August 2, 2001

9:29 AM

Chubby Checkerhas posted a rather sad and somewhat demented plea to the Nobel Prize committee and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame on his website. Be sure to check out his fine merchandising line of jerky while you're there.
posted by gnutron (42 comments total)

The fact that it's written partially in the third person is a bit unsettling, as well.

That's never a good thing.
posted by ice_cream_motor at 9:36 AM on August 2, 2001

I want my flowers while I'm alive. I can't smell them when I'm dead.

Sometimes the insane say the sanist thing.
posted by victors at 9:40 AM on August 2, 2001

just out of curiosity, how did you come across this, gnutron?
posted by jeb at 9:44 AM on August 2, 2001

The "Twist" is very recognizable when you dance apart to the beat.

White people know this better than anyone. I've spent 32 years dancing apart to the beat.

"Come on, baby! Let's ineptly do the Twist!"
posted by Skot at 9:46 AM on August 2, 2001

Where is his more money? Where is his more fame?

Have mercy.
posted by ColdChef at 9:47 AM on August 2, 2001

Chubby Checker gave birth to aerobics.

Ha! I give him credit for creating the music-jerky tie-in niche.
posted by BoatMeme at 9:47 AM on August 2, 2001

Take a look at the beef jerky flavors:

Young People's Flavor: Smooth Hickory

You know, as a young people, I gotta say, I'm not too keen on this.
posted by ColdChef at 9:49 AM on August 2, 2001

Are you kidding? Nothing says "Rock and Roll" like some Smooth Hickory jerky.
posted by briank at 9:57 AM on August 2, 2001

That was kind of strange... reminded me of Men's Pocky, or any other of the weird varieties of Pocky they have in Japan. Anyone ever eat pocky?
posted by SilentSalamander at 10:00 AM on August 2, 2001

that was one of the most egotistical piece of writing I have seen from a famous person.

hmmmm...jerky. yummy.
posted by Qambient at 10:02 AM on August 2, 2001

I hope the Nobel folks are paying attention.
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:03 AM on August 2, 2001

Before Chubby Checker … no "Dancing Apart to the Beat." What is "Dancing Apart to the Beat?" Dancing Apart to the Beat is the dance that we do when we dance apart to the beat of anybody's music and before "Chubby Checker" it could not be found!


what the hell does that mean?
posted by designflea at 10:18 AM on August 2, 2001

What is "Dancing Apart to the Beat?" Dancing Apart to the Beat is the dance that we do when we dance apart to the beat of anybody's music

Is it just me, or does that feel like it was written by a chatbot? It's a shame that Chubby Checker fails the Turing test.
posted by turaho at 10:20 AM on August 2, 2001

It just hit me: dancing apart to the beat means you're not holding your partner. And Mr. Checker considers this to be his proudest achievement? Where is his more shame?

The entire piece reads as if it was written by Cats, frankly; it might be the first piece of all-your-base inspired prose from a waning, if fully booked, celebrity.
posted by lileks at 10:25 AM on August 2, 2001

I'm wondering if Mr. Checker is a big Hall and Oates fan...he's certainly both outta touch and outta time...
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 10:44 AM on August 2, 2001

Sure, Chubby Checker is a raving loon, but remember everybody -- you'll be old and raving someday too. So suck it up.
posted by tweebiscuit at 10:44 AM on August 2, 2001

It just hit me: dancing apart to the beat means you're not holding your partner. And Mr. Checker considers this to be his proudest achievement? Where is his more shame?

If--IF!--it's true that he popularized this kind of dancing, which has been the most popular way to dance for decades, then he probably deserves some recognition for that. Not to mention being one of the founders of Rock-n-Roll.

I say he deserves his beef jerky logo on a 30-foot pedestal in Cleveland. And the Nobel Prize for booty shaking.
posted by straight at 10:55 AM on August 2, 2001

Anyone ever eat pocky?
No, but somebody once brought me a pouch of Pokari Sweat from Japan. Then again, he's the same guy who came back from Scotland bearing cans of Spotted Dick and a hefty bottle of Old Jock ale.
posted by apollo at 10:58 AM on August 2, 2001

After reading that, I'm now convinced that Chubby Checker created the line "All Your Base are Belong to Us".
posted by milnak at 11:16 AM on August 2, 2001

Since I have such a unique situation in the music business, I feel only I can explain it.

Or understand it, apparently.

This is one of my favorite links ever. Thank you, gnutron, for making my day.

Let's all dance apart to the beat in celebration!
posted by witchstone at 11:19 AM on August 2, 2001

Chubby Checker gave birth to aerobics.

He also gave birth to twins.
posted by dfowler at 11:22 AM on August 2, 2001

What the heck happened?

I meant he gave birth to twins.
posted by dfowler at 11:24 AM on August 2, 2001

I say we put Chubby Checker and Little Richard in a room together and let them out-weird each other. I can see the promo now:

Sunday! - Sunday!! - Sunday!!! At the Cow Palace, come on down and see Chubby "The Raging Nutball" Checker and Little "Oooo! You Bitch!" Richard battle it out in a Steel Cage Match to decide the title of "Most Disturbing Former Pop Star"! Will Little Richard's Tutti Frutti "I invented everything" chant be supreme?! Will Chubby Checker's "More apart dancing from" tirade confuse everyone so much they don't know teriyaki from liquid smoke?!

And remember. Sunday is Ladies' Night, so don't forget to bring the missus!
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:34 AM on August 2, 2001

Seldom is the question asked, "Where is my more money and my more fame?"
posted by msacheson at 11:51 AM on August 2, 2001

actually I'm kind of surprised he didn't ask for a statue of himself made from beef jerky. Now that would be cool.

Kind of reminds me about a story I heard where Sly Stallone tried to give his Rocky statue to Philadelphia, and they didn't want it. Don't know if that was true, but I sure hope it was.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:53 AM on August 2, 2001

The Rocky statue has been in Philly as long as I can remember. It's in front of the Spectrum, but used to be at the top of the art musuem steps, I believe.
posted by gnutron at 12:01 PM on August 2, 2001

I'm convinced that Smoove B. Loveman is actually Chubby Checker's ghostwriter. Come on, ending with "You know I Love You." is a dead give away
posted by shinji_ikari at 12:01 PM on August 2, 2001

Please, Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame, don't hang up that phone.
posted by binkin at 12:24 PM on August 2, 2001

Fun Chubby Checker facts:

* Ernest Evans was born in Philadelphia in 1941.
* Before becoming famous, he was a chicken plucker!
* The name 'Chubby Checker' is a play on the name 'Fats Domino'.
* Chubby had 5 albums in the US top 15 in 1962.
* 'The Twist' was the *only* rock song ever to reach #1 with two releases by the same artist (1960,1962). (Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' also repeated.)
* 'The Twist' inspired dozens of new dances ... Jerk, Monkey, Pony, Swim, Mashed Potato, Skate, Locomotion... was featured in many movies ... inspired the discoteque ...
* Chubby rerecorded 'The Twist' in 1988 with 'The Fat Boys'.

Chubby's right -- he personally created a crazy revolution. Give the man his Twist pedestal, I say. Luv the Chubster!
posted by Twang at 12:36 PM on August 2, 2001

You guys are killing me!
LOL

Take a look at the beef jerky flavors:

Young People's Flavor: Smooth Hickory

You know, as a young people, I gotta say, I'm not too keen on this.
posted by ColdChef at 9:49 AM PST on August 2


Are you kidding? Nothing says "Rock and Roll" like some Smooth Hickory jerky.

Ya'll are funny and special. Though you DO dance apart to the beat of a different drummer.
posted by glenwood at 12:38 PM on August 2, 2001

Anyone ever eat pocky?

I'm eating it now. But just the regular chocolate kind. Once I hit 25, I will act my age and only eat Men's pocky.
posted by ry at 4:03 PM on August 2, 2001

My mother swears (and I have never known her to lie) that she taught Chubby Checker how to bowl whilst out for a rare evening sans les enfants with my father (not Chubby Checker, just to be clear) in 1963 or '64. She will be very saddened when I tell her that her bowling pal has gone totally off his nut. Maybe I should just leave her in the dark?
posted by Dreama at 4:22 PM on August 2, 2001

After reading that, I'm now convinced that Chubby Checker created the line "All Your Base are Belong to Us".

You can sing it in your head. Come on everybody!

All your base are (doo wa doo)
Be-long to us!
All your ba-ase aaaare
Be-long to us!
No chance to survi-ive
Make your time!
Awww yeah
Zig! Zig, baby, zig!
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:25 PM on August 2, 2001

Have any of the critics on this thread created something that has endured 40+ years of pop culture and is known around the world?

No? Okay, then...

Lay off of Chubby! Either he has gone punchy from too much twistin', or his publicist is selling him out on his own website. Either way, no harm done - we don't have to actually BUY the jerky.

Great link!
posted by davidmsc at 4:57 PM on August 2, 2001

Have any of the critics on this thread created something that has endured 40+ years of pop culture and is known around the world?

Yes. Yes, I have.




*crickets*
posted by obiwanwasabi at 8:37 PM on August 2, 2001

It should be noted that Chubby Checker didn't write The Twist, nor was he the first artist to release the song. He was the one who got the hit, but giving him creation credit is like giving kudos to Mariah Carey for the hits I'll Be There, Without You and Open Arms.
posted by Dreama at 10:16 PM on August 2, 2001

It should be noted that Chubby Checker didn't write The Twist, nor was he the first artist to release the song. He was the one who got the hit, but giving him creation credit is like giving kudos to Mariah Carey for the hits I'll Be There, Without You and Open Arms.

Uh, just to point out -- performance is an art, and we do give them credit for it. Johnny Cash didn't write "I Walk the Line" either, but that doesn't stop me from loving him.
posted by tweebiscuit at 10:58 PM on August 2, 2001

LO-FRIGGEN-L! Thank you, obiwanwasabi, for the song. Nearly made me wet myself apart to the beat from laugther. :-)
posted by Spirit_VW at 3:09 AM on August 3, 2001

Dreama: I understand your point - but Chubby BECAME the Twist, despite not writing it or playing a musical instrument (as far as I know). His style, mannerisms, and attitude defined in society's mind what "The Twist" was all about.

By the same token, Frank Sinatra didn't write the songs he performed, and didn't play the instruments...but it was his selection, style, and incredible voice that earned him the top spot. Remember - it's Frankie's world - we just live in it.
posted by davidmsc at 4:49 AM on August 3, 2001

Weren't the Charleston and the Big Apple considered 'dancing apart to the beat'?
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:48 AM on August 3, 2001

If you've seen the Charleston, you'd know that "the beat" plays no part in it whatsoever.

...

*puts comments back in ass*
posted by tweebiscuit at 2:23 PM on August 3, 2001