I’m very pleased to announce I’ve just put in an order for a new Star Wars Jesus Dressup set. I was inspired, to say the least, after seeing Episode 7. Keep in mind however that I will not be able to display this on my site, for what I think is an obvious reason. They will be available in about 2 months (possibly 3). So if you’re a diehard fan like me, you’ll just have to keep an eye out for “IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE” item in my store. They’ll be slightly less discreet than this in stores that’ll carry them for me.
In 1987 my friend Elizabeth’s sister Kathy was drawing David Bowie on shirts for $50 a pop. I’d seen the one Liz had and had to have one for myself. So my friend Travis & I each gave her $50 so we could each have one.
David Bowie’s death sucked. I thought, and hoped, it could possibly be a prank when I first read it. But after a bit of looking around I realized it was real. I found an old picture of me from 1987 of me wearing my hand drawn shirt I paid a friend $50 to make for me. She only drew David Bowie on shirts. I wore it all the time, and I still have that shirt to this day. I bring it up because it also gave me an idea for a Bowie-theme Jesus Dressup set. That might be next on the list.
Amazing Strangers
Spidey, Shaggy & Roman reunion
I spoke with Shaggy yesterday, and it sounds like his antics haven’t slowed down in the least! He’s got a Starbucks apron which you might have seen in one of the videos from years ago, and he’s been throwing free-loaders out of Starbucks this winter with it! He told me after work he walks in there with the apron on and shouts, “Folks, welcome to Starbucks! Let me warn you, if you have not purchased a coffee or food item I am going to have to ask you to leave!”
He said that immediately after his announcement the place goes quiet, but nothing really happens. Then he gets his coffee and sits down and notices people start to slowly clear out, and the only people sitting at tables and hanging around have coffees.
He sees some employees shake their heads when he does all this, and once one of them came over and told him he can’t come in with the apron on. He responded, “What are you going to do? Throw me out? It’s a free country!” After that they seem to have left him alone.
So beware. If you’re going to Starbucks to sit at a table without buying anything, Shaggy might be there to call you out!
I have to admit I do with I was there to film him doing that this winter.
As for me, at the moment I am really enjoying the isolation. Whatever it is I’ve been doing these last 20 years in the big, crowded cities of NYC and Chicago, getting away from it is just what the doctor ordered. Everyone keeps asking me if I miss NYC, and the answers still no. Ask me again in spring.
“Richy’s Paradise” was first posted on YouTube a week ago. It was up for about 6 hours, then Richy contacted me and asked that it be taken down. It was a painful call to receive, and just as painful to remove it. I love the video and I feel it’s important for people to see. But I also hated that he was so troubled by it. That’s my responsibility to bear.
Richy is off the grid. He’s not online, on Facebook or anywhere else. He doesn’t even have an email. That combined with him being almost a complete shut in, it shouldn’t have surprised me that he might freak out to all of a sudden have this, my camera inside his home, and some pretty vulnerable moments as well, on YouTube for the world to see.
Today however I talked to him and I’m happy to say I’ve gotten permission to post it.
When I first met him he was bouncing between homelessness and that building’s basement, dumpster diving, living hand to mouth.
The reason he’s able to live where he does is because he’s the superintendent of the building, responsible for all the work necessary to keep a building like that legal and standing. It’s a job he’s worked hard to get. He’s on-call 24-7, which contributes to his anxiety. But that’s also how he’s taught himself the construction, plumbing and electric for the work he does in his own place.
Richy explaining his blueprints for paradise to people on the steps of Union Square
I’m thankful he’s willing to let me put this out there as is despite the worries he might have about no longer being so anonymous.
It’s just by chance I got this opportunity to see the inside of his home. A few days before I left the city for good I happened to walk by him there on 13th & 4th. He was sitting on the sidewalk working on some arts & crafts project. I told him I was moving away, so he invited me over to give me one of his maps. In this video you’re witnessing my discovery of him too.
All of the art, music, wood carvings and craftsmanship are 100% Richy’s work. All the songs on the piano are untitled, and written down only in his head.
Drawing of Normal Bob Smith by Walter Roberts a week before I left NYC
I am no longer in New York. In fact, where I’m at is really REALLY not New York! Where I’m at in Michigan is a very different land to say the least. And here is where I’m getting my head together.
I just got off the phone with Shaggy, and he’s turning over some new leafs as well. “No more hanging out with the homeless!” is what he just told me.
After I left, he said he realized he wanted nothing more to do with them. He’s got one, maybe two that he’s still talking to since I left, but decided he’d rather be rollin’ solo than caught up in their drama in any way, shape or form. He even said he’s stopped introducing himself to people as Shaggy (his homeless name) and now says “I’m Bob.”
Selfie of Shaggy, Colyn & Normal Bob the day before he leaves the city for good
I was the one normal person in his life for such a long time there, and with me now gone he has no interest in hanging with the street people. He stops by Union Square for no more than an hour on any given day, hangs with the skaters who say hi to him and keep it movin’, but that’s it. Union’s totally empty now. He hasn’t seen any of the regulars hanging out there lately, and now with Fall just around the corner things are only going to get quieter.
Union Square before I left the city taken from Burlington Coat Factory window
I feel very good about being out of there. I’m still settling into my new schedule of doing less. A lot less. And forgetting I don’t have to be as stressed any more. My brain has been programmed to look for things to worry about. And when the top thing gets resolved it goes to the next one. And so on. That has to end.
Just starting to work on new freelance jobs and feeling productive again. That’s the key for me to start feeling good and at home. I need to feel purpose here, so I’m putting those ducks in line now.
Richy in his appartment
I had one last video posted for less than 6 hours before the subject of it, Richy, told me he was really disturbed by his behavior in it and he wanted it taken down. It kills me to have had to take it off, but I also don’t want to disturb him. I really do like him as an artist and a person, so I’m trying to figure out another way to present it so he can sleep at night with it out there. He’s just such an amazing artist, and the piece itself I think is one of my best, so I’m going to do everything I can to get it to you in one piece at some point. And this is where it’ll be when it goes up again…
On the flip side, Ricky Dale called me and loves her video. I do too. But I especially love the swan-song she gave me to end my final video with Shaggy Bob.
If I were still there I’d be having a lot of trouble keeping my camera away from her. I hope someone else can pick up where I left off. She deserves to be discovered.
I’ve also been going through my backup of Union Square videos with a new appreciation. I’m experiencing that bizarre sensation of it feeling like a dream of some sort. It’s really strange. Hard to describe. I feel like I just returned from a trip to Oz.
If you haven’t heard it yet, I did an interview with Smug Films explaining a lot about why I left NYC, and delved further into some of the less talked about situations I got myself in at Union Square. Listen to that here at Smug Films website.
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all this footage yet. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything I’ve got! Until then though, I’ve put off posting all the photos from my last couple months there, so I’ll be getting those up for you to see as of right now.
Tabatha the iPhone 5 Girl
Tabatha aka Megan aka Chelsea aka iPhone 5 Girl
Drawing of Normal Bob Smith by Walter Roberts a week before I left NYC
Richy in his appartment
Nessa frowns upon hearing that I’m leaving
High Pitch Erik & “No Your City” Nick pose outside of Astor Place Starbucks
High Pitch Erik, Normal Bob & Joey Boots pose outside of Astor Place Starbucks the day before Normal Bob moves away from the city
Selfie of Shaggy, Colyn & Normal Bob the day before he leaves the city for good
Tan Tourists looking at NYC & their phones
Ashley, Crow & Sabrina told me no special occasion. They dress like this all the time
Union Square before I left the city taken from Burlington Coat Factory window
Ricky Dale
Greg & Shaggy embrace
Matty McCloud
Matty & Matty
Maty Ice in full Motley Crue makeup before show
One of Jimmy the Mosaic Man’s tile covered poles ripped out of the sidewalk
Union Square sans Normal Bob Smith by Zoë Karson Cullum on Facebook after my departure
My friends, after 13 fruitful years in New York City it’s finally time for me to leave. I’m over it. The bloom is off the rose. I’m moving to go be closer to family, help out my parents and enjoy the freedom to work on my art in peace. That’s what I’ve been doing most when I visit them, and it’s just been impossible for me to find enough space & peace in this city to do that.
There are many reasons I feel the need to leave.
I am no longer enchanted with what I once saw here. I hate what I see it turning into and the type of people flooding in. They’ve priced me out, and killed my enthusiasm to document it. I just can’t keep up.
I also need to be with family. I got none of that here. And lately I’ve been feeling that lack harder than ever.
This isn’t necessarily the end of Amazing Strangers. I have enough footage and photos to furnish many other projects. I also have a lot of unused, unseen stuff to put out there. It does however mean the end of my Union Square updates. August will be my final month.
I will still keep up with normalbob.com same as ever. My passion for this is still strong. That’s part of it too. There’s a lot more I want to do.
It couldn’t be more clear to me that I am done with this chapter of my life. It’s been brewing in me for a while now. I’m also really looking forward to seeing where this takes me. I rule out nothing.
Check out an interview I did with Smug Film were I go into further detail on my departure. I’ve got a few unheard stories that you’ll probably find very interesting, and more.
Would somebody help this homeless kitty out?
Woman in giant glasses she’s had for years and wears every summer
Tanza wearing metal necklace she made wouldn’t let me interview her because she doesn’t know me well enough yet.
Nicole in top she made out of Trip pants
Nicole & her mom
Etta joins X in his daily gymnastics
Mile is a fan who loves the channel and discovered it through the viral Wendell’s Hat Thief video
Shaggy & Normal Bob with young fan Miles
Alexa poses before visit
Selfie-stick Couple take selfie
Justine Bieber son protects his tourist family from my camera
Bianca’s dog Blanch poses for picture
Bianca & Blanch coming to visit
Normal Bob takes selfie in Bianca’s new shades that she found at a thrift shop
Tabatha (iPhone 5 girl)
Stylish Performers who were hola-hooping were happy to pose for me
