In early December 2K11 Gary Busey attended an annual DC metro area Holiday Party for a meet and greet session. He also threw his hat into the political arena while in our Nation’s Capital. He wants to be a political motivational speaker. I kid you not. And you’re absolutely kidding yourself if you think you would not listen to Gary F’n Busey pontificate on anything. If he did a lecture on meatball sandwiches (“Utah, get me two!”) I would be all ears. Dude is insanely awesome.

550Easy was also in attendance and trying to share the arm crush with the man who has apparently cheated death a few times. Unlike Mr. Belding (Photo: Dennis Haskins) the year prior, Busey had no desire to show his BIG smile for a arm crush picture. I’ll assume I needed blonde hair and a more flattering figure. We squeezed in a shot, which didn’t sit well with my man and I’ll leave it to this “anonymous partygoer” interviewed by Fishbowl DC (see bottom of article) to describe the interaction:

“One thing I wish you’d seen — Gary Busey schooling the guy in the rabbit suit. Apparently he posed like Tim Tebow with Busey in the background for a photograph(Click Here). Busey flipped out and started shouting at his publicist to take the film away (surprising in a digital age). Publicist was slow to respond; Busey gets up like he’s going to fight the guy! Somehow the picture is deleted — didn’t see if it was by bunny-suited guy or a friend — and it is proven to publicist that the photo is gone. “Rabbitman” is dragged away by friends, acting belligerent like he wants to fight Busey (at this point, the suit is half off; he’s pink-panted from the waist down). Busey starts to calm down, but the line of people waiting to chat with him has thinned out of fear. Busey looked like a rabid dog (more than usual). He’s placated with a blond woman who is handpicked by the publicist to be next, despite not being in line.”

A few comments: I guess since I was kneeling it is considered Tebowing. Sidebar: If Tim Tebow Arm Crushed while Tebowing I wonder if Sportscenter would dedicate 24 hours to the most famous Bronco since OJ’s car? Maybe that is why he lost to the Patriots? Tebowing alone just didn’t have sustainable heavenly touchdown power. Moving on…the Rabbit costume was obviously in honor of A Christmas Story (Photo: Ralphie), but Busey may have thought I was a real 6’2 Bunny, a’la Harvey. 550Easy did not want or even attempt to fight Busey. His crazy eyes alone are enough to keep a sane person at bay. However, 550Easy will gladly stick with this story as it’s fun to have an arch enemy!

Gary Busey is 550

This is a true story of a close friend of mine who used the arm crush to turn his enemies into drinking buddies.

- John A. from New Jersey

We were waiting in line to enter a bar/club where you needed to take an elevator to get to the main floor.  My friend Jim started bouncing around (he is a very animated drinker) and verbally baiting two gentlemen in front of us and one of which was easily 6’8″.  They definitely didn’t care for his excitement or boisterous personality.  Also, the bouncer was starting to eyeball us but, thankfully, my other buddy with us had grown up in the area and knew the bouncer from high school.  That allowed us to jump the line, which only upset the other two gentlemen in front of us all the more.  After just a few minutes inside, Jim disappeared, until we spotted him getting into the elevator with the two other clearly annoyed gentlemen in question.  I will never forget the giant, unaware grin on Jim’s face and the contrasting expressions on the other two dudes’ faces as my buddy and I tried to dash that way but failed to get there before the elevator door closed.  After waiting for the next elevator, we reached the upstairs bar, and again, after searching the bar, Jim was nowhere to be found.  Unfortunately, either were the other guys.  Upon questioning the bartender, he informed us that there was a “private party” in the back and no, we couldn’t go back there.  I tried to explain that we were just looking for our friend and my pleas were falling on deaf ears until I described Jim and explained that he might be with two other guys who were not his biggest fans.  The immediate recognition in the bartender’s face was troubling, as was his response – oh, that guy?  Yeah – you better go check on him.

I slowly worked my way back thinking this could get ugly.  When I made it back to the private party I knew that Jim was completely out of place…definitely not his element. However, at that moment Jim ripped out the arm crush and attitudes changed instantly. Those two dudes who clearly wanted nothing to do with Jim other than rearranging his face were now his best friends.

I will confirm, without question, that the arm crush saved Jim’s life that particular evening.  And perhaps mine.

So here I am……a 6 foot tall, 33 year old insurance agent with a jump shot handed down from god himself. Business has been slow and with economy struggling the way it is I feel like a change is definitely in order. The most logical solution? Try out for the Philadelphia 76’ers. I mean, why should I let not playing organized basketball at any level stop me from fulfilling my dreams? And I have to be better than Jodie Meeks. I just have to. So I head down to their practice facility last week to show them what I got. Turns out, they were on a road trip and the only person there was the guy waxing the gym floor. I tell him to hold onto his Mop & Glow and proceed to put on a shooting display that actually woke up Sleepy Floyd. Top of the key, the elbow, the corner…it didn’t matter…it all went in. The janitor stops me after about 4 hours and says I definitely have what It takes and he was gonna go in the back to draw up the papers. I couldn’t believe it…..but on second thought, I totally could cause I’m really awesome at basketball. So while I’m waiting for the guy to come back with my contract offer, I decide to pop $1.25 in the vending machine and grab a Glacier Freeze Gatorade…you know…to quench that deep down body thirst. So I twist the top off and Arm Crush the nuts off of that thing in celebration of a job well done. Suddenly, the janitor taps me on the shoulder, which completely startled me. So mid crush, I lose control of the Gatorade, spilling a few drops right in between the two of us, completely ruining the guy’s brand new wax job. He rips up the contract, and my dreams of playing in the NBA, right in my face and storms out of the gym. Thanks 550.

550 Easy might be considered a way of life. It keeps people dominating, happy, nourished and even fit. Applebee’s got on board recently after some insider strong arming. 550 is always looking out for your best interests. Check out the most recent collaborative marketing campaign…and then go crush a drink and a steak

Crushin’ Applebee’s

550 Easy has done it once again. Yes, an overly bad sequel to the classic infiltration of a Taco Bell commercial. This time Peggy was hired as a secret double agent to once again promote 550 Easy via a Discover Card spot. No arm crushing (yet), but still a win for 550.

Check out the subliminal message below. And remember – don’t deny 550 because a small army is growing. Get on board.

550 Crushing Another Commercial