Baba Wa Simba February 1995, London, England On February 17, 1995, Baba Wa Simba (a.k.a. Joey Skaggs) pulled up in a black limousine and checked into the London Metropole Hotel. He was to meet with his London Pride the next day and meet the press soon after. Born the son of American missionary parents in Kenya, Baba Wa Simba, Swahili for the Lion King, had grown up with the Masai at a lion sanctuary. After his parents were killed and eaten by lions, Baba Wa Simba came to America and traveled from city to city. Wherever he went he was drawn to disenfranchised and troubled youth. Because of his unusual background, he found he had a gift to share. So, over time, he developed his own philosophic approach to therapy, to heal the wounded animal within. His philosophy took hold. Mimicking the behavior of lions, he formed prides of troubled inner city youth around the world. Groups of young men and women would gather together for roarings. In a circle, on all fours, they would begin with low guttural growls and work up to full throated roars. Baba would throw meat on the floor and the group would devour it without using their hands. Once sated, they would lick each other and fall into a peaceful group nap. Said Baba Wa Simba, "Society's normal restraints are left at the door of our meetings. By roaring and eating meat together as a family group, the pride is able to tap into a primal, almost trance-like state." A British Channel 4 television show called The Word, keen to cover Joey Skaggs pulling a hoax on British soil, documented Baba Wa Simba's London visit. To facilitate their filming, they rented a Parish Hall and hired young actors who were rehearsed by Baba for several days. The unsuspecting media was then invited to witness a therapy session with Baba's London pride. The first group snared by The Lyin' King was ITV Channel 3's London Tonight. Once that piece aired, Good Morning TV, TV Globo (65 million viewers in South America alone), Sky TV News, The East London Advertiser, and BBC Radio among others, fell hook, line and sinker for the story. Some of television's most respected commentators got down on all fours and roared their hearts out. Many of them found the session quite therapeutic until The Word aired a week later and the hoax was exposed. Not one media outlet revealed that they had been had. Skaggs is still roaring with laughter! Hook Baba Wa Simba Manifesto, Page 1 Baba Wa Simba Manifesto, Page 2 Baba Wa Simba Article Terminal City Article The Daily Challenge, December 8, 1994 Baba Wa Simba British Press Release Line East London Advertiser, February 23, 1995 London Tonight, February 21, 1995 Good Morning TV, February 22, 1995 TV Globo, February 22, 1995 Sinker New York Post, Page Six, March 4, 1995 Channel 4, "The Word", March 3, 1995 © 1997 Joey Skaggs