Scot Aubuchon

The Frog Herder of Chuy’s

When Scot Aubuchon introduces himself, he does it with a wink toward history.

“My name’s Aubuchon — A-U-B-U-C-H-O-N. It’s French and loosely translates to ‘the cork,’ so I guess I had winemakers in my past somewhere,” he told me.

I laughed and offered my own: “Heckmann in old German means the guy that trims the hedges. Back in the old days, hedges were the fences in much of Germany. So here we are — a cork guy talking to a hedge trimmer.”

That lighthearted exchange set the tone for a conversation that traced the improbable journey of six fiberglass frogs — Bob “Daddy-O” Wade’s Tango Frogs — from a Dallas rooftop to truck stops, patios, and finally back home again under Aubuchon’s watch.

Three of the Tango Frogs on top of Chuy’s on Lower Greenville in Dallas. Courtesy Lisa Wade

From Busboy to Decor Manager

Aubuchon joined Chuy’s in 1986, just a few years after Mike Young and John Zapp opened the original restaurant on Barton Springs in Austin.

“I opened the second Chuy’s up on North Lamar,” he recalled. “I started off bussing tables and just kind of worked my way up. Been around ever since. I know where a lot of the bodies are buried, so to speak.”

Decades later, he became Chuy’s decor manager — the man responsible for bringing the chain’s quirky visual identity to life in new locations. “Basically, I worked with development on the construction side. New openings, new designs, all that,” he said.

It was in that role that he inherited an unusual side job: caretaker of Wade’s giant frogs.

The Frogs on the Move

Wade’s Tango Frogs first captured imaginations in the early ’80s, perched on the roof of Shannon Wynne’s Dallas nightclub Tango. When city officials debated whether they were art or signage, the frogs became local legends. Eventually, Mike Young bought them and brought them into the Chuy’s family.

That began a decades-long game of musical chairs, with Aubuchon as the reluctant frog wrangler.

“I’ve basically been a frog herder for 20 years,” he laughed. “I’ve moved these things six times now.”

Three of the Frogs on top of Chuy’s in Nashville, Tennessee. Courtesy Scot Aubuchon

This list is Scot’s road trip with the Frogs:

• From Houston’s “Crystal Palace”, Chuy’s on Richmond, where they lived behind the bar,

• To the Shenandoah Chuy’s building,

• Then back to Austin for refurbishing,

• Off to Nashville, where they topped the downtown location around 2012,

• Returned to Austin once again for another refresh,

• And finally, trucked back up I-35 for their homecoming at Chuy’s on Greenville in Dallas.

The Six Tango Frogs back together in the same Tango Swamp as 4 decades earlier. In front of the Truck Yard before moving to their “forever home” at Chuy’s. Reunited! Courtesy Scot Aubuchon, Faith Schexnayder and Lisa Wade

On that last trip, Aubuchon couldn’t resist turning it into a rolling spectacle. “We put them on a flatbed truck and toured 35 a little bit. We stopped at Carl’s Corner, and as soon as we pulled up, the women there said, ‘Oh, the frogs are back!’

They came out, hugged them, took pictures. Even the mayor came out. It was like a reunion.”

Stories from Carl’s Corner

That pit stop brought out stories of the old truck stop’s wilder days. “They told me Carl’s Corner used to have an RV park with a pool out back,” Aubuchon said, shaking his head. “They said it was kind of like a mini-brothel. Truckers would call ahead and reserve an RV.”

He paused, then chuckled. “Now, I don’t know how much of that they’d want published. But man, the stories people tell when those frogs show up…”

Frogs, Fish, and Big-Ass Art

Through the years, Aubuchon came to know Bob “Daddy-O” Wade himself.
“He was just one of those guys who could make you laugh as soon as he walked in the room,” Aubuchon said. “I met him when we first refreshed the frogs. Such a creative spirit. You know, one time he even had one of his giant fish sculptures on top of the Knox-Henderson Chuy’s building. Today it’s sitting out in Lake Austin by the Hula Hut.”

Bigmouth Bass on display at The Big One, Dallas. Courtesy Lisa Wade and Daddy-0’s Book of Big Ass Art

Like Wade’s other oversized creations, the frogs weren’t just decoration — they were conversation pieces, roadside attractions, and living folklore.

The End of an Era

After 39 years with Chuy’s, Aubuchon’s time with the company is winding down. The chain was recently acquired by Darden, and his department is being phased out. “It’s a gut punch,” he admitted. “I even asked if I could buy the frogs. They’re too cool for Darden, if you ask me.”

Still, he takes pride in their journey — and in his role as their shepherd. “When we brought them back to Greenville, three blocks from their original spot at Tango, it just felt right. From a marketing standpoint, it was a no-brainer. From a cultural standpoint, it was bringing them home.”

For Aubuchon, the frogs represent more than rebar, structure, molding and paint. They are proof that art can take on a life of its own — moving across states, stopping traffic on I-35, sparking rumors in truck stops, and reminding people of Dallas nightlife in the ’80s.

“I’ve been their frog herder for 20 years,” he said with a grin. “Not a bad legacy to leave behind.”

Timeline for Bob “Daddy-O” Wade, Tango & the Tango Frogs

(Courtesy ‘Bob “Daddy-O” Wade’s Book of Big Ass Art, multiple news sources and all the folks interviewed for this piece. This is a living document, if you have updates, please send them to pheckmann@meminc.org)

Jan 6th, 1943 – Robert Schrope Wade born in Austin, Texas.

Family was in Hotel Management and moved every couple of years, from Corpus, to Waco, Galveston, to Beaumont, to San Antonio and finally settled down in 1954 in El Paso.

1961 – Bob designs the yearbook for his HS. He graduates and moves to Austin to attend UT. Joins Kappa Sigma fraternity and gets his lifelong moniker of “Daddy-O”. Makes friends with Monk White and others that he will keep working with over the years

1964 – Bob meets his new buddy, Kinky Friedman

1965 – graduates from UT and is accepted at Cal – Berkley

1966 – graduates from Berkley with a Masters in painting. Joins the original faculty at McLennan Community College (MCC) in Waco as the only art instructor.

Waco Bookmobile, spray painted library. Courtesy Lisa and Rachel Wade and Daddy-O’s Book of Big Ass Art, 1968

1967 – does a solo show, The Weenie Paintings at Atelier Chapman Kelly in Dallas.

The Funny Farm, in Waco, Collection of the Waco Arts Project, Courtesy Lisa and Rachel Wade

1968 – does first outdoor sculpture, Funny Farm Family for San Antonio World’s Fair. Now located in Waco, for the Waco Arts Project

1970 – becomes ‘Artist in Residence’ at Northwood Institute in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill

1973 – Becomes buddies with Dennis Hopper in Taos, New Mexico. Joins the Faculty at North Texas State University as Assistant Professor of Art

1975 – Sets up a photography darkroom in an underground silo bunker at NTSU. Meets the Texas Kid

1976 – His “Bicentennial Map of the United States” is featured in a 2-page spread in People Magazine

Bob’s Texas Mobil Home Museum for 10th Paris Biennale

1977 – His Texas Mobile Home Museum is featured in Paris at the 10th Biennale of Paris. Resigns from North Texas

1978 – Moves into old, wooden building owned by Monk White, which becomes “Daddy-O’s Patios”. Goes to Art Park near Niagara Falls in NY to start work on his massive Iguana. Sells the iguana to Lone Star Cafe in Manhattan. Meets NY Mayor Ed Koch and other celebrities during and after the installation on top of the Cafe.

1979 – Builds 40 ft Cowboy boots at Washington Project for the Arts. Boots are bought by Rouse and Company and shipped back to Texas to the North Star Mall.

1982 – Drives “machine gunned” Bonnie and Clyde car in the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade

1983 – Builds the Tango Frogs for his friend, Shannon Wynne. Tango opens

1984 – Bob moves his studio to Deep Ellum. Tango closes on March 7, 1984.

Daddy-O with his painting of The Texas Kid Boz commissioned for the interior of Boz Skaggs’ BLUE LIGHT CAFE in San Francisco 1985, courtesy Boz Skaggs, Monk White and friends

1985 – All six went to Carl’s Corner, and three went on an art tour all over the place. The other three were over the gas pumps. 

1986-88 – Three of the Frogs went on an art tour all over the country, including a 1988 stop at Texas A&M. The other three remained at Carl’s, which would become Willie’s Place.

1989 – Bob and Lisa welcome their daughter, Rachel, into the world.

1990 – Carl’s caught on fire, the three Frogs over the gas pumps were fine. The three others were around back, out of the fire. They had some burned fingers, but that was all

Three frogs left Carl’s on their way to Austin first, then to Houston. The other three later leaped across I-35 into Carl’s home’s front yard!

• They went from Houston’s “Crystal Palace” to Chuy’s on Richmond, where they lived behind the bar.
• Then to the Shenandoah Chuy’s building

2010 – Approximately – Then back to Austin for refurbishing,

2012 – Three of the Frogs leaped up to Nashville, where they topped the downtown Chuy’s location around 2012,

2023-2025 – Returned to Austin once again for another refresh

2025 – And finally, trucked back up I-35 for their homecoming at Chuy’s on Greenville in Dallas.

2025 – On that last trip, Scot Aubuchon, Lisa Wade, and Faith Schexnayder couldn’t resist turning it into a rolling spectacle. “We put them on a flatbed truck and toured I-35 a little bit. We stopped at Carl’s Corner, and as soon as we pulled up, the women there said, ‘Oh, the frogs are back!’ They came out, hugged them, and took pictures. Even the mayor came out. It was like a reunion.”

Bob “Daddy-O” Wade’s Various Projects Today

(if you have updates, please send them to me! pheckmann@meminc.org)

Abilene

Abilene – Dino Bob at the Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, 133 Cedar St. This sculpture once sat across the street from the Grace Museum. When it was slated for demolition, the schoolchildren of Abilene mounted a “Save Dino Bob” campaign, and the sculpture was moved to the roof of another parking garage, this one overlooking the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. It’s a sculpture based on the 1988 children’s book Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo. Today, it’s located at 133 Cedar Street in downtown Abilene. It is part of the city’s Storybook Sculpture Project., courtesy BobWade.com

Dallas

Dallas – Six Frogs over Tango originally at 1827 Greenville Ave. Today, three sit atop the Chuy’s on Lowest Greenville and three atop the Truck Yard a few blocks away. Originally commissioned for club Tango, the frogs survived multiple relocations, including a stint at Carl’s Corner near Hillsboro, where they almost became Frog legs, sizzling on the grill when it burned to the ground. Three were outback and three on top of the gas pumps, which, through some act of God, did not blow up. Carl’s Corner housed two of Bob’s other projects, a truck-shaped billboard and a giant wooden nickel, both prominently displayed going South on I-35. Three frogs were sold to Chuy’s and eventually moved to Nashville, while the other three lived on top of Taco Cabana, then Starbucks, then Truck Yard. All six are now close to their original Dallas location, Courtesy Lisa Wade

Austin

The New Orleans Saints giant football helmet, made from a Volkswagen body.at Shoal Creek Saloon. The “Austin Home of New Orleans Saints Fans,” at 909 North Lamar Boulevard, courtesy BobWade.com

The Big One: Spitting Fish (both Austin and Dallas). First, at restaurant The Big One in Dallas, then the Hula Hut at 3825 Lake Austin Blvd in Austin,  When Big One was sold, another restaurant, the Hula Hut, bought the fish. It sits in the Colorado River next to the tables closest to the river. For a couple of bucks you can “feed the fish,” which means you can watch it spit water and “bubbles” escape from its backside….courtesy BobWade.com

“Neck N Neck,” a two-headed longhorn at the County Line BBQ restaurant, courtesy BobWade.com

Ranch 616 restaurant’s rattlesnake, from a pencil sketch by Bob Wade, turned into neon by Evan Voyles

“The world’s longest longhorn horns” are currently hanging in the University of Texas Alumni Center. Courtesy Daddy-O’s Big Ass Book of Art

Muleshoe – Giant Prickly Pear Cactus on the Roof, Leal’s Mexican Restaurant, 1010 W. American Blvd. (no photo, shoot me one if you got one)

Wade built this life-like piece for a restaurant in Dallas. As he was driving back from New Mexico, he saw his Dallas project in Muleshoe. He had no idea when or how it was moved. It’s 30 feet high

San Antonio

San Antonio – World’s Largest Cowboy Boots at North Star Mall, Loop 410 at San Pedro Ave.
Standing feet tall, these iconic boots were originally installed at the Washington, D.C. Arts Center before being relocated to San Antonio more than 30 years ago. Back in 1979, Bob’s big, oversized art had just taken off with his giant Iguana sitting on top of the Lone Star Cafe in Manhattan, NYC, and Bob was invited to build something interesting in a vacant lot in Washington, DC. Bob made the boots, ‘just to fit’ inside the lot. 40 ft high fake ostrich Cowboy boots. It took him a month and a half to build them; he was paid $7,000. Completed Sept 12, 1979. Bob laid claim to the “World’s Largest Cowboy Boots” – out of thin air! (It is…) He had no idea if that was true or not; it was just Bob being Bob. The boots only stood there for about 4 months before North Star Mall in San Antonio bought them, and they were moved back to Texas. The mall owners spent 80 grand in 2012 just to redo the tops of those boots. These boots are in the Guinness Book of World Records! Courtesy BobWade.com

San Antonio – Junkyard Dog, Alamo City Inc., 1201 Somerset Rd.  Built from a 1966 Plymouth Fury balanced on its end, this sculpture was made for a buddy who left law to start a used auto parts business. It remains a quirky landmark. Courtesy BobWade.com

Houston

Smokesax at The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, 2401 Munger St.
Originally built for Phil Kensinger for his Billy Blues Bar, in 2012, the Kensinger family donated the monumental sculpture to the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, due to the organization’s long-standing commitment to preserving Houston’s cultural icons. This massive sax was made from a Volkswagen body, an oilfield pipe, and has a surfboard as a mouthpiece. After over 20 years at its original site, it was relocated to The Orange Show Center. There were plans to move it to Kensinger Plaza at one time.
Lisa Wade: “The Orange Show has been working with the Houston Parks Foundation and has the plans for a park, with a music venue and the sax. It’s going to be an incredible site; they’ve been wonderful to work with. Lots still going on, which is so wonderful and a tribute to Bob.” Courtesy FullOrangeShow.org

NYC/Fort Worth

Fort Worth – Iggy the Iguana at Fort Worth Zoo, on the roof of the herpetarium This 40-foot polyurethane Iguana, installed in 2010, was built for the Artpark in Upstate New York, and then it watched over the Lone Star Café in New York City for 13 years. “It was on Pier 25 in Lower Manhattan. The pier has a miniature golf course, and one of the holes is named for Bob and has an iguana on the sign.. Acquired by Lee M. Bass in 1999, it was later loaned to the Zoo to complement its new herpetarium.” Lisa Wade, Courtesy BobWade.com

Waco

Waco – Funny Farm Family at the Art Center at McLennan Community College, 1300 College Dr . Created in 1968 from colorful bomb casings and steel, this whimsical still life was originally made for HemisFair Park in San Antonio. It is Wade’s earliest public art piece in Texas. Plans are underway to move it to a new sculpture garden at 701 S. Eighth St.

Del Rio

Del Rio – Giant Six-shooter at Humphrey’s Gun Shop, 124 E. Garfield Ave. Constructed from a barrel, stovepipe, and stucco, this oversized revolver was built after Wade was invited to create a local piece during a lecture visit. Funded by the gun shop, the sculpture now appears in its online advertising. Courtesy HumphreyGunShop.com

“When I first saw the Frogs on top of Carl’s Corner Truck Stop in Carl’s Corner, Texas, my first thought was, ‘What the hell is Carl on? Now that I understand art, I realize what a genius Daddy O-Wade was.”

Willie Nelson

Thanks to so many folks for helping out with this Tango Frogs project, including the fella that kicked it off, Shannon Wynne, his brother and MemInc Board Emeritus Angus Wynne III, editing by Mike Farris, the Memories Admins Mark Cheyne, Chris Doelle, all of our 20ish Moderators, Lisa Wade and the spirit of her hubby Bob “Daddy-O” Wade, Scot Aubuchon formerly of Chuy’s, Faith Shexnayder, fixer extraordinaire, Tom and Laura Garrison of the new Stoneleigh P and of course Monk White, without whom a lot of this wouldn’t have come together!

And of course, all the members of our Facebook Groups, Memories of Dallas, Memories of Texas and Memories of Texas Music, who contributed greatly.

If you liked this project, please help us keep them coming. Donate We are a 501c3, Memories Inc, EIN 83-0566883

If you missed Parts 1 and 2

Six Frogs Over Tango, Part 1

Six Frogs Over Tango, Part 2

Six Frogs Over Tango, Part 3