The Weirdest of Tucson voting takes place in the summer, which seems appropriate. That way, only the real die-hard Tucsonans are doing the voting.Unfortunately, we don't have last year's All-Around Weirdest Tucsonan of the Year, Alan Lang, to kick around anymore. However, this year's winner is doing his best to follow in those proud footsteps. For his goofball haircut and/or rug, his annoying TV commercials, his exorbitant banking fees, and his support of dangerous weirdos like Oliver North, Comic News readers have voted Jim Click as the Weirdest Tucsonan for 1995.
Coming in a close second, not surprisingly, was Supervisor Ed Moore, who won handily as Weirdest Local Politician. The Coveted Weirdest Local Politician Besides Ed Moore Award goes to Supervisor Paul Marsh.
Weirdest Politician, Statewide goes once again to our beloved governor Fife, with honorable mention for Richard Mack. Nationwide, the Newt has edged out last year's winner, Jesse Helms.
In the arts, Weirdest Artist honors go to Jeff Gould, and the Weirdest Writer is Emil Franzi of the Weekly. Weirdest Band: Al Foul and the Shakes. One guy voted for the Sons of the Pioneers. Are they locals?
Rand Carlson is the runaway winner for Weirdest Cartoonist. The Weirdest Public Artwork Besides That Red Thing in Front of the Library is the airplane tailfin on South 6th Ave. Weirdest Architecture, the Greyhound station? Surely we have weirder than that.
Weirdest Natural Phenomenon (local) goes to "backlit Teddy Bear Chollos," which, I must say, are one of the weird things hereabouts that make life worth living.
In the merchants' division, Weirdest Restaurant honors accrue to the splendid DPC Cafe, with one jaundiced vote going to "anyplace that serves falafels." Hmmph. The Weirdest Bar this year is the Shamrock; condolences to last year's champ, the Buffet. The Puzey Gallery was voted Weirdest Art Gallery. Weirdest Bookshop is the Mad Hatter, with honorable mention going to the late, lamented Goodbooks. Weirdest Record Store, for the second year in a row, is Toxic Ranch, hands down. Weirdest Clothing Store honors go to Value Village.
The Weirdest Radio Show in Tucson is KXCI's Machine Shop, with John C. Scott a close second, particularly for his OJ coverage, as more than one voter noted. Weirdest TV Personality is Shane Eden, and Weirdest Commercial is the one from Southwestern Paint.
With last year's winner for Weirdest Local Publication, Ed Finkelstein's Arizona Examiner, not heard from in the intervening twelve months, I thought I had a chance this time. No such luck. The Weirdo Award goes to local zine Ant Eye; the Comic News wasn't even close.
Among suggestions for Category We Should Include Next Year: Weirdest Annual Event (how about this contest?), and Weirdest Gym. That should be a chilling expose.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who voted. Have a weird month!