The Silver Lake Walking Man is gone, having committed suicide last year. But the streets of Silver Lake are still home to several regular characters, including the Five Dollar Guy. A new profile on Five Dollar Guy, who also goes by the name Eddie Spagetti, on Neon Tommy provides an update since the Five Dollar Guy’s van was shot up about a year ago. The story notes that the Five Dollar Guy has his critics as well as fans in Sunset Junction, where he hangs out at cafes, sometimes shirtless, and offers to sell umbrellas, songs and other items for, you got it, $5:
“Julian Davies, a wine salesman who works at The Cheese Store, will sometimes pour Eddie a free glass of wine if he happens to be around. “He seems perfectly educated, courteous, well-mannered,” Davies said. Franky’s, a barber shop that sells clothes, donates shorts and capri pants to Eddie. Mornings Nights cafe stores Eddie’s chess set behind their counter. Eddie can often be seen sitting outside the shop, playing chess against the employees and other locals.
Eddie has a feisty, obnoxious streak. It’s partly the reason why some business owners respect him, while others find him annoying.
For example, he considers Pazzo Gelato owner Mike Buch to be a hater. This didn’t stop Eddie from writing “We Love The $5 Guy” in chalk on an electrical box in front of the store. Buch denied being a hater, adding that he once even bought a garden bustier of Julius Caesar from Eddie. “He’s a pretty smart guy, pretty funny guy,” Buch said. “But, like anything, you’ve gotta take it in small doses.”
Photo by Orrin/Flickr
Update: Readers remind The Eastsider about another neighborhood fixture, the Rik Martino, known to some as the Birdman of Silver Lake and to others as the Squirrel Guy.
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
The $5 Guy is a friend of the Hustle Ride…
Eddie is funny and smart but annoying and sometimes need to go away.
Just one question: what’s a “garden bustier”?
I have never had the opportunity to purchase anything from the five dollar dude because I’ve already spent my $5 on my fancy pantsy special coffee or frozen treat.
i think this is the same guy who came in drunk to a show at echo curio and started loudly heckling all the bands. when we finally got him to leave, he shoved a shopping cart full of trash at the front door and it spilled everywhere… not cool. maybe it’s someone else though – but i remember him being shirtless and wearing a cross.
I live right at the Junction and I see “Five Dollar Guy” on a daily basis. Although I never knew that was his name. Amongst things I have seen him try to sell: cigarettes, dogs, keyboards, stereos and at one time a very drunk man he had on a leash….
One time I saw him dressed as a bumble bee.
He never gives me or my girlfriend any problems. So do we want him to go away? No. It’s part of the character of the area.
Let’s hope he meets a better end than the Walking Man…
He also treats the complimentary coffee at Jiffy Lube as his own personal Starbucks, or should I say Intelligetsia…
What about squirrel master?
@ shadowpark. I think someone once sent me a photo him near the reservoirs but I can’t find it now!
Thumbs up to $5 Guy. The last time I saw him was coincidentally on the Walking Man memorial walk, and such long intervals without contact is why I view him positively.
And I’m with Rollers about the item Mike Buch purportedly bought off the $5 Guy. It made me think of the Roman emperor in a floral corset and I could’ve done with out that mental picture thankyyouverymuch.
This isn’t the same shirtless guy who wears pink short shorts and walks his dog in a baby stroller with a big Gay Pride flag, right?
His puns, sodomy gags and damp camp really suck. New material for a new century, Fiver.
blech is me, I am blechh. Mornings/Nights is bruised for me by 5er’s Richard Simmons shorts and rancid camp.
I do not understand the Princess Diana style remembrances about the Walking man. He was sort of tweaked out and ‘on the run’ in many ways. John Leech is a local legend, these freaks I don’t know.
Now, the old wizard dude with the top hat or something who sells his zine along Sunset, THAT dude is a star
Eastsider……….I sent you a photo of the Squirrel Guy! I saw him on (ironically) on the ‘memorial walk’ for The Walking Man…..Dr. Marc Abrams. I’ll see if I can find the photo.
Um, one time I saw him selling a puppy for $5….
one must ask, where does he get the things that he sells?
Lived in the junction for 11 years, and this annoying jerk has been here just as long. It’s all “what a quirky and funny character!” until he starts living on your street, in his van in front of an elementary school no less. Yeah, a quirky colorful element to the neighborhood — until he/his van gets shot up multiple times at 6 am one morning, again in front of your house. Glad no one got hurt nearby. You know like the kids at the school.
The $5 is a nuisance. And yes I am the one who was doing laundry in the junction and saw him come in with a basket full of pink bandannas to wash, I swear to god.
Love the $5 guy!
He once showed up (crashed?) an art opening I was in, wearing a red velvet suit with matching pink shirt/bandanna combo and carrying a bunch of pink peonies.
Sure he’s ridiculous (he once tried to sell me a Thomas Guide from 1987 for $5) but having a local eccentric or two, taken with a grain of salt, makes a neighborhood.
Don’t forget about El Circo Loco!! The real spirit of Silver Lake. The neighborhood was never the same after he died…
Give me a guy that plays spanish guitar and sings his heart out with great passion (like the guy at the hollywood farmers market) to give the neighborhood charismata… not some douche that has to hustle and hassle!
This is my uncle! He is a amazing artist! A very intelligent man and extremely funny! I don’t know why he lives in a van! His family loves him. But he loves being free! He is a gypsy soul and a hippy! He is great!! I loved when he used to come to Seattle and Visit for Christmas! He made us all go Christmas caroling to random houses when I was a kid! He isn’t a bad person, a creep, or a perv.. He is a free spirit. I wish I could get ahold of him! If anyone knows how.. Email me nmoliver@hotmail.com
The Birdman of silverlake is now homeless and living on Santa Monica and Madison Avenue across from the Cahuanga library…Some of his birds that he rescued were taken by animal control because of him living on the street, he is in need of help! A lot of people have seen him for years feeding the birds around silverlake… His phone number is 323-850-8580 this is a voicemail…If anyone could help him in anyway please reach out to him, he is also in need of legal help to get his birds back from animal control…
The pigeons are wild, they do not ‘belong ‘ to Rik. His excessive feeding of the wild birds is bad ecologically. There are piles of bird droppings at every corner – this is unhealthy for people. The uneaten seed he leaves for the birds has created an increase in the local population of rats and mice – not so good for the 15 restaurants in this area. He calls everyone else criminals while he illegally posts thousands of flyers on every available post and tree – these end up in the ocean unless removed. Do not do this as he will become violent and threatening. He should go back to Italy and mess up their cities.
I saw the 5 dollar man out side of the 99 cent store selling a Christmas tree for $10 a few days before Christmas. We laughed and walked away. It looked like he stole it from the Von’s Christmas tree lot.
Leave Eddy the $5 guy alone! He is harmless and if he gets annoying just tell him! I had a grand re-opening party for my shop and yes, he did drink at least one/two bottles of champagne by himself, but I WOULD TOO!!! When I told him that he had had enough he chuckled and walked out.
Not having been in my store for the last three years, I missed Eddie dancing on the electrical box and “directing” traffic outside the store! Always brought a smile to my face. Happy that he is back in my life! Lots of things have changed in Silver Lake in the last 15 years….but i’m happy that SOMETHINGS have stayed the same.
i live 2 blocks from the junction. In the couple of years that i’ve been here, i’ve seen this guy a lot and he has never bothered me, nor done anything untoward. and, thankfully, he’s not a bore.