The Catman Website

February 6, 2015 6:27 AM

All About Dominique, the Catman of Key West, FL. Please do not miss the section concerning his clowning days.
posted by josher71 (17 comments total)

Dominique's cat GIF is almost as unnerving as his gaze. Anyone who can honestly say "The VELOCIPEDE was my TRADEMARK along with my LAUGH" is likely doing things right, however.
posted by ryanshepard at 6:36 AM on February 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

Found a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLR7ZvkFxf8
posted by polywomp at 6:51 AM on February 6, 2015 [4 favorites]

This man has successfully herded cats. So he's definitely doing something right.

Also, his website has a guestbook, and people are still 'signing' it! I like that kind of stubborn refusal to change.
posted by dis_integration at 7:07 AM on February 6, 2015

I love Key West.

Not only has the man herded cats, he gets a score of people to watch that act for 12 minutes each evening. I had to stop polywomps video. I just could not take it anymore.
posted by 724A at 7:20 AM on February 6, 2015

The flaming hoop finale is really something though.
posted by polywomp at 7:24 AM on February 6, 2015

Went back to watch the flaming hoop finale. It met expectations.
posted by 724A at 7:31 AM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

that's no, rou dou dou
cats thru flaming hulu hoop
I say no no no
posted by slipthought at 7:34 AM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I first saw him in the mid to late 80s; can't believe he's still doing his act. I wonder if the Rasta Yogi guy is still there. I guess I need to go back and find out for myself.

And I did sign the guestbook.
posted by TedW at 7:36 AM on February 6, 2015

I have watched his act several times over the past several years. He is masterful in the way that he works the crowd and keeps the cats doing their thing while hundreds of semi-drunk sunburned tourists stumble around him. My kids love the man and do imitations of his catchphrases: "go back to your seat! Stay where you are! Clap clap clap!"
posted by Mid at 7:45 AM on February 6, 2015 [2 favorites]

Still more compelling than the last season of American Horror Story.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:09 AM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I ordered his first DVD years ago, but looks like there's a new one. [fires up Paypal]
posted by candyland at 8:54 AM on February 6, 2015

Wow, I had no idea about his story.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:55 AM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I've watched the act several times, and part of the fun is that he himself seems a bit of an amiable train wreck.
posted by Peach at 1:07 PM on February 6, 2015

BONJOUUUUUR ........AH AH AH AH AH AH
posted by pickles_have_souls at 2:25 PM on February 6, 2015

I read that he put his daughter through college (UCLA) on the money he made doing those shows.
posted by 724A at 2:27 PM on February 6, 2015

Toxoplasmosis is a hell of a drug parasite.
posted by transitional procedures at 11:27 PM on February 6, 2015

I saw him a couple years back in Key West. It was the most uncomfortable busker show I've seen. I mean Andy Kaufman levels of cringe and uncertainty. I really couldn't tell if he was crazy, just an ordinary street performer gone a little off, or a man deeply committed to the uncanny valley of frightening clowns. Most of the rest of the audience was similarly baffled: a little entertained, a little repulsed. It was remarkable.
posted by Nelson at 1:07 AM on February 7, 2015 [1 favorite]