If you want a license plate that says “FISHBALL” on it, California may not be your cup of tea.
Today in 1875, Walter Chrysler was born, the founder of the car company that bears his name. I bring that up because it’s car-related and therefore an easy transition to the amazing article in LA Magazine about vanity license plates. You can apply for just about any set of numbers and letters to adorn your motor vehicle, so long as they’re not already taken and abide by your state’s rules.
As the article points out, California will reject any vanity plate application with “connotations offensive to good taste and decency.” Even if they’re unintentional – or if they claim to be unintentional. The person who requested “420EDDI” as his plate said “It has no meaning I just want to get it because I like it that’s it” – they didn’t buy it.
And when someone tried to put “FSHBALL” on their vehicle – the DMV’s response was… “Fish… Ball… Some sort of sexual?” That was a no too.
Of course, what one state’s DMV catches, another state might let through. Like the time I saw a license plate in New Hampshire that spelled out – “BCH dash PLZ.”
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, there is a museum dedicated to the world of velvet paintings. The Velveteria goes well beyond the Velvet Elvises and dogs playing poker we all love and brings you velvet Three Stooges, Velvet Miley Cyrus, even Velvet Satan!
But there’s velvet trouble ahead: the museum is having hard times financially. Tt’s doing an online fundraiser and may end up having to sell off some of that sweet, sweet velvet. See the velvet before it goes… wait for it… underground.
The DMV Reviewed Thousands of Hilarious Vanity Plate Applications Last Year. These Are Our Favorites (LA Magazine)
Help Save Velvet Paintings (OK Whatever)
License plate photo by Lynn Friedman via Flickr/Creative Commons
