The brilliant idea behind these anti-Elvis buttons
By the late 1950s, Elvis Presley merchandise was selling like hotcakes, but not everyone was buying. So, Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had an idea to free everyone of their money by selling buttons with anti-Presley statements. These round badges looked similar to the "I Like Elvis" ones that were already being sold but instead read, "I Hate Elvis," "Elvis is a Jerk," and "Elvis is a Joik*." Rather genius!
If you're interested in the Colonel and how he made Presley a big star, a biopic titled The Colonel is slated for 2018. It's based on Alanna Nash’s 2004 book, The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley.
*I'm not 100% sure I know what a "joik" is, but I don't think it's good.
amolad on November 12nd, 2018 at 04:37 UTC »
The Colonel was a very sly operator. He had a carny mentality because that's where he started--working in carnivals.
He also hid, his entire life, the fact that he was from the Netherlands and wasn't an American citizen. That's why Elvis never played a foreign concert. The Colonel knew that if he left the US, he didn't have the papers and passport to get back in.
scott60561 on November 12nd, 2018 at 02:05 UTC »
It's a good business model.
It is true that Howard Stern built an empire on the backs of those who didn't want him on the air. They would sit there and listen longer than actual fans of the show looking for things to complain about it.
Beckels84 on November 12nd, 2018 at 01:29 UTC »
That's how you play the game.