February 3, 2006
Downtown San Francisco on a Tuesday afternoon, and every businessman’s face looks the same. Whatever happened to eccentric and iconic characters like Emperor Norton and Oofty Goofty?
You search the streets, hoping desperately for a flicker of life or a flash of the eccentricity that once shaped our city. Then you spot something out of the corner of your eye. It’s a sign of some sort, with letters fluorescing brightly on a black background. It looms over the downtown lunchtime scene like an alien invader, moving inexorably towards you as you stand transfixed in the center of the sidewalk. It is upon you! You scarcely take in the bearer, a diminutive Asian man in wraparound sunglasses, because his neatly uppercase signboard, resplendent in red and green and luminous blue, communicates intensity:
12 Galaxies
titrokutikel covetousness
cnn: lexkroxanicul coverage
cuxgrozenikal
centrifuges rheumatoids
concubines
The message was different yesterday, featuring “triogonic scandal” and “dectrogonic skeptical preemptive miscreants”. Don’t be shy, scratch your head — but don’t forget to smile, because your wish has been granted: You’ve just encountered Frank Chu, man on a mission, and grade-A San Francisco eccentric.
For further edification:
» Wikipedia link
» starve.org – interview
» SF Gate – faq
» Zegnatronic Rocket Society – fansite
» 12 Galaxies – fansite
» FrankChu Tribe – fansite
» Brain Terminal – video
» This revolution will be televised – video
» TJ Crowley – blog
» 12 Galaxies – nightclub
- San Francisco Timecapsule: 02.16.09
- Lefty O’Doul Hall of Fame Campaign
- #40: Luisa Tetrazzini and Christmas eve
- #2: Dogs In The Pharoah
- san francisco steam coffee?
Musical support:
Thanks to Froid for “31d1”, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.
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Pingback from SFWeekly: “Nonconformity Still Reigns” » Sparkletack - the San Francisco History Podcast
July 2, 2008 at 8:58 am[…] the Brown Twins (who refused to be interviewed by the Weekly without cash on the barrelhead) to Frank Chu (who could not be contained). The premise of the story is that there’s still hope for San […]
February 16, 2006 at 3:37 am
So Frank thinks that Bush destroyed New Orleans with his weather controlling device. Why havent we used it in the Middle East. What is this guy smoking, he is drinking to much and falling asleep in front of the SciFi channel to often.