Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Snowman Withdrawal


From the movie Encounters at the End of the World

As some of you know, I've been going through serious snowman-making withdrawal. That said I went to see Werner Herzog's brilliant and surprisingly hilarious snow movie, Encounters at the End of the World. All is right in the world again.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Snowman Supports Obama


Young Jeezy, Usher and Kanye West at a recent birthday party. Photo by Moses Robinson

ATLANTA – Young Jeezy aka The Snowman has annouced at Hot 107.9's annual monster concert in Atlanta his official endorsement to Barack Obama for the 2008 election. Young Jeezy has a new album coming out in July called appropriately, The Recession and includes a song called My President's Black, which is most likely referring to Obama. Today's Snowman is keeping it real and has sent the Snowman a signed copy of The History of the Snowman; From the Ice Age to Gangsta Rap. (Editor's Note; Really.)

In snowman book news, we at TS just got an air-mailed note from the Python great Michael Palin who found it "very entertaining" and said he really enjoyed reading the book to his grandson. He said he is currently editing volume two of his diaries for release next year. Volume One is really great and a must read for any fan.

The History of the Snowman; From the Ice Age to the Flea Market is officially going to reprint. For reasons hard to comprehend, the book has been still selling even though as Matthew Broderick once said, "it's like Brooklyn hot outside." Thank you so much to all who continue to support the book.

Friday, June 13, 2008

A Today's Snowman Exclusive!



Today's Snowman
has been contacted regarding the breaking story of Bostonians upset over using the snowman in bonfires. A Tom Giarrosso has explained; "There's a bit more to this story - WCVB-TV and The Gloucester Times missed the mark in the fact Frosty was consumed in 2004 - and made an appearance in 2007 - but was 'rescued' by the fire department in a scripted segment before the bonfire was started."

The Boston Channel.com reports that this blow-up began when two volunteers, Tim Giarrosso and Rickard York [sic], helped with the Fire Association's annual bonfires. But many questions are still unanswered; Why is the Boston Channel.com calling Richard York, Rickard York? Is Tom Giarrosso related to Tim Giarrosso or is this an amazing coincidence? Can this get more frustrating?

Today's Snowman got to the bottom of all of this; Yes, Tim and Tom are brothers. It's Richard and not Rickard York unless you are in Lichtenstein. Yes, this story gets more frustrating.

Tom Giarrosso continues; "Some oversensitive residents decided they didn't like the presentation, and have created the controversy. While it's been good for T-shirt sales (Giarrosso and York donate all revenue to the Fire Association) it has caused enough of a stink that the Fire Association relieved them of volunteer duties on this year's presentation, for the first time since 2000...The Fire Association is just trying to appease everyone and make it less controversial...but the controversy is a few residents upset because they have to explain that an inflatable snowman isn't a living thing to their children."


Jonathan L’Ecuyer/Staff photo - The Gloucester Times

Tim Giarrosso is a restaurant owner and local artist (and we all know how weird and creative those artist types can be) and little is known of this mystery man of two names, Rickard York/Richard York. Many would think Today's Snowman would be upset hearing of the snowman bonfires. Nothing could be further from the truth. We believe that as long as no one (meaning real humans) are getting hurt that this is all in good fun and even a good safety announcement teaching children first-hand the horrors of getting burned alive. We say put two or three snowmen on top. The more the merrier. Burning snowmen has a wonderful world tradition (more than be learned here) and anything that calls attention to the snowman is good by our books. We think it's ridiculous that anyone would have mistaken a plywood snowman as real and want to thank Tim Giarrosso and Richard York for their previous efforts to raise money for firefighters. We guess this is the thanks they get for trying to entertain their neighbors and have some fun during the difficult non-snow months of summer. We officially filed a plea of the authorities that be of the great city of Boston to reinstate both these fine gentlemen. It's our hopes that both of them will once again be putting snowmen on top of highly flammable piles of wood sometime soon!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Boston Tries to Burn Frosty at the Stake


From the Picturetown Collection 2008 ©

BOSTON –– Residents of a small town north of Boston are upset seeing Frosty the Snowman get torched every year during a Fourth of July celebration. According to the Gloucester Times, The Firemen's Association volunteers were told not to use any snowmen on top of the annual Fourth of July bonfire in Rockport, Mass. This flap started four years ago after residents became upset when a 12-foot inflatable snowman went up in flames in the city's 2004 holiday bonfire.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

More Snowman Research


Photo by Keystone, SwissInfo.ch

LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND – The science magazine Geophysical Research Letters has been tracking snow days since 1988 and has presented the rest of the world with more evidence of global warming and sad news for the snowman. This story, called Snowmen Dying Out in Town Gardens can be read at the Swiss News and also covered in a more humorous vein at Eco Worldly; Snowmen To Become The Next Endangered Species? (We at Today's Snowman couldn't get through the whole story without a good cry.)

This and all snowman news of the past few months have been included in an updated edition of The History of the Snowman. The revised reprint will also include some additional artwork and will become available in stores everywhere in October 2008.

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