Amazing Strangers, Jesus Dressup, News, Shaggy, Star Wars Jesus, Starbucks

Happily Issolated

January 16, 2016 Normal Bob

Jesus Dressup

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.

Normal Bob in Bowie shirt — 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

union square crew — 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.

Blog, Bob Smith USA, Jesus Dressup, News

Holidays Upon Us

December 6, 2015 Normal Bob

Jesus Dressup fridge magnets available

Fridge magnet sales are rolling in & reminding me that I’m still the manager of a website. Those orders are being shipped out next day despite my lagging on all other activities on the site. I am however at the lowest selection I’ve had for a long time.
Here’s what I’ve got.

Officially I have 4 sets of Jesus magnets available: BDSM, Final Justice, Halloween & Lady Gaga Jesus. I also have Mohammed dress up games as well. And if you wanna know the facts, sales for these are indeed coming in, from Europe mostly. So anyhow, that’s 5 – Officially.

Unofficially I also have special sets available. Like for instance the first print of Final Justice Jesus from 2006. This has always been my personal favorite, and I have one and a half boxes left of these. They are for sale until I feel like I don’t want to lose any more of them.

browning on jesus magnets — This is the last year for Christmas JDU because now, after ten years, they’re starting to “brown.” The muddiness is most noticeable in the yellow part of the cross.

The Christmas Jesus Dressups are beginning to “brown.” They’re just not looking as bright as they did in 2005 when they first arrived at my door, and I’m not even offering them to the stores I sell to any more. That means this’ll be their last year. Same thing happened to my last boxes of the Original sets, so they had to be tossed as well. But if you can deal with their slight aging (see sample) they’re just $10. And if you email me after you’ve purchased them and request I fit as many as I can into your Flat Rate envelope (about 4 or 5 I think) I’ll happily do so for no additional cost, because I will never produce these ones again. Too limited of a sales window!

I’ve still got the “All 7 for $77” offer up that includes many of the unavailable sets. I was reminded of this when someone a couple days ago purchased it, and I had to come to grips with what I had available. So as it turns out, if you put in that order I’ll just dip into the sets I’ve got tucked away in my lockbox to fulfill it. You heard right.

I have plans after the holidays to start restocking with new selections. Immediately I’ll be getting both Batman & Star Wars sets made. I’m quite excited. Now that I’m out of NYC and where I am I have more space for storage so I’m able to begin building up this aspect of my business again. It’s a beautiful & satisfying process.

Jesus Dressup App

I’ve been given another shot at making the Jesus Dressup app. This’ll be the 4th attempt at making it! The three that failed before this all stopped short for a different reason each time.

The first time it got made was a guy who after it was complete and Apple posted it for people to purchase, decided to not hand it over to me and just keep the profits for himself. I had to threaten him to take it down.

The second one (read about it in left sidebar) I paid a guy to make, and he did a beautiful job with it, but this time Apple rejected it because it was offensive content. That really killed my spirit on trying to make it again.

The third time was from another person who said they’d make it for no charge, and after a year passed he realized it was too big a job and bailed.

So a couple weeks ago a guy in Italy said he’d do a Droid app for free as long as his name was in the credits for making it. I’ve agreed, and he’s already shown me samples of how it might play, and it looks sharp! But I also have a grasp on the plausibility of it.

Amazing Strangers

As for the Amazing Strangers of Union Square videos, I think those’ll just have to wait. I’ve tried several times to go in and start putting together some of the unused videos I’ve got stored away, but my heart’s not in it. And quite honestly, the best footage has been posted. If I were to start posting the stuff you’ve never seen before your first thought would be “Yeah, I can see why he didn’t post this before.”

Normal Bob answers question about God – Aug 28, 2005 — Normal Bob answers question about God outside Verb Coffee in Bedford Mall

In 2003 when Neil Abramson came out and filmed me for his Bob Smith USA movie, he interviewed Shaggy & I and followed us around the city with his camera, then never used the footage. I realized that when I finally do put together this Union Square movie (or whatever it’s going to be) including that footage of Neil’s is my dream. It just has to be there. I’ve sent him a couple requests, but I also know he’s a busy man, and that footage is buried somewhere. Anyhow, that’s the goal, and until then, I am just not feelin’ it.

My plans

As for what I’m planning to do from here? That has yet to be determined. I know what I want and what I don’t want but I have no idea where this place exists. For now I’m completely content here in Michigan looking forward to a country Christmas winter, playing with the dog, helping my folks in their daily lives… and just a little bit of Grand Theft Auto V.

Amazing Strangers, Art, Blog, Freelance, News, Portfolio

Chicago

October 9, 2015 Normal Bob

No, I haven’t moved to Chicago. I haven’t even decided if I’d like to live there or not. Or where I’d even like to live at all in the future. I’m still in Michigan planning to periodically visit the Windy City from time to time. I have family and friends there, plus there seems to be possible outlets there for my filming addiction.

I’m starting to get ideas on how to possibly present past Amazing Strangers footage. I’ve thought of focusing on one character, like Dusty for instance, along with some music, I could put together a brief story about that subject in an interesting way. So if by chance you or someone you know has music they’d like to get out there, especially if it’s themed around NYC, Union or one of the “Strangers” there, I’d be very interested to hear/use it. I’d give full credit and promote the musician behind it in any way possible. Which reminds me…

Kameltoe

I was in Chicago last week, and while there I ran into Kameltoe! I’d been planning to go to Chicago for the last week of September for a while. Then, just happened to mention it to Kameltoe (who is in LA), and by chance she was going there be there the same time!

So we met up in Millennium Park and recorded some of her new songs. She has many new songs, and I recorded about 6 of them that afternoon. I’ll get them to you as ways to present them come to me.

If you want to keep up to date with Kameltoe’s life, her Instagram is the best place for that.

Art Jobs

putple octopus with pizza — Hired to design an octopus with pizza for a tattoo

Yes, I have been able to finally work on art now that I’m away from NYC, but most of it has been paid jobs! I can’t share most of what I’ve done because they’re assignments that are reserved for client use only for now. But one of the pieces I can show is this Octopizza that’s scheduled to become a tattoo on someone’s forearm.

I am indeed for hire for art jobs, no matter how weird or wrong it may seem. Those are often my favorite kinds of jobs to do.

That all said, things have stayed the same. While in Chicago my nephews pretty much got me addicted to Grand Theft Auto. And if you keep up with me on Facebook you’ll see I’ve been helping my mom with her mushroom habit.

hip kids chicago — Kameltoe & friends outside of Pizano’s Pizza in Chicago

lesbian musician with ukulele — Kameltoe with a new ukulele in Millenium Park Chicago IL

hip girl with ukulele — Kameltoe with a new ukulele in Millenium Park Chicago IL

Amazing Strangers, Anthropology, Art, Blog, Union Square

Richy’s Paradise

September 3, 2015 Normal Bob

“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.

Man in pilot's hat w/chair on shoulder — 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.

The full “Christians Meet Their Match” video from 2008 can be seen here.

If you’re interested in contacting Richy he’s asked that you do it through me.