Here's an interesting list I found in Uncle John's Bathroom Reader of people who actually ran for office. More elected public officials need senses of humor like these people.

Sister Boom-Boom
A transvestite who dresses as a nun, he/she ran for mayor of San Francisco in 1982... and received 23,121 votes.

Jello Biafra
Lead singer of the Dead Kennedys, a San Francisco-based rock band. Ran for mayor of San Francisco in 1982.

None of the Above
Never actually made it to the ballot, but his heart was in the right place. Luther Knox legally changed his name to "None of the Above" in order to give Louisianans a chance "to say no" to mainstream candidates in their 1979 gubernatorial election.

Bananas the Clown
Another amost-made-it... onto the ballot, that is. When Lester Johnson decided to run for a seat on the city council in Salt Lake City, he submitted this name. He was rejected, although he accurately protested that "it wouldn't be unprecedented for a clown to be in city government."

Louis Abalofia
It's not a weird name, and we're not even sure it's the right spelling, but he deserves some mention here. Running for president, he passed out leaflets bearing his official campaign photo... a picture of himself stark naked. His campaign slogan: "I have nothing to hide."

Tarquin Fintimlinbinwhimbinlin Bus Stop F'tang-F'tang-Ole-Biscuit Barrel
In 1981, a new political party, the Raving Looney Society of Cambridge, nominated this candidate (a real person otherwise known as John Lewis) for a seat in the British Parliament. The media referred to him as "Mr. Tarquin Biscuit-Barrel," and more than 200 people actually voted for him. Noder's note: This was also the basis for (or possibly based on) a very good Monty Python sketch where Mr. Biscuit Barrel of the "silly party" runs against representatives of the "sensible party", the "slightly silly party", and the "extremely silly party." Definitely worth a listen if you can find a recording of it. I recommend 'Monty Python: Another Rip-Off'.

Tarquin Fintimlinbinwhimbinlin Bus Stop F'tang-F'tang-Ole-Biscuit Barrel is indeed taken from the classic Monty Python sketch "Election Night Special", in which he is a candidate of the Very Silly Party. Other candidates include Kevin Philips Bong of the Slightly Silly Party, and a member of the Extremely Silly Party whose name includes whistles, tweets and snatches of song.

This type of party is a real phenomenon in Britain, where the Monster Raving Looney Party has been contesting elections for years. Sadly, its leader, Screaming Lord Sutch, committed suicide last year (1999).

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