MetaChat - Yippie and artist George DeMerle has died.

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14 November 2007

Yippie and artist George DeMerle has died. I didn't post this on Metafilter because I cannot find his obit or anything online, and also because I knew him personally I feared a self-linking handslap.

A friend's blog about about his death. Another blog mention. If you don't know who he was, well, I knew him as an artist and an inspiration, despite his questionable past. He died October 28 in Dallas, Texas. I attended his memorial service, which was small but emotional. He will be missed. I collaborated with him on many theme parties and art installations. The most recent photo of George I have, including myself with tie... Good night, Prince Crazie.

post by: Unicorn on the cob at: 17:13 | 5 comments

Wow. What an interesting guy. Thanks for calling him to my attention and I'm really sorry for your loss.

posted by jrossi4r 14 November | 18:44

What jrossi4r said.

posted by essexjan 14 November | 18:57

Wow. I'm an arm-cuff Abbie Hoffman fan, and definitely interested in DeMerle's side of the story. Abbie got very, very paranoid about the FBI's involvement in "the movement" and seeing this side of the story is kind of new to me.

As a late-60's obsessed history buff, I hope we can talk about this at the impending Dallas meet-up, UniCorn. Remind me of it.

in case you don't realize, yeah, it was my house you came to a few months back

Definitely sorry for the loss, and frankly, I'm sorry that I wasn't aware that someone of this stature/story was even local.

posted by ufez 15 November | 00:37

arm-cuff? Dumbass. Arm-chair. Unfortunately, I've tried twice to locate my copy of "Soon to be a Major Motion Picture" in my attempt to find some other information on DeMerle.

Tell your boy to hit me back up on MefiMail so we can confirm the (whats left of Dallas) meetup, and I'm all over this discussion.

posted by ufez 15 November | 01:00

I would be happy to regale any Dallas Bunnies with weird tales of my experience with George. He was as frail as a paper soldier at the end, but still wished me "love, peace and lollypops" every time we spoke. He also called all women "princess" and all men "brother." This, from a man who was a member of the Weathermen, made an 8 foot giant glow-in-the-dark hot pink Yoni that hung from the ceiling at the Blisskrieg party. A man who believed that work should unfold around viewers at the exhibition, then be destroyed. A man who with no formal education who was raised in an orphanage (separated from his three brothers, whom he never reconnected with) and had one of his first shows (and multiple interviews) at a Missouri college while acting as, yes, seriously, their JANITOR. A man who conspired with the FBI to infiltrate and destroy the YIPpies... then took so much acid, he realized that THE MAN was wrong and spent the rest of his life trying to undo what he had done by creating love, beauty and wonder. Dear god, how I miss him.

Ufez, we have much to discuss! I look forward to it. Try to make it by Sloppyworld on Saturday, if nothing else? It's the grand opening, on Parry Avenue.

I totes remember you and your hospitality, Ufez, and can't wait to see you and the SO again!

posted by Unicorn on the cob 15 November | 14:17

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