# Baton Bob arrested in MIdtown Atlanta as he celebrated THE SCOTUS decision on DOMA **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 27, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024 "2013-06-27T12:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/1 "2013-06-27T12:57:48Z")
First, some background on who [Baton Bob](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baton_Bob) is. The northern end of the Atlanta downtown business district is called (for reasons not germane here) Midtown. It’s a nice, safe part of the city with typical office buildings, shops, the High Museum, churches, etc. It’s a great part of town to work in, with a great variety of lunch spots to walk to, parks nearby, etc. I live out in the 'burbs, but I love working in Midtown. On to Baton Bob. Baton Bob is a local character, who enjoys dressing up in a tutu. And heels. And lots of sparkly make-up. Most of the time also with a Mardi Gras style mask. Oh, and he twirls a baton. Not very well, but nonetheless, he is Baton Bob, so he has the Baton. He struts/parades/sashays around Midtown dancing on street corners to cars passing-by, sometimes interacting with pedestrians. He has stated his goal in life is to spread mirth. 99.9% of the time that’s what he does. So yesterday, Baton Bob took to the streets to celebrate the SCOTUS decision on DOMA. While walking to grab lunch yesterday my co-worker and I encountered Bob, and he was in rare form. High energy day for Bob, no doubt. We were walking to a building named Colony Square. Bob frequently comes through the common area there, which is a local gathering spot with a sort of food court area. Apparently the security guards had had enough of Bob’s antics and asked him to leave the property. When I saw Bob yesterday, he was strutting towards the door with two security guards following him, about 15 feet behind. Somehow the situation escalated outside, the APD got involved, and Baton Bob wound up being arrested. It had to have happened while my buddy and I were sitting inside munching on our sandwiches. Apparently Bob didn’t take kindly to being arrested, dropping a few f-bombs, and generally being difficult. He seems like a harmless guy. Hate that something like this escalated on a day that should have been a happy one for baton-twirlers everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/2 "2013-06-27T13:07:09Z")
Plenty of news articles about it; [here’s one.](http://www.ajc.com/news/news/baton-bob-arrested-following-run-in-with-officer/nYWtd/) That’s, uh, quite the outfit. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/3 "2013-06-27T13:12:23Z")
I saw an article on that. The thing the article left out was WHY Baton Bob was arrested. I’m quite curious to know what the charges are and whether they’ll be dropped. I’ve seen him a few times (usually at screen on the green when that was still a thing). I’ve always wondered how he supports himself since I don’t see him taking money for his ‘performances’. Let’s not forget the Atlanta Eagle raid was only in 2009. I’d believe there’s a few homophobes still in APD. EDIT: and of course, **Machine Elf** posts an article with the actual charges. I have a feeling they’ll be dropped. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/4 "2013-06-27T13:15:06Z")
Aw man, I miss Bob. I used to drive past him most mornings when I lived in St. Louis. He always made me smile. One time he was being hassled by somebody, and several construction guys working across the street came to defend him. When he’s not being a volatile nut, Bob brings people together by doing … whatever it is he does. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/5 "2013-06-27T17:54:49Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > I’ve seen him a few times (usually at screen on the green when that was still a thing). I’ve always wondered how he supports himself since I don’t see him taking money for his ‘performances’. There’s a photo slideshow linked off the article **Machine Elf** linked to, and one of the captions it says “[Bob] Jamerson is also a floral designer.” I bet he make some fabulous bouquets! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/6 "2013-06-27T18:09:03Z")
Does Spandex Man still hang out in the Virginia Highlands? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/7 "2013-06-27T19:09:02Z")
Anyone else get an image of Boston Rob? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/8 "2013-06-27T19:32:11Z")
Or Sideshow Bob? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/9 "2013-06-27T20:38:24Z")
A [Google-Images search](http://www.google.com/search?safe=active&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1080&bih=819&q=baton+bob&oq=baton+bob&gs_l=img.3..0l4j0i24l6.1250.2187.0.2344.9.8.0.0.0.0.141.766.7j1.8.0...0.0...1ac.1.18.img.0kQ2vM8IzOs) has proven entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/10 "2013-06-27T20:40:20Z")
And he’s got [his own Wikipedia page.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baton_Bob) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baton-bob-arrested-in-midtown-atlanta-as-he-celebrated-the-scotus-decision-on-doma/662024/11 "2013-06-27T20:48:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Anyone else get an image of Boston Rob? I initially read it as “Bob Barr”. And I was so excited.