We all love to support our favorite bands. From rocking t-shirts of tours long ago to covering every inch of bedroom wall space with show posters, fans are always finding ways to signal their love for their band. While stickers are a great way to let other motorists (as well as law enforcement) know your band affiliation, other parts of your car fall under state jurisdiction, as one Ohio Billy Strings fan found out after his request for a “WARGASM” vanity license plate was denied.
The Buckeye State denied over 700 license plate requests in 2023 including one from Rocky Foglesong, who took to the Billy Strings Facebook fan page to announce that his tribute to the guitarist was listed in the 18-page document of rejected vanities. Foglesong had better luck the second time around, successfully getting an “OLE SLEW” plate, in reference to Billy’s cover of Johnny Horton‘s “Ole Slewfoot”.
Foglesong’s “WARGASM” wasn’t the only jam band vanity plate that didn’t make it past the watchful eyes at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Other denied vanity plate requests included a fellow “BMFSFAN,” “WSMFP1,” “PHSH BLZ,” a Phish or Son Seals fan who tried “FNKY BCH”, someone who possibly isn’t a Widespread Panic fan who attempted “JB BLOWS,” and a Limp Bizkit-lover who did it all for the “NOOKIE 9.”
“People do things backwards, and substitute 5’s for S’s to get through,” Ohio BMV registrar Charlie Norman explained to News 5 Cleveland. “The committee is pretty good, and they catch a lot. It’s really a fraction of a percent [that don’t get approved]. 99.5% of personalized plate requests are approved.”
Plenty of other folks tried and failed to get subtle and not-so-subtle jokes past the registrars, like one driver with a “HU JASS,” someone with wisdom of forethought who reminded passengers to “P B4 W3GO,” or the person who simply wanted to display their affinity for “BITCHES.” There were also plenty of people who attempted to F various things like “BD LGHT,” “MY EX” (sorry bro),” SOCTY” (edgy), and of course “JBIDN.”
“It’s one of my favorite things to do in the morning is get the list and see what people are trying to sneak through the vanity process,” Norman said.
Last year, Asheville, NC resident Karly Sindy gained national attention for a campaign to let her keep her “FART” license plate. The North Carolina DMV originally issued the woman her license plate to her shock, only to later recall the plate following a complaint—noting that “FART” is among the 9,000 banned texts for vanity plates. Sindy then launched the Friends of Asheville Recreational Trails (FART) to give credence to her custom plate, ultimately pleading her case for a national audience on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The story ran out of gas in March 2022 when the NC DMV said Sindy could keep her plate, but only as a commemorative token and not on her truck.
Check out the complete 18-page list of denied Ohio vanity license plates here.
The post Sorry, Ohio Billy Strings Fans: You Can’t Have A “WARGASM” Vanity Plate appeared first on L4LM.
