when was the golden driller "neutered"

[mobboss]

anyone remember when the golden driller at the fairgrounds had a load of money thrown at it to restore its aging appearance, part of the work was to re-profile his 'prominent bulge" now it's shaved flat...cut off at the root so to speak.

does anyone remember this or recall who had this great idea? did they find it offensive or vulgar?
i wonder if it was city coucil, fairgrounds  board or outraged christian citizens

also a fave memory of the driller was the "OZZY" graffiti sprayed on his knuckles back then...

[AngieB]

I don't know when that particular "alteration" was done but here's what he looked like in the very beginning:



http://www.charlesphoenix.com/2004-05-28/#

[TURobY]

Wow! That's crazy. I think I like it's current appearance over that, though!

[Aa5drvr]

I think remnants of that Golden Driller sat on the North side of the fairgrounds during the 1960's.

Does anyone one recall when there was a Navy / Marines reserve center just north of the barns?
As kids we went back in there one time and found out that Golden Driller was made of papier mache'.

[TheArtist]

Actually, at first, every year or so they would build a new Golden Driller for the oil expo. Saw a pic of one that was climbing the oil derrick. Even the one we have now wasn't supposed to be permanent. It was supposed to be permanently replaced by.... http://goddessofoil.com/

And no, I dont remember when they "neutered" the golden driller. Perhaps he has it duct taped back like some drag queen lol. Regardless, I wince just about every time I see the poor guy now lol. The main questin is "Why, for goodness sakes, did they do that?"

[naenae42day]

I prefer the one posted here in the forum to the current version.  The current driller looks like a stale cheeto...or like he was carved out of butter and rolled in corn meal. Oh no wait...the old foam rubber...remember the yellowish flaky stuff...that is the color.

[Porky]

quote:Originally posted by mobboss

anyone remember when the golden driller at the fairgrounds had a load of money thrown at it to restore its aging appearance, part of the work was to re-profile his 'prominent bulge" now it's shaved flat...cut off at the root so to speak.

does anyone remember this or recall who had this great idea? did they find it offensive or vulgar?
i wonder if it was city coucil, fairgrounds  board or outraged christian citizens

also a fave memory of the driller was the "OZZY" graffiti sprayed on his knuckles back then...

Are you saying if a statue was constructed for Mayor Kathy Taylor it should include a camel toe?

[Conan71]

I'm too tired to look up the thread, but this was my favorite so far, produced at my request to see him in a surfer shirt smoking a big doobie.

I don't remember which forum member did this, please stand up and accept the applause!

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

Actually, at first, every year or so they would build a new Golden Driller for the oil expo. Saw a pic of one that was climbing the oil derrick. Even the one we have now wasn't supposed to be permanent. It was supposed to be permanently replaced by.... http://goddessofoil.com/

And no, I dont remember when they "neutered" the golden driller. Perhaps he has it duct taped back like some drag queen lol. Regardless, I wince just about every time I see the poor guy now lol. The main questin is "Why, for goodness sakes, did they do that?"

If you ask me the version of the Driller posted above looks pretty fay, don't you think?

[sgrizzle]

I'll definitely take the current over TulsaMini's version.

[Bumby]

I remember A Golden Driller laying around on the north side of the fairgrounds!  I was quite young and found him kinda scary but sad.  I think I remember him holding a hammer?

Seems to me the current one was neutered in the late 80's.  He had gotten rather holey.

[mrB]

Please, no applause Conan. Here's a new one for the season!

[cannon_fodder]

I'm still waiting for the ruckus from William's Goddess of Oil Statue.  PLEASE William, when the first person accuses you of making an obscene statue reply: "I don't think my Grandmother is, in any way, obscene."  

Too many prudes.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by mrB



Please, no applause Conan. Here's a new one for the season!

*sniff* just beautiful.  Will there be a Thanksgiving and Xmas version as well, this year?

[Hometown]

I met the artist that designed the Golden Driller.  He lived on the north side of the Fairgrounds around Pittsburgh.  I visited him in his home one day.  Must have been about 1970.  His house was filled with old art works and visually fascinating junk.  He was an immigrant.  I think Greek.

Anyway, I don't think the current incarnation ever had much going on thereabouts.  Don't think anything got shaved, just never was much of anything there to begin with.

Of course that was a time when just about anything overtly sexual got airbrushed away or banished to Siberia.

Pitty.  Certainly not reflective of Tulsa's vigor.

More artistic merit than the animal art over by the River.