Bozo the Clown, RIP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Larry Harmon, who turned the character Bozo the Clown into a show business staple that delighted children for more than a half-century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure. He was 83.
UPDATE: Reader Dave R. sends the following note on Bozo's passing:
"Jessie [sic] Helms and Bozo the Clown die within days of each other? Is anyone else wondering why you never saw these two together?"
Might file that one under "too soon" -- but you be the judge.
Comments (3)
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"We all float down here!"
Posted on July 8, 2008 11:51 AM
Way too soon. I say this especially on Bozo's behalf.
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Bozo's Grand Prize Game. For those unaware of what that is, it was the game Bozo hosted every week wherein kids attempted to win a Schwin Bike, a trip to Disneyworld and 'crisp, clean, one hundred dollar bill' by tossing ping-pong balls into a row of red cups numbered 1-5 (a precursor to beer pong, mayhaps?). I was so obsessed with this game that I once had a vivid dream where I won the entire thing. I was so happy when I woke up the following morning I dumped my toy box out only to realize that the various prizes and goodies I had earned were but the visions of stardust and childhood hopes.
Many years after that, WGN cancelled Bozo, and while it was nice to see Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins play his farewell, I was sad because my chances of ever playing the Grand Prize Game were greatly reduced. Even then, I still held on to a fraction of hope. However, now that Bozo has left this world, what little chances I had to win the Schwin, the trip to Disneyworld, and a crisp, clean, brand-new one hundred dollar bill have been destroyed forever....
Posted on July 8, 2008 12:55 PM
That wasn't just a dream, Joe. He was trying to lure you into the Deadlights.
Posted on July 8, 2008 4:17 PM