You know you’ve arrived when the general manager of Fast Buck Freddie’s, that Key West staple of colorful window displays, fashionable casual wear, eclectic home accessories and sophomoric, vulgar novelties recognizes you. And he knows you’re not there to peruse the Tommy Bahama collection or scrutinize restoration fabrics.
“I remember you,” says John Muhly, the long-time GM. “From Tampa, right? Back for more?”
Indeed.
If you’ve ever been to Key West, you know it’s easy to yield to its singular siren song. It’s still a retreat from the mundane, still one of the few places, for example, where one can wear a “Tampa Bay Business Journal” (circa 1985) tee-shirt with the less-than-subliminal marketing message on the back: “Exposing, Reaching, Penetrating.”
In its own inimitable way, FBF’s “Tropical Trash” section is a barometer of the popular culture. It beats reality television, tattoos, talk radio and Hummer sales. Sure, there’s the aisle devoted to digestive and intestinal noises, but political and religious caprice is most telling.
An unpopular, incumbent president is represented with the “Out of Office Countdown” 2007 Calendar and a 01.20.09 (“Bush’s last day”) bumper sticker. A polarizing, likely presidential candidate is parodied in “The Flaming Liberal Fire Starter.” There is a Michael Moore pet chewy. Variations of a political-visages-on-toilet-paper theme.
Nor is religion unfair game.
There’s a Jesus bobble head, a “Jesus Saves” coin bank and puppets depicting a “Fighting Nun” and a “Punching Rabbi.”
Which prompts, I’ll concede, a perverse search for a Muhammad bobble head. There is none. Nor are there “Fighting Imam” or “Slugging Mullah” puppets either.
Fast Buck Freddie’s pulling its punches? Going politically correct? Or just knowing what’s funny and why?
I ask John the GM, now in his 29th year of presiding over a potpourri of poor taste, including religious parody.
“Well, now that you mention it, you’re right,” he says. “But no one except you has asked. But for Valentine’s Day, we’re planning a special Donald Trump-Rosie O’Donnell display.”
Close enough.