Biographie
Bobo Touch is comprised of lifelong friends Mike Rizzo and Brian Bonz , who both started making comedies together at age 12, while growing up in their apartment building in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. Bonz naturally gravitated towards music, being heavily influenced by Nirvana, Bjork, Radiohead and the sounds of the 90's. Rizzo loved playing drums and the two started their first band. After almost getting evicted from 'too much noise' complaints, the two starting filming sketches and parodies in and around their building. Rizzo had a knack for filming and storytelling utilizing two VCR's, and the two remade the 1994 classic "The Crow", shot-for-shot, both sharing the role of Brandon Lee.
Bonz went on to release 3 studio records and toured the world with his music, opening up for notable acts like The Get Up Kids, Do Make Say Think, Vacationer, Kevin Devine, Brand New and more -- landing him onto Triple Crown Records. He would continue to act in various shorts and sketches, with other comedians like Casey Jost (Comedy Central).
Rizzo pursued various film projects such as "Bay Rizz", which was a fictitious "Mayor of Brooklyn" character in which he lampooned unsuspecting locals on important community topics, in a short Mockumentary style, garnering some great local buzz in Brooklyn. Rizzo became an editor, editing television commercials for a post-production house, while also working on short films and concepts with friends. Together Rizzo and Bonz vowed to bring back their strange humor and comedy videos they made since they were kids.
The duo got some notice when they created PSA music videos calling out the MTA on various NYC transgression topics like subway etiquette, subway creeps, texting and walking among others. The duo uses odd synth drenched songs, usually with a catchy hook and big beat, to help educate wrong-doers. This got the attention of Village Voice, PIX11, AM New York and other publications for their weird 'Beastie Boys rap songs'.
Rizzo and Bonz then created "Bobo Touch Helpline", a series where they play community helpers, who work out of a makeshift office inside a gas station to help eccentric New Yorkers with strange problems. They screened the show on various platforms and festivals such as the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, Brooklyn Free Speech TV, Brooklyn on Demand plus more, with Vulture saying "Bobo Touch is so fun because it feels authentic - like they've invited us to watch them f**k around, but they're also totally cool if we can't make it. The show's going on either way."
