While women are not allowed to display their nipples on the omnipresent photo-sharing app Instagram, it’s perfectly acceptable for rock legend Iggy Pop to show off his cockatoo there. Now 68 and possibly on the eve of retirement, the erstwhile James Newton Osterberg Jr. has been known to dote adorably on his pet bird, a stunningly plumed cockatoo cutely named Biggy Pop. Biggy has his own Instagram account, which thus far consists of six short videos showing the bird bonding with its ex-hellion of a master. Devotees of old 1970s cop shows may be reminded of Baretta, the 1975-78 series in which renegade Robert Blake similarly showed his individualism by keeping a cockatoo named Fred as a pet. Pop’s fans, meanwhile, will probably just enjoy the opportunity to catch a glimpse of their hero at home during his off-duty hours.
In one charming vignette, for instance, Biggy Pop gives his owner an “extra special Flintstones shave.”
As one might expect, many of the clips revolve around music. Arguably, the most exciting find here is a black-and-white video in which Pop picks up an acoustic guitar and serenades Biggy with Howlin’ Wolf’s “Little Red Rooster.”
And, while Pop’s own songs (including “Gardenia”) sometime play in the background of these videos, his cockatoo’s musical tastes are diverse enough to encompass a broad range of music. In one memorable clip, man and bird are united by the music of Curtis Mayfield.
[via Pitchfork]