This newsletter is always delightful, but the combination of Machine Gun Kelly and Whoa Black Yeti Bambalam really put this one over the top for me. Excellent work.
I'm not gonna lie, I was secretly a little disappointed you thought Megan Fox's husband was the original Machine Gun Kelly. But then I reminded myself not everyone is as obsessed with Depression-Era gangsters as I am ('tis my own cross to bear, sadly) and we all have our blind spots. For example, I knew nothing about Tom Slick until you enlightened me with this amazing write-up. Stellar work as always, another classic Dirtbags. You're the best.
A “wildcatter” is an indie oilman, not one of the Seven Sisters (ExxonMobil, Chevron, etc). Or, if you like, a store like Magers & Quinns is a wildcat bookstore.
Great post as always Allison. Up here in Northern Michigan we have our own cryptozoological creature, it's call the Dogman. It goes well with the village that elected a horse as mayor and the guy who declared himself king of an island in Lake Michigan.
Allison, what a fantastic read! I sent it to my husband after reading most of it out loud to him. Why have we not gotten the Nic Cage movie we deserve!?
Patron saint of trailer parks, is my vote because of Bubbles and the show Trailer Park Boys (the samsquanch!). If you are not familiar…you’re welcome.💕
And yes, George "Machine Gun" Kelly was one of the more notorious gangsters of the Depression era, in part because of the enormous lengths his wife went to publicize his exploits.
I may now only have one need in life thanks to this piece, and that's to know whether Jimmy Stewart's wife was also in the know during this heist. The Atlas Obscura piece says "the couple" agreed to help. But if that's true, why on earth would she ASK THE CUSTOMS OFFICIAL why he hadn't gone through her underwear case?! Either she was someone who gets off on getting caught, or Jimmy Stewart put it there without her knowing, and basically what I need to know is who was the real dirtbag in that marriage.
So his Dad was an oil slick, have I got that right?
FIFTY POINTS TO YOU
This newsletter is always delightful, but the combination of Machine Gun Kelly and Whoa Black Yeti Bambalam really put this one over the top for me. Excellent work.
I'm not gonna lie, I was secretly a little disappointed you thought Megan Fox's husband was the original Machine Gun Kelly. But then I reminded myself not everyone is as obsessed with Depression-Era gangsters as I am ('tis my own cross to bear, sadly) and we all have our blind spots. For example, I knew nothing about Tom Slick until you enlightened me with this amazing write-up. Stellar work as always, another classic Dirtbags. You're the best.
You've made Tom Cruise a liar. I can see his next movie... Mission: Impaws-ible - The Yeti & Sas-Quashed Protocol
🤦♂️
A “wildcatter” is an indie oilman, not one of the Seven Sisters (ExxonMobil, Chevron, etc). Or, if you like, a store like Magers & Quinns is a wildcat bookstore.
It was the little bloodhound snow booties that really did it for me here 😅
Great post as always Allison. Up here in Northern Michigan we have our own cryptozoological creature, it's call the Dogman. It goes well with the village that elected a horse as mayor and the guy who declared himself king of an island in Lake Michigan.
Dogman Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U_PGqbDIa8
Free Press Article about the Horse Mayor: https://www.thefp.com/p/michigan-town-horse-mayor
Atlas Obscura post about King Strang: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dark-history-of-an-island-king
HORSE MAYOR HORSE MAYOR HORSE MAYOR HORSE MAYOR
Jimmy Stewart? For real?? Ok, someone needs to unearth and publish Tom Slick’s journal because this is fascinating.
Allison, what a fantastic read! I sent it to my husband after reading most of it out loud to him. Why have we not gotten the Nic Cage movie we deserve!?
Patron saint of trailer parks, is my vote because of Bubbles and the show Trailer Park Boys (the samsquanch!). If you are not familiar…you’re welcome.💕
Every man must believe in something and ol’ Slick believed in the ‘squatch. Eventually someone got rich selling dried meat off Slick’s life work.
Me? I believe I’ll have another slice of apple pie.
That was abominable, but in a good way. Thanks!
All this time reading I was thinking of ANOTHER guy named Tom Slick, who was more into cars than yetis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emasK7lEZAA
And yes, George "Machine Gun" Kelly was one of the more notorious gangsters of the Depression era, in part because of the enormous lengths his wife went to publicize his exploits.
Sasquatch has got to be the saint of squashing beefs.
Saint Sasquatch - the patron saint of podiatrists
I may now only have one need in life thanks to this piece, and that's to know whether Jimmy Stewart's wife was also in the know during this heist. The Atlas Obscura piece says "the couple" agreed to help. But if that's true, why on earth would she ASK THE CUSTOMS OFFICIAL why he hadn't gone through her underwear case?! Either she was someone who gets off on getting caught, or Jimmy Stewart put it there without her knowing, and basically what I need to know is who was the real dirtbag in that marriage.
Tom Slick is a name that has to be true, because if you made it up, it'd be dismissed as ridiculous.
I am gobsmacked and yet charmed that Jimmy Stewart smuggled a non-squatch bone out of the country.
This is the quality content I come here for. Never change.