(OT) Facelift for creepy old Kiwi :-)
Magnus
Future of Santa's winking eye still under wraps
Santa's inviting finger has been given the flick in a $100,000-plus
makeover of the 25 metre Auckland Christmas icon, but the future of
his beady, winking eye has yet to be revealed. The 49-year-old
fibreglass figure was returned to its Queen St site over Whitcoulls in
downtown Auckland last weekend after four months of cosmetic surgery
but bandages covering the makeover on his face will not be removed
until Sunday.
The Santa had been part of Auckland's heritage since 1960 when it was
first erected on the outside of the Farmers Building in Albert St.
For many years when it was on the Farmers' site and after it was moved
to the Queen St site, the forefinger on his right hand moved back and
forth in a welcoming gesture, and one eye winked.
Last year after Aucklanders voted overwhelmingly to keep the Santa
because of the emotional tie it had with the city, it was given a
makeover and the mechanical finger was replaced with a static finger.
However, Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney would not say if
the blinking right eye would become a fixed stare or if the blink was
back. "There was a concern the guy did look a little creepy. It was
the finger and the Sad Sack, winking, droopy eye."
"The finger looked pretty manky. It had a big bandage on it to cover
the join." One eye was also 300mm lower than the other.
He said the makeover, costing "well north of $100,000", meant the
Santa would stay for another 50 years at least.
-
Err...
"a guy looking a little creepy, with a falling finger and winking,
droopy eye."
I know it would cost a lot of money but would the NZ taxpayers also
pay for brain and body surgery to LardGay? Our troll could at last
come out off his dock without scaring the kids and terrifying women in
his area; not to mention the relief of the local sheep!
:-o
Mort