Zappa in Prague 1990 comics by Smulian

Nifty, Tuff & Bitchen comics by L. Smulian ©1990 -
Additional colors by Studio'H

Via www.radio.cz: Zappa returned to Czechoslovakia in 1990 at the invitation of Valclav Havel, newly elected President and lifelong Zappaphile, who even went so far as to propose that Zappa be made Special Ambassador to the West on Trade, Culture and Tourism. Zappa, a libertarian politically, welcomed the challenge and immediately began setting up meetings with corporations interested in investing in Czechoslovakia telling The Nation magazine "You don't have to know about international financing. You just have to know about composition." Havel was quickly talked out of the appointment by Bush administration officials who were not too thrilled about the idea of an American citizen (especially not the one who wrote Burnt Weeny Sandwich) serving as a Czech ambassador, but he made Zappa an unofficial cultural attaché all the same.

But for young Czech rock fans it was Zappa's music that made a bigger impression than his politics. David Gaydecka:
"I think it was funny for American people because probably Zappa is not as well known in the States as here but yeah he came and he spoke with the President and he played this special solo like only one tune. I think it was D or E for this concert that Michal Kocab when the last Russian soldier left Czechoslovakia so there was a big show and Zappa came and played like a one minute long solo so it was pretty big and I think also he was one of the first people from the west who came here."