Firstly, this will offend a lot of people out there, especially those that are sensitive to items with more colourful language. If you regularly use the phrase 'potty mouth' I suggest you leave this page immediately.
I've backed a few Kickstarter books, and this has to be my favourite so far. Mostly because I can't imagine a publisher ever have the balls to put this out. The most surprising thing about this fabulous book full of Mr Bingo's spectacularly foul mouthed (yet somehow poignant) postcards is the production quality. It's gorgeous!! From the cloth bound with a foil embossed cover of an octopus giving you the V sign, through to the card bookmark, dedication and 'Hall of Twats' section for the backers. Also had best postage label, pretty sure it set off a few flags coming through international post to the US. On top of that it's a hefty tome, a good inch and half thick - best postcard book ever. Added bonus for the Kickstarter campaign was the 'dedication' and this print:
Some of the 'crap postcards' and Mr Bingo vitriol are sublime and some of the insults are truly horrifying (see Fat Jimmy Saville below). Why does this exist? Why did people pay for these insults? I'm not sure, but I'm so pleased they did. But as for Mr Bingo's rationale here's how he introduces the project:
I love post and I'm worried that people don't get enough 'fun' post these days.
Especially postcards.
So I had an idea. It's very simple.
You send me fifty quid (plus postage) and I'll send you a vintage postcard with a
drawing and an offensive message on it. (that's why it's called 'Hate mail').
So you get an original signed drawing, the postman get's a laugh and the world
get's a little bit happier.
I was in a quandary about posting images from the book as the individuals who 'requested' or at least received a piece of Mr Bingo's hate mail have their names and addresses shown on all the postcards. Of course any postcard publicly displays the name and address of the recipient and I think they knew what they were getting in to.
In the images below I've chosen to blur/edit/crop out as much of the personal information as possible, so at least I'm not publishing their names and addresses on the web.
Hate Mail: The Definitive Collection by Mr Bingo is brilliant. It's foul mouth, irreverent and puerile, and a fantastic addition to my library. It will sit proudly on my bookshelf next to A Decade in the Shit House by Modern Toss.
Grab a copy from Mr Bingo: http://www.mr-bingo.org.uk/