Every local area has its oddballs, and thus Southland Shopping Centre here in Melbourne has the Southland Headphone Guy. Put simply, this is someone who is constantly at Southland, either listening to music on his bright pink headphones, or doing fly kicks. Everyone who works at Southland knows who he is.
All of which would probably not be worth blogging about; except that someone has started a Southland Headphone Guy group on Facebook. It has 1606 members and features photos and video footage.
From the group page:
He is up there with the strange wonders of Southland such as Mono-brow Man, Bee-hive-hair Lady, that strange asian guy that looks like he’s about to go fishing and carries a scooter with him, the middle aged bearded dwarf that always rides his bike around and the guy that looks 110 years old that dresses mighty snappy by always wearing a suit (but has a tie far too long on).
As you can see, some people have gone to the trouble of having their photos taken with him.
Is this stalking, or is it harmless fun?
10 comments
Comments feed for this article
Trackback link
http://myopinionsareimportant.com/2007/09/05/southland-headphones-guy/trackback/
September 7, 2007 at 12:04 pm
themolk
I think every place and social situation needs a “Southland Headphone Guy”. All at once he reminds us of our normality and our insanity, and that whilst we are all the same, we are all so impeccably different.
I really don’t think anyone else want’s this guy’s life. Everyone should be busy enough with their own, but surely we can all punctuate our own lives with our own metaphorical pink headphones, can’t we?
The best part about the picture is that he seems really non-plussed about the press that is starting to spin around him. Like having his photo taken with a complete and totally insane stranger is a massive interruption to his massively busy life.
Gotta love that Southland Headphone Guy… he’s a silent but accurate judge of character.
September 8, 2007 at 6:21 am
PebbleZ Decor
It seams a bit like harrassment to me. No wonder the guy looks so sour about the attention. People aren’t laughing with him they are laughing at him. He is just trying to be himself, and now there are a bunch of people bothering him like he was some sort of side show
September 9, 2007 at 1:18 am
markk
The people involved in this have kept a respectful distance from the most part. In the facebook group forums, someone suggested a group mimic where 30 people would turn up at the Southland food court with pink headphones and blue backpacks, power-walking through the food court as Headphones Guy normally does. This idea was shot down though, as noone wanted to freak SHG out.
So far, whoever is running the Facebook SHG group seems to have kept things above-board and gently humourous rather than nasty.
I can only hope he remains oblivious to the attention, and never stumbles across the Facebook group himself.
Molk, I have a pair of bright green shoes, and they are not in the least metaphorical!
September 10, 2007 at 3:01 pm
themolk
Pink headphones, green shoes… whatever…
…you make the call…
September 11, 2007 at 3:14 am
Dave RH
I’d say it all depends on the headphones guy’s feelings on the subject. If he doesn’t mind or likes the facebook group, then I don’t see a problem with it.
If he finds it offensive or hurtful in anyway, then there is a problem.
May 8, 2008 at 10:23 pm
jacob
ok you are not going to beleive this… I SAW HIM WITHOUT FUCKING HEADPHONES OMG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG I NEARLY EXPLODED it was at a local nightclub near southland called nighthawks nearly oposite bunnings AND I COULD NOT BELEIVE i went up and talked to him he actually seemed like a nicenuff guy he isnt that strange or anything….
May 20, 2008 at 10:34 pm
markk
So, he’s a completely normal guy who turns weird as soon as steps inside the doors of Southland? But of course.
May 29, 2008 at 9:16 pm
ben of cheltenham
Yes he was in love with one of my sis friends and apparently he just walks around sland aimlessly just so he can be remembered when he dies…. He has also changed his headphones, they arn’t pink!!!!!!
May 30, 2008 at 8:08 am
markk
Sounds like there’s more to this than I realised. He’s being remembered all right.
June 1, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Rano11
His a freak, i worked at southland about 8 years ago, and he was there then, what is up with him? i cant believe he is still walking around, he goes from one end the the other all day every day, i think he needs help. or to be put down