Who’s Bozo? Bozo the Clown, that’s who Bozo is. When I was a kid, Bozo the Clown was the clown, bar none.
George Costanza, “The Fire”
It is nearly impossible to imagine a time when clowns did not just freak everyone out; man, woman and child.
I believe there is a special circle of Hell reserved only for clowns and people that try to retell a comedians routine to their friends. It is a place roughly the size of a Volkswagen Beetle and every clown that has ever existed suffers from athletes foot.
I do not have any personal childhood memories of clowns. They were out of fashion in the Age Star Wars and Dukes of Hazzard. They did not come back into fashion of sorts until 1986, with the release of Stephen Kings It, and that is when the public perception of clowns changed somewhat. Gone were the images of smiling white faced Bozo’s entertaining children at birthday parties with balloon animals. In its place came the deathly pale psychotic with razor sharp teeth and a fondness for children’s flesh and souls.
The fear and trauma of child molesters now ironically manifested itself as the Clown ( when it should probably be a boy scout leader)… gone was the age of innocence.
And now one of the last remnants of the age of innocence, Larry Harmon is dead at 83.
In fine American tradition, Larry acquired the rights to the character in the 50s and franchised it out around the country, so every city could have its own Bozo on local television- one that was not the weatherman.
He watered down the brand and made it a piece of Americana and children’s programing before the advent of 24 hour toy commercial TV.
One Sunday Morning on the Way to the Joke Shop
For that he deserves a 21 squirting lapel flower Salute.
I still hate clowns!
