Frigging (Mad) in the Rigging

2011-07-07T16:58:50Z

Sambson: Jonathan Winters rebuttal on an internet radio interview (see reference)

''' Unfinished History '''

[[Image:Balclutha-cu 2143.jpg]]

'''The Balclutha at Hyde Street Pier in Fisherman's Wharf.'''

''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

You can still visit this magnificent square rigger, the ship Balclutha, built in Scotland in 1886, off [http://www.nps.gov/archive/safr/local/ship.html Hyde Street Pier] in Fisherman's Wharf. Put on display at the 1939 World's Fair on [[Treasure Island Fair|Treasure Island]], it was later moved to its present location.

[[Image:Jonathan Winters.jpg|260px|left|Jonathan Winters 1950s]] In 1959, Comedian Jonathan Winters reputedly climbed into the Balclutha's rigging and refused to come down, shouting to the police gathered below: "Where am I from? I'm from outer space, man, outer space. I'm the man in the moon. I'm John Q. What's it to you?" The story goes that Winters was eventually captured; as he was dragged off the boat, he yelled "this boat is a fake, it's got an outboard motor on it."

In Episode 173 of comedian [[Marc Maron]]'s WTF internet radio program (aired Monday May 09, 2011) <ref>[http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_173_-_jonathan_winters]</ref>, Winters denies this accounting of events. He states that he does not know where the purported climbing of the mast originates from. In the interview he says, "I remember exactly what happened. I went up to the guy that sold tickets and I said, 'Gimme a ticket to go aboard the Balclutha.' And the guy said, 'Okay.' And I said, 'What you need is a tri-cornered hat, and maybe a parrot for your shoulder. You gotta have maybe...twin Evenrudes, (to) kick this thing over and you'll be out there to sea in no time.' I went and sat down and the guy called the harbor police. The nest thing they shook me around and put braclets on me, and I said, 'What... what the hell's happening here?' (They said,) 'You're going to psychiatric ward.' Only because I'd put the guy on see, he figured I was on drugs. Not everybody has a sense of humor. I never went up in the mast. Someone put that in, I don't know who that was. All I know is; there's no picture of me in the mast. I was only in for a 2 week observation."

[[Image:Balclutha-w-ghirardelli-sq-and-angel-island-big-view 2346.jpg]]

'''Balclutha berthed at the Hyde Street Pier San Francisco Maritime Museum National Park, seen from Russian Hill, [[Ghirardelli Square|Ghirardelli Square]] at left, [[The Unselling of Alcatraz|Alcatraz]] and [[Detained on Angel Island|Angel Island]] across bay behind.'''

''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

[[Image:Jonathan winters.jpg|left|Jonathan Winters]] Winters was placed in an isolation cell at San Francisco General Hospital's psychiatric ward. Winters's free performance at the Balclutha capped a series of increasingly bizarre shows at the Hungry I nightclub, where he had delivered rambling monologues about Alcoholics Anonymous, almost started a riot by making offensive remarks about Harry S. Truman, and collapsed in tearful hysteria after breaking his cigarette holder.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[Image:Balclutha-w-aquatic-park-beach-and-seagulls-0290.jpg]]

'''Balclutha seen from Aquatic Park beach.'''

''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

[[Image:Jonathan Winters - Down To Earth FRONT.jpg|360px]]

'''Jonathan Winters on his album cover "Down to Earth" published in 1960.'''

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[[category:North Beach]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1950s]] [[category:Famous characters]] [[category:Fisherman's Wharf]] [[category:Russian Hill]]

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Frigging (Mad) in the Rigging