Norman Theodoor Augustinus Jr is an American writer.

Early life

Augustinus was born in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Michigan. He is the son of Levontina Melnyk and Norman Augustinus Sr. His grandfather Bart Theodoor Augustinus was born in Amsterdam, but left the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

in 1922 entering the US by way of the Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Crossing. Augustinus never met his biological father, but at the age of ten his mother remarried.

Career

A writer of humor, Augustinus studied Journalism and Communications at

Ferris State University Ferris State University (FSU or Ferris) is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1884 as Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge N. Ferris and became a public institution in 1950. ...

in Big Rapids, Michigan where he was an editor of the university newspaper the (Ferris Torch) and writer/producer of the radio show, ''The Adventures of E-Man.'' While a freshman at Ferris State University Augustinus published LEONARD. During his senior year at Ferris State University Augustinus placed in an invention contest and won a cash award for a mailbox transmitter device. A certificate and cash prize was presented to Augustinus during the dedication and open house of the Manufacturing Resource and Productivity Center. An inventor, his gadgets have been featured in publications and television shows. Augustinus' 'iPhone Colon Exam' invention/video was cited on the patent by Patrick O'Neil, the inventor of the

iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...

olloclip which has sold over 1.5 million units worldwide. He has been a copywriter, run for political office, and appeared in over three dozen television commercials. In 1991, Augustinus developed the story-line and dialogue for place mats used in over 300

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

restaurants throughout Michigan, The Adventures of Tizzie Bean. Additionally, Augustinus landed a bit part (under five lines) in the movie Hoffa starring

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...

(Shot in Cobo Hall Arena, Detroit). Augustinus is listed in the 2003 & 2004 Edition of Marquis Who's Who in America and was nominated for the Ferris State University Distinguished Alumni Award two consecutive years in a row. In 1999, he was accepted into the Powerhouse Theatre Program at

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie is in the Hudson River Valley region, midway between the core of the New ...

, New York. He has written for newspapers and online publications such as ''McSweeney's Internet Tendency''. In March 2013, ''

Roll Call ''Roll Call'' is a newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C., United States, when the United States Congress is in session, reporting news of legislative and political maneuverings on Capitol Hill, as well as political coverage of c ...

'' published a story about an animated cartoon Augustinus created and posted on his website with regards to the Obama administration. The cartoon depicted several high-ranking members of the Obama administration being laser beamed into nonexistence by a drone. The cartoon, and subsequent claims by the artist that he was emailed by the

United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with conducting criminal investigations and providing protection to American political leaders, thei ...

, prompted a visit from them. In 2014 and 2015, Augustinus protested near

Columbus Circle Columbus Circle is a traffic circle and heavily trafficked intersection in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan, located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eighth Avenue, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway, ...

Manhattan holding large, worded banners in support of the New York City horse carriage industry, which Bill de Blasio vowed to end immediately upon being elected NYC mayor. Augustinus was one of the people thanked by the

Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a trade union, labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a di ...

for his support in a full page notice/ad published in the New York Daily News on January 1, 2016. Norm Augustinus Literary Walk Central Park June 2014

Norm Augustinus Literary Walk Central Park June 2014

Personal life

Augustinus writes daily and performs his stand-up comedy routine regularly. He has written two novels, Cats and Dogs was published on March 10, 2017 and Bedbadger was released January 21, 2013. On August 26, 2015, while driving through

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, Augustinus saw a Jeep Cherokee lose control and roll over several times off I-75. Augustinus ran to the car and pulled two children from the smoking, overturned vehicle. Augustinus was nominated for the Carnegie Hero Medal for his heroic act.

References

External links

McSweeney's The Great PumpkinDetroit Free Press Sunday Magazine ArticleDetroit Free Press Cult IconDetroit Free Press Article Norm Augustinus Science FairDetroit Free Press Article 'Line is Fine Between Oddball and True Genius' by Rick RatliffNew York Daily News 'NYC Man Pulls Kids From Flipped SUV On Michigan Interstate''Augustinus 2013 Drone Cartoon' Norm Augustinus Drone Cartoon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Augustinus, Norman Theodore Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American male writers American people of Dutch descent American satirists American short story writers Comedians from Detroit Ferris State University alumni People from Warren, Michigan Vassar College alumni Writers from Detroit Articles containing video clips