Monterey cops bust Hendrix for 'burning a guitar without a permit' (1967)
Revolutionary War rematch! America vs. England II in the War of 1812
Twisted History: June 18, 2025
On this day in 1967, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead and The Who headlined the closing day of the legendary Monterey Pop Festival. After stealing the show with his flaming guitar theatrics, Hendrix was issued a municipal warning for “burning a guitar without a permit.”
On this day in 1812, President James Madison signed a declaration launching the War of 1812, the much-anticipated rematch of the American Revolution. After a bumpy start that included British troops burning down the White House, the U.S. rallied to kick England’s ass again.
On this day in 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Upon her death in 2012, President Obama said that Ride, whose tasks aboard Challenger included operating a robotic arm, “inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars.”
Today’s Birthdays:
Roger Ebert (1942-2013): Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic whose notable reviews included two thumbs up for “Rebel Without a Thumb,” two thumbs down for “Butch Cassidy and the Thumb Dance Kid” and two middle fingers for “To Flip Off a Mockingbird.”
Paul McCartney, 83: elderly Beatle, currently updating some of his best-loved hits to reflect his advanced age: “Help! (I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up),” “Hard Day's Night in the ICU" and “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 94?”
Carol Kane, 73: Oscar-nominated actress, won two Emmys on the beloved sitcom “Taxi” as the girlfriend of Andy Kaufman’s Latka, a gibberish-speaking immigrant who was scripted with multiple-personality disorder so he could play other characters.
(Video: Latka chatting with his psychiatrist)