Before we dive into the meat of this wild story, let’s talk about Bobcat Goldthwait.. Known for his unique, screechy voice and outlandish stage persona, Goldthwait wasn’t just a comedian – he was a performance artist, pushing the envelope in ways that were unheard of in the late 80s and early 90s. His act…raw, unfiltered, and, above all, real. Sounds familiar? That’s because it echoed the spirit of a certain Seattle-based band we all know and love.
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Now, onto the main act: Bobcat Goldthwait and Nirvana. Goldthwait on initially meeting Kurt:
“I’m Bobcat Goldthwait. I was really big in the ’80s. Anyway, I was in Ann Arbor, and I was told that this singer-songwriter guy wanted to meet me. It was Kurt Cobain. Nirvana had just made Bleach.”
“Kurt interviewed me on a college radio station. It was very strange. He was a fan of mine, and he gave me his album.
I listened to it. I was like, Wow, these guys are really good. You know, too bad you’ll never hear from ’em again. A year I was opening for them.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4piCg9aYzo?si=lLwD7Lf3B5KPuNNL]
(Video filmed to promote “In Utero” featuring the pair)
Amidst this chaos (Like setting Jay Leno’s couch on fire), a friendship blossoms between Kurt and Bobcat. Both shared a disdain for the mainstream, a love for the absurd (Also committing lewd acts with Jimmy Kimmel’s fine china), and a desire to shake up the status quo. It was this bond that led to one of the most bizarre yet fitting pairings in rock history: Bobcat Goldthwait opening for Nirvana on their 1993 “In Utero” tour.
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Jay – RockTone
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Sources Cited:
– Kurt Cobain Threatened to Fire Chad Channing… over Bobcat Goldthwait? : General Information, https://consequence.net/2023/07/bobcat-goldthwait-nirvana-kurt-cobain-chad-channing/
– Here’s What Kurt Cobain Originally Wanted To Do For The ‘All Apologies’ Video: Bobcat Quote, https://www.vice.com/en/article/7bmvda/party-legends-episode-6
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