Humboldt County’s most famous flaming octopus has fully arrived on the national stage.
El Pulpo Mecanico, the brainchild of Kinetic hall-of-famer Duane Flatmo, has for years been appearing at Burning Man, an arts festival in the Nevada desert, and has become a favorite of its cult-like following. But now, the fire spewing machine is going mainstream.
First, the newly dubbed “pyropus” made an unexpected appearance on former Daily Show correspondent John Oliver’s HBO show, Last Week Tonight. (The appearance comes toward the end of the two minute segment, but is worth the wait.)
But that’s just the beginning, as Flatmo’s tentacled friend is due to be featured on a Burning Man themed episode of The Simpsons on Nov. 16, when some three million viewers will watch Bart, Homer and company party on the playa. Flatmo said he was touring El Pulpo around Burning Man when he ran into a lawyer-type who told him Simpsons Director David Silverman was at a nearby camp and wanted to meet him. Turns out Silverman is a big-time Burner, known for strolling around playing a flaming tuba. Obviously, the two hit it off.
Silverman got Flatmo to sign a release and the local artist says the Simpsons folks have since been in touch, even passing on a few confidential mock ups of what El Pulpo might look like Simpsonified, and have told him the machine will be a focal point of the episode. Exciting stuff. If you need something to tide you over until November, check out the following video and imagine what it might look like in yellow, cartoon form.
This article appears in Fear vs. Hope.
I truly hope this project has its intended effect to remind our leaders that this nation’s talented and resource residents are simply going to keep wasting our time and this warming planet’s dwindling resources, regardless of the wars for oil, until they finally start investing in a green economy like the rest of the post-industrial world.
Thank you again Dwain!!
Let’s hope they get the message this time.
I’m happy for Flatmo. I hope there’s more than just glory in it for him. This is an original creation and we all know Simpson’s makes big big bucks… go DUANE.
In my desire to create a book that would reveal Burning Man rather than describe it, I have successfully published Playa Dust! In order to create this collection of experiential essays, I invested in the first few hundred runs because this creative journey has meant the world to me. Now that I can share it with you, please purchase your copy at: http://www.playa-dust.net and peer into the revelry that is Burning Man!