In the late 1950s, a political action group called the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (SINA) was formed to address the grave issue of animals walking around in their natural, nude state. SINA’s founder, G. Clifford Prout Jr., believed this indecency corrupts children and society. Prout and SINA pushed for all animals over 4 inches tall and 6 inches long to be clothed.
SINA quickly gained over 50,000 members who helped spread its message. Members picketed zoos for allowing naked animals to be viewed, and they would make “citizen’s arrests” of neighbors walking their dogs without pants. SINA even protested outside the White House to get the government involved.
The Big Reveal
Prout and SINA produced pamphlets, books, records, and even songs to convince the public. Prout appeared on national TV, including Walter Cronkite’s CBS show, to explain the need for pants on animals. However, a CBS staffer realized Prout was actually a brand new comedian named Buck Henry.
It turned out that SINA was an elaborate prank pulled off by Alan Abel. In the 1940s, Abel was disgusted when he saw people angry about witnessing two cows mating. He thought their reaction was ridiculous, so he started SINA to poke fun at people’s prudishness.
Abel got comedian Buck Henry to pose as the fictional G. Clifford Prout Jr. They fooled the media and public, getting national attention. Many SINA members kept campaigning even once it was exposed, unaware it was a hoax.
Life After SINA
After SINA, Abel continued pulling off similar hoaxes and pranks for decades. He formed fake schools to teach ridiculous things, pretended to be fictional presidential candidates, and appeared in disguise on game shows. In 1979, he faked his own death before revealing he was still alive days later.
Abel’s daughter eventually made a documentary about her father’s lifelong hobby of pranking people. She revealed that Abel never worked and lived with his wife out of a storage unit. But Abel found joy in his creative hoaxes, choosing amusement over steady money and housing. Even in old age, he maintained his enthusiasm and humor.
Conclusion
So, the peculiar story of SINA really began because one bored prankster saw the humor in putting pants on animals. While silly, Abel’s hoaxes exposed people’s tendencies to react strongly to harmless things. The absurdity of SINA encouraged society to lighten up and not take everything so seriously. Abel will be remembered for relentlessly pursuing whimsical entertainment over practical concerns like income or housing.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning and laughing a lot while you do, you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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