In the 1960s , the novelty performer Tiny Tim was strangely a vast lot . His falsetto vocalizing voice and ukulele book binding of older standard — his most famous being " Tiptoe Through the Tulips"—had landed him a Grammy nominating speech , appearances onLaugh - In , and theadmiration of the Beatles — who were such rooter , they asked him to record " Nowhere Man " for their 1968 Christmas album .
But then , on December 17 , 1969 , Tiny Tim star on the most - watched installment of Johnny Carson’sTonight Show(or it was , until Carson ’s coda ) doing something that was all new at the clip : getting tie on live television . Forty years before all fashion of celebrity register their nuptials for public intake , the 37 - year - oldTiny Tim — who was also know for his prudish , romanticized behaviors , which include calling his paramours " Miss"—married 17 - yr - old Miss Vicki Budinger on a set decorated with 10,000 tulips that had been imported from Holland . After the 6 - mo ceremonial , the couple sat down for a goner and a schmoose with Carson .
At the prison term , it was the highest - ever military rating for a talk show , pulling in45 million viewers . For comparison , Kim Kardashian ’s extremely publicized 2011 wedding ceremony to Kris Humphries only draw 4 million viewer , and the American audience who tune up in to view Prince William marry Kate Middleton was just23 million . In the 1960s , the relatively lowly - fundamental , immensely dull Tiny Tim wedding audience was second only to the moon landing .
Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki divorced eight years after , after having a daughter distinguish Tulip and living aside for several years . Looking back , Miss Vicki told theChicago Tribuneshe does n’t regret the famous wedding . " I was just a minor , thinking , ' This will be fun , ' " she state in 1995 . " And it was . "
