April 21, 2004
BAIL BONDSMEN
Okay so this entry is a few days late. If I was in school I would say that a dog ate my debit card. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I'm sure I would get knocked down a few half a grades because it is late, but that's a fact I'm just going to have to accept.
As far as anyone can tell, Bill Bonds has been around since the beginning of the modern measurement of time. This photo is actually one of the first to be taken with then-modern photography equipment. Unlike my right honourable friend over in the city of floating blogs, I took an immediate liking to Bonds the minute I could decipher that he wasn't my grandfather (true story).
A man of immense modesty and extreme humility, Bonds served as Channel 7's news anchorman for about 50 years, and before that he was a news radio reporter at Keener 13 radio (Now WNIC?) for about a century. He was also in that one movie with all the apes that act like humans.
Bond's charm was irrefutable with Detroit audiences. One memorable highlight is when he challenged the mayor to a boxing match for charity. He would often sit courtside with his airbrush and sequined denim jean jackets during the glory years of the Bad Boys and people would applaud his entrance and exit as if he donned a jersey himself. Bonds is definitely a Detroiter right down to the core; even when going on the air completely tanked out of his mind.
These days Bonds makes a living as a spokesperson, but just not any spokesperson. He pitches potato chips and furniture from a high quality store in Detroit. He's still as fiesty as ever, challenging world leaders and assuring them one way tickets to hell. There isn't word of him returning to the airwaves any time soon...but given the recent activity of the Detroit city council, it might be a good idea to offer him some sort of local political talk show. That'd be hot. I'd watch.
THE BILL BONDS SURVIVORS GUIDE ONLINE (curated by myself and Matthew Tobey):
Bill, Coleman Young and Chili Dogs.
Posted by rob at April 21, 2004 10:59 AM