Happy 26th Anniversary!

from Don Berry

Don Berry Today at 3:18pm Happy anniversary, Dave! Here’s a small item that ought to be in a blog somewhere:

“26 years ago yesterday marked the premiere edition of the first (and last) issue of Rot Potato, the infamous April Fool’s Day parody of Hot Potato. This Dud Spud Publication featured the first article I had the pleasure of publishing from a young I.U. journalism student named David Rheins. “The Saga of the Tainted Tater” was an inauspicious start for the young Rheinster who later became one of the top names in the infamous Indianpolis alternative monthly, Taboo Magazine, along with Jack Merde, Tim Brickley and other colorful characters of the day…”

– Don Berry, Former April Fool’s Day Publisher of The Sagabore (1976-83),t he Retro Stupid News (1979), Rot Potato (1982) and The Indianapolis Scar (1983); Founder / Publisher / Editor-in-Chief of Taboo Magazine (1981-83), Meridian Magazine (1983-85), Poor Jack’s Paper (1979-80) and The Bloomington Examiner (1976); originator of The Broad Ripple Music Festival (Indy, 1983-85), The Sixth Street Music Festival (Austin, 1985) and Nuke The Race buttons and T-shirts; Associate Publisher of the first Indianapolis Dining Guide (1978); Founder / Publisher / Editor of Indianapolis Night Life (1984 and 1985); unofficial World’s Record Holder for nonstop Television Watching (Bloomington, 1978 — 106 hrs 27 min); and stunt diver / body double and extra in “Breaking Away” (1978 — Winner of Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay). There’s more, of course — The Poor Jack’s Film Series, the Jack Merde Great America Dream Series published in Fun City!, Primo Times, The Ryder, Santa Barbara News & Review, The Milwaukee Journal America, and others; staff writer for the Indiana Daily Student and The Brownsburg Guide; and any number of live music events and promotions from New Wave Fashion Contests to the Counter-Inaugural Ball. Says Berry, “Everything that’s come since has been more or less boring in comparison.”

Visit Don’s facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=671538459