The Curse of Indiana Jones

[Pietro]

It happened yesterday. After six or seven years of peace and tranquility. And it happened, of all places, at the polls. I was collecting my ballot when the kid manning the polling place said, "Nice Indiana Jones hat."

I could've educated the youngster then and there. I could've told him that mine was a Cervo fedora, a treasured object made by Italian craftsmen acquired at some difficulty from the sunny penninsula. I could've delivered a brief history of Italilan hatmaking. But that would have been unseemly in a busy polling place.

Until this latest Indiana Jones craze wears off, I might have to put my Cervo away in the closet. I might have to buy a boater.

 

[Colby Jack]

Just nod and smile...occasionally say thank you...remember these younger types have nothing else to base hat wearing on...

 

[John in Covina]

Ignorence is bliss!

Good luck with the Boater!

I could've educated the youngster then and there. I could've told him that mine was a Cervo fedora, a treasured object made by Italian craftsmen acquired at some difficulty from the sunny penninsula. I could've delivered a brief history of Italilan hatmaking.

I might have to buy a boater.

 

[mingoslim]

I took my five year old to see the new IJ . . .

I took my five year old to see the new IJ . . . and he loved it. He walks around the house humming the Theme . . . dum, de dum dum, dum de dum . . .

Of course, he has seen me in hats all his life, and got his first fedora (a Stetson) when he was three . . . He has two nice vintage models right now (easy to find nice vintage fedoras in 6 3/4 )

Maybe this is why his fascination with IJ is not with the fedora . . .he wants me to buy him a whip!

 

[dhermann1]

"Nice"

Hey, he said "nice". If the situation afforded a moment, I would have given him the mini micro canned speech on fedoras and hats in general. Sounds like he might have been open to it.

 

[hipster]

pietro

Funny you mention that, I picked my son up at school yesterday and 2 kids said the same thing. I've had this hat before the first movie was even made. Oh well.

 

[LeeB]

You know, if it's not being referred to as "Indiana Jones" it's being called a cowboy. Somedays I just smile and nod my head, some days I have to restrain myself from spouting inappropriate comments in public. I've almost taken it to the point of vowing to not wear my dark brown fedora until this latest installment of the "IJ" saga wears off on the general public. The worst part is that I have three fedoras in various shades of brown that could all be easily mistaken for an "IJ" hat simply due to the fact that color is the only one that I think looks good on me.

 

[Sefton]

Three words: Eight Panel Cap. Problem solved.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Funny thing is, I've been wearing my Akubra Federation Deluxe around a lot lately, trying to break it in, and I haven't gotten one comment.

Maybe it's my size, I dunno.

 

[MAB1]

I took my five year old to see the new IJ

Maybe this is why his fascination with IJ is not with the fedora . . .he wants me to buy him a whip!

Priceless.

 

[Wesne]

Yep, never heard it before and it's happened to me twice in the last week too. Both times from middle school kids. Oh well.[huh]

 

[Archéologue]

Imagine how it is form me. I am an actual archaeologist. No, I don't travel around the world having adventures. Don't look for treasure or mummies. Don't have encounters with evil villains or colorful characters.

Try explaining to those who are impressed, that nearly 90% of my time is spent sitting at a computer or talking on the phone. True, it can be very interesting, but the Indiana Jones stereotype is way different than the reality.

Here are the two questions they always ask: "Ever find any gold?" and
"Ever find any dinosaur bones?" (that's what a paleontologist does, not an archaeo.)

A professional friend of mine once had both questions asked by the same person.
He replied: "No to both, but we do find a lot of gold dinosaur bones."
-Mike

 

[GA Wildlifer]

Son after IJ

My 6 year old son also wanted a whip to go with my brown Champ that he has appropriated. We looked for a real bull whip for his 6th birthday last weekend but thought better of it after seeing the price of real whips and considering the potential problems for his twin sister, older sister, our 2 labs and the neighbors. Fortunately, we found an Indiana Jones Sound FX whip http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000XUBHC2/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=165793011&s=toys-and-games

It's not much of a whip, but it make him happy and keeps the world safe. The sound effects are only mildly annoying after the 10,000th time you hear them.

Robert

 

[MAB1]

I had several whips as a child. Horse Country.

I just loved that crack. Never hurt anyone or anything with one.

It was those BB guns that got us in trouble.

 

[ADHD librarian]

"Ever find any dinosaur bones?" (that's what a paleontologist does, not an archaeo.)

I hate to complain (or tell you your job)
but a paleontologist LOOKS for dino bones. Anyone can find them regardless of their profession (I have and I'm a librarian*)
I've also found gold

wait, perhaps I am in fact an archeologist (maybe you are a librarian and we got swapped at birth...)




*disclaimer, I have found small fosilised bits of bone, they were probably not dinosaur bones but no one can prove they weren't

 

[KY Gentleman]

It was those BB guns that got us in trouble.

Don't I know it! BB Guns were great when I was a kid!:eusa_clap

 

[Mr. John Smith]

The color isn't going to matter...

After a couple of Indy comments (good natured ribbing), I decided to hang up my brown fedora for a while.

So there I was walking into work; black suit, green shirt, green fedora w/ black ribbon. And from the covered smoking area outside comes: "Hey, Indy!"

So I sauntered over and proceeded to instruct the young lad on the difference between a center dent and teardrop. We talked brim lengths and crown heights. I suggested that maybe he should try some other characters instead; like Gatsby, or Dick Tracy, or Elliot Ness. Sadly, he didn't know any of those. So I chided him on being color blind.

So the browns are back in the line-up. The young man has vowed to get himself a descent lid. And the Indy comments continue. Just smile and wave boys...just smile and wave.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I'm still waiting to get my first IJ comment. I've got too many brown felts to not wear some of 'em while the new movie is prominent. Although the summer heat is seeing the Panamas on me more often for sure these days.

Anyway, after reading so much about folks saying something to them about Indiana Jones, I will probably burst out with a laugh as soon as I hear the first one and then feel like I've joined a special club.

 

[Woodfluter]

My friends are used to seeing me in hats, so few comments there. From strangers I used to get the I.J. comments, and the cowboy ones, but lately all I've gotten (even after the latest flick came out) was the occasional "nice hat!" Received two of them today. Much as I try to slough that off, truth be told it feels good.

Might just be me. Or perhaps...the cumulative effect of period movies and the occasional but increasingly common hat freak could lead to accepting that as just another difference, neither good nor bad inherently.

OK, stop me before I make a fool of myself or lose all credibility as a cynic, but I actually think we may have become a much more tolerant and open culture of late. Consider as one indicator the candidates in the recent U.S. primaries. There may be a growing inclination, on seeing someone different from oneself, to think "now that's interesting" instead of "what's wrong with him (or her)".

- Bill

 

[Sassman]

Funny thing is, I've been wearing my Akubra Federation Deluxe around a lot lately, trying to break it in, and I haven't gotten one comment.

Maybe it's my size, I dunno.

Tony, I think it's just the thin guys that get the "Indy" comments. The closest I've ever come was, "Hey, give Indiana Jones his hat back!"