Richard Friedman, erstwhile leader of that famed country western band known as Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, as well as author of a series of mysteries, has turned his attention to politics and will run for governor of Texas in two years.
Governor Kinky?
Curt Schleier - Special To The Jewish Week
Kinky Friedman — country western crooner, mystery writer, animal rescuer — now turns his varied talents to the race for Texas governor.
The boss Jewboy is out to convince the good ’ol boys that he’s the man to run their state in ’06.
Yes, Richard Friedman, erstwhile leader of that famed country western band known as Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, as well as author of a series of mysteries, has turned his attention to politics and will run for governor of Texas in two years.
His campaign slogan: “If you elect me the first Jewish governor, I’ll reduce the speed limit to 54.95.”
Friedman gained fame for composing such hits as “They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” His career as an author began with a series of mysteries featuring a former country western singer turned private eye named Kinky Friedman who lives in Greenwich Village. The 17th and last comes out in April; we know it’s the last because Kinky dies.
His latest book is “’Scuse Me While I Whip This Out,” a series of irreverent essays on music, politics and life. This of course is a nonfiction book.
“There is a fine line between fiction and nonfiction, which I believe I snorted in 1978,” Friedman quips.
Friedman, 60, was born in Chicago but raised in Texas, in Austin and Houston. His father was a psychologist and University of Texas professor, his mother a speech therapist in the Houston school system.
He was raised in a Reform environment, attended Hebrew school, was a bar mitzvah and celebrated all the Jewish holidays. After graduating from the University of Texas, Friedman went to Borneo with the Peace Corps to work on improving agricultural methods. He composed some songs there, and when he returned he reluctantly went into show business.
Surprisingly, the Jewboys encountered little anti-Semitism from the C&W crowd. However, “we experienced some backlash from the Jewish Defense League when we first played in New York, but later we won them over,” he says.
“I wouldn’t see us as a novelty act,” Friedman adds. “I would see as more as a combination of Lenny Bruce and Hank Williams. But it’s all in the eyes of the beerholder.”
The group broke up in the mid-1970s and Friedman moved to New York City. He performed regularly at the Lone Star Cafe and the Bottom Line. It was at the latter he met Don Imus, who in addition to his radio gig and drugs was doing “standup tragedy.”
Friedman’s mysteries came at the suggestion of his father, Tom. He knew Kinky loved mysteries and didn’t really have a whole lot else going on at the time. Friedman’s first, “Greenwich Killing Time,” was published in 1984 after being rejected by 20 publishers.
But now it’s on to politics. What will the Kinkster do if he wins for Texas governor?
“Well, after I demand a recount, I guess I’m stuck with it,” he says. “I’m going … to legalize gambling. I’m for nondenominational prayer in schools. What’s wrong with a kid believing in something?”
“If I don’t win, I’m going to retire to a goat farm in a petulant snit.”
Actually, Friedman is a vegan who runs the Utopia Rescue Ranch, a shelter and no-killing zone for homeless animals. He supports the ranch through the sale of Kinky Friedman’s Private Stock Salsa. He’s also selling Farouk & Friedman’s Olive Oil. The Farouk is Farouk Shami, Friedman’s Palestinian hairdresser and the man he will appoint ambassador to Israel if elected governor. The olives come from his family’s groves, making this “the only oil as far as we know from the Holy Land.”
The proceeds go to Israeli and Palestinian children affected by the hostilities. The oil can be ordered from faroukfriedman.com, and Friedman feels they’d make a great Chanukah gift.
Chanukah in fact is the subject of one of the “’Scuse Me While I Whip This Out” essays. After offering a Kinkiesque history of the holiday, Friedman concludes:
“The Germans were able to kill 6 million but were not able to extinguish the Festival of Lights in Anne Frank’s eyes,” he writes. “Deep and dark and bright reflections still dance across the countenance of every child who lights a candle.”
