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April 29th, 2008
08:05 AM ET
Wanted: Roger Waters' pig (reward offered!)How do you lose an inflatable pig that's as big as a two-story house? 
Have you seen this pig? There's a $10,000 reward for its return.
 The big escape happened Sunday in Indio, Calfiornia, on the last night of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters was performing his song, "Pigs," to 50,000 people when a giant balloon in the shape of a 50-foot pig rose from behind the stage and floated above the audience. (Fans will be familiar with such displays going back to Pink Floyd's "Animals" tour in the '70s.) Organizers cut the anchor cables free Sunday night and made plans to retrieve the pig when it landed - but as of late Monday, the inflatable animal has not been located. Now, his owners are offering a $10,000 reward for his safe return, plus lifelong tickets to Coachella for four people. If a 50-foot pig floats by your window, please contact lostpig@coachella.com. The pig can be identified by graffiti on its sides, and the name "Obama" spray-painted on its underbelly. - Denise Quan, CNN Entertainment Producer
Postscript, Wednesday 10:21 a.m. ET: The pig has been found! See this Associated Press article for details.
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What an idiot!!! I love Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, etc... but the PLANNED pig release in Dallas went too far. The pig also broke loose at Coachella and Houston. I was at this show and there were planes flying directly overhead all night long. To pull a political stunt like this (from a non-American nonetheless)and endanger hundreds of lives is reprehensible. Not to mention, I do not care if you like the president and VP or not, but their postion demands respect and I am getting sick of the utter lack of disrespect for the office. The only other thing Waters (a foreigner) could have done worse would be to wipe his a** with a giant American flag and then dangle it off an overpass blocking the vision of drivers below!!!
Pig flew out of Dallas last night, also. I was at Waters' concert in Dallas and the pig was in the arena and at intermission it was loose and headed towards downtown Dallas. Haven't seen any news on that one.
Oh and Eva, Waters has a home in New York and has an American fiance and children so, I think American politics are important to him and he has the right to say whatever he thinks, even without the ties here. Eva-was your father killed in a war when you were 6 months old? Waters' father was. Kind of made him look for different solutions besides attack and slaughter.
I hope the Dallas pig landed safely.
To John Wands....
If you left politics out of rock n' roll, it wouldn't be rock n roll.
I let a balloon go in Des Moines, IA with a letter attached to it – and it made it's way to someone's driveway in Pittsburgh, PA.....So, I'm going to keep my eyes open here in the Midwest for a floating piggy.
Bill – "Momentary Lapse" was a gem. I still listen to it today. Better than "Final Cut"!
anyone got pictures of the tore up pig they found today?
Mitchell April 29th, 2008 10:18 am ET
I think he’s about a year away from doing the casino tours with Three Dog Night. But seriously, quit playing Gilmours music and go away already Roger.
Mitchell,
Pick up a Pink Floyd album for the first time in your life. Roger Waters wrote all that music. David Gilmour is a genius with a guitar, but after they split, Floyd the albums were marinal at best. Sad but true.
Anti-capitalist. Indeed.
We get the free speech but enough already – it's so old and tired with the Bush bashing... You need a new pig next year anyways to paint more bs on it. Shut up and play your music.
Its just a little spraypainty, it's still good, its still good!
Roger...you're a pig!
"The Final Cut should have cleared this up, as should have masterpieces like The Bravery of Being Out of Range." should have, if anyone but you owned the album.
maybe people just want to enjoy a concert for its music... not for a gigantor obama pig flying overheaed.
"Pigs in Space............!"
I was watching the movie "Children of Men" last night and saw the pig flying proudly over Battersea Power Station right where it belongs!
MMMMMMMMMM......bacon
I wanna see the pig! But, it probably popped!
http://www.celebrityprayerlist.com
Spoiled, Spoiled kids.
In my day, we had to watch Diamond Dave strut around in hotpants or butt-less chaps. We never got the privledge to watch a floating pig with political messaging attached................
Just the noise pollution created by a wall of amps, no balloonage.
Sean, good points.
People like Waters seem to freak out the lapel pin flag patriots (or, in my area, the kind who put a Power of Pride bumper sticker they got at Lowe's on their cars but aren't registered to vote) who truly can't have an informed conversation about the real viewpoints of our Founding Fathers, the Constitution or the true meaning of democracy.
This group, I've found, is easily threatened, generally ill-informed and quick to attack anyone with contrary views to their own while at the same time bleating about "freedom."
As for all conversations about Waters eventually being about Gilmour too...no question that it gets old! They're both fantastic artists but fans like to debate I guess.
1. Roger Waters does, indeed , live here in the US. He has called Long Island, New York, his home for many years now.
2. Why the need to specify that the inflatible pig has the word "OBAMA" printed underneath it? How many pigs are floating around out there that you'd have to check to see if its the right one?
3. Why does every discussion relating to Pink Floyd ultimately break down into an argument about Roger Waters vs. Dave Gilmour??
By the way, this is not the first time a Pink Floyd pig has been cut loose by accident...
I saw the pig fly by!!! It was being chased by an inflatable butcher that had Clinton spray painted on its foot!!!
Roger Waters is such a ham.
Think of all those ribs! Who needs Costco?
I love how egomanical some Americans can be...Waters' probably knows more about American politics than half the people in this country and does reside in this country.
I saw his show last year in the Netherlands, it was the most spectacular performance I have ever witnessed, by a once-in-a-lifetime performer and poet.
Roger's lyrics are a critique on the perils and pitfalls of life in an industrialized world, a living commentary on what it is like to at once have everything and nothing it all.
Even if he was a communist (which he is obviously not), why does that matter? We are supposed to live in a country where all people with every kind of political view is allowed to live and let their voice be heard. The pig is a symbol of greed and pork belly politics, the fact that it is spray-painted with messages is only half the point.
And when your hand is on your heart
You're nearly a good laugh
Almost a joker
With your head down in the pig bin
Saying keep on digging
Pig stain on your fat chin
What do you hope to find?
He lives in New York City and has for several years.
Gilmour's music? Are you kidding me? Look at the writing credits on everything from Meddle to the Final Cut. Read interviews with Gilmour- he readily gives credit where it is due. Dust off your copy of Momentary Lapse of Reason you bought at the Nice Price and have a nice day.
Eva is deeply offended by an englishman who makes any assertion about U.S. the political process. If I were her I would be more upset I sahred a first name with Hitler's Mistress.
Gary Smith thinks shouting "Don't save the Queen" will not allow you to get very far. I suggest he make the trip himself and see exactly how far the English would let him get considering they wouldn't give a toss. Only Americans take silly comments as serious and offensive.
Randy is worried about the pigs carbon footprint! The real carbon footprint problem he should be worried about is the fact the people like him, Eva, and Gary are allowed to breed unchecked.
Save the planet and stopping breeding so much! Too many people is what the problem is!
Of course I am no way being serious. This hole discussion started because of a giant inflatable PIG!
Isabel...do your homework before you post something like that...
Roger Waters is not a communist! He actually even played a concert to commemorate the fall of communism in Berlin. The Wall live in Berlin. I believe his father (possibly his mother...) was a communist, but Roger is not. However, he is a pacifist, like his father.
He's also been known to constantly encourage Democrats to vote. So, if you're one of those ignorant people that considers Democrats to be communists, then, yeah, he's a communist.
Also, I can't believe this didn't occur to me before...to those of you saying he has no right to voice his opinion because he's a foreigner...He currently resides in the US (Long Island, NY)! I think he has a very direct reason and right to comment on our and his political system.
I think they are going about this the wrong way. All they need to do is release an inflatable dog and follow it. Its got to be able to pick out the easy meat.
Gary,
As an English woman, I don't really think anyone would bat an eye lid if you went into an English pub and shouted "don't save the Queen." Us Brits aren't as easliy offended!! If you look back to the time when Pink Floyd were playing in the 70's it was all about political unrest and they always protested about something. America is the great melting pot and has always been about immigrants and people coming together from different nations. I am a foreigner as you put it and I live over here. If people here hate their heritage so much, then why is it that I meet lots of Americans, born here, who claim to be Italian or Greek?
For all you know, Roger Waters could live over here and be a tax paying citizen.
I think he's about a year away from doing the casino tours with Three Dog Night. But seriously, quit playing Gilmours music and go away already Roger.
I have filled my backyard pool with 8,742 gallons of KC Masterpiece Bold 'n Spicy BBQ Sauce, and anxiously await the arrival of the pig.
about time someone in the more mainstream of popular music started making overt politcal statements(granted floyd ventured further and further into politics after syd left)....then again, after all, its no use banging your head against some mad buggers wall...
If you didn't care, what happened to me. And I didn't care, for you. We were zig zag away, through the boredom and pain, occasionally glancing up through the rain. Wondering, which of the buggers to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.
I hope Roger has a new pig in Dallas Friday night when I fly there to see him....which is a huge treat for me.
Please continue to speak out, Roger, it is part of what has made you great all these years.
Anyone surprised by Waters making left-leaning political statements has clearly never listened to the vast majority of the lyrics he's penned.
The Final Cut should have cleared this up, as should have masterpieces like The Bravery of Being Out of Range. His political passsion is what makes his music resonate. If you don't like it, great, that too is free-speech in action, but don't act surprised. Have you tried country music?
I'm always amazed at people who go to a Roger Waters concert and then complain that he's making political statements...Roger Waters' whole career is a political statement! Eva, you sure pay a lot for tickets to see Roger Waters without having any idea what he's about...
Next, You're certainly entitled to be offended, and he's certainly entitled to say "Impeach Bush" anyways. That's the cool thing about Free Speech...you've heard of that, right?
Finally, what is the deal with everyone getting offended when people from other countries comment on our leaders? Our press and leaders are constantly and publicly bashing other countries leaders. Why do we get the free pass and no one else can have that recourse? That's exactly why people hate America...people with your mentality arrogantly hold such double standards and think that only your opinions matter. Eva, why don't you go to a Toby Keith concert or something?
Leave Eva alone! I, for one, TOTALLLY AGREE with her comments. We broke away from England over 200 years ago so that we could set up a government for ourselves. I would suggest you go into an English pub and shout out "DON'T save the Queen!" and see how far you get with that! We don't need foreigners meddling in our politics....Last time I checked they have their own house to maintain.
I like that mentality. Means that the world can shut up about Free Tibet since apparently the only ones that can care or do anything about it are Chinese and Tibetians.
But you know, you are right, our government doesnt listen to us, so we dont want to run the risk of them listening to foreigners.
ooohhhh noeeesss....
I agree with Eva 100%. I saw Roger in Manassas, Virginia about two yrs. ago. If you read his biography I think he is a Communist. He does have the freedom of speech but it was really crude how he talked about the US especially since he was capitalizing on us for all the $75.00 tickets!!
In response to: "I was at a Roger Waters concert where he flew this pig marked “impeach Bush”. I was deeply offended that an Englishman would have the audacity to make any assertion about our political process."
We are the current superpower, our FAR reaching hands effect EVERY person in EVERY country of the world. I fully expect the entire world to have hopes and opinions about our political process.
And especially an Englishman, whose leader betrayed an entire population who voted for him by completely going against public opinion and putting their troops into OUR war because Bush asked him to.
We have the incredible power to make leaders all over the world do our bidding, of COURSE people have an opinion about our political process.
Steve Pilant:
Learning to Fly was sang by David Gilmour. A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first CD that PF put out after Roger left...
Oh and to whoever said "how dare an Englishman talk about our country/politics," What are we doing in Iraq? Controlling their country, and their politics.
Eva, Get off the interweb. You are part of what is wrong with America.
Question – because pigs are flying does that mean the Cubs will win the world series?
In response to Eva- Roger Waters has every right to say what he wants about our president. So it's not ok for someone from another country to say bad things about our president, but it is ok for our president to start wars and remove leaders from other countries at his own free will? Will Americans ever wake up and realize that we don't rule the world.... I guess maybe when pigs fly.
mmm.......bacon
Why can Roger speak about our politics? (directed to EVA) Because AMERICAN politic affect the world. Not just the United States, BUT THE WHOLE WORLD! Drop the ego and understand that people who are passionate will speak his/her mind.
Good for Roger!
Ha Ha charade you are! This is nearly a laugh, but it's really a cry.
Eva – Actually, generally American beliefs extend freedom of speech to non-Americans, even Englishmen. You might not like musicians, especially foreign ones, making political comments, but you are also free to ignore them, or not go to their concerts and buy their music. I do agree that putting "Obama" or "Impeach Bush" on the bottom of a flying pig is a pretty ineffective way to make a point, but Waters is certainly entitled to do it.
huh? someone deeply offened roger waters put 'impeach bush' on the pig because he is an englishman and not a us citizen(as far as you know)? if the US has the right to invade other countries, than some old englishman certianly has the right to put 'impeach bush ' on his inflatable pig.
AND last i checked, any good rock and roll usually has politics attached to it.
Hey, G.
Do you mean "on the lam"???
Pig, I thought that was Gilmour?
Free Speech, Anyone !! ( about the political comments )
Think of the Monks in Tibet and what China is doing
What strange times we live in, INDEED !!!
When pigs fly..........
Hey Eva, have you ever heard a Pink Floyd song? Do you know who Roger Waters is? How can you complain about his statements on current American politics? That is who he is. If you go to a show where Roger Waters is performing, then you will hear and see some sort of political bashing going on. You must have wanted to hear Another Brick in the wall pt.3. The only song you knew by them , I suspect...
Simpsons did it!!! I saw this exact thing on the Simpsons... It happens in the episode where Homer joins a Lollapalooza-style concert tour as a "freak" who gets hit with canon balls... I believe he accidentally releases Peter Frampton's inflatable pig, which sails away... Weird! Is this life imitating art? 😉
I saw it, "floating down, through the clouds", "in the space between the heavens and the corner of some foreign field". Imade it all the way to Canada.
Eva,though Im a David Gilmour fan,not a Roger Waters fan,I think every person on the planet should be allowed to express their political views on whomever leads OUR country.Afterall,OUR leader impacts many nations on this planet,both in a positive and sometimes negitive way.We are world leaders,so the world should have some say in it even though it is not through a vote.As far as the pig goes...if its the same one I saw in 1975,how in the world can you lose sight of it.The thing is gargantuan not to mention,anatomically correct.
I think it's quite obvious that the pig ascended up to heaven. Pigs are known for their post-life harp skills.
What kind of jackass would cut the cables????
First the Eagles make hell freeze, and now Roger makes pigs fly? Darn, I should have never dropped out of marching band...
I saw roger perform a very similar set about a year and a half ago. During sheep another pig was let loose to fly around manassas va. I'm pretty sure Roger has multiple pigs to fly, (I seriously doubt he's hunting for this one specifically)
Why can't you keep politics out of Rock in Roll?????
Hope you find your pig Obama.
Pigs on the lamb is more like it!
The Coachella community around Indio, Calif., is still buzzing about the three-day music fest, Prince's Saturday night concert, Waters' show...and the missing pig! If you didn't make it to the desert, check out photos of Waters' performance...and check out the flying pig!
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=J1&Date=20080426&Category=EVENTS17&ArtNo=804260804&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=253
I'll keep my eyes on the circling skies, tongue-tied and twised just an earthbound misfit, I...
Shine on Roger...shine on...
Pigs on the wing. Gotta love it.
I was at a Roger Waters concert where he flew this pig marked "impeach Bush". I was deeply offended that an Englishman would have the audacity to make any assertion about our political process. It was rude, inappropriate and very disrespectful. Americans are free to have discourse about OUR political leaders, but musicians from other countries. What makes him worthy of a bully pulpit in America? I am glad his stupid pig is missing.
Don't your killing me over here...lol Listen if I saw a flying pig over two stories high ( just a flying pig otta do it) it would take $10,000.00 (reward) just for the therpy...
The pig probably fell in the ocean and as we speak, dolphins and sperm whales are thrashing about in the throes of death, wrapped hopelessly in this huge pink plastic wad.
And what about the carbon footprint this inflated bag of poison is leaving on our beleaguered planet. Yeah...what about that?
Nice going Roger.
I saw it! I saw the pig through my front window. It made it all the way to Atlanta! No....No.... Sorry, it was my ex.....