Everybody likes a cuddle, so why has the man who pioneered the global Free Hugs movement gone off in a huff? Elizabeth Day gets touchy feely in order to find out
The man in front of me has fear in his eyes. Fear, suspicion, and something else, something more subtle, that I realise after a few seconds is pity. It is the evening rush hour in London and I am standing in the middle of Carnaby Street holding aloft a placard that reads: "Free Hugs". My mission is simply to reach out to strangers, clasp them close and make them feel better about their day – no strings attached. But this man isn't convinced.
"What are you selling?" he asks.
"Nothing," I explain. "We're just offering hugs to people. For free."
The man slips his iPhone out of his jacket pocket and takes a photo, as if he cannot quite believe what he is seeing.
The man in front of me has fear in his eyes. Fear, suspicion, and something else, something more subtle, that I realise after a few seconds is pity. It is the evening rush hour in London and I am standing in the middle of Carnaby Street holding aloft a placard that reads: "Free Hugs". My mission is simply to reach out to strangers, clasp them close and make them feel better about their day – no strings attached. But this man isn't convinced.
"What are you selling?" he asks.
"Nothing," I explain. "We're just offering hugs to people. For free."
The man slips his iPhone out of his jacket pocket and takes a photo, as if he cannot quite believe what he is seeing.
- 9/1/2012
- by Elizabeth Day
- The Guardian - Film News
The Australian rock band ‘Sick Puppies’ are more than up and mobile, they are out right soaring. With their third album ‘Tri Polar’ and the official release of the bands Hulu Channel, things are looking pretty good. The Sick Puppies, from Australia, formed in 1997 and cut their first studio album ‘Welcome to the Real World’ in 2001. Being a smash in the land down under, Sick Puppies won the annual ‘Triple J Unearthed’ Australian band competition that year. From there they signed with Paul Stepanek Management and moved to La, CA without the original drummer. Due to an ad that Shimon Moore and Emma Anzai posted in Craig’s List, fortune came knockin’ when...
- 5/19/2011
- by smurphy
- ShockYa
Rockers Sick Puppies have just unveiled a new Vimby webisode featuring their new single “Maybe”, which comes off the bands third studio album Tri-Polar. In the clip the band talks about the meaning behind their latest single: “To me it was about the band moving over to the States,” says vocalist Shimon Moore. He also recalls the bands struggle moving to the Us: “We moved over here with nothing. With a couple of guitars and the money we spent two years saving up. The decision actually followed our dream of playing music everyday.” The band recently launched their YouTube moderator page where fans can ask Sick Puppies anything they want. The [...]...
- 9/23/2010
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
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