A group of women picket on the sidewalk in front of the Mynah Bird coffeehouse in Yorkville.
1 2017-03-25T16:35:47-07:00 Michael Primiani 44449e594f627232836d68453830fcbcd2b15fc3 15722 2 In the background several men can be seen watching the demonstration from the Penny Farthing coffeehouse. plain 2017-03-25T16:38:12-07:00 Toronto Telegram 1971-03-26 This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from: ascproj@yorku.ca Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, York University Leo Harrison Michael Primiani 44449e594f627232836d68453830fcbcd2b15fc3This page is referenced by:
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Operations of The Mynah Bird: What The People Came to See
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Even though The Mynah Bird featured folk musicians, people came to the venue to experience a very different type of entertainment. A Globe and Mail article described that folk singers (in this case a promising 21 year old man) had to compete for attention with the topless dancers, which was the primary attraction of the venue. After Wyche the topless folk singer was introduced; the folk entertainment switched to mainly half naked females with guitars. Due to this choice in entertainment, owner of The Penny Farthing - John McHugh - explained that Kerr brought the "dirty old men in raincoats brigade" into Yorkville according to Nicholas Jennings.
The company that arrived at The Mynah Bird included the 150 members of the Conservative party of Canada in an event called "Young Tory A-Go-Go" which was touted as a "swinging evening of dancing and go-go girls and then a panel discussion". The hippies and Yorkville regulars gawked at the "clipped and scrubbed" Tories who attended the event to honor the birthday of the provincial Premier John Robarts. The Mynah Bird also hosted guests of the paranormal variety. The book This House Is Haunted: True Encounters with the World Beyond by Hans Holzer explains that Kerr reported lights flickering on and off and voices calling to patrons from the upper floors when there was nobody there.
