Kinky Friedman and Little Jewford at BBKing September 1, 2008 Photo taken by Pincas Jawetz

Kinky Friedman, The Jewboys Band and guest - doing “I am only an ass—- from El Paso.”
This Photo and all previous photos taken September 1, 2008, by Pincas Jawetz at the BBKing in Times Square area, Manhattan Island.
Kinky told us he loves New York City, but does not like Philadelphia where he performed before reaching BBKing.

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It turns out that we already wrote about Kinky back in 2006. See please:

The Independent of London Looks At Elections in Texas - Is It Possible Andrew Gumbel Recognized A Potential New US President?

Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on October 23rd, 2006
by Pincas Jawetz ( PJ at SustainabiliTank.com)

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Richard S. Friedman:

Born: November 1, 1944 (age 64) Chicago, Illinois

Residence Medina, Texas

Nationality American

Other names Kinky

Occupation Singer

Known for Music, Texas gubernatorial election

Political party - Independent

Religious beliefs - Judaism

Parents:
Thomas Friedman
Minnie Samet Friedman

Thomas (Tom) Friedman as a child worked for a pedlar who sold potatoes (”Kartoffel”) to the immigrants on West Chicago. Then, before Kinky was born, he was drafted and piloted a bomber in WWII. Eventually he took his family to Texas to live on a farm, and turned into a teacher of speech - eventually as Dr. S. Thomas Friedman he became Professor at the Austin University. That is what brought Kinky to Texas.

Kinky is a member of the Jewish Tau Delta Phi fraternity. After graduation from the University of Austin, Friedman served two years with the Peace Corps on the island of Borneo in Malaysia. He has been featured in the news including 60 Minutes on CBS and made an appearance as one of Jay Leno’s guests. Friedman lives at Echo Hill Ranch, the family’s summer camp near Kerrville, Texas that was built by his father Tom. He also founded “Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch,” the mission of which is to care for stray, abused and aging animals; more than 1,000 dogs have been saved there from animal euthanasia.
Above, ain’t trivia, in effect Kinky told the audience quite a bit of this at the Monday night performance at the BBKing Place in the New York City Times Square area.

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Politics

See also: Texas gubernatorial election, 2006
In 1986, Friedman ran for Justice of the Peace in Kerrville, Texas, but lost the election.

Friedman speaking at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on October 5, 2006.

In 2004, Friedman began a serious, though colorful, campaign to become the Governor of Texas in 2006. One of his stated goals is the “dewussification” of Texas. Among his campaign slogans are “How Hard Could It Be?”, “Why The Hell Not?”, “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy” and “He ain’t Kinky, he’s my Governor”.

Friedman had hoped to follow in the footsteps of other entertainers-turned-governors, including Jimmie Davis, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Ronald Reagan. When the campaign finance reports came out after the second quarter had ended, Friedman had raised more funds than the Democratic nominee, former Congressman Chris Bell.

On election day, November 7, Friedman was defeated by a wide margin, having received less than 13% of the state’s votes in the five-candidate match-up.

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Issues and positions:
On education, he supports higher pay for teachers and working to lower Texas’s dropout rate, which is the highest in the United States.

He supports more investment in harnessing Texas’s alternative fuel resources such as wind and biodiesel.

Friedman is opposed to the Trans-Texas Corridor since it relies on toll road construction. He feels that the TTC is a land grab of the ugliest kind, with land being taken from hard-working ranchers and farmers in little towns and villages all over Texas.

On capital punishment, he previously summed up his position, “I am not anti-death penalty, but I’m damn sure anti-the-wrong-guy-getting-executed”. More recently, he has clarified his position: “The system is not perfect. Until it’s perfect, let’s do away with the death penalty”.

On illegal immigration, Kinky wants to increase the number of Texas National Guard troops on the border (from the current 1,500 to 10,000), impose $25,000 and $50,000 fines on companies that hire illegal immigrants and require foreign nationals seeking employment to purchase a foreign taxpayer ID card once they have passed a criminal background check. “Texas can no longer wait for our federal government to solve our illegal immigration problem,” Friedman said. “These are steps that Texas can immediately take to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants penetrating our border.” Had he been elected, he had promised to meet regularly with Governors Bill Richardson (New Mexico) and Janet Napolitano (Arizona) to develop a coordinated border state plan to supplement federal efforts to curb illegal immigration.

Previously, Kinky put forth the “Five Mexican Generals” Plan, to pay Mexican officials to halt immigration on their side of the border. Although he originally stated “When I talk about the five Mexican generals, people think I’m joking but I’m dead serious”, Friedman later told the Dallas Morning News that the plan, never meant to be carried out, was a joke with an element of seriousness.

According to his official Web site - http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/issues/faq…. - Friedman’s answer to the question “How does Kinky feel about abortion?” is “Kinky believes in a woman’s right to choose.” In person, he hedges his bet, saying “I’m not pro-life, and I’m not pro-choice. I’m pro-football”.

On social issues he has supported gay marriage, answering an Associated Press reporter’s question on the subject on Feb. 3, 2005, “I support gay marriage. I believe they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us” (Friedman himself is not married).

According to Cigar Aficionado magazine, Friedman plans to roll back “any and all smoking bans” if elected. One of his favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain: “If smoking is not allowed in heaven, I shall not go”. Friedman supports the decriminalization of marijuana, though he doesn’t advocate making its sale legal. “I’m not talking about like Amsterdam,” he noted, “We’ve got to clear some of the room out of the prisons so we can put the bad guys in there, like the pedophiles and the politicians”.

Further, Kinky Friedman is in the cigar business - Hand Made KINKY FRIEDMAN CIGARS. It turns out that one of the members of his musical group, Little Jewford, is also CEO of the company.

Future political plans:
On August 9, 2007 the Austin American-Statesman reported that Friedman is considering another run for Governor of Texas in 2010. “I’m open to running,” Friedman said, adding that he won’t make a final decision until after the 2008 elections. (The Austin American-Statesman competes with the Austin Chronicle, an alternative weekly. The paper tends to print Associated Press, New York Times, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times international and national news, but has strong Central Texas coverage, especially in political reporting. However, it did endorse George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, and Republican governor Rick Perry along with every other Republican incumbent in 2006. The Statesman also tends to provide fair coverage of Libertarian Party and Green Party matters.)

In an August 23, 2007 interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Friedman stated that if he did run in 2010, he would run as a Democrat, citing that “God probably couldn’t have won as an independent”.

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At the BBKing performance, “Kinky Friedman and The Jewboys” said and sung - some of the following:

Hear O Israel - yes indeed - I am glad God is a Texan - I am a Texan Jew.

Late one night in a labor town I got to chose - here’s to you my rambling boy.

I am 63 years old - too young for medicare, and too old for women care.

I wanted to be a politician - Governor of Texas. I was not even indicted yet. I had been given ideas by Molly Ivens - a slogan - “Why in Hell Not I?” - “Why the Hell Not I?”

Coming to politics he made a remark worthy of that day: “Gustav” was not a hit - a disappointment to most cable viewers in America.

About himself: “I would sign anything, but bad legislation.”

About Governor Perry’s election: “When nobody votes you get a ribbon-cutter Governor like Governor Perry - He has done nothing yet.” Then he told a story about someone remarking outdoors - “See - That is a beautiful statue of Governor Perry” - I looked at him and said -” But This Is Governor Perry.” The Southern Willie Nelson told Kinky - Criticize them as much as you want - but don’t circumcise them anymore.”

About the the Texas folks he had a nice story about a visit to a mission in San Antonio and a large crucifix where people come to pray. He saw there someone who seemed to be a very well to-do fellow. He addressed Jesus for help. “Jesus please, help me, the oil wells are running low, the cattle are thin, the grass does not grow, the IRS is after me.” Then a little Mexican comes by and says - Jesus help me - “I have eight children, my wife is pregnant and sick, I work hard and do not make ends meet.” The First fellow pulls out a $100 bill and gives it to the Mexican - “take this little fellow and don’t bother Jesus much.”

Texas is #50 in health coverage. He also said that a pastor told him - “if you don’t love Jesus go to hell.

In Glasgow and Scotland they know us better then we do. They see in us the Indians and cowboys. We live to close to the Pyramids to see ourselves right. The last time everything was ALL RIGHT was August 14, 1945 - that was the day Japan surrendered.

His band - “The Jewboys” included one Jew and one Lebanese and he said on his long cooperation with the Lebanese - “we are probably the only two who still speak in the Middle East.” There was also a guest performer who sang one single song about El Paso.