I have only just found out about the facebook fan page for The Growling Man aka Mad Dog. Most people living in Perth would have been growled at by the wonderful Adrian at some time over the last 20 years. I saw him a few weeks ago, but was too slow to get a photo. I’m not sure if you can see the pages if you are not on facebook, but for those who are, join the thousands of others. This excellent pic by Robert Worrell.
Bento also (unaccountably) visited South Australia where (even more strangely) visited a giant rocking horse. A gigantic worst. He also asks if the toilet nomenclature is well chosen. Shouldn’t the blokes be stallions not geldings? Awesome pics as usual Bento.
And another dumbarse car from Vic Demised. Perhaps soon we will ALL have stupid looking cars. The State Library contacted me this week saying that they are continuing to archive this site for future generations. Will people look back and think that a normal car was the exception?
Worst well this weekend.
The Worst of Perth 
old mad dog! hysterical. i spent years of travelling to and from home on the bus from barrack st with mad dog screaming at us through the windows. excellent. often comes up in conversations about things we miss from home.
I noted on facebook that he has upgraded to a motorbike now. thats pretty scarry actually.
thanks for the pics and link!
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I have never been growled at. I kind of feel a little left out. At least Crazy Australian Flag Lady has yelled at me though.
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Thanks for the Heads-up on Adrian. I haven’t been abused by him for years!
Re. the nomenclature on the ‘conveniences’; it’s pretty much accurate.
Political correctness and all that emasculation of nature’s realities.
The ‘wimmin’ are winnin’.
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Yes, I suppose if you’re a bloke and you find yourself at a giant rocking horse…u b gelding
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Why is Adrian on this site? He’s actually an easy person to talk with. He is no longer on his motorbike after copping a particular bad accident, hit-run i believe.
Why is a South Oz rocking horse from the Adelaide Hills on this site TWOP? Cultural and geographic appropriation? Surely there are enough Perth worsts?
And you wouldn’t publish the Jesus with broken legs
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He is both worst and awesome. Perfect spot for him. TWOP is as much a tribute to Perth as well as expose.
Weekend worstoffs have always been the venue for interstate and international worsts. That’s what this day is for.
I can’t remember the jesus. Must have forgotten it in the pile of other worthy worsts. I have hundreds I haven’t had a chance to put up or have forgotten ont he pile of submissions.
Resend Jesus. There’s 3 thousand emails I’d have to search and hotmail too slow.
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Three fricken thousand?
crikey
resending link to st jesus of the drug debt
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You can’t really say you’ve experienced Perth unless you’ve been growled at by the enigmatic Adrian. Who hasn’t been tempted to roll down the passenger window and drop in some coins while passing ? He’s certainly held up well since I last had the privilege about a quarter of a century ago, and has no place here. Categorically not worst, TLA.
Each to their own, Bento, but I prefer dry grass and the occasional gum tree, and why couldn’t the owner of that dumbarse white van have followed the example of the unostentatious Supra ?
Avagoodweegend.
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Well I did say “the wonderful Adrian”
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Absolutely, TLA. Perhaps more than anyone, he embodies the conundrum of TWOP, which means he’s perfect here, as a not worst.
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One of my colleagues at The Western Independent wanted to do a profile piece on Adrian for the features section, many years ago. I recall they abandoned the idea when they realised he may be difficult to pin down for an interview time.
I also seem to recall Adrian ‘s discussed in a history of Midland book published between 6-10 years ago, and there was some inaccuracy regarding his medical condition/mental state, and his family got rather upset. Frank, can you shed any light on this?
I agree with Snuff, and others – Adrian embodies the spirit of TWOP perfectly.
Anyway, cheers for the post LA. You may also note the Rocking Horse has one of those stupid posts with signs pointing to various cities in the background, a species of worst in their own right.
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The facebook site has people saying they are relatives telling his real story, but it ends up being more mysterious.
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Made me look! And behold! There are actually TWO of those sign posts side by side!
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I was delighted and disturbed by Mad Dog’s Facebook fan group. Pics of him in situ are fine, but do we really need to see him shopping at Midland Gate for his smalls?
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i remember adrian enlivening a bus trip to work by licking the window next to the driver.
brilliant.
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I have a few good ‘Mad Adrian’ stories. I won’t go into detail but I know he can actually carry on a sensible conversation and that if he sees kiddies in the car will stop the barking. (which I dont think he hs done for long time) I have seen him hooning around on his motorcycle in the last decade.
Sooo Perth, and should be recorded as a ‘Worst’ for frightening the shit out of so many families as they travelled the bridges.
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I first got growled at by Adrian in 1984 and am delighted to see he is still around. I guess it was too much to hope for that he’d still be wearing that faded green T-shirt of his.
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Now he’s got one that says “Six Pack Abs”
Adrian is a legend.
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There is some kind of error, Mad Dog and his thousands of fans clearly represent the best of Perth. It is social camaraderie as you have never seen it.
Long live Adrian.
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Mad Dog fan club is awesome. The Worst of Perth, as I have made clear many, many times is a tribute to the strange, the interesting, the good, the bad and the bizarre of Perth, which is why he’s there.
Yes MDFC is indeed part of the best of Perth. I hope we can get some more members for you and appreciators of the great man.
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Heads up for a possible Worst of Perth Meet:-)
And yes, I’ve checked with Brett Treasure and the venue is Wheelchnair Friendly (if it wasn’t I was going to Comandeer 4 strong TWOP Blokes to lift me up the stairs) :-)
And yes this exhibition will feature several of our favourite Stuffed Animals on Display such as Fat Cat, Percy, Kingsley Koala, and maybe the PBS Squirrels, Flapper, and maybe Brindley the Cat which make a certain DFOC Happy :-)
http://watvhistory.com/2009/07/historic-television-exhibition/
Any ideas for a suitable date etc may be directed to our fearless leader :-)
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Growling Man > Tassel Man
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“Re: the Aboriginal man, we had a similar character in Perth called the Tassel Man. For years he followed the same routine – would walk into Perth each day from Orange Grove (that’s a LONG walk!!), and would stand on the corner of Mills Street and St George’s Terrace, marking a newspaper and muttering to himself. Then he suddenly disappeared, and hundreds of people got in touch with the newspaper to find out what had happened to him. Turned out he’d packed up his stuff and headed north to Broome, where he may well still be! “
http://www.expatica.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t50780.html
Cool, I wasn’t imagining it. Fairly sure it was Inside Cover that ran the “where is Tassel Man?” stories.
Going reeally oldskool now, early 1970s. Some poor old crazy bloke [in his 70s] used to ride around Mt Pleasant / Applecross on a bike collecting string. He used to proudly hang it on his front basket.
For a number of years I thought that’s what *all* crazy people did: collect string.
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“I’ll take the Supra with the gold US dollar sign on the hood please!”
Nup, no one will ever say that.
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… And $5 says the graphicked-up Supra is not the ball tearing turbo version but the non-turbo, which is more akin to a 2-door Camry.
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For some reason, when I see that giant rocking horse I hear Edward Woodward screaming;
“Christ! Oh Jesus Christ no! CHRIST!”
Anyone with me on this?
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The wicker man has indeed been quoted before GT
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What a big Horse!
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Adrians new facebook page is now called ‘Mad Dog of Midland’ …
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mad-Dog-of-Midland/237755489640116
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