Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Just ask Russel Angus.

You probably haven’t heard his story yet, mainly because it’s a little too zany for mainstream media. But here at the ZZW, Angus is a champion, and we feel his story is…well…about as zany as you get.

Here’s his story as told by Jeremy Olson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

A St. Paul man is refusing to tell authorities who performed a botched castration on him in late July at his home and left him bleeding in a makeshift operating room.

City police instead are using forensic leads such as fingerprints and computer records to track down the unlicensed "professionals" in this case, which while unusual is not unprecedented.

A few high-profile arrests have occurred in the past decade of people who performed unlicensed castration procedures on themselves and others, particularly on people who are transgender.

"It is oftentimes a very desperate move by people who don't feel that they can find access to appropriate medical treatment and care," said Eli Coleman, director of the University of Minnesota's Program in Human Sexuality.

So far, police have no evidence that sexuality or gender issues were involved in the decision by 62-year-old Russell Angus to have his testicles removed. He apparently had complained of severe pain in his groin, but police said he had been unable to find licensed doctors who would perform the procedure.



So he hired two or three people to operate on him July 28 in his East Side home. He was unconscious during the procedure but awoke alone to find his testicles were removed and his groin was bleeding. Angus was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for treatment after he called his daughter for help.

Angus did not respond to a message. His daughter declined comment.

On July 28, paramedics and police found Angus upstairs in his home, according to court documents. There were bright lights, an operating table, medical supplies and a camera. Neither Angus nor his wife, Anna, would provide information about the people who performed the procedure. Angus' daughter asked police not to search the house.

After obtaining a search warrant, police seized medical supplies, trash, books, videos and other items. They also seized Angus' computer with the assumption he used the Internet to research or find people willing to perform the procedure, according to court documents.

No arrests have been made, police spokesman Tom Walsh said Tuesday, and Angus still won't identify who did the procedure.

Russel Angus did not return any calls to Zany Zany World staff. However, if he did choose to comment publicly, here are some questions that would have been brought up:

- Are you a masochist?
- How much did you pay for the operation?
- Where are your testicles now? Do you get to keep them?
- What did you use as an anaesthetic?
- What have you learned?
- Will you accept an offer to become the Chief Medial Officer to the Zany Zany World?

But don’t worry. I’m not mad. I can understand your reluctance to comment publicly on the issue. But on behalf of friends and family of the ZZW, I’d like to thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty, just so I can blog about you.

I owe you one.