As Billy Penn marks its 10th birthday, we’re celebrating some of the notable Philadelphians who we’ve featured over the years.
From the mysterious Chickenman to sanitation hero Ya Fav Trashman to our regretful former mayor, here are some of the big personalities and change-makers who have graced us with their presence.
Join us on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at WHYY’s studios as we celebrate the past decade of delivering local, independent journalism about and for the people of Philadelphia. Reserve your spot here!
Ya Fav Trashman
Terrill Haigler, aka Ya Fav Trashman, became a media (and social media) star for highlighting the PPE needs of his fellow sanitation workers during the pandemic. He’s been a leading crusader against illegal dumping and for cleaning up Philly’s trash-strewn streets, while running for City Council and writing a children’s book about sanitation along the way.
Conrad Benner
Billy Penn has been writing about curator, podcaster, Streets Dept blogger and street-artist advocate Conrad Benner since 2015, when he rallied more than 60 artists to make colorful and creative “Vote Here” signs for polling places at election time. We watched him spearhead a “Trashcan Takeover” in Center City, advocate for painting the Walt Whitman Bridge with LGBTQ-honoring rainbows, criticize the Dilworth Plaza Starbucks, help organize a pro-vaccination parade, and this year — once again — use art to encourage Philadelphians to vote.
Alex Hillman
In 2006 Alex Hillman founded Indy Hall, now Philly’s oldest co-working space, shepherding it through a rent hike, a relocation, the pandemic and the ups and downs of the co-working economy. A past Billies nominee, he continues to evangelize for the benefits of having an in-person professional community, and to provide a fountain of advice and inspiration for freelancers and small business people. (Also, he somehow managed to have the actual LOVE statue at his wedding??)
The REC Philly guys
Dave Silver and Will Toms started REC in their Temple University basement in 2012, and five years ago opened a 10,000-square-foot space in Market Street’s Fashion District mall with studios for audio/video production, photography, dance, music, and art, along with a 250-person venue. Winners of an award at The Billies in 2019, they offer branding and creative services, a job board, and host performances, workshops for creators, and artist talks.
Albert Lee
Via his ultra-popular @urphillypal Instagram account, Chinatown native Albert Lee champions his neighborhood, promoting its restaurants and other businesses and urging the public to support it through challenges. He’s also a major booster for Philadelphia tourism generally, both personally and through positions he’s held with the Independence Visitor Center and the city, where he’s a creative media specialist for the Office of Innovation and Technology.
Jim Kenney
2020 was tough for a lot of people, including big-city mayors who struggled to manage a storm of unprecedented challenges related to health, the economy, crime, education, the election, and pretty much every other part of life. That December, Max Marin interviewed then-mayor Kenney, reviewed his successes and missteps, and described the criticisms of his past year. “I have a lot of regrets,” Kenney told him.
The Philly Chickenman
Billy Penn broke the story of Alex Tominsky, who invited the world to watch his 40th and final consecutive day eating a whole rotisserie chicken. (We beat the New York Times by a week.) Why was he doing this? “It seemed like the right thing to do,” he told writer Dawn Fallik. Reporter Asha Prihar documented the riotous event on an abandoned pier near the South Philly Walmart, as well as Tominsky’s later work encouraging donations to community fridges.
The women of Philadelphia’s cheesesteak scene
The recent passing of Vonda Bucci, who helped run John’s Roast Pork in South Philly for decades, reminded us of Asha Prihar’s exploration of cheesesteak joints named after men but sustained by hard-working women. In addition to Vonda and Vickie Bucci, she talked to women who have helped bring success to John’s, Pat’s King of Steaks, Barry’s Steaks in Roxborough, and Joe’s Steaks and Soda Shop in Fishtown. (Asha’s now the newsletter editor at City Cast Philly.)
Dave, the West Philly guy who rented a billboard to find a date
Twenty-eight-year-old Dave had fallen into the familiar cycle of downloading the dating apps, having a horrible couple months on them and then deleting them — only to start again after a break. So he and some of his friends decided to pony up for a billboard ad. “Dave is Single!” it reads, over a photo of Dave giving a thumbs-up. “Want to go on a DATE with DAVE?”
