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Tim Burton's B. Balloon Takes Flight In Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 24, 2011
Modified Nov 24, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 24, 2011
Modified Nov 24, 2011
Share
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Finally, Tim Burton's gothic imagination has made it to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade—his Boy B. balloon appeared this morning much to the delight of parade watchers on the ground and at home. One Tweeted, "TIM BURTON'S BALLOON! That brief moment totally made my day =]" while another admitted, "My hero Tim Burton got his own float!? I actually teared up. Über dork alert:) #holidays."
Macy's parade organizers had been hoping Burton would agree to design a balloon for them for years, and Burton's dark mind offered up this backstory for his offering: "B. was created, Frankenstein’s monster-style, from the leftover balloons used in children’s parties at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Forbidden from playing with other children because of his jagged teeth and crazy-quilt stitching, B. retreated to a basement lair, where he obsesses over Albert Lamorisse’s film The Red Balloon and dreams that he, too, will be able to fly someday."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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