Rollen Stewart
Encyclopedia
Rollen Frederick Stewart (born February 19, 1944), also known as Rock 'n' Rollen and Rainbow Man, was a fixture in American
sports culture best known for wearing a rainbow
-colored afro
-style wig and, later, holding up signs reading "John 3:16
" at stadium
sporting events around the United States and overseas in the 1970s and 1980s.
, Stewart became a born-again Christian obsessed with "getting the message out" via television. His first major appearance was at the 1977 NBA Finals
; by the time of the 1979 MLB All-Star Game
, broadcasters actively tried to avoid showing him. He "appeared behind NFL goal posts, near Olympic medal stands, and even at the Augusta National Golf Club
." At the 1982 Indianapolis 500
, he was behind the pits of race winner Gordon Johncock
. Stewart would strategically position himself for key shots of plays or athletes. Stewart's fame led to a Budweiser
beer commercial and a Saturday Night Live
parody sketch, where he was portrayed by Christopher Walken
.
Stewart was briefly jailed by Moscow
police at the 1980 Summer Olympics
. In the late 1980s, he began a string of stink bomb
attacks. Targets included Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral
, the Orange County Register, the Trinity Broadcasting Network
, and a Christian bookstore. The stated intent of an attempted attack at the American Music Awards
was to show the public that "God thinks this stinks."
in 1984. They began traveling across the country together in 1985. While on the road, they married in St. Louis in 1986. However, the marriage was somewhat rocky, in part due to his violent mood swings. During the 1986 World Series
, Hockridge said that Stewart tried to choke her for standing in the wrong spot with a John 3:16 sign. They divorced in 1990, but they kept in touch for many years.
hotel during which he entered a vacant room with two men he was attempting to kidnap and surprised a maid who then locked herself in the bathroom. Reportedly, Stewart believed that the Rapture
was due to arrive in six days. During the standoff, he threatened to shoot at airplanes taking off from nearby Los Angeles International Airport
, and covered the hotel room windows with "John 3:16" placards.
Stewart is currently serving three consecutive life sentences in prison on kidnapping charges, having rejected a plea deal of 12 years in order to spread his message in open court. After being sentenced, he began a religious tirade and had to be restrained by bailiffs. He became eligible for parole in 2002, but was denied as recently as September 2005. After this conviction, he was found guilty of four stink bomb attacks.
Stewart ran a blog
until the time of his parole denial. He is the subject of the 1997 documentary Rainbow Man by Sam Green
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports culture best known for wearing a rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
-colored afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
-style wig and, later, holding up signs reading "John 3:16
John 3:16
John 3:16 is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Christian Bible, and has been called the most famous Bible verse...
" at stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
sporting events around the United States and overseas in the 1970s and 1980s.
Publicity
Apparently at first just in it for the publicityPublicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
, Stewart became a born-again Christian obsessed with "getting the message out" via television. His first major appearance was at the 1977 NBA Finals
1977 NBA Finals
The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1976-77 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference played against the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their 4 regular season meetings had been...
; by the time of the 1979 MLB All-Star Game
1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 50th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 17, 1979, at The Kingdome in Seattle, Washington the home of the...
, broadcasters actively tried to avoid showing him. He "appeared behind NFL goal posts, near Olympic medal stands, and even at the Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
." At the 1982 Indianapolis 500
1982 Indianapolis 500
The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously won the rain-shortened 1973 race, was the winner...
, he was behind the pits of race winner Gordon Johncock
Gordon Johncock
Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."...
. Stewart would strategically position himself for key shots of plays or athletes. Stewart's fame led to a Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
beer commercial and a Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
parody sketch, where he was portrayed by Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
.
Stewart was briefly jailed by Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
police at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. In the late 1980s, he began a string of stink bomb
Stink bomb
A stink bomb or stinkbomb is a device designed to create an unpleasant smell. They range in effectiveness from simple pranks to military grade or riot control chemical agents.The Guinness Book of Records lists two smelliest substances...
attacks. Targets included Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral
Crystal Cathedral
The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant Christian church building in the city of Garden Grove, in Orange County, California, United States. It is the headquarters and principal place of worship for Crystal Cathedral Ministries, a church founded in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller and affiliated with the...
, the Orange County Register, the Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
, and a Christian bookstore. The stated intent of an attempted attack at the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
was to show the public that "God thinks this stinks."
Personal life
He was married four times, most notably to Margaret Hockridge. The two met at a church in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1984. They began traveling across the country together in 1985. While on the road, they married in St. Louis in 1986. However, the marriage was somewhat rocky, in part due to his violent mood swings. During the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
, Hockridge said that Stewart tried to choke her for standing in the wrong spot with a John 3:16 sign. They divorced in 1990, but they kept in touch for many years.
Arrest and lifetime imprisonment for kidnapping
Stewart was arrested in 1992 after a standoff in a CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
hotel during which he entered a vacant room with two men he was attempting to kidnap and surprised a maid who then locked herself in the bathroom. Reportedly, Stewart believed that the Rapture
Rapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
was due to arrive in six days. During the standoff, he threatened to shoot at airplanes taking off from nearby Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, and covered the hotel room windows with "John 3:16" placards.
Stewart is currently serving three consecutive life sentences in prison on kidnapping charges, having rejected a plea deal of 12 years in order to spread his message in open court. After being sentenced, he began a religious tirade and had to be restrained by bailiffs. He became eligible for parole in 2002, but was denied as recently as September 2005. After this conviction, he was found guilty of four stink bomb attacks.
Stewart ran a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
until the time of his parole denial. He is the subject of the 1997 documentary Rainbow Man by Sam Green
Sam Green
Sam Green is a San Francisco-based documentary filmmaker. His film, The Weather Underground, was nominated for an Academy Award in 2004, broadcast nationally on PBS, and included in the Whitney Biennial.- Life :...
.
External links
- Rollen Stewart at the Straight DopeStraight DopeThe Straight Dope is a popular question-and-answer newspaper column published in the Chicago Reader, syndicated in thirty newspapers in the United States and Canada, as well as being available and archived at the .-Newspapers:...
(1987) - Rollen Stewart at the Straight DopeStraight DopeThe Straight Dope is a popular question-and-answer newspaper column published in the Chicago Reader, syndicated in thirty newspapers in the United States and Canada, as well as being available and archived at the .-Newspapers:...
(1997 update) - Los Angeles Times May 19, 2008 http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-sp-crowe19-2008may19,0,538254.column