Napoleon Doesn't Hold A Candle...

November 17, 2007 2:02 AM

Meet The Crazy Robertson. The newest sensation at the center of Hollywood's fashion scene isn't a famous designer or starlet. It's a 56-year-old homeless man who spends his days dancing on roller skates. Check out his website, Myspace, and some of his sweet dance moves. There are some that find this not so cool.
posted by rooftop secrets (26 comments total)

Interesting Pepsi Blue.
posted by sfts2 at 2:18 AM on November 17, 2007

Named after John Wesley but went to a Baptist high school. No wonder he became schizophrenic.
posted by Faux Real at 2:28 AM on November 17, 2007

Barnum was right.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:29 AM on November 17, 2007

If only Che Guevara was American.
posted by strawberryviagra at 3:59 AM on November 17, 2007

Oh, and had a concerned sister.
posted by strawberryviagra at 3:59 AM on November 17, 2007

Part of me thinks this is exploitation, the "mother of a schizophrenic" part of me thinks this is a vast improvement over portraying schizophrenics as beings prone to irrational acts of violence.
posted by francesca too at 4:10 AM on November 17, 2007

Pepsi Loon/A less honest version of Bumfights.

What many people don't know is that Mr. Jermyn suffers from schizophrenia and according to his sister, refuses to take the medication needed to treat his illness.

Though, in fairness, it's fairly evident to anybody who glances at the biography on his website. You just don't get that many people who are still homeless by the time they reach their 50's unless they're dealing with fairly significant mental health problems. There really isn't a lot of romance, sleeping beneath the stars, once the arthritis has started to set in.

Hopefully, the first priority of these 'artists/designers' who are exploiting Jermen's 'brand' will be to put a roof over his head and some money in his pocket.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:35 AM on November 17, 2007

There are homes for folks lilke this, and his sister gets his social security checks for him. If he wanted off the street he could be off the street in five minutes.

Back in the old days he would have been forced into an institution. Thankfully that is no longer so but the law doesn't force him to take his meds or do stuff against his will either even if it's in his best interest. That may be not so good for him but it's hard to say how one could legislate his health.
posted by konolia at 5:36 AM on November 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

I honestly don't know how I feel about this, (conflicted, mostly) but it's making me think, which suggests to me that it's a good post.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:46 AM on November 17, 2007

Oh, and fuck MySpace, y'know. (obligatory)
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:47 AM on November 17, 2007

"But the article also states that Mr. Jermyn signed a contract in May--without consulting a lawyer, friend or family member--entitling him to only 5% of the net profit generated from sales of "The Crazy Robertson" clothes."

So, it's unlikely that they are going to provide him with any real income.

Even though Ann Arbor's best known street person (Shakey Jack, RIP) has passed away, the local t-shirt shops are still turning a profit on him, they've just phrased the text on the shirts in the past tense.

Homeless people in most cities are daily visitors to the same areas, some of them have odd behavior due to substance abuse or mental illness, they become known and recognizable. It's nice that clothing vendors have found a way to tap into this resource for a bit of a profit. I'm thinking a class action lawsuit could benefit these folks whose images are being ripped off, or at least slide some funds into the local homeless shelters.....

When I become homeless I'm going to tattoo a © on my forehead.
posted by HuronBob at 6:00 AM on November 17, 2007 [2 favorites]

what konolia said...

I'm thinking institutional life would be harder and more inhumane for him than being exploited by scumbags.
posted by greenskpr at 6:40 AM on November 17, 2007

Our favorite local homeless guy was "lucid and gracious" as all get-out. He was lucid in more than twenty languages. He was over sixty years old, and while there may be a bit more to it, he refused offers of housing because they were either group housing, which he reported to be dangerous and unhealthy, or required him to have a diagnosis of mental illness. This would then put decisions about his medication out of his control. He was a big reader of prescribing information, and aware that many of his colleagues were receiving blatantly incorrect regimens.

He finally succumbed to an ailment that is almost inevitable for the homeless who keep healthy in other ways. Sleeping in a sitting position expands the blood vessels in the legs to where the one-way valves are stretched open. Once this happens the expansion can't be reversed.

So now he's bed ridden in a hospital ward, where they keep moving him around, because he encourages other patients to read their own prescribing information.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:42 AM on November 17, 2007

Interesting post.
My first thought was that after living for 20 years on the streets he's probably glad to receive some attention but I wonder if that attention matters to him.
Mr. Jermyn deserves more than 5%.
posted by PHINC at 6:42 AM on November 17, 2007

Mr. Jermyn deserves more than 5%

Five percent of net is five percent of nyet.
posted by StickyCarpet at 7:24 AM on November 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

"And now, he's adding another position to his vast and mysterious repertoire...cult icon. With a posse. About a year ago, local artists Victor Ackerman, Teddy Hirsh, and Alex Kelman befriended Jermien and formed an art collective behind him with a small sticker campaign and a few bootleg T-shirt designs (all approved by Jermien himself) that were sold to friends (who begged for them) and at parties. Due to rising popular demand, the Crazy Robertson crew has expanded its venture from street to boutique; Robertson staple Kitson is selling two designs--including one with CR's moto 'No Money, No Problem,' since he never asks for money to perform--of shirts and sweatshirts for guys and gals, online and in-store, starting today. And shirts are already selling.

According to graphic designer and Crazy Robertson teammate Gabriel Lacktman, Kitson may be just the jumping off point. 'T-shirts are just an essential for The Crazy Robertson. As a collective, we can bring the noise: book shows/events/parties, promote your event, design a range in fashion, come alive in art galleries, create music and possibly sign bands. This is just the beginning.' The Crazy Robertsons are even acting as Crazy's agent for any possible future contracts that may be offered to him, like by MTV, say.

Just last week, the Crazy Robertsons were able to prove just how strong CR's icon status is. They booked top secret DJs for their post Detour Fest party at the Viper Room, who turned out to be none other than Justice along with Busy P, Dj Mehdi and Boom Bip. The show was promoted via 1000 flyers and had a turn out that filled the Viper Room's maximum capacity. Indie 103.1 called it the best show the Viper Room has ever seen [YouTube video].

Says Lacktman, 'The Crazy Robertson is a legend and an icon, receiving such positive reaction from our collaboration this early, has reassured us the people in L.A. love to dance, and rollerskate, and look good while doing both!'"

Okay ... I can't help but feel that they are exploiting this guy. He is set to receive only 5%! Crazy. That's half of what an agent usually receives when representing someone!

And, to date, how has he benefited from this 'art collective'?

"...one of the creators states in the article that the clothing label hasn't made much profit yet, but that Mr. Jermyn has already received "several small payments" in the forms of food, liquor, etc., because he apparently dislikes dealing with money."^*

Riiiight!
posted by ericb at 8:38 AM on November 17, 2007

1. Find a colorful street character who has a mental illness (not like this guy, since he is in very-much charge of his own fate).

2. Have him sign a "contract," allowing you to create a brand based on his image and antics.

3. Keep him "liquored-up," preferably with cheap/low-cost booze (e.g. Night Train, Thunderbird or Cisco Red), so as not to cut into your profits.

4. Rinse-and-repeat.

5. PROFIT!!!
posted by ericb at 8:43 AM on November 17, 2007

i guess the most surprising element is that he's being exploited by kids instead of some monster corporation. in america, at least, we've been exploiting the poor, the innocent, and the trusting since the country's inception.
posted by msconduct at 8:52 AM on November 17, 2007

"Even though Ann Arbor's best known street person (Shakey Jack, RIP) has passed away, the local t-shirt shops are still turning a profit on him, they've just phrased the text on the shirts in the past tense."

As far as I know, Shakey Jake made money off of the bumper stickers and shirts with his name on them, and he was neither homeless nor crazy. Not a really great comparison.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:00 AM on November 17, 2007

I think the "5% of net profit" arrangement reeks of movie deals where highly successful films mysteriously make no money - and everyone who had a cut of the 'net profit' gets screwed. Gotta love LA...
posted by rooftop secrets at 10:07 AM on November 17, 2007

This sounds like a guy who doesn't want to be inside. I know more than a few of them. I realize the man has a mental illness and would probably be in a house if he took his meds, but I'm not so sure that would make him a happy person. We deal with people like this by not dealing with them, but he has made his own choices as well. Someone I know who was homeless by choice has recently published a book of poetry and is living in his own apartment now, largely though the help of local poets and friends, but his poetry is very good on its own. He acknowledges that he made the decision to live on the outside for a long time, for better or worse (like he always has). In addition to being a remarkable poet, he's also one of the least fearless people I know. There's nothing really romantic about being homeless, but you can't force people inside unless there is a danger to themselves or others.

As far as his business deal, it's unlikely this would have happened at all if not for the collective. On the other hand, they gave him a pretty lame deal. The guy should be getting the lion's share of the profits.
posted by krinklyfig at 10:31 AM on November 17, 2007

krinklyfig writes "he's also one of the least fearless people I know"

Most fearless. Quite well educated, too. Used to be an English professor.
posted by krinklyfig at 10:38 AM on November 17, 2007

Geez, what a bunch of sorry sob-sisters in this thread. A guy shows a little creativity in his life and mefiers are all "oh, he should be locked down in pharmaceutical zombieness, 'cuz I find him, well, just a tiny bit threatening to my white-bread suburban aesthetic."

This guy has more fun in a day than you schlubs do in a year is my guess.
posted by telstar at 2:04 PM on November 17, 2007

Geez, what a bunch of sorry sob-sisters in this thread. A guy shows a little creativity in his life and mefiers are all "oh, he should be locked down in pharmaceutical zombieness, 'cuz I find him, well, just a tiny bit threatening to my white-bread suburban aesthetic."

Excuse me? telstar -- can you please cite a comment from above that supports your contention – i.e. that folks in this thread think Jermyn should be locked down, medicated, since he’s a threat to "white-bread suburban aesthetic" (whatever the fuck that is in your mind)?

I find that people in this thread consider his freedom to be preferred over institutionalization. The other major "theme" of the conversation so far is that some are concerned that he is being exploited -- that the "art collective" is taking advantage of him and should be providing him with more of "the cut" of commercializing his image, etc.
posted by ericb at 3:51 PM on November 17, 2007

Telstar... hmmm..couldn't find anyone saying he should be "locked down".... where did you get that?

and..yes, TLF, it's Shakey "Jake"... my bad...I was thinking Jake and typing Jack...

I would be interested in knowing how much Jake profited from the t-shirts and bumper stickers....
posted by HuronBob at 3:57 PM on November 17, 2007

Yes, group homes can be dangerous. A young woman of my acquaintance has lived in one for years, and a fellow denizen decided to stab her and a few other folk while he was at it (thankfully no one died and she is fine now.)

The freaky thing is that right before this happened, he worked as a barber. My son, who was in high school at the time, got his haircuts from him.
posted by konolia at 4:58 PM on November 17, 2007