The Bronze Fonz is no longer standing guard on the RiverWalk. Where did he go?
"The Bronze Fonz needed a break, so he hopped on his motorcycle and went to Leon's for burgers and frozen custard," says VISIT Milwaukee's Communications and Group Tour Manager Lindsey McKee.
Actually, the alloy Arthur Fonzarelli is away at a sculpture spa getting a makeover, says VISIT Milwaukee's Leisure Communications Manager, Jake Meister.
"It’s hard work putting smiles on the faces of so many locals and visitors," he says.
OK, really, the statue is undergoing maintenance.
"In all seriousness, VISIT Milwaukee is having the Bronze Fonz spruced up with some routine maintenance at Vanguard Sculpture Services," says McKee.
"He will be back on the RiverWalk in about two weeks."
So, don't worry, it'll be back and it'll be just as it was.
"The routine maintenance is restorative and nothing is set to change on the Bronz Fonz," says Meister.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
