RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 07:18 AM)TheJesBro Wrote: We need to start wikipedia page for this guy. I tried to explain him to some non-memphians; obviously I couldn't do it justice with mere storyteller so I went to the interwebs for pictures and articles but couldn't find anything other than a couple random news stories about him being evicted in Florida.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-30-2014 09:53 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: He was crazy when he landed here in the mid-60's and my parents rented our attic apartment to him. His family in Norfolk, Va. paid him to stay away after he rode a horse half-naked into the church where his cousin was having an elaborate wedding.
He was smart as a whip, but way "out of the box." He knew fine clothes, fine antiques, and was as educated and cultured as he could be. He had lovely manners. He and his cousin, Tommy, owned Daelion et Rae, an upscale mens clothing store on Union, and then he opened a Wig Room near it. He had a gorgeous antique maroon car and wore a big Roaring 20's raccoon coat. He would ride our bikes around Midtown late at night. I remember several Christmas mornings he sat on our living room floor and played with our new toys. We thought "Bobby" (Hodges) was great!
He moved down to another carriage house apartment on Rozelle when my mother grew tired of his antics, and he acquired a chimpanzee that he kept at his store at times. The poor chimp lasted until he locked him out of his apt. one night in winter and the animal froze.
He drew a disability check for years when he somehow convinced an insurance company he was "crazy." He served a bit of time in prison for some kind of white collar theft. He loved to see my mom in Seessels and come up and hug her in his complete Zambodian attire, and barefoot. The horrible hearse-like thing he drove around with the stuffed crow on top and the bullhorn really creeped me out. He loved to hang out at MUS games in the parking lot with kids all over his car.
I could go on and on. Just another Memphis character. Oh, and of course, he ran for Mayor how many times?
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 07:51 AM)tigerjeb Wrote:
(07-31-2014 07:18 AM)TheJesBro Wrote: We need to start wikipedia page for this guy. I tried to explain him to some non-memphians; obviously I couldn't do it justice with mere storyteller so I went to the interwebs for pictures and articles but couldn't find anything other than a couple random news stories about him being evicted in Florida.
I graduated in 1978 and remember hearing his name bounced around but never saw him. This video is the funnest thing I've seen in 10 years. Thanks for sharing Jes. And it definitely qualifies as a sport.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 07:18 AM)TheJesBro Wrote: We need to start wikipedia page for this guy. I tried to explain him to some non-memphians; obviously I couldn't do it justice with mere storytelling so I went to the interwebs for pictures and articles but couldn't find anything other than a couple random news stories about him being evicted in Florida.
I came to Memphis in 1986 to go to school, and found myself downtown one night with some people when we met Prince Mongo. It had to have been around 2-3 a.m. I had no idea who he was, but he had his shirt on backwards and inside out, and somebody whispered to me he was crazy. He insisted that we follow him into a new building he was rehabbing (was it on Front?), and gave us a tour. Seemed like one of the sanest people I ever met -- except for the shirt.
(This post was last modified: 07-31-2014 09:39 AM by bubbapt.)
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
He drove a Volkswagon Thing in the late 70's. He picked a bunch of us up during a Walk-A-Thon and drove us to the checkpoints. He also drove that vehicle in to the courtyard at CBHS during a pep rally. He killed it at Audobon Park one day when he bet people it would float in the lake. Oops. And his house was on Eastmoreland. Went swimming there many times. As for the downtown building, the third floor was a gambling room. You had to have some money to get in that room.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-30-2014 09:53 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: He was crazy when he landed here in the mid-60's and my parents rented our attic apartment to him. His family in Norfolk, Va. paid him to stay away after he rode a horse half-naked into the church where his cousin was having an elaborate wedding.
He was smart as a whip, but way "out of the box." He knew fine clothes, fine antiques, and was as educated and cultured as he could be. He had lovely manners. He and his cousin, Tommy, owned Daelion et Rae, an upscale mens clothing store on Union, and then he opened a Wig Room near it. He had a gorgeous antique maroon car and wore a big Roaring 20's raccoon coat. He would ride our bikes around Midtown late at night. I remember several Christmas mornings he sat on our living room floor and played with our new toys. We thought "Bobby" (Hodges) was great!
He moved down to another carriage house apartment on Rozelle when my mother grew tired of his antics, and he acquired a chimpanzee that he kept at his store at times. The poor chimp lasted until he locked him out of his apt. one night in winter and the animal froze.
He drew a disability check for years when he somehow convinced an insurance company he was "crazy." He served a bit of time in prison for some kind of white collar theft. He loved to see my mom in Seessels and come up and hug her in his complete Zambodian attire, and barefoot. The horrible hearse-like thing he drove around with the stuffed crow on top and the bullhorn really creeped me out. He loved to hang out at MUS games in the parking lot with kids all over his car.
I could go on and on. Just another Memphis character. Oh, and of course, he ran for Mayor how many times?
I talked to a family member of his not long ago. She said he was all naked. She also said that he took out an insurance policy on himself that would pay him if he became mentally ill. It worked.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 08:47 AM)bubbapt Wrote:
(07-31-2014 07:18 AM)TheJesBro Wrote: We need to start wikipedia page for this guy. I tried to explain him to some non-memphians; obviously I couldn't do it justice with mere storytelling so I went to the interwebs for pictures and articles but couldn't find anything other than a couple random news stories about him being evicted in Florida.
I came to Memphis in 1986 to go to school, and found myself downtown one night with some people when we met Prince Mongo. It had to have been around 2-3 a.m. I had no idea who he was, but he had his shirt on backwards and inside out, and somebody whispered to me he was crazy. He insisted that we follow him into a new building he was rehabbing (was it on Front?), and gave us a tour. Seemed like one of the sanest people I ever met -- except for the shirt.
That would have been Prince Mongo's Planet, where I spent more than a few nights in high school in the early 90's. Good times...I can't hear this song without thinking of that place:
(This post was last modified: 07-31-2014 10:54 AM by tigergreen.)
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 01:18 AM)80sTiger Wrote: I wonder what Memphis would be like today if Hackett had been allowed to win that night ...
Yes, that's when being an also ran became serious business. We were right smack in the middle of trying to get a NFL team during that election.
Herenton may have won eventually as another poster suggests, but who knows what would have happened. I really liked Mayor Hackett and used to work with his brother at Memphis firm.
Back to Prince Mongo, we were on the square one night and someone in my party was absolutely positive that Elton John was in TGI Fridays. It turned out to be Prince Mongo.
(This post was last modified: 07-31-2014 11:04 AM by Tiger46.)
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
He used to drive a fully lighted Winnebago around town in the 70's at Christmas time with a decorated tree attached to the top. Also, in the '77 Liberty Bowl, Nebraska had the ball inside the 5 yard line against North Carolina. Mongo comes out of nowhere, dressed in a loin cloth with a fur hat and a flashing red light on top and steals the ball from the line of scrimmage and takes off running. After he was apprehended, he was asked why he stole the ball. He said he wanted the spirits to give Nebraska good luck.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
I started drinking at his bar when I was 15 years old. The door lady and the head bouncer Shoney hid me and some friends in a secret room behind the dj booth a couple times when they were being raided by the police. I could tell some stories about that bar, spent a lot of time there in my mid to late teens. Used to lie to my mom and tell her I was going midnight bowling so I could go to Mongo's and drink. Looking back as an adult with kids of my own I kinda cringe thinking about it, can't believe it was allowed to go on for so long. They would raid the club/bar every couple months and arrest the bartenders and then they would be right back at it the next week. Sometimes they would be tipped off that they were going to be raided, we would pay the cover and the door lady would tell us there was a special on water at the bar that night, that was the code for no drinking tonight because we are going to get raided by the cops.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 11:29 AM)TripleA Wrote: I don't understand how anyone can blame Mongo for Hackett losing. It's a free country, thank goodness. More people should have voted for Hackett, lol.
Hackett could have easily challenged the vote count. Instead he said he didn't want to divide the community. I'm sure the half million $ of campaign funds he kept for personal use had nothing to do with it.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
(07-31-2014 12:11 PM)TiggerFan Wrote:
(07-31-2014 11:29 AM)TripleA Wrote: I don't understand how anyone can blame Mongo for Hackett losing. It's a free country, thank goodness. More people should have voted for Hackett, lol.
Hackett could have easily challenged the vote count. Instead he said he didn't want to divide the community. I'm sure the half million $ of campaign funds he kept for personal use had nothing to do with it.
Do you remember the night the King won?
I was working second sift and just got home to watch live on TV the King's supporter's bust down the doors of the election room and then emerge pronouncing the new King.
RE: Prince Mongo about to be on American Pickers at 8:00.
When I was in high school, Mongo gave me and my friends a ride from Pete and Sam's in his limo. We drove all over Midtown and ended up at The Castle (before it closed). He was listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival and had a rubber chicken around his neck. He offered me one. I accepted. He also gave me a stack of autographed campaign posters that read "Why not" with him holding a rubber chicken in the middle of the street.
One of my friend's sisters got married and had her reception at the Castle at year or so later. We disappeared into the "gambling room" upstairs and polished off a bottle of Maker's Mark over a game of hold 'em. I ended up puking all over the patio and maybe the pool a little. Mongo himself cleaned up my vomit and said "we'll just throw some mulch down tomorrow."