upside-down; he did so every morning without fail. He dressed in the
brightest colors and most sensational patterns, and wore bat-wing ties and
two-toned spat shoes. He collected automobiles as though they were toys,
but never learned to drive. Even though he often used complicated
recording equipment for his broadcasts, apparently he was afraid to use a
telephone for fear he would be electrocuted. A non-swimmer, he owned an
odd assortment of boats, including dugout canoes and even an authentic
Chinese sailing junk. Such were the rewards of cartooning that many others
were inspired to seek riches plying the same trade.
Believe It or Not! became such a common household phrase that
its potential as an advertising tool was well exploited. The tremendous
amassed backlog of cartoons was licensed for virtually any promotional
use. For a modest fee, Ripley’s unmistakably recognizable graphics were
frequently used to represent everything from auto parts manufacturers to
coffee shops.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is an American cultural icon that has
been exported around the world. Although the cartoon has ceased, the
museums and Odditoriums continue to draw in crowds in the United
States in Florida, Texas, and Missouri, as well as in Juarez, Mexico;
Queensland, Australia; Lancester, England; Kyonggi-do, Korea; Chonburi,
Thailand; and others. Today, Ripley’s is quaint given how the media offers
exposure to the weird and the ridiculous, but where else can one learn
about “The Island Made of Soap,” “The Hardest Working Stenographers
in the World,” or “The Accidental Soap Bubble by which Ibn Al Haitam
of Iraq Discovered the Science of Optics”?
tuis.
(Tuis.)
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