From “HOLLYWeeD” to “HOLLYBOOB.”
Growing up in Los Angeles , the Hollywood Sign served the same purpose to me as God or the synodic month did to others ; no matter what , I always knew it would be there . It is LA ’s unofficial coat of arms . Watching Tom Cruise climb Mount Lee andstaple ring to itin the 2024 Olympics windup ceremony hark me back to my childhood , when I was alwayshiking to the signand fill photos myself , and , of course , was shocked and delight each and every fourth dimension someone altered it as a prank , celebration , or in protest . Every Angeleno has a favourite loop of the sign , so without further ado , here ’s our ranking of the best Hollywood Sign makeover .
1. HOLLYWeeD
Is there really anything better than this ? Not only did the sign look wondrous and professionally done , but the alteration was so good that it happen double : once in 1976 following the decriminalization of hemp in California , and again in 2017 as an ode to the legalization of amateur cannabis . Stoner or not , this prank most unquestionably put a smile on everyone who drove past it ’s brass . A beautiful , multi - generational caper for the ages .
2. RAFFEYSOD and H🐮LLYWOOD
These two are sleeper hits , but abide with me . Both alterations were done by band to advertise their music , the first was NOLA group Raffeys and the latter was local band Junior Varsity . While the motif is ego indulgent , it ’s quite mirthful to think about how the prank is the only affair of preeminence either band ever did .
3. CALTECH
In a string of senior caper , a group of Caltech scholar altered the Hollywood Sign to observe their schoolhouse . Their fire is undeniably impressive and a dainty admonisher that nerds deserve to have playfulness .
4. HOLLYBOOB
One of the more recent iterations , influencer Julia Rose and her admirer altered the planetary house in 2021 in dissent of Instagram suspending Rose ’s account for sport nudity . The group had previously attempted to hold out the clowning twice before , so we have to spat their persistence . Plus , it reallyruffled the LAPD ’s feathers , so it was a last goodness .
5. OIL WAR, OLLYWOOD, and SAVE THE PEAK
All three of these alterations were done in objection of various political drive , the most late one being SAVE THE PEAK , which was a campaign by The Trust for Public Land trying to preserve the area around the Hollywood Sign from being turned into a actual estate development . Be the alteration you want to see !
6. HOLYWOOD
There ’s something funny about LA preparing for Pope John Paul II to visit the city in 1987 , only for him to show up two hour late andnever actually see the sign .
7. JOLLYGOOD
8. PEROTWOOD
Our darling sign start out political in 1996 when a group of Ross Perot fan mount Mount Lee to show their keep . If you ’re wondering who Ross Perot is , do n’t experience unfit — we had no idea either . Perot run for chair in the same yr , and to this daytime ran one of the strongest third - party campaigns in United States history , which sort of make him counterculture , but still not cool enough to be high up on this list .
9. GO NAVY
In 1983 , Midshipmen from the Naval Academy reconstruct the star sign leading up to the bounteous Army - Navy football match at the Rose Bowl . While effort and creativity are always appreciated , the craftsmanship on this looping is quite fallible , and the Midshipmen got permit from the city to do it , throw the speculation quite broken - stake and at last slow .
Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Photo by Mike Sergieff, courtesy of LA Public Library
Photo by Javier Mendoza, courtesy of LA Public Library
Photo by Michael Haering, courtesy of LA Public Library
Vsauce/Twitter
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rosannaarconrad/Flickr
Photo by Mike Sergieff, courtesy of LA Public Library