Sarah Taddeo

@sjtaddeo

Yes, there’s actually a man who wears a boot on his head, campaigns for president on a platform to make toothbrushing mandatory and has somehow captured the appetite of internet users.

His name is Vermin Supreme. He said he hails from the internet, and he stopped by Rochester this week on what’s called the Vermin Supreme Victory Tour, in which he travels the U.S. celebrating his “win” of the presidency through a show that combines music, readings and comedy.

He’s been campaigning for years at various levels of town, state and national government, and has questioned presidential candidates on video about their views on toothbrushing and other platform issues of his, including requiring everyone to own and take care of a pony.

While his boot-wearing, dancing character is partially spun for comedic relief, he legally changed his name to Vermin Supreme years ago and feels his life journey is an entertaining escape for viewers, both in person and on the internet.

“One of the things I like about what it is that I do … is that people can have a little bit of pretend,” he said. “Adults don’t have the opportunity to pretend anymore.”

His tour, which continues for another week and will bring him to Washington D.C. during inauguration weekend, stopped at Lovin Cup in Henrietta Tuesday.

“I found him to be entertaining and refreshing among all of the negativity,” said Lovin Cup’s co-owner Leslie Zinck Ward, in reference to last year’s tempestuous election season.

Ward met Supreme last year, and his management team later reached out to her to see if he and his co-performer and musician, Rob Potylo, could perform there.

“I had no idea he did performing arts and comedy, but figured we should definitely see what he was all about,” she said.

At this point, Supreme is all about following through on his promises in his presidential role. He’s a president in exile in the wake of president elect Donald Trump’s election, an event which he said he and his viewers are “oblivious” to.

He sees his role in the country’s current political climate as a voice that can bring everyone together for fun.

“We have a wide appeal to everyone from the far right to far left,” he said. “I have never intentionally been out to alienate anybody. I’ve been truly blessed with an amazing audience and fan and support base.”

While he exists on the interwebs, Supreme will return to his home in the Baltimore area after his tour to spend some time with his wife.

STADDEO@Gannett.com