American Prankster is a deep dive with the iconic Wavy Gravy, unfolding his fascinating,historic and hilarious lifestory as an original Beatnik, comedy pioneer, hippie icon and pioneering activist who uses humor as a weapon.   Sharing stories that even he’d forgotten with producer/host, Rainbow Valentine, of Disorganized Crime: Smuggler’s Daughter, Wavy gets down to the very nit of the grit and reminds us what it means to be human. From Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to Woodstock to the Acid Tests and running a pig for president, Wavy Gravy is an essential part of American counter culture history and more.  You will hear stories of his childhood, teen, army, college and beatnik years with Bob Dylan, Tiny Tim, Martha Graham plus tales of his comedy life with Lenny Bruce, Del Close, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters and his friendships with music icons like Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, Mama Cass, Joan C. Baez and more!  Wavy shares absurdist yarns from his lifelong activism using humor as a weapon, along with pals, Abbie Hoffman, Jackson Browne, the Yippies and traveling roadshows of hippies. Plus how psychedelic globetrotting led to the SEVA Foundation and Camp Winnarainbow.  Wavy’s 8+ decades of embodying American Pranksterism, inspiring millions down the tie-dye colored path of life and spreading his ethos of Basic Human Needs, is a fundamental part of American, comedy, activist, music, food and global history. Plus he’s hilarious and a born storyteller. "When you get to the very bottom of the human soul, when the nit is slamming into the grit and you are sinking but you reach down to help someone else, that is when everyone gets high and you don't even need LSD to do that...and that's when I passed the acid test." – Wavy Gravy, American Prankster "He's like our Rabbi..." - Trixie Garcia American Prankster is a proud part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices