Have you seen this incredibly realistic crochet doll of Bo Burnham online? The text, crossed legs, and teeny tiny smartphone are all perfect matches to the man texting his lady love.
Sexting Bo has been making the rounds on Reddit recently, and I had to learn more about how this perfectly proportioned figure was created (especially the adorable tiny props!).
Luckily, badmojo619 was more than happy to discuss her art and her plans for making more—including new Bo dolls!
Badmojo619's real name is Aimee Cohen, and here is my interview with her, which has been edited and condensed for clarity purposes.
Bo Burnham Historian: Hi, Aimee! Thanks for taking the time to discuss your art with me.
Can you please provide some details about yourself?
Aimee: I’m 49 years old, married for 24 years this June. I live outside of Boston, MA with my husband and 2 of our 3 kids (oldest lives cross country). I’m a stay-at-home mom, which gives me time to get back to working on my crafts!
BBH: Awesome! It's great hearing about older fans of Bo...makes me feel less awkward as a middle-aged fangirl haha.
So how did you get started with your art? Are you formally trained?
Aimee: I grew up in a crafty family. My mother knit and crocheted, and my sisters both make jewelry on the side.
No formal training at all—I’ve just gone through life trying any crafts that spoke to me. I’ve done cross stitch, wood burning, 1/144 scale dollhouse kits, and some jewelry work (beadwork, metal stamping). I know how to knit, but my favorite craft is definitely crochet. I have a little bit of crafting ADHD haha.
I started crocheting about 7 years ago and haven’t looked back.
BBH: Well you certainly are talented!
So what are your art influences? Are there any particular artists who inspire you?
Aimee: My favorite kind of crochet is amigurumi (stuffies), although I’ve made blankets and wearables, too.
I have made all manner of things for my kids and their friends, favorite characters over the years etc.
I really fell in love with making customized dolls though. My 2 favorite crochet pattern designers are Laura Tegg (LollysCraftyCrochet on Etsy) and Allison Hoffman (crafty is cool on most if not all platforms).
They've both designed basically “blank canvas” type doll patterns that are customizable in almost every way.
I’ve used Laura’s doll patterns repeatedly for characters, and Allison’s patterns are what I use to make my Bo dolls.
BBH: Nice! Having those patterns must be useful.
So back to Bo. When did you become a fan? Have you known about him for a long time or did you discover him through Inside?
Aimee: My oldest has been a casual fan of Bo for a long time—he was the one who introduced me to Inside.
We watched it together the night before he moved, which probably influenced my opinion of the special to begin with (makes me think of my kid!) but in the time since, I think I’ve consumed all the Bo content out there.
I’m definitely way more obsessed than he is.
BBH: Yeah, I can commiserate—I've been obsessed since 2019 lol.
What inspired you to make art about Bo? And what is your general process from concept to the final product?
Aimee: In all honesty, the Bo subreddit exposed me to the idea of making fanart. After seeing all the amazing stuff other people have made, I got inspired.
My first thought was making a graphghan (Ed. note: an afghan that uses a graph to create the design) using a cross stitch pattern, but that seemed overwhelming.
I then thought, I like making dolls, why not make a Bo? Or more than one?
My process begins with total obsession and overthinking. I started with Sexting because there aren't as many details to worry over. I did anyway. I had the ‘blank canvas’ patterns at my disposal, so I focused on smaller aspects.
My favorite details for this one are the earrings (teeny tiny cross charms) and the cell phone (made with Shrinky Dink sheets).
BBH: I totally get that...I obsess over things too (hence this website!).
I'm amazed by the intricate details you've added to the crochet doll. The whole thing is absolutely adorable!
How long did it take you to make everything? The Shrinky Dinks part, for example, is such a clever way to make that prop.
Aimee: Thank you so much! Making dolls seemed the obvious choice for me to make some fanart (Bo is the first celebrity I’ve done this with).
At the risk of repeating myself and fangirling over Allison Hoffman, she’s the reason I decided to do this.
Allison Hoffman
She makes all sorts of celebrity-inspired dolls, and she’s amazing at it. I think I want to be her when I grow up.
The whole process took me months. The planning took the longest, probably 3 months. I started crocheting him at the end of November.
The pieces only took me a few days to make. I put the project on hold until after Christmas (took some time out to make gifts), and a lot of the procrastination stemmed from me being afraid to mess him up.
I had all the tiny details planned, but the execution scared me! I started back up December 30, and the first photo shoot happened on January 9.
BBH: Well, I can say your time and effort paid off—it looks fantastic!
What mediums do you prefer to use for your art?
Aimee: Yarn is absolutely my favorite medium to work with.
Aimee's dumpling equivalent in yarn
BBH: That makes sense. What's your favorite piece of Bo fanart that you've made? Least favorite?
Aimee: This doll is pretty much my favorite anything I’ve ever made. He stands on my bookshelf in the living room and I glance over at him every once in a while and smile. I’m a nut.
I did make a metal stamped ring once, with the letters "wtfigo" on it. I need more practice metal stamping—it came out terrible and I never wear it!
BBH: That's too bad; it sounds like a REALLY cool idea for jewelry!
Since you crochet, I have to ask the obvious—will you be making a The Future Bo doll that crochets instead of having a kid? Lol
Aimee: Hahaha! First time I heard that song I giggled like an idiot! The Future will be the one I use if I ever do decide to take up making a graphghan.
I’ve toyed with the idea of making a doll all in green tones like The Future, or blue/gray tones for Welcome to the Internet. Not sure if those will ever happen though.
BBH: Both of those sound fun. Be sure to share them if you do end up creating more dolls!
Please tell me one fun fact about yourself. Do you have any specific hobbies or interests people don't know about?
Aimee: I can’t think of any fun facts hahaha. I’m left-handed and I have 15 piercings, does that count?
BBH: Yeah, I'd say that counts, and I'm a southpaw too!
What's your favorite Bo song/special? You can name more than one.
Aimee: Can’t make me choose! Mostly everything from Inside and The Outtakes, though. Oh Bo is my favorite of his older stuff.
BBH: That's a classic for sure. Do you have any upcoming projects?
Aimee: YES! I’m currently working on a Wednesday Addams doll, and I plan on making Enid next.
I’m already in the planning stages/materials research for 2 more Bo dolls (Jeans and How The World Works, complete with Socko and a replica of his chair and keyboard) and also a doll of Jerrod Carmichael with his Emmys outfit! I can’t wait to make all of them!
BBH: Oh wow, I can't wait to see how all of those turn out (especially the Jerrod one!).
So how can fans best support you? Are any of your pieces for sale? And do you have any social media that you'd like to plug?
Aimee: “Buy my shit forever” obviously hahaha.
I’m not currently selling any of my work, but I’m open to taking commissions in the future. I wasn’t sure if what I came up with would be any good, but I surprised myself with this project, so I’m excited to make more!
I’m working on opening an Etsy store, but I don’t have anything going yet. I’d like to think that I’d be able to sell Bo dolls or other pop culture icons in the future.
I’m badmojo619 on everything (Twitter, Instagram and Reddit), but there’s nothing interesting going on at the moment.
BBH: That sounds great about the Etsy shop—I'll be sure to check it out.
Thanks for chatting with me, Aimee, and good luck with your future dolls!
Aimee: It's no problem at all!
May 2023 Update: After many months, I finally have my That Funny Feeling Bo doll from Aimee, complete with a tiny black chair. He's absolutely adorable! 🥰
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