Jim Spagg has died

[stevedeshazer]

Jim Spagg, whose nudity riled state, dies

The self-proclaimed artist known for his controversial cable-access show was a Portland mayoral candidate

Jim Spagg, who thought of himself as an artist but who attracted attention from angry parents and shocked legislators a decade ago for prancing naked on cable-access television, died Saturday at his Portland home.

He was 64 and had leukemia, an associate said.

His real name was James Spagnola, but it was as Jim Spagg that he ran with 22 other candidates for mayor in Portland's current election. His filing said he planned to spend less than $2,000 on his campaign and he was not regarded as a serious candidate.

After gaining notoriety for his cable shows, Spagg told The Oregonian in 1995 that he was delighted when he learned that he could have his own program on public access cable and that no matter what he did, the law required that programs be carried at least once.
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No matter what you could say about the guy, he was a defender of the First Amendment, and that made him a friend of mine.

on edit: forgot link http://oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1084103869128710.xml?oregonian?lcg

[lucidmadman]

1. I remember Spagg well from Portland Cable Access TV...

...it's hard to forget a pudgy naked man with a toy guitar lip sinking
to The Door's LIGHT MY FIRE!
I always thought his shows were sex positive and not in the least sleazy and funny as all get out...

[stevedeshazer]

3. Agree

And he always kept the Radical Right agitated in this town. That alone gave me great pleasure.

[0rganism]

2. On the bright side, that does narrow down the choices for mayor

Strange man, definitely ahead of his time. Or maybe 40 years behind it. I was never quite sure. Devout atheist that he was, it gives me some pleasure to think that perhaps, just maybe, he's running buck naked across the Elyssian Fields hand in hand with Jesus and Krishna, while Gautama Buddha smiles and sets down the remote.

[stevedeshazer]

4. LOL!

"On the bright side, that does narrow down the choices for mayor"

Now THAT's a pragmatic point of view! One down, 21 to go.

[West Coast Democrat]

5. Read his statement in the Voter Pamphlet

I thought is was hilarious

[Generator]

6. Oh my god

I didn't see anything else about it. I guess I can get all my news here at DU. I used to be a real cable access fanatic, and watched Spagg for years when I had nothing else to do. RIP Spaggola.

[dr.strangelove]

7. RIP - Jim

I'll miss you.