The Hollywood sign is seen vandalized Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. Los Angeles residents awoke New Year's Day to find a prankster had altered the famed sign. (Damian Dovarganes, The Associated Press)

Hollyweed sign reboot pays homage to 1970s classic prank

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By , The Cannabist Staff

Whether it was from a hangover or a haze, Los Angeles (and the world) woke up to the greenest and greatest holiday greeting of all: “Happy New Year from Hollyweed!”

A pot-loving prankster transformed the O’s into E’s on the iconic hilltop sign overnight using peace-sign stamped tarps — obviously paying homage to the passage of marijuana-legalizing Proposition 64 and their practical-joking predecessor Danny Finegood. (Update: A 30-year-old man who claims he is behind the stunt turned himself in to authorities Jan. 9.)

As The Cannabist shared last year, “On Jan. 1, 1976, the same day California’s relaxed marijuana law took effect, the Cal State Northridge student had a plan to alter the sign by using $50 of curtains and a couple friends. And it worked, giving Hollywood a Hollyweed sign for a short time.”

Finegood pulled off the alteration for an art class assignment, for which he earned an A.

High-larity

The original Hollyweed prank: Get the inside story on the 1970s sign switch that’s definitely worthy of a Hollywood reboot

Good one: ‘Smoke Weed Everyday,’ taunts hacked digital traffic sign at Montana college

High hijinks: That one time Conan O’Brien went weed shopping with pals Kevin Hart and Ice Cube is pure comedy gold

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This time around, Hollyweed hung for a likely even shorter span, with clean-up crews on the scene and the sign restored by 10:45 a.m. Sunday. The Associated Press reports:

“The vandal, dressed in all black, was recorded by security cameras and could face a misdemeanor trespassing charge, said Sgt. Robert Payan. The person scaled a protective fence surrounding the sign above Griffith Park and then clambered up each giant letter to drape the coverings, Payan said.”

It looks like it will be just two time’s a charm for Hollyweed. According to an exclusive report in The Hollywood Reporter, the Hollywood Sign Trust — the non-profit organization that oversees maintenance for the landmark — says it “will be deploying additional technology to tighten up surveillance and thus deter unwanted visitors in the future.” A security camera system first installed in 1994 is monitored by the Los Angeles Police Department, which keeps an eye on the nine legendary letters.

Below are a few of our favorite reactions because the Internet is still losing its mind over the incident (warranted):

“I thought it was kinda clever,” said Katie Couric on her first day back as a guest-host on NBC’s “Today.”

It wasn't me.

A photo posted by Doug Benson (@youdontknowdoug) on

Happy New Year. 2017, you get us #

A photo posted by catchtilly (@catchtilly) on

I knew 2017 was going to be MY year!!!!!!!!! Great start everybody! Fuck yeah! Hollyweed!

A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on