I wrote this almost 10 years ago to someone asking about Chore Boy:
Initially i was attracted to CB for his amazing scrubbing abilities -- maybe he could clean up the mess i'd made by collaging pieces of garbage and literally painting with dirt. Then i became attached to his packaging -- that bright orange box and his product description (copper scouring pads - which i changed to "cop our ads.") This sounds cheezy but i can't deny - he also had an astonishing resemblance to my imaginary childhood friend. I say "had" because they recently updated his look and now he seems like some kinda fake skater punk. That's one reason i can barely stand him anymore. Also, a lot of people mistake him for the Bob's Big Boy restaurant's mascot. I was embarrassed when i first found out about the crack pipe trick on an episode of Cops after i'd been working with CB for awhile...that connotation was not my intent. Even today i cringe just a little thinking about it. But overall, i am okay with it since most of the CB pieces incorporate debris i found on the street or in the trash as collage elements, and in most cities, as you point out, crack paraphernalia is sadly part of that garbage. Last year i showed some of them and this (drunken) guy was telling me that CB is worshiped by some obscure cult religion. Having learned my lesson about researching my imagery i tried to search online for anything about this to no avail. I have been trying to avoid CB in my recent work, but all the mystery surrounding him may force him to reappear someday.
