Sometimes, there is some fun to be had in analyzing the most bizarre things we can find in history, the present and nature. Among the best lighthearted bizarreness are hoaxes. Sure, they are not so much fun for the victim(s), but, in my opinion, it sure beats writing about murderers and poisonous plants. I lied, I love writing about poisonous plants, but I'm getting off topic. I'm here to tell you about the Berners Street Hoax and that is what I am going to do.
Back in 1810, gentlemen weren't exactly the stiff pains in the butt you may imagine them to have been. At least, Theodore Hook wasn't stiff. He was definitely a pain. He bet a friend, legend has it this friend was Samuel Beazley, that he could turn 54 Berners Street into the most famous home in London in a single week. He won the bet.
On November 27 or 26, depending on the source, the chaos began with a chimney sweep knocking on Mrs. Tottenham's door at 54 Berners Street at a very early hour. She hadn't ordered one, but that didn't stop this service provider and countless others from arriving that day. Before the day was over, people were delivering wedding cakes and pianos, offering condolences for a death that had not occurred and the mayor even arrived to have a meeting with the homeowner, but left when he realized that his summons was a lie. It was an easy assumption to make, given that the street was so crowded as to be blocked and even was officially blocked at one point.
It turns out, Hook had sent between 1,000 and 4,000 letters to the people and workers of London asking them to come to the house under a variety of pretenses. The sheer number of letters points to an accomplice, but exactly who helped him is not certain. In fact, police never even apprehended him in the case. He was suspected, but never arrested. You may say he would have deserved it. No doubt people lost money on the prank, but it is remembered more than 200 years later, so his prank had its merit.
Bizarre Statues Around the World
Before we even get started, I'll admit that there is a bunch of weirdest statue posts on the Internet. I definitely lose points for originality. However, there is none here and I'm catering this list to suit That is Bizarre! You will find that this list is a bit limited in at least one way. I'm not including sexually explicit statues. Most of them aren't really bizarre unless you're a prude. I'm only including ones that I found truly strange, even in context.
1. The Peeing Men in Prague
Okay, this one really isn't called "The Peeing Men in Prague." I'm not really sure what it is called, so I just described it. These men are placed outside of the Franz Kafka museum. This piece is by sculptor David Cerny, who I am relatively sure makes more than one appearance on this list. This certainly is not the first sculpture to use the way men urinate as inspiration for a fountain, but it is an interesting one. The, ahem, spigots on the sculpture will draw out shapes and will even write out texts sent to a specific number.
2. Franz Kafka Statue -- Prague
Well, it appears that Mr. Kafka inspires some very strange sculptures. The man was a master of bizarre stories, but it is not entirely certain what these strange works have to do with him, if anything. This particular sculpture by Jaroslav Rona. Sure, it is loosely based on one of Kafka's stories about a man riding on another man's shoulders, but this one features Kafka himself riding on the shoulders of what looks like a very large, empty suit.
3. "Man Attacked by Babies" Vigeland Sculpture Park
This sculpture in Oslo is a bit alarming, especially without back story. It appears to be a man literally kicking a baby and perhaps having a few more tossed on him from above. Oh, the man is also quite naked. So, he's a jerk, right? Not really. If you look closer, you will see that the babies are horrifically evil in a subtle kind of way. The statue depicts a man being attacked by imps in the guise of babies. That explains why he's trying to kick a field goal with one of them.
4. Babies of Prague
Here we are back in Prague, a place that clearly allows alarming art to litter the streets. Guess what else is back? David Cerna and his seriously creepy aesthetic. The babies are large sculptures found in several places. I'm not quite sure just how many there are, but I do know the best way to see them is from the base of the Zizkov Television Tower. There are many crawling up it so it looks like it is being attacked by mutant children. The best part is their faces or I should say their lack of faces. The heads are fronted by what looks like a rectangular butthole.
5. Bukchon Museum Bench in Seoul
Bukchon Museum in Seoul is a quaint little museum in Seoul, Korea. Just outside of its glass front is a bench that makes for a great photo opportunity. It may be more fun that bizarre, but it certainly is strange. On either end is a large head with exaggerated features and straight, even teeth. Inside of these teeth is clenched the wood of the bench. The effect is two men's heads coming up out of the sidewalk and trying to eat either side of a cracker a la Lady and the Tramp.
(I could not find a public domain or shared photo of this piece. Just Google "Bukchon Museum Bench. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
6. The Child Eater of Bern
Okay, the German name for this sculpture is Kindlifresserbrunnen, but I'm not typing that more than once, so Child Eater of Bern it is. This Swiss sculpture was made by Hans Gieng in the 16th century CE. It features a very colorful ogre or man with a sack full of babies in one arm. The other arm is engaged in shoving one of the children in the ogre's mouth. The ogre is part of a larger statue. There is some mystery as to what it means, as there appears to be no record of the inspiration behind the design.
7. Victoria's Way Indian Sculpture Park in County Wicklow, Ireland
Instead of wading through the strange statues in this park, I'm just going to invite you to Google it and see what pops up. I think you will be hard pressed to find a single statue that isn't bizarre inside of the park.
(None of the photos I could find of this park in the public domain were cool enough. Again, just use Google. I hate to make you do it, but the alternative is worse.)
1. The Peeing Men in Prague
Okay, this one really isn't called "The Peeing Men in Prague." I'm not really sure what it is called, so I just described it. These men are placed outside of the Franz Kafka museum. This piece is by sculptor David Cerny, who I am relatively sure makes more than one appearance on this list. This certainly is not the first sculpture to use the way men urinate as inspiration for a fountain, but it is an interesting one. The, ahem, spigots on the sculpture will draw out shapes and will even write out texts sent to a specific number.
 |
| "P*ssing Men Statue" by David Cerna
Courtesy of Kenyh Cevaron
|
2. Franz Kafka Statue -- Prague
Well, it appears that Mr. Kafka inspires some very strange sculptures. The man was a master of bizarre stories, but it is not entirely certain what these strange works have to do with him, if anything. This particular sculpture by Jaroslav Rona. Sure, it is loosely based on one of Kafka's stories about a man riding on another man's shoulders, but this one features Kafka himself riding on the shoulders of what looks like a very large, empty suit.
 |
| Franz Kafka by Jaroslav Rona Courtesy of Henryart |
3. "Man Attacked by Babies" Vigeland Sculpture Park
This sculpture in Oslo is a bit alarming, especially without back story. It appears to be a man literally kicking a baby and perhaps having a few more tossed on him from above. Oh, the man is also quite naked. So, he's a jerk, right? Not really. If you look closer, you will see that the babies are horrifically evil in a subtle kind of way. The statue depicts a man being attacked by imps in the guise of babies. That explains why he's trying to kick a field goal with one of them.
 |
| "Man Attacked by Babies" by Gustav Vigeland Courtesy of Grzegorz Wysocki |
4. Babies of Prague
Here we are back in Prague, a place that clearly allows alarming art to litter the streets. Guess what else is back? David Cerna and his seriously creepy aesthetic. The babies are large sculptures found in several places. I'm not quite sure just how many there are, but I do know the best way to see them is from the base of the Zizkov Television Tower. There are many crawling up it so it looks like it is being attacked by mutant children. The best part is their faces or I should say their lack of faces. The heads are fronted by what looks like a rectangular butthole.
 |
| Baby by David Cerny Courtesy of David Cerny |
5. Bukchon Museum Bench in Seoul
Bukchon Museum in Seoul is a quaint little museum in Seoul, Korea. Just outside of its glass front is a bench that makes for a great photo opportunity. It may be more fun that bizarre, but it certainly is strange. On either end is a large head with exaggerated features and straight, even teeth. Inside of these teeth is clenched the wood of the bench. The effect is two men's heads coming up out of the sidewalk and trying to eat either side of a cracker a la Lady and the Tramp.
(I could not find a public domain or shared photo of this piece. Just Google "Bukchon Museum Bench. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
6. The Child Eater of Bern
Okay, the German name for this sculpture is Kindlifresserbrunnen, but I'm not typing that more than once, so Child Eater of Bern it is. This Swiss sculpture was made by Hans Gieng in the 16th century CE. It features a very colorful ogre or man with a sack full of babies in one arm. The other arm is engaged in shoving one of the children in the ogre's mouth. The ogre is part of a larger statue. There is some mystery as to what it means, as there appears to be no record of the inspiration behind the design.
 |
| "Kindlifresserbrunnen" by Hans Gieng Courtesy of Arno Konings |
Instead of wading through the strange statues in this park, I'm just going to invite you to Google it and see what pops up. I think you will be hard pressed to find a single statue that isn't bizarre inside of the park.
(None of the photos I could find of this park in the public domain were cool enough. Again, just use Google. I hate to make you do it, but the alternative is worse.)
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