Dick Assman

Richard Arthur Assman (February 14, 1934 – August 15, 2016) was a Canadian gas station employee whose name propelled him to celebrity status across North America for four months in 1995.

Career

In 1995, Assman moved from working at one Petro-Canada station to another. The latter station's owner took out an advertisement in the local newspaper that was sent anonymously to David Letterman, who was amused by Assman's name.<ref name="Retirement">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Assman was introduced on July 24, 1995, on the Late Show with David Letterman, where he was a nightly feature for about a month. During this time, he was known as "Assman the Gasman".<ref name="gasman">Template:Cite news</ref>

Live field units in Canada interviewed him for the show. Over the weeks, Joe Namath declared himself an "Ass-maniac", while Assman received a musical tribute from Tony Orlando<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> on Letterman:

<poem>

Northgate Petro-Canada Oh, they're relocating Their new office at Victoria Square They're celebrating Oh vaya con dios, Dick Assman Vaya con dios, my love

</poem>

As his fame grew,<ref name="assmania10">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="gasman"/><ref name="pal">Template:Cite news</ref> Vancouver polling company Angus Reid Public Opinion reported that 49 percent of surveyed Canadians in September 1995 had heard of his name.<ref name="luscombe">Template:Cite news</ref> He received a request to judge a bikini contest in August 1995 for the Janetville Jamboree and Truck Pull in Janetville, Ontario.<ref name="gasman" /> "Assmania" came to a close in August when Assman visited the Ed Sullivan Theater and was presented with a bouquet of roses by Letterman.<ref name="visit1">Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 1995, James Blanchard, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, paid a visit to Assman at his gas station, citing his status as "an international celebrity".<ref name="inter">Template:Cite news</ref>

Dick Assman himself, who took all this ribbing good-naturedly, pronounced his name "oss-man".<ref name="Retirement"/>

Personal life

Assman was born in Neudorf, Saskatchewan, to Adolf and Elizabeth Assman.<ref name="Obituary">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He died on August 15, 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

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