real live eccentric millionaire!
Retired advertising genius Robert (Bob) Pritikin lives in Chenery House, a mansion in San Francisco with its own private park. He rents it out for wedding receptions. For a while, he owned the Mansions Hotel, a haunted hotel made of interconnected houses where he apparently gave frequent magic shows (please, read that second link for an idea of just how weird this all is). Sadly, it was sold in 2000. Published in 1997, his book _Christ was an Ad Man: The Amazing New Testament in Advertising_ seems to have done fairly well. Most recently, his Labor Day celebration 2002 sounds like quite the event, with special guests Tammy Faye Bakker and Karla La Vey (daughter of Anton La Vey, founder of the Church of Satan), not to mention regular guests like the mayor and various other local celebrities.
Also, he plays the musical saw. According to one website, he's done some rather interesting music:
June 26, 2001
I collect macabre and dark novelty songs. I wanted to ask you about a song called "I Sawed Mommy Kissing Santa Claus''. It was done by Robert Pritikin. Is this literally a song involving the kid sawing the mother in half? Just curious. Would it be possible for me to send you a blank tape and then you would tape the song for me? I would gladly pay you for the service. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Steve B.
Even more recently, he bought a painting of Prince Philip that apparently the Prince passionately loathed (it doesn't mention that in the blurb below, but I had read an article about this when it happened, so it's interesting to connect the dots now).
Robert Pritikin smiles next to his painting of Prince Philip bare-chested with strands of cress sprouting from his right index finger and a bluebottle fly on his left shoulder in San Francisco May 26, 2004. Pritikin bought the painting after it was thrown out by Buckingham Palace last week for $45,000 and says he plans to frame it and sell it for $150,000. Prince Philip posed for acclaimed artist Stuart Pearson Wright last year who was commissioned by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
Photo by Kimberly White
I have now made it my mission to meet this man. I think I need to canonize him.
Also, he plays the musical saw. According to one website, he's done some rather interesting music:
June 26, 2001
I collect macabre and dark novelty songs. I wanted to ask you about a song called "I Sawed Mommy Kissing Santa Claus''. It was done by Robert Pritikin. Is this literally a song involving the kid sawing the mother in half? Just curious. Would it be possible for me to send you a blank tape and then you would tape the song for me? I would gladly pay you for the service. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Steve B.
Even more recently, he bought a painting of Prince Philip that apparently the Prince passionately loathed (it doesn't mention that in the blurb below, but I had read an article about this when it happened, so it's interesting to connect the dots now).
Robert Pritikin smiles next to his painting of Prince Philip bare-chested with strands of cress sprouting from his right index finger and a bluebottle fly on his left shoulder in San Francisco May 26, 2004. Pritikin bought the painting after it was thrown out by Buckingham Palace last week for $45,000 and says he plans to frame it and sell it for $150,000. Prince Philip posed for acclaimed artist Stuart Pearson Wright last year who was commissioned by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
Photo by Kimberly White
I have now made it my mission to meet this man. I think I need to canonize him.