Just prior to his death in 2008, Larry "Bozo" Harmon penned the recently released memoir "The Man Behind the Nose,” about his adventures who was a professional clown, ran for President, bonded with dangerous cannibal tribes in New Guinea, and was saved from being swallowed whole by a murderous python in Thailand by his 83 AAA shoes.
But now Harmon’s second of four ex-wives, Sandra Harmon, the author of two relationship books and “Elvis & Me” with Priscilla Presley, is biting back with claims that the crazy tales are a result of him being a “pathological liar.”
Sandra Harmon is writing her own book entitled “Sleeping With Bozo and Other Clowns” to expose dirty details of her marriage to Larry, who she alleges was unfaithful.
“Bozo is only one of the clowns I have slept with, although none of the other clowns wore makeup with a red nose,” Sandra told Pop Tarts. “‘Sleeping With Bozo and Other Clowns’ is part memoir and part celebrity tell all, since I have lived a long and exciting life in show business and have met many celebrities and certainly slept with a good number, and have lots of stories to tell, some funny, some not so funny, but all true.”
Scott McKenzie, the co-author of Larry’s new memoir, said he wasn’t in a position to comment on Sandra’s claims.
Is Bozo the clown a whoredog or was he just a man doing a man's thing?
“Larry never mentioned any ex wives, he never gave any first-hand information on any past relationships,” he told Pop Tarts. “Obviously any memoir is the product of its writer; this is Larry’s and Larry’s experiences. Certainly Mrs. Harmon is entitled to her own perspective on events, but I can’t really comment on her because Larry never mentioned her.”
Larry Harmon’s publicist for over thirty years, Jerry Digney, said that the many “stupendous tales” detailed in the new book had been vetted, and provided a great read for fans of the 1960s icon.
Regardless of what really went on in the private life of the man behind the nose, he’ll always be remembered for his service during World War 2, which inspired him to pursue a career in making others laugh.
“Larry was always willing to do his part for his country. One of the biggest transformative milestones in Larry’s life happened while he was in the service and he met his childhood hero Al Jolson,” McKenzie said. “At the time he was struggling with something so many of us face in our lives – chasing our dreams or choosing a more realistic, practical path in life. Al encouraged him to pursue his passion in entertainment which led to him becoming Bozo and bringing joy to millions of people.”
McKenzie said children today could benefit from a little Bozo in their lives.
“Bozo was all about making things happen, and being kind to people. He was never preachy, he never shoved education down people’s throats,” McKenzie said. “One of the things Bozo would often close the shows with was ‘it is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice.’ He was the perfect mixture of old and young, and really knew how to relate to children on their own terms and he never talked down to them.”
