Fri, September 05, 2008
SCRIPT:
Many will no doubt concur with the message etched in ink on this man's chest.
This self-confessed "freak" goes by the name of "Lizardman".
Erik Lizardman Sprague has had surgery to make himself less man, more lizard
SOUNDBITE: ERIK "LIZARDMAN" SPRAGUE SAYING:
"I have had quite a lot of work done to become the freak I am today. I've had 700 hours work on tattoos, teflon implanted in my forehead, had my teeth filed down to points and had tongue divided like that of a snake."
A dancing snake of a tongue Lizardman says he realizes is absurd but it's what got him the gig opening a new exhibit of the seriously weird at London's Ripley's Believe It or Not.
VOXPOPS SPECTATORS
He was joined by "Stalking Cat", another self-styled freak who's gone under the knife and needle to look less fella, more feline.
SOUNDBITE: DENNIS "STALKING CAT" AVNER SAYING:
"My lip's been cleft, septum relocated, nose flattened, implants in brow, ears pointed and tiger-type teeth, silicone injections in chin, cheek and lips, implants to plant whiskers and the tattooing, I think that's it."
Ripleys in London houses more than 500 weird and unusual artifacts, including shrunken heads, a section of the Berlin Wall, and a Mini covered in one million crystals.
A final flick from Lizardman who - believe it or not - is married to a woman he says is freaked out by lizards.
Susan Flory, Reuters
