All They Need Now Is a Groovy Van and a Talking Dog...
January 8, 2015 11:36 AM   Subscribe

George Rodrigue's painting Wendy and Me was stolen from a New Orleans gallery on Tuesday. The painting, one of the late artist's famous Blue Dog series, was valued at approximately $250,000. But the story had a happy ending later that evening when the members of local punk band Stereo Fire Empire, on their way home from a gig, discovered the painting and another artwork abandoned on a sidewalk. Guitarist (and apparent art aficionado) Even Diez recognized Wendy and Me and knew it had been stolen. The band turned the paintings in to police in what they admit is basically a real-life Scooby Doo episode .
posted by Naberius (30 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
If they don't start doing a cover of the Scooby-Doo theme in their act, I will be disappointed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:41 AM on January 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


I love Blue Dog. I love punk. I love Scooby-Doo. This is pretty much the best thing ever.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:43 AM on January 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


I have the Blue Dog book in a beautiful slipcovered hardcover edition, beautiful stuff.

I'm really glad the painting was recovered successfully.
posted by hippybear at 11:44 AM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


Missing the "meddling kids" tag.
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:48 AM on January 8, 2015 [13 favorites]


I love this:
The band did not ask for a reward. They do hope people will consider supporting them by attending their show at the Twist of Lime in Metairie on Jan. 10 at 9 p.m.
posted by Hactar at 11:52 AM on January 8, 2015 [7 favorites]


This part of the news story is the most "band" thing ever:

The band did not ask for a reward. They do hope people will consider supporting them by attending their show...
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:54 AM on January 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


jinx

or should I say jinkies
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:54 AM on January 8, 2015 [10 favorites]


Maybe they should attach the paintings to the wall better.
posted by smackfu at 11:55 AM on January 8, 2015


Y'know, I'm not in New Orleans to suggest it, but attending their show would probably be an awesome NOLA-area meetup....
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:56 AM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I hope that band plays in Boston soon. We've got a few paintings that have been missing for a while now.
posted by bondcliff at 11:58 AM on January 8, 2015 [12 favorites]


Okay, this is my new favourite punk band...but if you are going to steal an awesome painting, don't leave it on the sidewalk...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 11:58 AM on January 8, 2015


I think that's the most New Orleans aspect of the whole thing, the leaving the painting on the sidewalk part.
posted by Sara C. at 12:05 PM on January 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


(Reference to what bondcliff is talking about)
posted by Melismata at 12:06 PM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


We love his book "Why is Blue Dog Blue?" at our house.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:07 PM on January 8, 2015


My mom looooves Blue Dog and had several prints in her home, which are now in storage for lack of wall space at their current place. She called me to tell me about this last night (my parents live in New Orleans).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:08 PM on January 8, 2015


I think that's the most New Orleans aspect of the whole thing, the leaving the painting on the sidewalk part.

Definitely. Like, somebody got drunk at breakfast, thought 'man, I should pull off a heist today!' So they walk into the gallery, steal the painting, and then, when the bloody marys and adrenaline wear off, realize what they've done, they just....leave it on the street.
posted by LooseFilter at 12:09 PM on January 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


Would have been way more punk rock to put their band's sticker on it.
posted by resurrexit at 12:11 PM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


(Reference to what bondcliff is talking about)

It would be super swell if I had someone who followed me around all day and explained what the hell I was talking about.
posted by bondcliff at 12:12 PM on January 8, 2015 [14 favorites]


If they left it on the street long enough, especially near Jackson Square, it would have sold for $50.
posted by maxsparber at 12:20 PM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


It would be super swell if I had someone who followed me around all day and explained what the hell I was talking about.

Reference to what bondcliff is talking about.
posted by Naberius at 12:24 PM on January 8, 2015 [11 favorites]


Invisible Green Time-Lapse Peloton: "No talking dog?"

Did you not see the painting?
posted by boo_radley at 12:27 PM on January 8, 2015


It turns out the painting is only worth $250,000 in Confederate dollars.
posted by The Card Cheat at 12:51 PM on January 8, 2015


Who steals a $250,000 painting and then leaves it on the street?

Isn't more like steal the painting, leave a replica to distract the cops, then profit?
posted by fruit sandwich at 12:55 PM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


leave a replica to distract the cops, then profit?

Now we're cooking with gas.
posted by a halcyon day at 1:37 PM on January 8, 2015


It's owned by the artist's wife, and apparently isn't for sale due to sentimental value. So any valuation is pretty darn speculative.
posted by smackfu at 1:39 PM on January 8, 2015


My friends and I kind of stole a Keith Haring in high school. But then we didn't know what to do with it, and the adults were getting pretty freaked out about it, so we put it back when no one was looking.

Just saying, you know, it happens.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 1:46 PM on January 8, 2015 [3 favorites]


Steal the painting, turn it in, plug your show at the Twist of Lime...
posted by Segundus at 2:51 PM on January 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


So, the thief would have gotten away with it, if not for those meddling punks ...
posted by etherist at 6:33 PM on January 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


BBC lost its "s" in that headline.
posted by Oyéah at 8:58 PM on January 8, 2015


> "BBC lost its "s" in that headline."

No, they're following the BBC style guide:
Treat collective nouns - companies, governments and other bodies - as singular. There are some exceptions:
  • Family, couple or pair, where using the singular can sound odd
  • Sports teams - although they are singular in their role as business concerns (eg: Arsenal has declared an increase in profits)
  • Rock/pop groups
  • The police, as in Police say they are looking for three men. But individual forces are singular (eg The Metropolitan Police says there is no need to panic).
(Emphasis added).
posted by Lexica at 11:53 AM on January 11, 2015


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