Jello Biafra 1979

Jello Biafra is an American singer, musician, political activist, and spoken word artist. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk band the Dead Kennedys and is the founder of the independent record label Alternative Tentacles. In 1979 he made a run for mayor of San Francisco. Although completely serious about becoming a political figure, his platform included unconventional points such as forcing businessmen to wear clown suits within city limits; erecting statues of Dan White (the man who assassinated Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978) around the city and allowing the parks department to sell eggs and tomatoes with which people could pelt the statues; hiring workers who'd lost their jobs due to a tax initiative to panhandle in wealthy neighborhoods (including Dianne Feinstein's); and a citywide ban on cars. Biafra has expressed irritation that these parts of his platform attained such notoriety, preferring instead to be remembered for serious proposals such as legalizing squatting in vacant, tax-delinquent buildings and requiring police officers to run for election by the people of the neighborhoods they patrol. He finished third out of a field of ten, receiving 3.79% of the vote (6,591 votes); the election ended in a runoff that did not involve him (Feinstein was declared the winner). Biafra is still an admired and active figure in music and social commentary today.