Oct 12 2011

American Juggalo

As far as musical depravity and sheer idiocy goes, Insane Clown Posse take the crown. We all think Jack White might be a little too collao-happy these days. We all know who they are, we all love to hate them. Except those who love them. And those people? They love them a LOT. Those people, in case you haven’t heard, are called Juggalos. They’re usually uneducated, working class, low income, Midwestern. And even if they’re perfect strangers, the Juggalos all consider themselves “family.” And for one weekend out of the year they all gather together to absorb the enormous marketing campaign the band has created, featuring bands, wrestling, a mini-fairground atmosphere, and all the drugs and sex with homely-looking people you can handle. This mini-doc didn’t really change my perception of the Juggalos; these are the people that throw shit at bands they don’t like, bands that their “heroes” booked for them. But if there’s one thing you can take away, it’s that these people are misunderstood. It’s the underbelly, the service industry, the America that’s all around you, but you don’t hear about. It’s like a Fight Club or something. And for four days, they have their own little Woodstock. In many ways, it resembles Woodstock. Perfect strangers treat each other like brothers and sisters, free love reigns, nudity abounds, drugs are abundant. Is aspires to be Woodstock, but like the Hatchet Man logo itself, there is that underlying violent theme, the theme that made ICP one of the best-selling shock rap groups ever – if you don’t like something, fucking tear it apart.

American Juggalo from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.