Have you seen a man with a snake on his head?

[Skim]

So I was on the bus this afternoon coming into Brixton and I saw a bloke walking under the bridge by M&S with a snake on his head. Not wrapped around his neck like a scarf, but draped over his shaven head. He walked with a swagger, as if carrying a serpent down a busy street was the most natural thing in the world to do.

Has anyone else seen this man and his pet, or have I completely and utterly lost the plot?

 

[christonabike]

Yup, I went for drink in the Albert after work a couple of weeks ago, and saw him down the street
Everyone, bar me, had seen him before
They had also seen some barking woman hitting someone, and get a twatting back for her troubles
They said it was like that most sunny evening down CHL
Eventful, but nowt to get worked up about

 

[Skim]

So he just takes his snake out with him, like other people take their dogs for a walk?

I don't cope well with snakes

 

[zuszsa]

He appears in Brixton Market a few times a year. You can have your photo taken with the snake for a small donation. The best thing is watching peoples reactions. You see shoppers wandering along, doing their best not to notice anything and suddenly they doubletake, jump, scream or, sometimes, laugh.

 

[zuszsa]

So he just takes his snake out with him, like other people take their dogs for a walk?

I don't cope well with snakes

Sorry Skim

If I see the snake man in the market, I shall PM you a warning

And won't laugh at anybody who seems scared

 

[Skim]

Well, I'll just have to brace myself for Snakeman and keep a wide berth

 

[christonabike]

Confornt your fears!

Get a photo of you, him, and snake

Put it on the back of your bog door

 

[Skim]

Confornt your fears!

Get a photo of you, him, and snake

Put it on the back of your bog door

I did try and confront my phobia once.I was at an office party in a Moroccan restaurant and there was a belly dancer draped in a huge snake. A massive thing – my heart leapt into my mouth when I saw it.

So, fuelled up on vodka, I summoned up the courage to touch the snake. It wasn't bad, actually, different to how I imagined it would be. In my pissed state, I even managed to convinve myself there was something cute about the huge snake. But then some wag tried to put the snake around my neck, and I fled screaming.

I don't think I'll be asking Snakeman for a photo somehow

 

[linerider]

His picture is on the Alabama 3 Exile on Coldharbour Lane album cover which is 10 years old

 

[bluestreak]

i was expecting this thread to be one of those jokes but i couldn;t for the life of me think what his name would be

 

[Skim]

His picture is on the Alabama 3 Exile on Coldharbour Lane album cover which is 10 years old

I'll check out my copy once I've sorted my CDs...

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Sometimes he puts the snake on unsuspecting women...I saw a woman go completely hysterical outside Iceland once when he did that...I think he's a wanker, meself.

 

[Dubversion]

years ago, i was stood waiting outside the old 7/11 (now Smiths) waiting for a friend and the snake fella wandered up to me, snake and all, and asked how long i was going to be there for...

"just a couple of minutes", i said
"perfect - i need some fags". At which he dumped the snake on my head and shoulders and trotted into the shop to buy some..

cheeky fucker

 

[Skim]

I don't want to think about what I'd try to do to his snake if he put it anywhere near me

 

[tarannau]

I suspect you'd drop the snake and go running in the opposite direction.

What you going to do? Give it a chinese burn?

 

[Skim]

I suspect you'd drop the snake and go running in the opposite direction.

What you going to do? Give it a chinese burn?

I think I'd fling it into the road in utter horror. Snakeman wouldn't be too pleased about that, I suspect

 

[Herbsman.]

i was expecting this thread to be one of those jokes but i couldn;t for the life of me think what his name would be

Me too! I was really looking forward to the punchline

 

[riggers]

I also witnessed someone walking out of Balham tube towards Tooting Bec on bank holiday weekend with a python drapped over himself.
The guys was wearing a bright red tracksuit and large raybans, I thought it was a stunt for a tv show...
Seen a guy walking down Brixton High Street with a lizard type creature on his head/face.

 

[linerider]

I'll check out my copy once I've sorted my CDs...

And that's me in the top right hand corner

you can tell it's me as I'm shouting

 

[fogbat]

It's very irresponsible to stick the snake on people without prior permission - it'll stress out the snake as well as potentially scare people. To be honest, I wonder how well the snake handles being carted around the street like that anyway - they're fairly delicate creatures.

That said, the risk of the snake attacking or hurting anyone is still far, far lower than that of a dog attacking someone (and I accept that even that is very unlikely, in most cases).

 

[RushcroftRoader]

Yes children, carrying snakes on your head is not a good idea. Tut tut.

Pythons I dont mind, spiders on the other hand.

[Rushcroft Roader shivers in horror at the thought]

Least it wasn't a "fair dinkum" stingray. Dangerous when provoked I hear!

 

[pooka]

i was expecting this thread to be one of those jokes but i couldn;t for the life of me think what his name would be

"Have you seen a man with a snake on his head?.....

....he's a lot on his mind"

 

[Badger Kitten]

I got a pic with me with a snake on head, as my mobile screensaver. In the background, a tattooed man eating live maggots.


I like snakes.

 

[MullahNasrudin]

Has anyone else seen this man and his pet, or have I completely and utterly lost the plot?

He's brilliant. Fuck having a town crier, Lambeth council should pay the snakeman a stipend to stand around Electric Avenue.

 

[gaijingirl]

That man has been around for ages.. unless it's a new one. I used to see him in Bromley as long ago as 16 or 17 years ago. He would wander around with a snake coiled on his head.

Unless he is the heir of snake head man..

 

[CAM]

Snakey Joe

Snake man aka Snakey Joe has been "performing" in London for years. He's a cabaret artist and performs traditional dance originating from Ghana - with his snake. He's a great dancer and entertainer. Although a tad eccentric, he is actually a really interesting guy with an extraordinary life story. Worth a chat if your not scared of the snakes!

A live act like his went down a treat in the 60's and 70's. I think it must be harder now for the reasons that other posters have mentioned. I'm sure he does scare people with the snake sometimes, but I'm equally sure he never intends to be cruel to either the snake or anyone else.

Whippersnappers in the Lido used to have a huge print of him on the wall - not sure if its still there. He's made the newspapers several times over the years - memorably trying to share the snake with Nelson Mandela when he visited the rec a few years ago. Nowadays he does the photos in the street and still performs occaisionally at clubs, festivals and parties. He did a childrens party for a friend the other day - she said that it was great and the kids had a lovely time with him and the snake.