AM on October 3, 2008

Just carry around a copy of "L'Origine du Monde". Everyone knows who painted that.

Or you could go as Fidel Castro.
posted by billtron at 11:04 AM on October 3, 2008

I was also going to suggest Ulysses S. Grant. If you want to be even vaguely recognized, you have to go for maximum fame. Even I, fabulously learned and witty cultureholic that I am, had no idea what Gustave Courbet looked like.
posted by languagehat at 11:05 AM on October 3, 2008

Orson Welles? Paul Prudhomme?
posted by rhizome at 11:08 AM on October 3, 2008

I would stick with Gustav Corbet if I were you, that's a great idea. Then, instead of explaining who he is everytime just do it like this;

A: Who are you supposed to be?
B: Gustav Corbet, he was... actually what am I saying, of course you know who he was. *insert incredulous facial expression/shrug here*
A: ah... yes, of course... I'm Miss Piggy. *sheepish smile*

That's a nice bowl of win salad, smothered with win dressing is what that is.
posted by datter at 11:18 AM on October 3, 2008

Vultan.
posted by Jakey at 11:27 AM on October 3, 2008

How about a pre-weight-loss Peter Jackson?
posted by attercoppe at 11:32 AM on October 3, 2008

Kevin Smith? Paul Bunyan?
posted by Shebear at 11:46 AM on October 3, 2008

chubby beardo Halloween costumes

Why on earth would you ever go as anyone other than Kenny Rogers?
posted by dersins at 11:49 AM on October 3, 2008

Fat Brian Wilson?
posted by chococat at 11:49 AM on October 3, 2008 [1 favorite]

If you do go as Courbet, I'd suggest dressing as GC does in this picture.

Or how about Karl Marx?
posted by misteraitch at 12:13 PM on October 3, 2008

Beardo = Nostradamus. You need to acquire a funny hat. You can signify with a book of prophecies, crystal ball, etc. Historical accuracy is not required.

1. Get 'toxicated.
2. Ask people for a word.
3. Improv abab prophetic quatrain using that word.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 12:35 PM on October 3, 2008 [1 favorite]

That guy looks a LOT like Richard Stallman. If you were hanging out at a party with geeks, they'd totally get it.
posted by wackybrit at 1:07 PM on October 3, 2008

I second TheOnlyCoolTim. I wouldn't ask people for words. I'd just give them unsolicited prophecies. Like, "young Master Joker, I see in your future a slap to the head." Then I'd slap them upside the head and make fun of them for not being original with their damn costume.
posted by damnjezebel at 1:26 PM on October 3, 2008

MisterAitch— The idea for this actually came from someone coming up to me at a bar and saying, "Do you know the Gustav Courbet painting The Meeting? You look just like him!"
posted by klangklangston at 1:40 PM on October 3, 2008

Hagrid? If you don't mind going as a children's book character, that is.
posted by clerestory at 1:56 PM on October 3, 2008

Seconding Brian Wilson, particularly if you go as the Love You-era Brian in a bathrobe.
posted by dhammond at 2:36 PM on October 3, 2008 [1 favorite]

I vote Fidel Castro or Brian Wilson in a bathrobe.
posted by emd3737 at 3:22 PM on October 3, 2008

I always have to explain my costumes. I make little cards with an explanation on it and pass them out. This is good because somehow I never manage to make a mask where I can speak clearly. Your card could have one of Courbet's paintings on it. Or if you can persuade a naked woman in a sheet to come with you, you could perform a "tableau vivant" of "The Painter's Studio".

I love Courbet. He's so egotistical. My favorite painting is "Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet", showing the painter taking a walk outdoors to some scenic site which he will paint, encountering two neighbors, who are appropriately obsequious in the presence of such a great men.
posted by acrasis at 4:21 PM on October 3, 2008

Orson Welles? Paul Prudhomme?
posted by rhizome at 11:08 AM on October 3 [+] [!]

Christ. klang's not THAT huge. I still think Rutherford B Hayes is your man. A little theatrical graying to the beard, a nice foulard at the neck, you got it. And who wouldn't recognize the 19th prez, who, like GW in 2000, lost the popular vote & pulled out the win in the EC. Surefire conversation starter for a party just days before the election.
posted by beelzbubba at 4:44 PM on October 7, 2008

And hello? At least you wouldn't have to explain the damn diorama again.
posted by beelzbubba at 4:58 PM on October 7, 2008

I was also thinking Joseph Roulin (Van Gogh's postman friend) because you could probably get the costume, but, damn, your beardo is no match for Roulin's. Dude's got a part in it.
posted by beelzbubba at 11:49 AM on October 8, 2008

Late Fassbinder. May I suggest coke-snot-stained DEAD Fassbinder?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:21 PM on October 26, 2008