Man Behind the Nose The

DidyouheartheoneaboutwhenBozotheClownranforPresidentandtwoassassinationattemptsweremadeonhislife?HowaboutthetimeBozoflewintotheperilousjunglesofNewGuineatoseeifhecouldnotjustsurvivebutactuallybondwithdangerouscannibaltribes?Wellthen,youmustknowaboutthetimehissize83AAAshoessavedhimfrombeingswallowedwholebyagiant,murderouspythoninThailand,right?ThenIguessyoumightnotknowasmuchasyouthinkabouttheworld'smostfamousclown.Sure,youknowthegiantshoes,theredbulbousnose,thebigrubysmile,andthetwinshocksofredyak-hairburstingfromthesidesofhishead.Andobviouslyyouknowthemanyclownsinspiredbyhim,fromRonaldMcDonaldtoKrustytheClown.Soperhapsit'stimeyoulearnedaboutBozo,andthemanbehindthenose.Becausethewild,inspirationalstoriesinthisbookarealltrue.Asrealasthenoseonyourface.Oneday,LarryHarmon,aWorldWarIIprivateharboringdreamsofbecomingadoctor,metthemostfamousentertainerofthetime,AlJolson.Afterseeingtheyoungmanonstage,Jolsontoldhimheshouldconsideracareerchange."Beingadoctorofmedicineishonorable,"Jolsonadvised."Butyou'lltouchsomanymorelivesasadoctoroflaughter!"Adecadelater,Jolson'sprophecycametruewhenLarryHarmon,tryingtomakeitasanactorinHollywood,auditionedtoportrayacharacternamedBozotheCapitolClown.ThecharacterspokesomuchtoLarrythathesimplybecameit—overnight.HesoonturnedBozointoaculturalicon,creatingoneofthebiggestchildren'stelevisionfranchisesintheworld.Butthatwasonlythebeginning.Inthisunputdownablebook,whichHarmoncompletedjustbeforehisdeathatageeighty-three,arefarmoreincrediblestoriesofastronauts,cannibals,celebrities,assassins,anddeep-seadivers—allencounteredinfullBozoregalia,andwithphotostoproveit.NotonlyisHarmon'slifebyturnsincredibleandhilarious,it'salsoaninspirationaltestamenttothepowerofoneman'spositiveattitude,dedication,andworkethic—andhowhechangedtheworld.