Comments on: Lawn Chairs Are (Not) Everywhere in Brooklyn Bridge Park or How Mr. Junkersfeld Found Another Place to Pitch His Canopy Chair

By: nabeguy

nabeguy — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:13:57 +0000

Loved that movie as a kid Andrew, especially given the locales. As well as Lee Van Cleef’s line (in one of his earliest pre-Mag 7 roles) about “picking his teeth with a rifle”. Even back then, as a kid growing up in Brooklyn, I welcomed the chance to go head to tooth with a T-Rex, if only to say “Yeah, buddy I got your Darwinism right here. Bring it on!”

By: Andrew Porter

Andrew Porter — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:50:48 +0000

Found that clip of the view Mr. Junkersfeld wanted from his beach chair. It’s at one minute twenty seconds into this movie trailer. Be careful what you wish for:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTGMc-QPBlw

By: Andrew Porter

Andrew Porter — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:41:06 +0000

Although chairs are (or were) regularly offered for rent in British parks and the seaside, an attempt to try this in NYC’s Central Park over a hundred years ago met with a riot in which the chairs were piled together and burned, and no such service has ever been attempted since.

I had a little “Howda” seat from my mom’s place that I never used, gave it to the thrift store to sell a few months ago. Wonder if that’s allowed at Pier 1.

By: nabeguy

nabeguy — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:47:57 +0000

Karl, the Peppermint Twist was indeed popularized by Joey Dee. But the original twist hit the mainstream with Chubby Checker, who performed it at the Peppermint Lounge two years before the Dee song. In fact, I think I even have a record of Checker at the Lounge. Or is it a Checker/Rydell duet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubby_Checker

By: Karl Junkersfeld

Karl Junkersfeld — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:44:50 +0000

What was the movie with Joey Dee that made Peppermint Twist the new sensation?

By: Karl Junkersfeld

Karl Junkersfeld — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:40:18 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WIvZu4dPQQ

By: Karl Junkersfeld

Karl Junkersfeld — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:39:13 +0000

Joey Dee and the Starlighters and The Peppermint Twist

By: nabeguy

nabeguy — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:37:19 +0000

Thanks for the shout out Karl. Given the bleacher-like feel of those steps, I really do think that we should turn the East River into some 2.0 version of the Weeki Wachee mermaids.
And Homer, your video archives never cease to amaze me; coincidentally (or tangentially), that was the 2.0 version of the Peppermint Lounge which was, first made famous by…who?

By: nabeguy

nabeguy — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:39:34 +0000

If they do, lori, it will keep all those wedding parties off the lawns. I can hear a thousand photographers groaning at the prospect.

By: lori

lori — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:28:53 +0000

The only reason I can see for prohibiting chairs of this type are that they put holes in the lawn – do they prohibit women from wearing spike heels?

By: Karl Junkersfeld

Karl Junkersfeld — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:24:05 +0000

Got 4 calls this morning asking if it is easy to open and fold the chairs. Well fortunately there is a video to answer your questions. See below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBMl6VBxzSo&feature=player_embedded

And no, I’m not a salesperson or marketing consultant for Renetto Canopied chairs. lol

By: David on Middagh

David on Middagh — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:37:45 +0000

A beautiful video, a beautiful park… and a beautiful chair.

By: Claude Scales

Claude Scales — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:08:34 +0000

Karl: great video, and thanks for the mention.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:31:12 +0000

Park personnel were out early this morning closing off the lawns in the park with signs and chains. No doubt this was to allow the grass to recover from the extensive damage caused by Karl’s chair.