The Big Huerta And Bobby Darin In Pink Hell

This man needs no introduction but he will get one. This is not Kevin Spacey but Mr. Splish Splash himself, Walden Robert Cassotto or better known as Bobby Darin. The man was a triple threat…songwriter, actor and great singer. He had a million hits including the rocking “Splish Splash”, “Mack the Knife”, “Dream Lover”, “Beyond the Sea”, “If I Were a Carpenter”, and the poignant “Abraham, Martin and John”. I really dig Bobby and I could listen to those hits on a continuous loop forever especially “Dream Lover” and “Beyond the Sea”. He was only 37 years young when he passed away…amazingly young. His biggest hit was probably “Mack the Knife” and he mined that musical ending in other songs as a humorous nod. There is a pretty decent film on Bobby that if you haven’t seen it, etc…Now to the art…

This painting is based on an actual true story that involved my brother, Gerard, when he was attending Art Center in Los Angeles in the 70’s. In L.A. there is a very famous and popular hot dog stand on La Brea and Melrose called Pink’s. There is always a line around the block regardless of the time of day. Well, one day, my brother is eating inside (it’s a very small place) and a limousine pulls up and out steps Bobby Darin. Darin places his order (it probably wasn’t as crowded back in the 70’s, btw, there was always a surly looking dude behind the counter that wouldn’t say a word to you…he would just stare you down until you voiced your order…never a smile came to his lips…he also looked like a mean Chuck Berry, the hot dog nazi, if you will…we were always a bit scared of him) and goes and sits in the corner…all alone. My brother watched him while he ate and felt a genuine sadness for this man that was known and entertained throughout the world and he was just sitting there eating his hot dog and no one paid any mind to him. He finished up then got into his waiting limo and left, Bobby Darin that is. I don’t recall my brother ever having a limo back then. So this painting is based on that story…

I used three images of Bobby (signifying his triple threat?) and three images of the Chuck Berry type dude to offset whatever goodness there is in there. I also used hell as the setting because the loneliness of the story is sort of a hellish feeling. There is a lonely Bobby in the back of the limo. A Vegas Bobby on the hood of the car, leaving Pink’s with his booty in hand, and a funereal dressed Bobby dancing on the roof of the limo/hearse as if to say “Look out ol’ Bobby is back or I’ll be around forever folks, so enjoy your hot dogs.” Of course, this is all brought to you by Hoffy, the number one name in hot dogs for over 85 years. So excuse me while I go sharpen my fingers…a hot dog just a oozin’ life awaits..(painting courtesy of Gerard Huerta collection).