Wavy Gravy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wavy Gravy
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Wavy Gravy in 2009
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| Born |
Hugh Nanton Romney Jr.
May 15, 1936 East Greenbush, New York, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
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| Spouse(s) |
Bonnie Beecher
(m. 1965) |
| Children | 1 |
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Hugh Nanton Romney Jr. (born May 15, 1936), known as Wavy Gravy, is an American entertainer and activist for peace. He is famous for his role at the Woodstock Festival and for his hippie style and beliefs.
Wavy Gravy has helped start several groups. These include the Hog Farm, a community focused on activism, and later, Camp Winnarainbow and the Seva Foundation. In the 1960s, he created the Phurst Church of Phun, a group of comics and clowns. Their goal was to help end the Vietnam War using funny and creative acts. He often dresses as a clown to support his activism and to entertain people. He even became the official clown for the band Grateful Dead.
As Wavy Gravy, he has hosted radio shows on Sirius Satellite Radio. A movie about his life, Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie, came out in 2010 and was well-liked. He also received the Kate Wolf Memorial Award in 1992 for his work in folk music.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hugh Nanton Romney Jr. was born in East Greenbush, New York, on May 15, 1936. His father, Hugh Romney Sr., worked as an architect. Wavy Gravy grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. When he was in middle school, his family moved to West Hartford, Connecticut. He finished high school in 1954.
After high school, he joined the United States Army. He worked as a sign painter to help pay for college. He left the Army honorably after 22 months. In the late 1950s, he studied theater at Boston University and then at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.
In 1958, he started reading poetry at The Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village, New York City. He became the cafe's entertainment director. There, he became friends with musicians like Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton.
Career Highlights
His early career was managed by Lenny Bruce, a famous comedian. Bruce brought Romney to California in 1962. There, Romney recorded a live comedy album as the opening act for jazz musician Thelonious Monk.
The Hog Farm Community
The Hog Farm started when Romney gathered a group in North Hollywood. Musicians like Ravi Shankar and Tiny Tim visited this group. After moving to Sunland, Romney was asked to leave his home because too many people were staying there.
Soon after, a neighbor told him about a nearby hog farm that needed caretakers. Romney agreed to work there for free rent. Many local people, musicians, and artists started to live at the farm. Wavy Gravy later said it became a "bizarre communal experiment" where people outnumbered the pigs.
In the mid-1960s, Romney and his wife, Bonnie Beecher, worked in Los Angeles. He taught acting skills at Columbia Pictures. Bonnie was a successful TV actress, appearing in shows like The Twilight Zone and Star Trek.
By 1966, the Hog Farm became an entertainment group. They created light shows for concerts in Los Angeles for bands like the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix. In 1967, the group started traveling across the country in old school buses. They bought these buses with money they earned as actors in a movie called Skidoo.
The Hog Farm later moved to the Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, Northern California, in the early 1990s.
Woodstock Festival Role
At the first Woodstock Festival in 1969, Romney and the Hog Farm group helped with preparations. Romney called his group the "Please Force." This name came from their gentle way of keeping order. For example, they would say, "Please don't do that, please do this instead."
When reporters asked him how he would keep order, he joked, "Cream pies and seltzer bottles!" These are common clown props. He later realized the power of using humor with the media. He made many announcements from the stage during the festival. He said this was because of his friendship with the stage builder, Chip Monck.
At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Wavy Gravy's sleeping bag and tie-dyed false teeth were shown. He has been the host for all three Woodstock festivals: the original in 1969, Woodstock '94, and Woodstock '99.
How Wavy Gravy Got His Name
Wavy Gravy got his name at the 1969 Texas International Pop Festival. He was tired and lying on stage. He heard someone say, "Don't dance on the wavy gravy." Then, B.B. King, a famous musician, came up to him. B.B. King asked, "Are you Wavy Gravy?" Romney said yes. B.B. King then said, "Wavy Gravy, I can work around you."
Romney felt this was a special moment. From that day on, he decided to use Wavy Gravy as his legal name.
Clowning and Activism
After being arrested often at protests, Wavy Gravy decided to dress as a clown. He thought this would make him less likely to be arrested. He helped start the Phurst Church of Phun, a secret group of comics and clowns. They used funny acts to protest the Vietnam War.
Wavy Gravy also performs as a clown to entertain children. He tells jokes and does magic tricks. He even became the official clown for the Grateful Dead band.
Artistic Creations
Wavy Gravy is also known for his collage art. His artwork has been shown in galleries. He started making collages in the early 1960s. He said he was inspired by an artwork he saw by Max Ernst. His collages include large pieces made for famous people in the San Francisco area.
Important Projects
Seva Foundation
In 1978, Wavy Gravy helped start the Seva Foundation. He co-founded it with spiritual leader Ram Dass and public health expert Dr. Larry Brilliant. Seva Foundation is an international health group based in Berkeley, California. It works to help people see again in places around the world that need it most. Wavy Gravy is famous for organizing big concerts to raise money for Seva. These concerts often feature musicians like Bonnie Raitt and members of the Grateful Dead.
Camp Winnarainbow
Wavy Gravy and his wife also started Camp Winnarainbow. This is a circus and performing arts camp located near the Hog Farm in Laytonville, California. He helps run the camp, teaching kids circus skills and performing arts.
"Tornado of Talent"
In 1981, there was a protest against a nuclear power plant called Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Wavy Gravy and musician Jackson Browne were there. Many protesters were arrested. Browne played his guitar for the men who were held in the gymnasium.
Wavy Gravy organized a talent show for the arrested protesters. He called it the "Tornado of Talent." He arrived dressed in bright green clothes. Then he took them off to show a Santa Claus suit underneath!
"Nobody for President"
Wavy Gravy ran a "Nobody for President" campaign. In 1980, he held a rally near the White House. The idea was to promote "none of the above" as a choice on the ballot. He used slogans like "Nobody's Perfect" and "Nobody Keeps All Promises." He said that "Nobody" was the perfect candidate.
He also started a store called Nobody's Business near the Hog Farm. This store was named after his "Nobody for President" campaign.
Personal Life
In 1965, Wavy Gravy married actress Bonnie Jean Beecher. She later changed her name to Jahanara Romney. They have a son, born in 1971, who is known as Jordan Romney.
Film and Music Appearances
Wavy Gravy has appeared in several films, often playing himself in documentaries. He was in the famous Woodstock documentary film. He has also released music recordings, including his comedy album Third Stream Humor.
Recognition
The ice cream company Ben & Jerry's named a flavor "Wavy Gravy" after him. This special ice cream helped raise money for a scholarship fund. This fund allowed kids who couldn't afford it to attend his Camp Winnarainbow.
Images for kids
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Wavy Gravy in 2009
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Wavy Gravy's signature
See also
In Spanish: Wavy Gravy para niños
