Five Funny Hoop Headlines from the 1950's

It seems in the hoop's mid-century hey-day there was quite the controversy about our favorite plastic round. Flustering the Royalty and hospitalizing housewives, the hula-hoop made the page quite a few times - with chuckle producing results. Click on the headlines below for the full article. 

Hula Hooping Out of Hand

Spokane Daily Chronicle Sep 24th 1958

Too Much Hula in Hula Hooping; Coeds Protest

Sarasota Journal Oct 30th 1958

Hula Hooping Robot May Get First Call on Flight to Moon

Toledo Blade March 30th 1959

Hula-Hooping on Royal Yacht Just Too Much for the Crew

The Sun March 21st 1959

Hula Hooping Hospitalizes Housewife

Park City Daily News Oct 24th 1958 

Now, What is This I am Looking at, Here?

A seated elephant practicing his hoop moves, obviously. 

The man in the hat is just a bonus.

Hep Cat, Hoop Cat(s)

 Cat sees hoop. Cat immediately plops down in the direct center of hoop. Adorableness ensues. 

I have seen shots like these for years in my quest for good hoop pictures and thought I would finally share! Take it easy, hoop cats. (I know you will.)

...your guess is as good as mine about that animated one...

all photos via flickr. 

A Cat, Hooping with Saturn's Rings

yep. 

amazing amounts of love. 

You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

What? Sure you can. 

the pup looks hesitant  but that doesn't mean he can't learn. 

Hoop Fest: Over Prepared (is an Understatement)

Who knew that this picture
would end up being so relevant

Well damn, I'm ready to go. 

Cyndi and I are all packed up. We have everything we need: epic, (child-sized) fox shaped camping chairs, giant fluffy pillows, sun screen, bug spray, and radtastic hoop clothes.  Snacks? Check. Hoops? Check. All logistics = in order. I was up before 6am this morning in anticipation for the day of travel ahead.

As I was drinking my morning coffee and daydreaming about blue skies in Maine, that lovely and amazing sister of mine was going over the details of our Amtrak tickets.  While she took care of the business end of things, I pulled up the schedule for Hoop Fest to see what would be happening first. I was blissfully thinking about tonight's evening workshop led by Malcolm when she said, in her typical deadpan, "hey - this is on the 7th."

me: "What?" 

"Like the event. It, uh, starts on the 7th. 

me: (still not getting it) uh huh! :) 

Today is the 6th."

me: "Oh my gosh, we have to change the train tickets and everything!"

And after the most subtle of eye rolls she answered, "no dude. Our tickets are for the 7th."

me: (after taking a sip of coffee and scanning the pile of packed up nonsense we have all ready to go) "so we don't even... uh... leave today."

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I can see it now: pink and blue haired twins, doing our signature fast walks as we lug a HUGE suitcase, two foxed shaped camping chairs and clanking colored hoops and arrive at the camp site only to find an empty, open space. Maybe a lonely cricket chirps in the background. Desolate. Alone. And there we would have stood. Okay, maybe a bit dramatic. 

But still, it was a rather hilarious realization that happened before our cab got here (heyoooo), so it all worked out in the end. Yep. Twenty four hours early. We. Rock. 

Sometimes there are just those people in your life that you don't feel a need to double check things when you are with them. Much like a recent journey where my friend and I confidently (and chronically) took every wrong turn - there are times when it all makes sense in your head  - and - that the person with you understands maybe a little too well. There's reality, and then there's the reality in which I live.

And well... all I can say is thanks Cyn - because in typical Kym style I wasn't sweating the details (like. uh, ya know... the day the event starts) and was already head-in-the-clouds happy about getting to hoop for another four days. 

Today is a day for rest (apparently) and I must say it's great to already be ready. 

Tomorrow, hoop fest. Until tomorrow. 

Irina Akimova at Cirque Du Soleil

AMAZING! WTF!

I had to repost this from FYH because she is just a bit too epic.  But uh, dudes, that singer? Has GOT to go. LISTEN to these song lyrics. Whaaaaat? So. So. So. Terrible. Horrible 7th grade poetry. But - hey, it ALL took more talent than I have so go everyone involved! 

The Guardian of this Land

Come on now, ya don't wanna be messing with crazy eyes up there. 

Even Dinosaurs Can Hoop

 wut.

The Best Girlfriend

Yeah, I laughed.

... I also have to say that I do in fact think that this is a good visual trick. (watch the video)

10 Person Chest Roll

Hells yeah! [Warning there is a loud celebratory scream at the end that was a bit much for my early morning ears.] Still - pretty nicely done, folks! Especially since this is a hard one to pull of with just one person. 

Unexpected Hooper

I am told that this is Miguel Cabrera. Hula Hooping. Awww yeaaah! I LOVE when the unexpected folks get in there and give it a try! He's probably better at hooping than I am at baseball. Actually, that is a definite. 

An Army of Orbs

they are coming for you

Basketball Playing Unicyclists - As Crazy as It Sounds

Can you imagine the looks these guys get when people ask what they do for fun? 

Puerto Rican All Stars Unicycle Basketball Team. Heh. Makes me think of this, no? 

Breakin' and Poppin' with Alfonso Ribeiro.

I was sorta bummed that it was Monday. Until I watched this.



Every time I think it's reached it's height of greatness it outdoes itself. Thank God for the eighties.

Can you RAP?

Family Values

Oh how I would love to see this in real life. I love that little teeny tiny unicycle. 

via reddit. 

Now, That's My Kind of Yoga

Welp. This is amazing. 

Oh, how I wish Mr. David Attenborough could narrate this scene.

Hoop Hands

Hula Hoop Chess Players

Hula chess excerpt from DIM mak films on Vimeo.


hooping while playing chess. hmm?
maybe I would be a bit better at the game if I played it with my hoop confidence.

You've Got Talent! (Or Something)

There are several things of note about this video.

1) A 14 year old boy (who looks 11) was not who I was expecting  when I saw a video titled "30 Hoops."

2) That insane electronic music playing on a non stop loop. (Clearly, the equivalent of B-Roll in the music world.)

3) That he really manages to hoop with 30 hoops even though his (less than stellar) assistant just sorta flails them at him without any order whatsoever. 

Best talent show entry ever? Yes. 

(You go Glen Coco! Sorry. That's just what I feel is necessary to shout after feats that are simultaneously amazing and ridiculous.)