Ripley’s is creating life-size figures of a man who has transformed himself into a reptile
ORLANDO, Fla. – (Aug. 27, 2010) – The headline sounds as if it’s been ripped from the Weekly World News: “Caught on video: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! creates wax figure of half-man, half-lizard!”
But this is a true story.
The F/X experts at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! are creating wax figures of Erik Sprague – aka “Lizardman.”
Sprague is a performance artist who has turned himself into a reptile. He has a forked tongue, pointy teeth and is covered in scales, thanks to several hundred hours of tattooing. He says his body-based performance art has been to explore what it means to be human and differentiate himself from other humans.
The Ripley’s F/X team is taking body casts of Sprague this week, the first step in creating Lizardman life-size figures for several Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museums.
To view downloadable images and videos of the casting process, as well as Sprague talking with Edward Meyer, Ripley’s VP of Exhibits & Archives, about why he has turned himself into a human lizard, go to http://www.ripleysnewsroom.com/lizardman-wax/
Media contact:
Tim O’Brien
VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment Inc.
Office – 615-646-7465
Cell – 615-496-5949
About Ripley Entertainment
Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com), keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand, is a global leader in location-based entertainment, entertaining more than 13 million annually at its 80 attractions in 11 countries. In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.