867-5309, et al
October 16, 2011 9:27 AM Subscribe
I am a freelance writer writing a piece about people who have done fun things that copy popular cultural and musical icons. For instance, people who have stood on the corner in Winslow Arizona, or have crossed the street at Abbey Lane, or who have had the phone number 867-5309, or who have a soccer ball named Wilson.
Any suggestions on how I can find these people? Ads in the newspaper? Twitter? And how do I ask readers and listeners if they are one of these people. I know what I'm looking for, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about getting it. Wording the question in a simple way is important, so any help, including other examples, would be greatly appreciated.
Any suggestions on how I can find these people? Ads in the newspaper? Twitter? And how do I ask readers and listeners if they are one of these people. I know what I'm looking for, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about getting it. Wording the question in a simple way is important, so any help, including other examples, would be greatly appreciated.
Pretty sure it's 'Abbey Road.' Somewhat less sure it's a volleyball.
posted by box at 9:34 AM on October 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by box at 9:34 AM on October 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
Back in 2004, some bloke called 867-5309 in every area code just to see what would happen.
You'll also want to find people who ate beef chow mein at the now-closed Lee Ho Fook's.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:56 AM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
You'll also want to find people who ate beef chow mein at the now-closed Lee Ho Fook's.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:56 AM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Off the top of my head, I have:
Now when you find someone who's shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, you'll really have something.
PS: I am fairly certain that a large proportion -- if not the majority -- of the world's volley balls are already named Wilson.
posted by Herodios at 10:03 AM on October 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
- Stood on a corner in Winslow, Arizona
- Driven a truck from Tuscon to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Tonapah
- Got my kicks on Route 66
- Made the scene at Indian Lake
- Taken the A-Train
- Stood on the corner of Bleeker and McDougal wondering which way to go
- Kicked down the cobblestones on the 59th Street bridge, feeling (fairly) groovy
Now when you find someone who's shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, you'll really have something.
PS: I am fairly certain that a large proportion -- if not the majority -- of the world's volley balls are already named Wilson.
posted by Herodios at 10:03 AM on October 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
...stood on the corner in Winslow Arizona...
It's not that great. You stop there cause you're driving past, you've been on the highway for hours, and it's a reason to stretch your legs.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:38 AM on October 16, 2011
It's not that great. You stop there cause you're driving past, you've been on the highway for hours, and it's a reason to stretch your legs.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:38 AM on October 16, 2011
Depending on what you need, I would include in any ad that just being able to do a phone interview (rather than having to meet in person) might increase the number of responses you get.
posted by Night_owl at 10:45 AM on October 16, 2011
posted by Night_owl at 10:45 AM on October 16, 2011
I once went and had Breakfast at Tiffany's to celebrate leap year. I had decided to spend the whole day doing things that I'd never gotten around to doing over the course of the last four years.
posted by hermitosis at 11:09 AM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by hermitosis at 11:09 AM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's not that great. You stop there cause you're driving past, you've been on the highway for hours, and it's a reason to stretch your legs.
That's exactly why I stood on the corner at Winslow, Arizona. That, and I needed gas.
When having trouble deciding where to move one time, I finally decided to move to Albuquerque, NM because that's where Bugs Bunny always forgets to turn left.
To find people with stories, just post questions like this in random forums -- look how many you have so far...
posted by patheral at 2:35 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
That's exactly why I stood on the corner at Winslow, Arizona. That, and I needed gas.
When having trouble deciding where to move one time, I finally decided to move to Albuquerque, NM because that's where Bugs Bunny always forgets to turn left.
To find people with stories, just post questions like this in random forums -- look how many you have so far...
posted by patheral at 2:35 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I did the zebra crossing at Abbey Road. It was nice of the lady who apparently lived in a nearby house to take a photo of me doing it. I was so excited right up until I got to the other side of the street. Then I immediately felt like an idiot. I mean, as big a fan of the boys as I am, how cliché was I, now?
When I went across the bridge near Parliament, my first thought was, "OMG, Monty Python filmed a sketch on this bridge!"
I take the A-train on a regular basis and think nothing of it.
I've also stood at the corner of Bleeker and McDougal puzzled.
I've been to Birdland. Overpriced, mediocre drinks and food (IMO), and only OK jazz on the night I went. Nothing earthshaking.
Ive played that piano at FAO Schwartz, have run up the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (theme to Rocky in my head) and I've stood at that corner on 7th Street and the mall in Minneapolis and tossed a tam o'shanter in the air. The coat I wore that day, though, was red, and not black.
I've yet to go to a snooty restaurant in downtown Chicago and get lunch as Abe Frohman, the Sausage King. Can't pull that off with my looks.
posted by droplet at 5:09 PM on October 16, 2011
When I went across the bridge near Parliament, my first thought was, "OMG, Monty Python filmed a sketch on this bridge!"
I take the A-train on a regular basis and think nothing of it.
I've also stood at the corner of Bleeker and McDougal puzzled.
I've been to Birdland. Overpriced, mediocre drinks and food (IMO), and only OK jazz on the night I went. Nothing earthshaking.
Ive played that piano at FAO Schwartz, have run up the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (theme to Rocky in my head) and I've stood at that corner on 7th Street and the mall in Minneapolis and tossed a tam o'shanter in the air. The coat I wore that day, though, was red, and not black.
I've yet to go to a snooty restaurant in downtown Chicago and get lunch as Abe Frohman, the Sausage King. Can't pull that off with my looks.
posted by droplet at 5:09 PM on October 16, 2011
I once fed chili to a baby.
And in 1978, I didn't make the left turn in Albuquerque, and I ended up going around half the city, to the right. (I did the same thing in El Paso, but I don't think there's any cultural references to that.)
posted by MexicanYenta at 8:07 PM on October 16, 2011
And in 1978, I didn't make the left turn in Albuquerque, and I ended up going around half the city, to the right. (I did the same thing in El Paso, but I don't think there's any cultural references to that.)
posted by MexicanYenta at 8:07 PM on October 16, 2011
I can't even begin to enumerate all the times I've dared to be stupid.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:30 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:30 AM on October 17, 2011
I've never stood at (nor heard of) the corner of Bleeker and McDougal, but I have been standing at Bleeker and Broadway, looking for something to do, and then walked into a local record shop and looked at an American Music Anthology.
I've also been to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and went to the room where they keep the Cézannes. Later on the same trip, I was very pleased to find myself in a car driving past the Stop 'n' Shop with the radio on.
posted by Gortuk at 1:14 PM on October 17, 2011
I've also been to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and went to the room where they keep the Cézannes. Later on the same trip, I was very pleased to find myself in a car driving past the Stop 'n' Shop with the radio on.
posted by Gortuk at 1:14 PM on October 17, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by threeants at 9:34 AM on October 16, 2011