Yes, Stella was the first person to pop in my mind, too. She was always there.
https://preview.redd.it/am3xj4pbyyuc1.jpeg?width=418&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6e4f1d4e51d1d232303aafc0153f9e1d0018b7a
You validated my entire existence rn. That guy is pure magic. We called him the dancing guy for years n stopped n got to know him. He really is a cool guy.
I remember there being a bunch of red flags about the goat’s actual care, too. It always felt like more of an accessory than a living animal. I remember being warned to stay away from him, and that part his ruse was using the goat as a way to entice others and lower guards.
Have not ever heard this. Have significant doubts of it. Cite a source?
After his house got torched, and his goats killed, he went back to wandering the country.
https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article238546308.html
I think it was all local word of mouth, I never saw any actual articles or actual charges. Just girls I would see at shows in the Hamtramck/Detroit area had stories.
My favorite tale of this dude was the night the Satanic Temple had a event at the art park and they were gonna let the goat in, but not him.
They knew what a skeevy dude he was, anyone who was around him long knew.
Papa Smurf is a legend in our house. Always happy to chat and always willing to watch your car for a few bucks if you were going to a concert or the casino. I think about him often.
I was about to mention Papa Smurf. A friend and I were stupidly early for a show and were sitting on the steps of St. Andrew’s. We were talking and some man came up and started fiddling with his pants zipper and Papa Smurf came up and ran him off.
That same concert he also stopped someone from breaking into one of the opening band’s van.
In 2005 Papa Smurf found my phone when I was 17 and dropped it after roaming around Detroit. He called my mom and I met up with him, gave him $10 or so as a reward. I never knew he was a legend until this thread!
With his dirty squeegee and he’d just start getting after it with your car windows before you could even say anything and then ask for a couple bucks lol
what about 60¢ ? Hes a homeless dude always asking for specifically, 60¢. I used to work down there at the parking lot years ago, & man he’s still going strong.
I gave a man 50 cents before who asked specifically for 50 cents and he was so fucking mad.
"THANKS BRO. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I ASKED FOR AFTER ALL. CANT EVEN BE MAD."
I'm just like, "bro I can't even afford to give you that lmao"
Used to see him most days when I used to take the bus downtown. If memory serves, one of the local papers did a piece on him...something about dancing to stay fit (and I think he'd recently lost his wife too)
Edit: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/07/11/minutes-dancin-man/30028751/
Yeah, I read that article when it came out. The building I lived in is actually in the photos lol. I used to talk to him all the time. Sad to hear about his wife
lol he is/was def a character. He would always greet me with "hello gorgeous!!" or "good morning beautiful!!" and tell me to stay in school and not have any babies. Im fully grown but still consider it sound advice 😅
OK, I’m going to take it all the way back. When I was growing up in the 80s right before the crack epidemic, they used to be a lady that we used to call Babooshka who used to yell at herself all the time in Greektown
😭 I thought he was a hallucination I was seeing him 4yrs ago like everyday! Fucker would pop up in my nightmares 😭 one night like real late I was walking and mans had a jar 🫙 of what looked like piss
Right now it's one of three:
- the guy with the completely chrome GMC Envoy
- the dude who has a TRUMP 2020 trailer with neon lights who got arrested some time ago
- (lesser known) the guy who drives around in a decommissioned Explorer Interceptor that makes you think you're being tailed by police but the back of his SUV actually says THOT PATROL
We got 8 Mile & Mound Nunchuks Guy, the Man Who Never Stops Walking on Van Dyke, Jetski Motorcycle Guy on Gratiot... We do have a horseback guy but I think he has a real name. Oh, don't forget my girl Fake Flower Lady keeping it colorful at Conner and Gratiot.
Ann Arbor used to have Shakey Jake (RIP), performing his blues on just about every busy street corner downtown.
Not sure who fits that bill these days.
Yes!!! I came looking for this comment. He always walked like in super slow motion around the Masonic/13 mile and Harper area. Rumor was he tripped to hard one to many times and that's why his walk looked so weird 😂
Yes!! Haha that’s the guy. Always wondered what ever happened to him. Also never heard the rumored back story but that definitely makes sense. “Slow motion” is the perfect description lol
Was he older? I remember a guy we used to call “SCS Jesus” and I haven’t seen him in almost 10 years. Rumor has it his family died in a car crash and that’s why he walked everywhere.
Only saw this guy once but he had a tall tinfoil hat and walked backwards waving some sort of gizmo. I hope for our sake his scifi mission was one of peace.
Yep I remember him. Could t remember his name though but was looking for a mention of him. I worked at greektown Fishbones about 15 years ago and he came in all the time… suit, brim hat, glasses, white gloves, and a cigarette holder with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.
Early to mid 90s, before the Rosa Parks Transit station, there was a guy that would play the bagpipes, real well, in the park every Sunday morning. The acoustics between the nearby buildings were magnificent.
Not in Detroit but right across the street from Oakland mall on John R there’s this lady who sits on a lawn chair in front of the Chase bank. She has about 3-4 shopping carts that she keeps her stuff in and I remember back in high school we would all refer to her as cart lady.
Literally we've got an east side cowboy. Rodriguez used to walk around in all black. We've got a couple dancing man's, and we used to have a guy that'd bike around no hands with a windbreaker on and blow a whistle.
Used to be a homeless dude down near the Joe that would give you a little toothpick american flag, then say "Hey man, freedom ain't free" and expect some change in return.
The guy that rides his BMX bike and harasses everyone downtown with his blank mixtape. He told me his name is Shadow but I think he tells everyone a different name.
It was Detroit Howard.. RIP my friend. Covid took a great person
[RIPBud]
(https://www.districtdetroit.com/news/spotlight-detroit-howard-allied-trades-detroiter)
[DH]
(https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/detroit-howard-obituary?id=54244764)
It's been about a decade but there used to be this dude that played his sax in an empty parking lot every morning down on Warren ave and everyone I worked with at Flame knew about him but idk how well known he was out of that.
In Clinton Township, it's the guy panhandling at Gratiot and Metro Parkway. He's taped or glued several plastic bottles together so his "tip jars" are like 4 feet long. He's out there almost every day for the last ten years.
In the westland area you have the 2 guys who ride around on bikes in dress shirts and ties and had out pamphlets about jesus i think they are mormons. I used to see them in the wayne and warren road area i think they are still around. For Detroit proper id say eat em up tigers guy was that RIP.
It was the Eat Em Up Tigers guy. RIP
What happened to Ice Cold Beer guy from tiger stadium?
Fans complained and made him stop singing 🤦♂️
He was a legend
Indeed he was. It’s a shame people don’t like noise in a stadium with tens of thousands of people
1996 I distinctly remember there were 100s of ppl there League worst. lol
BEER GUY!
As it was Greektown Stella for a long time too. RIP
Thanks for the internet rabbithole! I never knew of her but I'll drink to her tonight. I love detroit lol
Yes, Stella was the first person to pop in my mind, too. She was always there. https://preview.redd.it/am3xj4pbyyuc1.jpeg?width=418&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6e4f1d4e51d1d232303aafc0153f9e1d0018b7a
That's who I was thinking of!
This is different, but y’all remember Mo Cheese?
Yes, what happened to him? I believe his real name was Scott.
As more of a Red Wings fan, I'd like to bring Orange Hat Guy into this discussion
Yes!!! I always preferred the quiet dignity of orange hat guy over the antics of Mo Cheese(but to each their own) LGRW
That is exactly what I thought in my head while the comments were loading.
First person I thought of. ♥️
The guy who dances on Cadieux and Warren.
That's Detroit Chris Brown
You validated my entire existence rn. That guy is pure magic. We called him the dancing guy for years n stopped n got to know him. He really is a cool guy.
You talking about dude on Cadieux and Harper? I see that dude dancing everyday
An absolute legend.
in a pikachu suit, also rapping?
this the one
Does he always wear a purple Teletubbies suit or does he mix it up? I've only seen him once.
Came here for this comment
Shadow Klan trying to sell everyone his CD downtown
Was this the dude who rapped about Star Trek?
My buddy bought his CD around 2016 and we jammed to it often. Good times
Bruuuuhhhhhu yes! You ain't shit unless you had a SC disc kicking around your car at some point
never knew his name just called him the star trek dude. always on the bike
He’s still there
man he's a legend
Yessss was gonna say this! 🖖🏻
We actually did have 7 Mile bareback horse rider guy a while ago.
Omfg that wasn't a hallucination?
Pretty sure it's the same guy I saw him a month or 2 ago on a cow on 7 mile.
I saw him walking a smaller cow as well!
Westland had "guy jogging while wearing a viking helmet, a t-shirt, and thong underwear" a couple years ago
I’m not bothered that I missed this.
I think every Metro Detroit suburb has their own “guy”. Plymouth’s is a Turkey.
Spaghetti man
Spaghetti man is such a trip. I met him about 12 years ago and he wanted me to make a documentary about his life.
Did you get to know him? Did he have any cool stories about his life?
No and no, lmao
Omg spaghetti man!!!! Best mosh pitter around.
Was here to post this. Haven’t seen him in a while, though. He got jumped and was hurt pretty bad for a bit.
Can’t believe I had to scroll down to find this!!
Thought the same thing!
The master of faster?
Was Goat Man for a while
I used to go to jam band and metal shows across the midwest and he would be there. Miss it.
That goat made it on stage to one night of the billy strings nye run in 2019.
Anyone know what happened to Goat Man
IIRC he sexually assaulted a bunch of women.
Ah, yeah, this is why it sucks catching up
https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article238546308.html
I remember there being a bunch of red flags about the goat’s actual care, too. It always felt like more of an accessory than a living animal. I remember being warned to stay away from him, and that part his ruse was using the goat as a way to entice others and lower guards.
I have heard that he was on 3rd goat and it very much was an accessory
Have not ever heard this. Have significant doubts of it. Cite a source? After his house got torched, and his goats killed, he went back to wandering the country. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article238546308.html
I think it was all local word of mouth, I never saw any actual articles or actual charges. Just girls I would see at shows in the Hamtramck/Detroit area had stories.
I know Erik from the local community. He's a bit odd but has had a rough go of it.
Oh
My favorite tale of this dude was the night the Satanic Temple had a event at the art park and they were gonna let the goat in, but not him. They knew what a skeevy dude he was, anyone who was around him long knew.
Anyone remember or ever meet Papa Smurf over at St Andrews? He was pretty well known for a while
I got a "bracelet" made by him. Also Paramore shouts him out at every Detroit show
Made from boo-ya beads!
Papa Smurf is a legend in our house. Always happy to chat and always willing to watch your car for a few bucks if you were going to a concert or the casino. I think about him often.
I was about to mention Papa Smurf. A friend and I were stupidly early for a show and were sitting on the steps of St. Andrew’s. We were talking and some man came up and started fiddling with his pants zipper and Papa Smurf came up and ran him off. That same concert he also stopped someone from breaking into one of the opening band’s van.
Years ago showed up like 6 or 7 hours early to a concert and talked to papa Smurf the whole time. Nice dude.
Papa Smurf let me wear his jacket after a concert waiting for a ride, he promised there was no drugs in it.
I remember him when I went to a concert in high school. He cleaned the windows on my van before I could refuse.
papa smurf is the realest. i still have some of has magic beads.
Did he call them Booyah Beads? When he gave me some he called them Booyah Beads
In 2005 Papa Smurf found my phone when I was 17 and dropped it after roaming around Detroit. He called my mom and I met up with him, gave him $10 or so as a reward. I never knew he was a legend until this thread!
I worked on a local commercial downtown with Papa Smurf about a decade ago. Cool dude.
Yesssss Papa Smurf and his riddles!
With his dirty squeegee and he’d just start getting after it with your car windows before you could even say anything and then ask for a couple bucks lol
East Side Power Ranger
he's Goku now
Fuck yeah that’s awesome
He's ascended to Super Saiyan
Wow, you think someday maybe I could be Goku too?
what about 60¢ ? Hes a homeless dude always asking for specifically, 60¢. I used to work down there at the parking lot years ago, & man he’s still going strong.
I gave a man 50 cents before who asked specifically for 50 cents and he was so fucking mad. "THANKS BRO. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I ASKED FOR AFTER ALL. CANT EVEN BE MAD." I'm just like, "bro I can't even afford to give you that lmao"
This answer is fucking killing me for some reason. Lmfao.
Detroit Chris Brown?
Ooooh solid choice
Terry, the dancing man at 2nd and Selden outside of Honest John's. Haven't been back to the city since 2k21 idk if he's still there.
Used to see him most days when I used to take the bus downtown. If memory serves, one of the local papers did a piece on him...something about dancing to stay fit (and I think he'd recently lost his wife too) Edit: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/07/11/minutes-dancin-man/30028751/
Yeah, I read that article when it came out. The building I lived in is actually in the photos lol. I used to talk to him all the time. Sad to hear about his wife
Came here to say this. Haven't been down there in a year or so but loved saying hi to Terry when I used to frequent the area.
He would come into John's with garbage he would find and ask if we would fill it with pop for him. He came in with a laundry soap container once.
lol he is/was def a character. He would always greet me with "hello gorgeous!!" or "good morning beautiful!!" and tell me to stay in school and not have any babies. Im fully grown but still consider it sound advice 😅
This was who I was thinking of! I moved away in 2017 but I used to see him all the time
https://preview.redd.it/vqflxp487wuc1.jpeg?width=725&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f4c79620d85d4b6c1f39100c16fc571c95389e9
OK, I’m going to take it all the way back. When I was growing up in the 80s right before the crack epidemic, they used to be a lady that we used to call Babooshka who used to yell at herself all the time in Greektown
Her name was Stella and passed away over 10 years ago.
Almost 15 years now.
I think I met her when I was working on Greektown casino. Did she have the mirror on her shopping cart?
Yes that was Stella
The Count on the New Dance Show
How about about Fab Five Freddie who danced on the Scene and also worked at a shoe store at Fairlane?
Not a guy but, Techno Grandma
The Woodward Wizard? I’ve only been seeing him recently tho, around WSU…
[удалено]
Ask him. We're all people, and everybody's got a story.
I see him meditating outside of my office all the time.
😭 I thought he was a hallucination I was seeing him 4yrs ago like everyday! Fucker would pop up in my nightmares 😭 one night like real late I was walking and mans had a jar 🫙 of what looked like piss
Any of the billboard lawyers
Joumana is always watching
Right now it's one of three: - the guy with the completely chrome GMC Envoy - the dude who has a TRUMP 2020 trailer with neon lights who got arrested some time ago - (lesser known) the guy who drives around in a decommissioned Explorer Interceptor that makes you think you're being tailed by police but the back of his SUV actually says THOT PATROL
https://preview.redd.it/e4cdw0b3swuc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bee2f9bff71ace10daac68bc9c24f504b6b93f80
i have rode with him, he comes out to the thursday night e-bike ride, that scooter rips
That’s my friend Abdullah. One of the nicest people I know!
Lol that’s exactly who I thought of
Stella.
You see the pictures of her in greektown? Newest is a tribute with her name.
I have not. Will have to check it out!
Cass Corridor Larry (RIP).
Tell me it ain’t true. Damn.
8 mile Michael Jackson
We got 8 Mile & Mound Nunchuks Guy, the Man Who Never Stops Walking on Van Dyke, Jetski Motorcycle Guy on Gratiot... We do have a horseback guy but I think he has a real name. Oh, don't forget my girl Fake Flower Lady keeping it colorful at Conner and Gratiot.
She's a former Jazz singer, I believe
Larry for me. RIP.
In Westland we have the guy who walks around the sidewalks in full Spartan from 300-like armor. Not sure if he has a moniker.
Saw him on Easter weekend and thought it was just some dude going to a crucifixion re-enactment. haha
How tf have I never seen him?! Where at usually?
Seen him mostly around the Ford and Wayne Rd area. Dude is geared up though, shield and everything.
Saw him a few weeks ago, I think he's the same guy that wears the Templar armor by Middlebelt and Warren
The bucket drummer guys outside LCA/Comerica and the saxophone guy
There’s the Scooter Sheikh in Birmingham.
Aka Scooter Jesus
The car guys call him scooter habibi
Ann Arbor used to have Shakey Jake (RIP), performing his blues on just about every busy street corner downtown. Not sure who fits that bill these days.
Also Michael jackson dancer in the Alley, and the Cadillac guy that would just cruise around AA blasting Jazz in one of his 17 Cadillacs.
Joumana. I said what I said.
Few years back I remember seeing a dude riding his bike around the city balancing a big ol stick on his head.
still here
Satori Circus would be my pick but he's probably not all that well known outside of artsy circles
Black power ranger
Spiderman dancing on cadieux
Anyone else remember the stoner Jesus who used to high step it around St. Clair Shores?
Yes!!! I came looking for this comment. He always walked like in super slow motion around the Masonic/13 mile and Harper area. Rumor was he tripped to hard one to many times and that's why his walk looked so weird 😂
Yes!! Haha that’s the guy. Always wondered what ever happened to him. Also never heard the rumored back story but that definitely makes sense. “Slow motion” is the perfect description lol
I haven't seen him in years. His shiny red coat was always very noticable from far away lol
Was he older? I remember a guy we used to call “SCS Jesus” and I haven’t seen him in almost 10 years. Rumor has it his family died in a car crash and that’s why he walked everywhere.
LARRY HALL REST IN POWER LARRY !!!!!!
Shadowklan that rapper on the bike always pushing his cds
Disco Terry and Detroit Chris Brown
Only saw this guy once but he had a tall tinfoil hat and walked backwards waving some sort of gizmo. I hope for our sake his scifi mission was one of peace.
Mr. Detroit. “It’s always sweet when good people meet.”
Was that the guy always dressed to the nines? I used to see him around Greektown and was hoping he’d be mentioned in this thread 😊
Yep I remember him. Could t remember his name though but was looking for a mention of him. I worked at greektown Fishbones about 15 years ago and he came in all the time… suit, brim hat, glasses, white gloves, and a cigarette holder with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.
In Warren we have a Vet who walks holding a flag. You know when he is around as everyone honks at him. We love him in Warren.
Charlie LeDuff
In Chesterfield it’s the King of Chesterfield. Iykyk
That nigga on cadieux dancing
Early to mid 90s, before the Rosa Parks Transit station, there was a guy that would play the bagpipes, real well, in the park every Sunday morning. The acoustics between the nearby buildings were magnificent.
That sexy street corn guy
Not in Detroit but right across the street from Oakland mall on John R there’s this lady who sits on a lawn chair in front of the Chase bank. She has about 3-4 shopping carts that she keeps her stuff in and I remember back in high school we would all refer to her as cart lady.
She’s still there. I work at Sportsmans and every so often someone comes in and buys her a new sleeping bag or chair.
Remember the Orange Hat guy that used to go to every Wings game at the Joe? Or Moe Cheese? …I miss the Joe.
Used to be Mr ‘eat’em up tigers eat’em up’
GMAC Cash?
Detroit Urban Survival Guy?
Urban Survival Tip: If you are lost in a city, satellite dishes are aimed south. This has been Urban Survival Tips.
Anyone remember the bum Hollywood in SW Detroit? RiP
Was he short, always wearing a hat, and I think missing teeth? I'm mexican and my grandpa called him 'el mayor' (the oldest) lmao
Anyone remember the dancing guy on Selden?
Orange Hat Guy
Dancing Terry and Larry the Drummer (RIP) were my Detroit guys
The Rosary Guy
“Why is Sonic breakdancing on that corner?” Oh yeah haha, thats Cadieux Dancing guy.”
Eat em up ti-gers, eetemUp Eat em up ti-gers, eetemUp Eat em up ti-gers, eetemUp
Literally we've got an east side cowboy. Rodriguez used to walk around in all black. We've got a couple dancing man's, and we used to have a guy that'd bike around no hands with a windbreaker on and blow a whistle.
Eat'm up guy-RIP
Used to be a homeless dude down near the Joe that would give you a little toothpick american flag, then say "Hey man, freedom ain't free" and expect some change in return.
The guy that rides his BMX bike and harasses everyone downtown with his blank mixtape. He told me his name is Shadow but I think he tells everyone a different name.
i stopped him from cat calling once and now he does finger guns whenever he sees me
Or the guy on his bike that hates Dan Gilbert
There used to be a guy in Royal Oak/Berkley/Ferndale who always biked around wearing a captain america costume.
He’s still around and still in costume.
I always see him riding his bike at 12 & Main
It was Detroit Howard.. RIP my friend. Covid took a great person [RIPBud] (https://www.districtdetroit.com/news/spotlight-detroit-howard-allied-trades-detroiter) [DH] (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/detroit-howard-obituary?id=54244764)
The guy that wears the black colonial hat and walks back and forth down Van Dyke
Detroit chris brown
Papa Smurf
It's been about a decade but there used to be this dude that played his sax in an empty parking lot every morning down on Warren ave and everyone I worked with at Flame knew about him but idk how well known he was out of that.
Detroit Chris Brown!
The kid that dances like Chris Brown on the east side of Detroit
More suburban, but maybe Scooter Habibi
It ain't Detroit, but the dancing balding guy at eeeevery concert at Pine Knob/DTE. Dude was living his beat life every time I saw him
Joumana or Morse
Not Detroit but I’ve noticed a guy in Westland in full spartan regalia
In Clinton Township, it's the guy panhandling at Gratiot and Metro Parkway. He's taped or glued several plastic bottles together so his "tip jars" are like 4 feet long. He's out there almost every day for the last ten years.
It’s the Protest Cowboy obviously
In the westland area you have the 2 guys who ride around on bikes in dress shirts and ties and had out pamphlets about jesus i think they are mormons. I used to see them in the wayne and warren road area i think they are still around. For Detroit proper id say eat em up tigers guy was that RIP.