Dick Assman
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Dick Assman (pronounced OSS-man) is a Saskatchewan service station owner whose name propelled him to international celebrity status in 1995. Assman, who worked at Petro-Canada's Victoria Square Mall station in Regina, was discovered by David Letterman, who was reportedly tickled by his name. Assman was lavishly introduced on July 24, 1995, on The Late Show with David Letterman, where he was a nightly feature for about a month. Live field units in Canada interviewed him for the show. Over the weeks, Assman received a musical tribute from Tony Orlando, while Joe Namath declared himself an "Ass-maniac."
Even the situation comedy Seinfeld based a character on him. The Assman is a proctologist who is involved in a license-plate snafu when his personalized tags are issued mistakenly to Cosmo Kramer. Kramer and Jerry try to figure out exactly who the Assman is, and Jerry thinks he may be "just someone with a big ass."
Vancouver polling company Angus Reid reported that 49 percent of surveyed Canadians in September 1995 had heard of his name. Assman received a number of contracts for commercial appearances, was asked to run for public office, and received many marriage proposals. Assmania came to a close in August when Assman visited the Ed Sullivan Theater and was presented with a bouquet of roses by Letterman.
In October 1995, James Blanchard, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada paid a visit to Assman at his gas station, citing his status as a celebrity. The Regina gas station closed in August 2003, but Assman is reportedly working at another Petro Canada station on South Albert Street.