Anecdote: the one that got away.....

[The Internet]

Ok, so this just popped into my head as I'm getting ready, and I don't know really where to post it so...I'm posting it here. I'm sure you guys will relate. Maybe even the girls, who knows!

Among other things, I'm a music collector, and I'm into a VERY obscure, genius-of-a-musician.....but he's so obscure that I'm not even posting his name here, because the circle of people that know about this guy is so small, I couldn't possibly post about him without them finding this thread. No way. Fans of this guy scour the internet looking for clues about him. For years, we didn't even know what he looked like. It's ironic that I'm writing about a guy I want to shout about from the rooftops to alert the world....and yet i find myself here, unable to speak his name. That's the way it's got to be, though.

Ok, so..this musician recorded from 1964-1974, which is when he died. And like I said....for years, we didn't even know what he looked like, how old he was, nothing. But then, clues began to emerge, and we started to piece together a little bit of the jigsaw, even though to this day, much is shrouded in mystery and enigma.

I was able, unbelievably, to spend a day with his son, who he hardly had even known. I brought over some of my collection, he shared what he knew.....and at one point, he asked me if I wanted to see his personal effects. I couldn't believe I was going to get to see this.

He opened up a box, and he pulled out a stack of photographs, all snapshots from the 50s, 60s and early-mid 70s.

Well...first thing....the guy sure got the girls....truckloads of 'em! He was in LA, so you can imagine, LA in the 60s and early 70s. Picture after picture. I was happy he had such good luck with getting affection from the girls since he had not as good luck with his music career!

So, I'm scrutinizing every one of these photos.......slowly, I'm studying the blurry parts in the background, everything.....

I finish with one picture, pick it up.....and underneath is a spectacular shot of my man, this musical genius, squatting in front of a gorgeous 60s LA blonde sitting on a couch, like something out of a movie, a total mod-girl....like the girl in my signature right now, actually, not unlike her at all!......and he's got both hands directly on her sides, smiling at her....and she is hysterical, urgently hysterical, mouth opened wide in full laugh, eyes squeezed shut, eyebrows furrowed in ticklish ecstasy, she looks so pretty and beautiful, and there is absolutely no ambiguity what was going on....you could practically HEAR the photo.......and my host, his son, is giving a running commentary on each photo, and he just says "...and there he is, tickling some girl.".....and I just froze inside, trying not to let on any indication that there was anything different about this photo.

But I couldn't say or do anything. And I couldn't linger on the photo for an inordinately long time, there was whole stack to get through....so I took it in, took a mental snapshot.....and now I'm telling you about it.

The thing about this photo is that it was a vintage snapshot, which you don't see much of....or I should say, ever! I would say, definitely between 1967 and 1969, and probably closer to 1967-1968. It was just a great shot, medium-close up. She was hysterical, she looked beautiful, he completely had her.....you could see his knuckles buckled up, he was digging in to her sides......and she had this look like....I can't believe I"m being tickled, she just had her arms bent up at the elbow, both hands open, palms open, fingers rigid and stiff.....like not even fighting him off....taking it like a girl. Really hot.

Pffft. I'll never see it again. None of us will. 🙁

Anyways....I'm sure we all have those mainstream pics or clips that "got away".....there was a great Tommy Hilfiger commercial years ago where a girl has her arms outstretched above her, with her eyes squeezed shut anticipating a tickle and hands come into the frame and get her directly under her arms, making her hysterical....only saw it once, never have been able to find it again. (late 90s, early 2000s).

What about you? Any clips, ads, photos.....something you only see once and you'll never see it again? Frustrating, ain't? Ain't it?!!!!

 

[Goatboy]

I am curious who this musician is!

For me, "the one that got away" was an episode of NBA Inside Stuff from the mid 90s. They showed commercials for that week's episode, and one of the brief clips was Ahmad Rashad tickling his co-host Willow Bay, who was laughing and squirming. I was dying to see that episode and see it in context with sound (there was a voice over during the clip promoting the show) but it turns out I wasn't home that day and I missed it. I always regretted not seeing it 🙁

 

[imperiex]

Haha I want to know more about this musician as well! And great job with the description. It was super vivid.

For me I'd have to say some early 00's show about decorating or marriage or something. It was on TLC back when Trading Spaces was big. My mom watched that all the time so the TV being on Trading Spaces was pretty common. Anyway the episode was about this couple who were getting married or something or getting their house fixed. The couple I'd say were Spanish in descent. Definitely Spanish looking and they spoke English with a strong accent. The Girlfriend fiance was a pretty attractive pale skinned dark haired European looking woman. Anyway they were showing a montage of clips of the couple together at home and at one point they're on the couch and the GF is laying down with socked feet on the armrest of the sofa and the guy suddenly clamps down on her foot and starts tickling. She has an immediate and very ticklish reaction trying to grab his hands away until a couple seconds in she just lays back on the couch and laughs her head off. I've never seen it again and have no clue what the show was, but for whatever reason it really stuck with me.

 

[The Internet]

I am curious who this musician is!

For me, "the one that got away" was an episode of NBA Inside Stuff from the mid 90s. They showed commercials for that week's episode, and one of the brief clips was Ahmad Rashad tickling his co-host Willow Bay, who was laughing and squirming. I was dying to see that episode and see it in context with sound (there was a voice over during the clip promoting the show) but it turns out I wasn't home that day and I missed it. I always regretted not seeing it 🙁

Ugh. I know the feeling. Mid 90s...yeah....that's going to be a tough one. You never know.

I'll PM you about the musician, I just don't want to post it here. The collectors of this guy (including me) are.....insane. Highly competitive.

 

[The Internet]

Haha I want to know more about this musician as well! And great job with the description. It was super vivid.

For me I'd have to say some early 00's show about decorating or marriage or something. It was on TLC back when Trading Spaces was big. My mom watched that all the time so the TV being on Trading Spaces was pretty common. Anyway the episode was about this couple who were getting married or something or getting their house fixed. The couple I'd say were Spanish in descent. Definitely Spanish looking and they spoke English with a strong accent. The Girlfriend fiance was a pretty attractive pale skinned dark haired European looking woman. Anyway they were showing a montage of clips of the couple together at home and at one point they're on the couch and the GF is laying down with socked feet on the armrest of the sofa and the guy suddenly clamps down on her foot and starts tickling. She has an immediate and very ticklish reaction trying to grab his hands away until a couple seconds in she just lays back on the couch and laughs her head off. I've never seen it again and have no clue what the show was, but for whatever reason it really stuck with me.

Oh man, ANOTHER one. That might be slightly easier to get than Goatboy's, but still.....that's like trying to find tickles on old Blind Date episodes! Ha! Extreme Dating! Remember those? I have a bunch on videotape...I have LOTS of stuff on videotape, I just don't have any way of digitizing them. Does anybody out there do that sort of thing? Or maybe can give me some advice?

Well....both of you guys described those scenes well, thanks!

I can tell you two scenes that I'm sure we'll never see (though TMF Jeff just surprised me with that Goldie Hawn clip! That was one I thought I'd never see!):

Daisy Fuentes on MTV Internacional, in the 90s. We can just about forget about that one.

And....though I'm dubious this actually happened....did anyone see it?.....Jessica Alba on a Fox show......being tickled by Steve Doocy? Did anybody actually see this?

 

[Goatboy]

Ugh. I know the feeling. Mid 90s...yeah....that's going to be a tough one. You never know.

I'll PM you about the musician, I just don't want to post it here. The collectors of this guy (including me) are.....insane. Highly competitive.

Thanks, I would appreciate knowing who this mysterious musician is!