August 29, 2001

11:55 AM

was: Computer Programmer, now: Tigerman.In San Diego, some jerk spent $150,000 to tattoo his face, file his teeth into points, etc. Why, you are clearly asking? Because he wants to be a cat. Dude. Spend your dot-com cash on something constructive, like jackelope ranches or x10 cameras.
posted by rev- (34 comments total)

He's a day late and a dollar short.
posted by machaus at 11:58 AM on August 29, 2001

sounds like someone is trying to impress their friends at Camp Feral.
posted by moz at 11:59 AM on August 29, 2001

wow.. I hope he telecommutes.

Where does that fit in most dress codes I wonder?
posted by tj at 11:59 AM on August 29, 2001

Dude, that's weird.

Question: Can I be armadillo man?
posted by Marquis at 12:57 PM on August 29, 2001

only if I get to be Tapir Man.
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:17 PM on August 29, 2001

You've got yourself a deal, Tapir Man.
posted by Marquis at 1:17 PM on August 29, 2001

This guy "holds down a £80,000-a-year computer programming job which enables him to fund the surgery" while I, with mad skills, no visible body modifications, and no great goal of becoming a cat wait tables three months after getting laid off because I can't find another job.

Where is the justice? *sigh*
posted by jennyb at 1:19 PM on August 29, 2001

His next step should be joining the superfriends.
posted by fuq at 1:25 PM on August 29, 2001

I think this is a hoax. Is he dying of cancer too?
posted by mecran01 at 1:32 PM on August 29, 2001

I'd like to be Triangle Man, please.
posted by briank at 1:39 PM on August 29, 2001

What every successful computer millionaire needs: a 10' x 10' litter box.

And an endorsement from Johnny Cat.

It's hell getting industrial-size hairballs unstuck from your keyboard too.

I'm sure this has been linked before it's hilarious and might cause quite a problem for this guy:

CatSense
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:41 PM on August 29, 2001

Where is the justice? *sigh*

Chin up, Jenny. My guess is that, unlike this Tigerman mouth-breather, you probably enjoy at least some of these activities:

*worry-free itch scratching
*cognitive harmony
*sexual activity
*social interaction
*non-loathing by:
-- coworkers
-- passers-by
-- society in general
posted by Skot at 1:47 PM on August 29, 2001

Skot, don't forget:
-- dogs
posted by tj at 2:17 PM on August 29, 2001

so he modified his own body, so?

good for him.

(by the way, with the economy the way it is, he's more likely to find stability not in the tech sector, but in the carny circuit. heh.)
posted by jcterminal at 2:17 PM on August 29, 2001

Do you think Cat Man gets in trouble with his Cat Boss when he pisses in the corner of his Cat Cubicle at work to mark his territory?
posted by daragh at 2:33 PM on August 29, 2001

Way to be enlightened, folks. Hey, let's go post some more links from obscurestore!
posted by benbrown at 2:39 PM on August 29, 2001

erm... um. do you think this puts any perspective on the whole Dave Winer argument?
posted by eatdonuts at 2:49 PM on August 29, 2001

Not the Superfriends, Cat Man needs to join the Thundercats!

(Tcats outtakes)
posted by otherchaz at 3:27 PM on August 29, 2001

Just think - if he ever gets fired, he can always take the lead in Cats - The Musical (now and forever at the Gershwin Theater - call telecharge at....)!
posted by skwm at 5:12 PM on August 29, 2001

Um, Cats WAS at the Winter Garden, but it closed last year.

This update brought to you by your friendly neighborhood showtune weblogger, Mermaniac.
posted by bjennings at 5:31 PM on August 29, 2001

Cat Man and Stileproject should really get together, could be interesting!
posted by Beenie at 5:40 PM on August 29, 2001

Hmmm, what gets me is why are dentists filing these loonies teeth? Clearly, there's neither a code of ethics nor a mandated duty of care in existence for dentists in the US. However, I'm reasonably sure that such a thing exists for doctors so why the fuck are they grafting on plastic whiskers and the like?
posted by Option1 at 7:27 PM on August 29, 2001

I bet Jocelyn Wildenstein is pissed.
They should get together.

"What will the children look like?!?"

I'm all for body modification, but not if it looks like crap. Facial tattoos don't last, period. They have to be touched up often because of fading(and he lives in CA?), and he'll eventually have one giant scar for a face. He doesn't have a permanent snarl, he looks like a botched harelip job. I won't comment on the whiskers.

And if he wants to feel like a tiger, I say drop his ass in his natural habitat and let him chase a gazelle down. If the other tigers don't eat him first.
posted by Su at 8:06 PM on August 29, 2001

The comments here betray the reality that the metafilter crowd isn't nearly as open-minded and accepting of different people as it pretends to be. Let the guy do what makes him happy, I say. Unless he plans to hunt people or the like, there's nothing wrong with what he's doing. If something like that made you happy, would you have the courage to do it?

Oh, well. My fault for being so naive.
posted by Poagao at 8:46 PM on August 29, 2001

What a dork...
posted by SweetJesus at 9:25 PM on August 29, 2001

Poagao, I'll support wholeheartedly his right to do this to himself (and even agree that it takes an almost admirable courage to go through with such a huge commitment) provided that you support our right to make fun of him once he's made that choice. :)
posted by hincandenza at 9:29 PM on August 29, 2001

I do support your right to make fun of him. I support it every bit as much as I support my or anyone else's right to respond in whatever matter they choose. It's just that I'm disappointed in the reaction. It wasn't what I was expecting from people here. As I said, I'm naive.
posted by Poagao at 10:44 PM on August 29, 2001

Stick around more than 6 days....it gets better. And it gets worse. 10,000 people are going to pretty much cover the spectrum.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:06 PM on August 29, 2001

That is no doubt true. I wasn't going to leave because of this, though. As long as I am bored at work, I'll stick around to see just how far up and down the bar goes.
posted by Poagao at 12:09 AM on August 30, 2001

It's just that I'm disappointed in the reaction.

What reaction should we have provided for your enjoyment, Poagao? I'm so sorry if it makes you sad that this story didn't inspire at least one of us to cheerlead for Tigerman the way people cheered for Kaycee pre-hoax unraveling. If it'd make you feel better about our little community, I'm sure I can take some time out tomorrow to have my teeth filed in solidarity.
posted by lia at 2:44 AM on August 30, 2001

You can react any way you want, of course. I never said you couldn't. I'm not trying to dictate how people respond to things. That's all I'm doing myself, anyway.

So, is disappointment on the no-no list or something? I sense I have broken a rule or something.
posted by Poagao at 2:57 AM on August 30, 2001

One of the people I went to school with did a documentary on the Lizard Man mentioned in the first link. It was really fascinating. Although I'd never do something like that myself, I think a lot of people would be amazed at the intelligence, research, and contemplation that at least this man has and has done in regards to his appearance. He sees his body as his canvas rather than using a computer screen or piece of paper. It was especially interesting to hear him talk about how others accepted him (or didn't, in some cases). His family and friends stand by him and besides having all the lizard stuff, the guy's a pretty talented (though sometimes rather disturbing) performer.
posted by stefnet at 7:39 AM on August 30, 2001