Jan Lewan, Polka King of Swindle

October 10, 2008 10:17 PM

A Metatalk Post about someone's birthday included a sound file that made me think of the Stock Market Slide. Not this one, but rather, this one.

Actually, it wasn't a stock scandal, but a promissory note scandal

Death and tragedy also plays a part in the story. Here he is singing I thank you Jesus.

posted by Rafaelloello (7 comments total)

what
posted by Hat Maui at 11:27 PM on October 10, 2008

WOW! That's some segue you got going there. I like it… Ponzi Polka.
posted by tellurian at 11:44 PM on October 10, 2008

OMG. This is why that is funny: "Happy Birthday" was written as a waltz in 3/4 time, but polkas are in 2/4 time. See it's funny in the same way as when a 90's Ska band covers Duran Duran. Get it? It's funny 'cause it wasn't Ska and now it's Ska! KNEESLAP!
posted by sourwookie at 11:51 PM on October 10, 2008

If there had been a link to the actual Court TV documentary, I would have definitely favourited this post.

As it stands though, not so much.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:41 AM on October 11, 2008

PeterMcDermott: "4If there had been a link to the actual Court TV documentary, I would have definitely favourited this post.

As it stands though, not so much."

Sorry. Just something that popped into my head, took me some Googling just to remember the guy's name. I saw the Court TV documentary about a year ago, I think. It was very compelling. He was basically selling shares in himself to everyone who would write a check and his wife was mega-crazy getting elective surgery and entering these "older gal" beauty pageants, one of which he rigged so she would win.
posted by Rafaelloello at 6:42 AM on October 11, 2008

BTW, The show ways The Investigators: The Mystery of the Polka King
# Season: 8
# Episode: 22
# First Aired: 12/3/2007

If you go to The Investigators, you can watch some of the documentary. Enter Lewan in the search box next to the video player.

Here's a viewer's comments on the episode, with maybe some additional details.
posted by Rafaelloello at 7:08 AM on October 11, 2008

Wow...when the video goes into the slow swing part about 1:10 I started to get scared that he was going to strip naked in front of all of those nice senior citizens, squeeze his eyes shut and moan "Tank You Jeezus" all the way to the inevitable end.

If that had happened, I would have favourited this post.
posted by salishsea at 11:05 AM on October 11, 2008