Kinky Friedman, Texas satirist, dies at 79

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Richard “Kinky” Friedman — the provocative and flamboyant Texas satirist who mounted a spirited campaign for governor in 2006 — has died. He was 79 years old.

Friedman died at his longtime home at Echo Hill Ranch in Medina, his friends Cleve Hattersley said in an interview and Kent Perkins on social media. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease, Hattersley said.

Friedman ran for governor against Republican incumbent Rick Perry in 2006. Despite a colorful campaign and heavy media attention, Friedman finished fourth in the race. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for agriculture commissioner in 2010 and 2014.

Friedman was known for his outsized persona, his pithy one-liners and his signature look: curly hair peeking out from under a black cowboy hat, a cigar in his hand.

“He was a communicator. An unusual communicator, but very sharp and poignant,” Hattersley said. “He could make you cry on stage. He could make you roll on the floor laughing. »

Friedman gained a reputation as a provocateur. In the early 1970s, he formed the satirical country group Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys – who wrote songs like “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.” He later published novels that often featured a fictionalized version of himself, including “Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola” and “Armadillos and Old Lace.”

In politics, Friedman advocated unusual positions for someone seeking statewide office in Texas at the time, such as legalizing marijuana and casino gambling. He supported same-sex marriage in 2006, long before the Supreme Court legalized it nationwide, joking, “I support same-sex marriage because I think they have a right to be as unhappy as the rest of us.”

Hattersley said Friedman’s irreverence gave voice to more ideas.

“Right now we live in a time in society where the use of words is suppressed, and language is codified almost down to hieroglyphics and so much is left out,” Hattersley said. “Kinky never forgot anything.”

This is a developing report. Check back for updates.

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