Re: Guest Post: This happened just 20 miles from the hotel where Michael Landon trashed a room

1

You've never been to Royal, so you probably don't have any reasons for developing a fear of being shot by someone from there.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:19 AM
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2

Shooting isn't really a thing here.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:25 AM
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3

The thing about being in a situation where things are spiraling out of control may not apply here. A zoo in rural Nebraska is obviously a bad idea. The other zoo people weren't helping because it was going to fail. Antelope County has 7,500 people, an median household income of $30k, and proximity to almost nothing.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:36 AM
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4

Motel Room Wall Damaged by Michael Landon

In 1962, Michael Landon (aka Little Joe Cartwright) was the headliner at the local county fair. He spent the night at the Deluxe Motel. You too can sleep in the Michael Landon Suite today, which apparently has not changed one bit since that time. During our recent stay, we were awestruck by a large hole in the side of the wall which had a plaque beside it. The story told by the sign states that after Michael Landon checked out on July 3rd, 1962, they noticed the damaged wall. What may have started out as a slam on a fancy-pants Hollywood star has obviously morphed into civic pride for the late great star. When you check in, ask for Room
#10

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/3694

I googled this, so you don't have to.

(this is what you were referring to, right, Moby? Or is there another hotel room that Michael Landon trashed?)


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 8:03 AM
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5

And today is the day that I learned that "Michael Landon" is not the same person as "Michael Lonsdale".


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 8:10 AM
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6

I did think that trashing a hotel room was a bit out of character for him.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 8:10 AM
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7

4: We just discussed this.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 9:28 AM
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8

At first I thought a place called "Royal Zoo" would be in Europe somewhere. But I guess they would call it the "Royal Zoo with cheese."


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 10:21 AM
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9

Because of the metric system.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 10:27 AM
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10

I feel like fa and I recently watched the same IG reel.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 10:33 AM
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11

Probably not since I'm not on IG.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 10:40 AM
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12

Fuck Zuch.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 11:08 AM
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13

I may have to read the book for details on how the de-chimpanzeeing went down.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 11:17 AM
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14

8: Or a Sparkling Regal Zoo.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 12:03 PM
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15

In my novelization of this incident, Michael Landon will punch the hole in the hotel room after he finds out that Reuben has been shot.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 1:31 PM
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16

Reuben the sandwich, shot with Russian dressing?


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 1:35 PM
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17

That was invented in Omaha, almost three hours away.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 1:38 PM
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18

It's only a sparking Regal Zoo if it's not from the chimpagnze region of france.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 1:38 PM
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19

In my version, Michael Landon was going to add Reuben the chimpanzee to the cast of Highway to Heaven in a last-ditch effort to avoid cancellation.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 1:41 PM
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20

It's only a cancellampange if it's something something somewhere.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 2:07 PM
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21

Does anyone remember that article/news event where a man released all his zoo animals before committing suicide? It was in like rural Ohio and the descriptions of the animals being sighted have stuck with me as part nightmare/part hilarious. Like someone's horses were acting nervous and guy sees a lion stalking them.


Posted by: hydrobatidae | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 4:29 PM
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22

Yes.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 5:43 PM
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23

21: "Zanesville Exotic Animal Massacre"


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 5:50 PM
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24


This.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 5:57 PM
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25

23: Or, as they call it in Ohio, "Tuesday."


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 6:00 PM
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26

These stories, always with the unregistered machine guns. Register your machine guns, people!


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 6:06 PM
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27

It's quick, cheap, and easy.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 6:18 PM
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28

Probably not. IDK. I know my concealed carry permit was though.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 6:20 PM
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29

Speaking of wild animals, there was a groundhog on my front step the other day in broad daylight. I tried to chase him off the step by running right at him while yelling, but he moved closer to the house. I though he could just hop off the steps on the side, maybe 30 inches down. But I had to go to the other side and yell at him so he could run down the steps.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:15 PM
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30

Have you shot any bad guys yet?


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:22 PM
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31

29 to 30.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 7:31 PM
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32

Did you confirm the groundhog's pronouns before shooting it? One should never assume.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 10:01 PM
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33

"We really pride ourselves on every decision being gorilla led."


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 11:03 PM
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34

That's one way of spinning "the gorillas were horny so we were like, okay, fine, go for it."


Posted by: teofilo | Link to this comment | 05-29-25 11:22 PM
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35

The hits keep coming https://bsky.app/profile/fella6-9.bsky.social/post/3lqefxhlxoc2w


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 12:12 AM
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36

Have we even talked about the Musk/Miller throuple thing yet?


Posted by: teofilo | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 12:15 AM
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37

I mentioned it in another thread, I'm sure Moby and apo remember


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 12:21 AM
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38

There's a weird menagerie / low-rent zoo that we've visited when visiting my dad, because you have to occupy the kids somehow in rural mid-Missouri. Big Joel's Safari. Some regular petting zoo stuff (goats), some more exotic animals (giraffes, sloths, zebras, an alligator), also pony rides and a cage full of canaries you can walk into and let them eat birdseed off a popsicle stick.

The last time we were there, a large dude was hovering near us, clearly wanting to chat, and I just knew that was going to be Big Joel himself. Sure enough! We got an earful of the difficulties of running an independent zoo.


Posted by: Blume | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 2:26 AM
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39

We were up in Scotland this week, and went to https://fivesisterszoo.co.uk/ which is a tiny little family run zoo. They make a big deal of Christmas, so they have (unlit) Christmas decorations up all year round. It all looks quite small and basic, but they actually have quite a good track record with breeding and conservation work (and rehoming circus bears and lions).

xelA loves it as he's obsessed (still) by wolves and you can get up close with their wolves. When we were there this week, there were some visiting little kids (4 - 6 year olds) from local schools and when they started howling like wolves, the alpha male wolf started howling back, standing about 3 feet from us.


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 2:42 AM
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40

There's no shortage of Sheikhs who keep exotic animals here, generally big cats but also all manner of raptors, also ostriches, oryx, and gazelles the last three of which which I've come across in the desert (in enclosures on farms in the desert.) They also opened up a panda zoo in the north but I've yet to visit it.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 2:53 AM
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41

I always thought this should have been the way they went with the new Jurassic Park sequels. A sort of Ozark with dinosaurs. Follow a dysfunctional family trying to make a go of their tiny dinosaur park and keep on good terms with various quirky/criminal neighbours. Disaster strikes when the triceratops gets colic the day before they're due to host the destination wedding of the dodgy mayor's daughter.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 3:10 AM
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42

"the gorillas were horny so we were like, okay, fine, go for it."

Worst dating advice.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 3:54 AM
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43

Except whatever led to 35/36.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 4:11 AM
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44

29 to 30

Wow. That's a lot.

Long after that great summer
When I first came into my fame
And the avenger from Oklahoma Nebraska
Was added to my name
The avenger I became
Well, they call me avenging Annie Moby
I'm avenger of womanhood
I spend my whole life telling lies
Lead you on and mess you over good


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 4:34 AM
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45

I'm sure Moby and apo remember

I am trying so hard to forget having heard about it. LA LA LA LA LA.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 5:24 AM
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46

trying so hard

Forget, forget, masturbate, forget?


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 5:50 AM
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47

40: The raptor NGO my husband works for was just in your area-ish getting a tour of the facilities. Pretty swanky.

39: That sounds so amazing for all the kids. It's so neat how dog/wolves and humans can communicate in spite of the huge species gap. The alpha wolf knew what they were trying to say!


Posted by: hydrobatidae | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 5:58 AM
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48

"We're trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty. "


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 6:01 AM
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49

Long and harrowing.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 6:17 AM
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50

The raptor NGO my husband works for was just in your area-ish getting a tour of the facilities. Pretty swanky.

THANK YOU! WE SPARED NO EXPENSE!


Posted by: John Hammond | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 6:28 AM
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51

There are two false assumptions inherent in the eco-authoritarian argument: first, that leaders in authoritarian regimes will know in advance what to do in a given crisis; and second, that these regimes will have the expertise and capacity to take appropriate action via existing institutions. Yet if we look at the traditional composition of authoritarian regimes and how they have handled environmental disasters, both assumptions prove mostly false.

This bit jumped out at me - and, of course, it isn't just true in the ecological sphere.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 05-30-25 6:32 AM
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