Bozo Calling

This beautiful technological wonder was again, submitted by Palmyra Delran, who tells us “Oh...and yes...the nose lights up when it rings.”

This is one caller I would not dodge. I'd pick up on the first ring. Hello, Bozo. I’ve been waiting for your call. Do you love me?

Hello from Boston

Look at this friendly little guy dropping in to say "hello." Not sure of his number as of yet. But we recognize and accept him as an official Bozo Project participant. He lives on Federal Street in Boston. And looks very important.

Joy & The Goddamned Palm Tree

After the blissful assault launched by Harrison and (Rock)Star, all we could do was smile. Watching the  Bozos unfold made me feel like I was watching fireworks. Mouth agape, smiling, anticipating. It looked incredible but it felt even better. What a stupid and amazing site! I loved every second of it. It was pure happiness. It may have meant nothing to anyone else, but to me, and I know to Matt, it was a huge sense of joy.

The moments leading up to the reveal were frantic and spastic. I felt a bit uncomfortable because all the antics were being filmed (more on that at a later date). So there I was, yelling, hiding behind the column in the office, pacing back and forth, more yelling, screaming about the visible Bozo (on their side), wanting to hide more, hoping I didn't end up looking like Bea Arthur on film, etc...it was all exciting and ludicrous. 

After the big reveal, one thing really bothered me. The odd choice by H&S to include a huge (6'?) palm tree threw me at first. I didn't get it. Or like it. I thought it was a cheap and desperate move. At that point, they might as well have just put "Happy Birthday" or "Forty & Fabulous" balloons in the windows. This was the Bozo Project! Not the Any-Bullshit-Inflatable-Toy-or-Decoration-You-Can-Find-Project. But then something was pointed out to me that stopped me in my tracks. Deb Noonan (writer of the NY Magazine article and who was with us the morning of the attack) said that it was directly facing our own (real) palm tree. It was true. VideoHelper does have this giant palm tree looming in the corner and facing out the window. Facing...you-know-who. And they'd just upped the level of attack. Now it was truly personal! Now they were attacking our flora! I was outraged!

But I was too busy spazzing out and smiling that I didn't have time to make the connection. I couldn't draw any conclusions, because all I could do was laugh. And that's a pretty nice experience - happy bliss. Unfortunately, life isn't like that 24/7  (or even 2/7 most days), which is why I think The Bozo Project has struck a chord with people. It's just happy and ridiculous. It's sole purpose is to communicate joy. What's wrong with that? We've noticed some comments on blogs, etc...that are simply miserable and hate the whole thing. For those of you with no soul or remote shred of a sense of humor, to you, our Bozos say "Blow me."

Shock and Awe from Harrison & Star

this morning was witness to a staggering surge of bozos (13 in all!) on the side of Harrison & Star. needless to say, we're still recovering from the assault. words fail to capture the sheer spectacle of three floors of windows, each ocupied by a single bozo. amazing.

we arrived early to see no new activity across the street. indeed, we were still skeptical that our bozo rivals were either over-ambitious in their retaliation plans, or simply carrying on with an ever-dissolving bluff. even bozo #1 looked as though he was ready to give in, with his "it's coming.." sign barely hanging on to his brightly colored chest.


photo: Deborah Snoonian


photo: Deborah Snoonian

but then (but then!) we noticed something: the blinds were drawn in each of the windows of the floor above bozo #1, whereas they had previously always stayed open. they were clearly planning something, but what? but here was where H&S made their only mistake in this maneuver: the feet of a bozo were clearly visible from under one set of miniblinds!


photo: Deborah Snoonian

was it a mistake? or was it intentional? was that brave bozo sent out before the rest of the troops to create a diversion and draw our attention away from the force amassing in the shadows? perhaps we'll never know. regardless, we were not prepared for what was about to be unveiled.


photo: Deborah Snoonian


photo: Deborah Snoonian

incredible. the sight is even more impressive than what we pictured when we first conceived the project. all we could do in response was wave a white flag. not out of surrender, but rather out of recognition of a remarkable execution. we can now see Harrison & Star not as wartime rivals, but rather as allies for a common cause.


photo: Deborah Snoonian

the adrenaline is still too high right now to accurately assess today's events, let alone discuss the next stage of the bozo project. please stay tuned for reactions/thoughts/etc. after the emotions recede.

all we can say is, well done, Harrison & Star, or as betsy referred to them, Harrison & Rockstar.

We're Watching YOU, Harrison & Star.

An interesting new development.

nice move, H&S. see you monday...

The Time for Action

lots of activity today in the project. first of all, I have to say, we’ve been rather disappointed by our partners across the street. for several days now the original bozo has been talking some pretty substantial talk, while continuing to walk very little walk. after we launched bozo #3 (our second), #1 displayed a “stay tuned…” sign (very original), and tuned we stayed – for nothing. then the sign was replaced with “it’s coming,” again, with no additional activity after two days of promises. we’re beginning to think that they terribly underestimated what exactly they got themselves into.



also, they have been foolish (brash? arrogant? daring?) enough to let themselves be seen maneuvering their bozo, changing his sign, or taking pictures of our assaults. there was even a brief period today when their window stood vacant! i repeat: bozo #1 left his post in broad daylight!



meanwhile, we’ve spend days on end hiding in office plants, diving behind frosted glass barriers, camouflaging ourselves in copier toner and shredded company letterhead, waiting only until the right moments to move undetected at each step. i don’t know what kind of bush league, mickey mouse, amateur operation they’re running over there, but they had better get their act together if they want to hang with us.

so today, we decided that we have no choice. if they refuse to act, then we must. we had to force their hand, to call their bluff, to show them that they fucked with the wrong people.








after a week or so of waiting in the wings, anxiously anticipating the original bozo’s oft-promised, though as of yet never-delivered, responses, bozos #4 and #5 were finally deployed (with stealth! with style!). i can only imaging what their reaction was to the sight of 4 (4!) bozos proudly staring at them from across the street, defying them to step up their game and take action or to step down and leave the bozo project to the professionals. let it be known, north side: we WILL cover this block in bozos, whether or not you have anything to do with it.

here are betsy’s thoughts on today:

this morning was a blur for me. a mix of adrenaline and stealth. i found myself crawling on the office floor, yelling at matt to "cover me! i'm gong in", installing the new bozos with both bozo project matts (matt r & matt f) hiding in the office palm tree, and performing taxidermy on a bozo.

the north side bozos had the gaul to actually take pictures of our bozos IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. what crust! what nerve! we witnessed the entire thing. amateur move. the bozo project requires stealth! we tossed around the thought that maybe they were taking pics to start their own blog? could it be? interesting move, north side...

either way, any moves within the bozo project need to be made subtly. and i think we're excelling in that capacity.

all in all, it’s been an eventful/emotional day. between the startling reality check of bozo #2’s death and the frantic covert-opts of today’s mission, we’ve been on quite the emotional rollercoaster. we’re having a hard time predicting what their next move will be, but agree that it will be difficult for them to continue to sit idly after today’s attack.

Funeral & Resurrection of a Friend

After days of full-tilt denial regarding Bozo #2's declining health, Matt and I finally came to the harrowing decision to literally pull the plus on Bozo #2. This decision didn't come lightly as we had grown so attached to our new pal. He was, after all, responsible for the entire Bozo Project. But his time was up. He served his project well and like eery great revolutionary, he made his mark on this world and left change and heavy hearts behind. We had spent several days agonizing over the impending death, asking each other rhetorical questions like "His leaks aren't that bad, right?" and "He still looks good. Nope. No change from yesterday...right?" But each time we looked at our newly-acquired Bozo #3 in his proud, erect state, and then back at Bozo #2, we had to accept the cruel fate that life dealt us. Bozo #3 was now set to assume the role of dominant silverback of our Bozo group and Bozo #2, soon to be remembered only in our hearts. Although we can't take responsibility for Bozo #2's death (it's not healthy to blame ourselves), perhaps we should have been more careful in choosing his initial place in the window? We had put him directly in the office graveyard. That mess of a shelf where co-worker Maura's gorgeous bonsai tree died within seconds and no one ever bothered to throw out its rotting corpse.

As for Matt and I, clearly we weren't quite ready to give up on Bozo #2. While preparing to bury him, we decided to taxidermy him instead. HE WILL NOW LIVE FOREVER. He may no longer be boppable, or able to stand on his own accord, but stuffed with shredded paper, a crumpled NY Post and some bubble wrap, our warrior (and YOURS) will live on and on. And on. And on...