Remember the odd sign that was posted on the former auto parts store at Geary & 25th Avenue? The one promising that a Do-It-Yourself Crematorium was coming to the neighborhood?
Well the prankster was at it again this week, this time posting a sign on the outside of 5411 Geary near 18th Avenue. The building used to be home to a Walgreens and is now being considered for a PETCO Unleashed store.
The sign hails the arrival of a Dr. Robert Rothrock, who will offer discount veterinary services and taxidermy (just in case his services backfire?). “One way or another you’ll be happy with my work” it says alongside a drawing of a 1950s style man with a smoking pipe in his mouth.
Commenter JonC points out that the man on the poster is J.R. “Bob” Dobbs, figurehead of the Church of the Subgenius. According to Wikipedia, they are “a religious organization, often seen as a “parody religion”, that satirizes religion, conspiracy theories, UFOs, and popular culture.” Hmm.
Is this some kind of commentary on PETCO moving in? Their pending arrival has been a contentious issue in the neighborhood, especially for the owners and supporters of the 5 other pet stores that already exist in the neighborhood, who risk being run out of business by the chain store. When or if PETCO will open in the space remains to be seen.
The sign is no longer posted so I wasn’t able to lay my own eyes on it and peruse the poster for more clues. But it is signed in the lower right corner by the same artist – “Mad Dog”. WOOF!
Thanks to cub reporter David H. for sending this in.
Sarah B.
The sign that was mysteriously posted on the former auto parts store at 25th & Geary.
Aha! Said man with pipe is J.R. ‘Bob’ Dobbs, figurehead of the silly Church of the SubGenius. Methinks they may be behind this tomfoolery… 😉
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subgenius
Dr. Bob is back! I’m a devotee of the Church of SubGenius! And, now I know where to get my taxidermy needs resolved. I had been using these guys (link below), but, well, as you can see: problematic.
http://crappytaxidermy.com/
@Rob – OMG that site is so wrong!!! LOL
trolling in real life!!
The Church of the Subgenius has been around for ages. They were pretty much at their peak in the 1980s but still exist as a very loosely-knit group held together by the founder, Rev. Ivan Stang of Texas. Their main internet meeting ground is the USENET group alt.slack. (“Slack” is personal free time, the ultimate goal and nirvana of the “church.”) This sort of prank is typical of their antics. Classic, actually. I wouldn’t invest too much interpretation into it as any sort of “protest” or commentary on anything at all, really. They are fun-loving absurdists at heart. They love to poke fun at social conventions and usurp consensus reality. They’re completely harmless folks. A bit odd, but good-natured at heart.
Dean E quit trying to define Slack. “Bob” appears where the pipe demands it.