July 5, 2008
Bozo the Clown dies at 83
Larry Harmon, also known as Bozo the Clown, died last week of congestive heart failure.
“I felt if I could plant my size 83AAA shoes on this planet, (people) would never be able to forget those footprints,” he said.
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7 Responses to “Bozo the Clown dies at 83”
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Deron Bauman, did you post this announcement of the death of Bozo in conjunction with Cooper’s bunny photo on purpose?
(Any of y’all outside the US need — or want — this reference explained?)
yes?
Well, you know, I thought that the rabbit story was an apocryphal tale almost as well known as the notorious “Cram it, clown!” But now I can’t find any references to it. I bet that means it’s true. Right?
(Am I the only one who heard the story about the rabbit?)
I don’t mean the resurrected rabbit story; I mean a Bozo Show rabbit story.
I know nothing!
Well, it is one of those stories better told face-to-face with a great deal of embellishment and dramatic build-up, but here’s what I remember from the version I heard in the mid-1970s. A rabbit was brought onstage for one episode (live, as always) of The Bozo Show in I-forget-what city, and after it had performed its bit or been displayed and admired, it came to rest in the lap of a little audience member seated in the front row. As the child stroked the rabbit, Bozo announced that it was time for a regular feature of the show, the reading (by Bozo) of selected “letters from boys and girls” out in Televisionland. The letters, as usual, were delivered onstage in a mail satchel conveyed by a dog named Junior, who customarily brought the correspondence directly to Bozo, then trotted off.
And yes. You’ve guessed it. Junior veered off his accustomed route and up to the child holding the rabbit, dropped his mail satchel, and bit off the rabbit’s head.
A dozen smaller rabbits rolled out, and hilarity ensued.