TurboGod / Ren Clark Mug -- in the Baltimore Sun!

There is a very cool article in today's Baltimore Sun - which features our own TurboGod, and his efforts to find a Ren Clark severed head mug.

click here for article

The article gives a good mention to Tiki Central, and mentions many of the things that we are quite fond of - Shag, rum, The Book of Tiki, the Enchanted Tiki Room, and a dislike for Buffet.

A side article also presents three of Turbogod's favorite drink recipes.

Take a look -- you won't regret it.

Vern

Yup, a very funny read. Satirizes it the right way, our way. I especially like the ending. :lol:

Good read. Thanks rev!

I'm positive this question's been asked before, but what exactly is the deal with this bizarre attraction to, and ridiculously overinflated value of the Ren Clark headhunter mug? Sure, I got excited when I thought I'd found one earlier this year, but that was because I thought it was worth a lot of money, not because I really liked it. I can think of dozens of mugs I'd rather add to my collection than this one.

Is there some connection between Clark mug enthusiasts and pre-code EC Comics from the 50s?

that was a cool read ...

Well ya wont find one cheap now.

Top read :D you reckon the author spent some time knockin back drinks in Turbo's bar. For the true gonzo journalist :D

On 2007-05-13 05:30, MrBaliHai wrote:
I'm positive this question's been asked before, but what exactly is the deal with this bizarre attraction to, and ridiculously overinflated value of the Ren Clark headhunter mug? Sure, I got excited when I thought I'd found one earlier this year, but that was because I thought it was worth a lot of money, not because I really liked it. I can think of dozens of mugs I'd rather add to my collection than this one.

I think a lot of the perceived value can be attributed to Sven's luscious picture of it in The Book of Tiki. Just goes to show you the value of a good photographer and good lighting.

Thank you. I aimed at making the Tiki mugs and objects in the BOT look like highly prized museum pieces, and was able to, thanks to my 20 years as a lighting film cameraman.

But the attraction of this mug is also clearly the shock value, and the uniqueness of the concept of creating not just a skull or shrunken head for a headhunter cocktail, but a clearly lopped off, bloody, upside-down, realistic human head. It must have been REALLY outrageous in its own time, I still dream of one day unearthing a shot with a 60s bee hived beauty holding one of those. If one uses a good magnifying glass, one can see the mugs on the shelf behind the bar in the brochure on page 44 in the BOT, that's the only vintage evidence I got.
The mug's concept was ahead of its time, and befits today's pop culture much better. It also hints at a connection between the "weirdness" attraction of Tikis and the Movie Monster pop culture of the 60s.

Years ago we had a Texan member make efforts to locate Ren Clark's descendants and home, which is said to have had his own little theater for his magic performances, but with no success. I would love to hear contemporaries that knew him and his restaurant give their account of the times.