In Memoriam: Kinky Friedman Kinky Friedman, the singular songwriter, sharp satirist, prolific novelist, gubernatorial candidate, and cigar-chewing dog rescuer, has died. He was seventy-nine. “Kinky has left the building,” longtime friend Cleve Hattersley posted on social media. “We knew it was imminent when we stopped at the ranch to play for him ten days ago. We could see he was miserable

but we could also see the guy we’ve known as a best pal for half a century was still there appreciating our schtick and shedding a tear over our rendition of his song ‘Marilyn and Joe.’” “Adios, Kinky Friedman,” Texas-based author Joe Nick Patoski posted. “You lit up the world while managing to drop insults and make us laugh.