Thursday, April 2, 2009

Buddy Ebson Art I Saw In Long Beach Was Terrible.



Did you know Buddy Ebsen (aka Jed from the Beverly Hillbillies) was born on this day? It's true. And thinking about him just takes me back to a very special day in my life.

It was a few years ago and I was at a gift show for work in Long Beach California. As I turned the corner of the trade show - there it was. His crappy, crappy art.

I remember stopping in my tracks. Then seeing that Buddy Ebsen was the artist I was a bit shocked. What. The. Hell? Then I did one of those single exhale laughs. I looked to the left then right with a smile wondering if anyone else was seeing this too.

The woman working the booth approached me, "I bet you know Buddy Ebsen from the Beverly Hillbillies but did you know he's also an accomplished folk artist?"

You've got to be kidding.

The other great thing about the trade show was that they had some of the real munchkins from the Wizard of Oz there dressed in their outfits. The mayor had to be escorted to the bathroom because he was like 90 years old. It was kind of sad.

What stories would you like to share about seeing someones art (including acting, music and dancing) that was so bad that you had to laugh while they stood there proudly waiting for your approval?

33 comments:

mo.stoneskin said...

In my city (Brighton UK) there are some lanes known as The Lanes which often have artists about selling work. Sometimes you get some goofup displaying what can only be described as 'art that any goofup can do in 5 minutes', basically just a canvas with a few monochrome blocks or circles. Me and the missus (an oil painter and a good one) just stand there shaking out heads. Does that count?

Bombchell said...

aww I checked the internet and saw some of his stuff its not bad. theres some that are worse out there, but then again they say art is perception.

SkylersDad said...

I saw an exhibit that was a bunch of metal welded together, and not very good welding either. A wheel that had a pole sticking out of it with some sort of bird brazed to it.

Everyone was standing around using terms like "fresh" "moving" and "tight"

WTF?

Kim said...

It looks like something that would be on the cover of "Sex to Sexty". Do you remember those or was that before your time?

Moooooog35 said...

My collie once pooped in the shape of an "L" in my backyard...standing straight up and everything. I figured he was starting to spell out our last name.

Does that count?

Otherwise, I think all art is shit any way.

Jennifer and Sandi said...

I'm way over it. People laugh at my oil paintings all the time! Maybe that's why I don't paint much anymore.

I actually LIKE HIS painting. But than again, I like Picasso!

HAPPY THURSDAY!

- Jennifer

diane said...

The key here is the term "folk art". Which means you won't find it in any major gallery, except maybe one in NYC where the owner drinks too much and has completely lost his perspective. There's probably a gallery somewhere that houses all of those "great" pieces from Buddy Ebson, Red Skeleton, Jimmy Stewart, ect. It's probably located in Wisconsin.

word ver.- wisorg, which is the URL for crappy folk art.

sas said...

In my home town of Wellington New Zealand, we have the annual 'Affordable Art Show'. It's a mix of promising young talent, a really shit art.
Last year there was an onslaught of animal based 'art'. Loads of restarded looking tigers. And I remember a really dark, broody looking painting of an angry angry chimp entitles 'Mary is not like the others'. No. She clearly is not.

Soda and Candy said...

Thanks be to God this has not happened to me, but a bright smile and a sudden reason to be somewhere else should do the trick!

Vic said...

Was any of it as good as my nose-picker lady? Because that's about as good as art gets, IMHO.

It's sorta ruined my appreciation for lessor works.

(still waiting for your reveal, Zibbs. What can I say? I'm an optimist.)

OG said...

A self portrait...don't you have to be famous to paint a self portrait?

I once met the guy who does the moving pictures that they sell at the mall...you know the kind they put lights behind? That guy is a real talent.

Dr Zibbs said...

Vic - I agree that the nose picker lady art you have on your blog is an A plus!

Chele said...

someone once played me song they had written and it was so bad I could not stop laughing, he was all serious...he got the memo

dmb5_libra said...

every jackson pollock makes me laugh

Anonymous said...

My daughter drew a reallly good "snake" at school. And the teacher even sent it home. I'll send it to you via email - for your eyes only!

Prunella Jones said...

I love crappy art. I'd probably buy this painting. As long as it wasn't more than $10, of course.

I'm jealous that you got to see munchkins.

Dominica said...

I don't know about you, but I really like to see Pete Doherty's (from the Babyshambles) menstrual blood art pieces now ...(blink blink)


...
Folk ehm ?
I would hang it up in my kids store ..kids just love chickens and pigs...
:-O

Shawn said...

I got drunk and went home with a guy once who then proceeded to recite me his own poetry.

I laughed my ass off and STILL got laid.

At least he was good at THAT!

Eric said...

Ugh, the Ebsen stuff reminds me of how awkward it was when Michael Jordan tried professional baseball...

One day, I hope for some of my stuff to be displayed here:
museumofbadart.org

Kelly said...

I have heard on Howard Stern that the guy from Goodfellas or that Goodfellas was based on, actually paints pictures. I wish I could remember his name... That has to be bad!

I got lost in Long Beach once. NOT a good idea! It was the hood, worse than even the south side of Chicago! Kept driving, ran into a Tiffany's! Neighborhoods are small out there!

J.J. in L.A. said...

Hey! Don't you be dissin' Buddy Ebson! He lived a couple houses down from my brother on Balboa Island, back in the 80's. He'd work in his garden and when we walked by, he always made a point of saying, "Hey there, Jerry, who's that pretty lady with you?"

And I like his art. It's charming. I don't get what the big deal is about Andy Warhol...or Picasso.

rachaelgking said...

So you didn't like that fingerpaint by numbers I sent you??

Ass.

Cora said...

I went to a museum once where an "artist" had filled an entire room with half-full bottles of water and there was an ocean soundtrack playing which made me have to pee. What the hell?!

BTW, I linked you today, and I have a question for you on my blog about whether or not you would sue Weird Al. Please come by and let me know! ;-)

Dr Zibbs said...

Shawn -I don't thing there's anything that can offend dude's if there's a chance of getting laid

Gwen said...

Last time I was in "Uncle Jed Country" someone made me get on all fours and squeal like a pig.

sista #2 said...

The Beverly Hillbillies, was Granny his wife or his mother? They were both old so I could never figure it out.

Is Buddy still alive?? Thought he was dead.

Sometimes bad art is pretty cool....take for instance Vic's awesome find......I am still very jealous over that one.

I never understood the fruit in the bowl art. What the fuck does that have to do with anything? Do people actually buy it?

peace
#2

Dr Zibbs said...

Sista - Granny was his mom.

I think.

And he's been dead almost five years. It's a bit too late to send a mass card if the family asks, just say it got lost in the mail.

Girl Interrupted said...

Wow! It's like Dr Doolittle for rednecks

Caffeine Court said...

I went to modern dance show and sat in the front row. One of the performers was so damn bad that I started laughing and couldn't stop. The spotlight was on us we were so close to the stage, tears were pouring down my face. It was pretty horrible. That used to happen to me at my friend's Bar Mitzvahs too.

skywind said...

Oh, farm life, comfortable life. LOL
Health information
Humor & Fun World

Dr Zibbs said...

Hey! Skywind's back.

Welcome back Skywind.

Anti-Zibs said...

I think he is using the cardinal as a finger puppet, abd the other animals are responding to it's cries for help.

*mary* said...

Wooo-doggy! I knew ol' Jed was good at wittling, but wo knew he cold paint too?