Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Dick Wilson, R.I.P.
November 17, 2007 was a dark day in toilet paper history. That was the day Dick Wilson —better known as Mr. Whipple, the fondler of many a pack Charmin toilet paper— passed away at the healthy age of 91. I remember feeling sad upon hearing the news, but my life is one of infinite distraction and I promptly forgot about it.
Thankfully some have not: like this sad reminder at the intersection of Flushing Avenue and Whipple Street.
Poor fella. It really broke my heart to see this street sign in such an inconsolable state. I have been mulling over ways to cheer up this sad sack and celebrate the joy Dick Wilson gave us during his 23 years as Charmin’s spokesman. Today I finally had a breakthrough. My proposal is as follows: we rededicate this street to television’s very own Mr. Whipple and erect a nice plaque to his memory. Follows is a conceptual rendering of the finished product.
Some of the more cynical among you might be wondering what this man ever did for New York City? Well, he did have a hand in presenting a certain neighborhood in Queens to middle America.
The first commercials Charmin shot featuring Mr. Whipple were filmed— I shit you not— in Flushing.
Miss Heather
Comments
NYS Flickr Pool
