RIP Bozo

[Jim Goulart]

Also Known as Larry Harmon

Let me say that I was on Bozo's TV show about 30 years ago -- I embarassed myself on that bowling game where you throw the little tethered ball around the pole and knock down the pins. I think I got one.

 

***

 

ROBIN: So, what about entertainment? Should I get Barney?

KID: No Barney!

ROBIN (to George): Maybe a clown.

GEORGE: How about Bozo?

KID: Who's Bozo?

GEORGE: Who's Bozo? Bozo the Clown, that's who Bozo is. When I was a kid, Bozo the Clown was the clown, bar none.

ROBIN: George...

GEORGE: With the orange hair, and the big clown shirt with the ruffles...

ROBIN: George...

GEORGE: And the TV show! He had cartoons!

ROBIN: George! Forget Bozo, George. Bozo's out. He's finished. It's over for Bozo.

GEORGE: You know, when I was a kid, we didn't have these elaborate birthday parties with catered food and entertainment. I remember my 7th birthday party...

We see a flashback of George at seven, sitting in front of a birthday cake with a shocked expression on his face, while Frank and Estelle scream at him:

FRANK: Blow out the candles! Blow out the candles, I said! Blow out the damn candles!

ESTELLE: Stop it, Frank! You're killing him!

ROBIN: Well, this time, you can blow out the candles.

 

***

 

George talking to Eric, the clown at Robin's son's birthday party.

GEORGE: Bozo?

ERIC: No.

GEORGE: B-O-Z-O?

ERIC: Sorry, I...

GEORGE: You've never heard of Bozo the Clown?

ERIC: No!

GEORGE: How could you not know who Bozo the Clown is?

ERIC: I don't know, I just don't.

GEORGE: How can you call yourself a clown and not know who Bozo is?

ERIC: Hey, man - what are you hassling me for? This is just a gig, it's not my life. I don't know who Bozo is, what - is he a clown?

GEORGE: Is he a clown? What, are you kidding me!?

ERIC: Well, what is he?

GEORGE: Yes, he's a clown!

ERIC: Alright, so what's the big deal! There's millions of clowns!

GEORGE: Alright, just forget it.

ERIC: Me forget it? You should forget it! You're livin' in the past, man! You're hung up on some clown from the sixties, man!

GEORGE: Alright, very good, very good...go fold your little balloon animals, Eric. Eric! What kind of name is that for a clown, huh?

[yfinn6]

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/images/bozo.jpg

 

 

[pitchleague]

kinda sad. I watched the Bozo Show all the time and even practiced Bozo's GRAND . . . . PRIZE . . . . . GAME!!! in my basement many a rainy day. The cartoons were awesome, too, because it was pretty much the only place that you could see Pink Panther cartoons.

 

In his honor, several years ago I named my desktop the "Bozoputer."

[bigredrobbo]

As undoubtedly tragic as this is for the Bozo relatives, it reminds me for some reason, of this joke.

 

 

Q. How do you kill a circus?

 

 

A. Go for the juggler!

 

 

ba-ding!

[JumpinMacFlash]

OK, I used to watch Bozo, but yfinn, that is the creepiest damn picture I've seen in a while.

[Katuluu]

Creepy? I'll give you creepy.

 

http://wherethelongtailends.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/evilclown.jpg

 

It should also be noted that I totally scooped Mass on this. In your face! Though it should also be noted he handled the announcement with far more class then I ever could. How dare he.

[GAME05]

Bozo was the only clown i was never afraid of, and that says a lot.

 

although i actually had always thought Bozo died about a decade ago.

[cubfan1126]

According to Wikipedia - Larry Harmon owned the franchising rights to Bozo and played the part on a syndicated show.

 

WGN-TV's Bob Bell however was the most famous "local" Bozo. Bell died in 1997.