The Bumbys: Paid to judge your appearance
It's a simple question: How do I look?
But, you rarely get an honest answer, unless you ask The Bumbys.
Meet Gill and Jill Bumby, who promise to give you what they call "a fair and honest appraisal of your appearance." From everyday party goers to celebrities like Christina Hendricks and Zooey Deschanel, The Bumbys pass judgment on anyone brave enough to step in their line.
But, getting Bumby'd isn't just some fun party trick - this is what Gill and Jill do full time. They actually get paid to provide their opinions and they travel all over the country, performing at high-profile events for clients such as Barney's New York, Microsoft, Vogue, Fiji Water and Verizon.
Here's how it works: Sitting behind a table with sunglasses, wigs, and bandannas concealing their identities, Gill and Jill say nothing. They give you a once over and start typing your assessment, including an overall rating on a scale of one to 10.
I made it out with a 9.3. Jill said that I look hardcore - a real Ian MacKaye type - and thanked me for wearing the best shirt of the evening, or at least the most recently laundered.
The Bumbys agreed to give CBSNews.com their first-ever on-camera interview.
Gill explains how the idea for The Bumbys came to life. "I saw someone do something similar when I was in college in 2003 and I thought it was cool, but I thought it was missing a few key things. And, so I moved up to New York around 2005, and around 2006 I remembered it, and I changed up a few of the elements and tried it down the the subway. And, um, well, I knew I had something cause I made about 170 dollars in an hour."
After a few more tries and some run-ins with the police, Gill's reputation had grown, enabling him to take his act from street to some art gallery openings. That's where he met his partner-in-crime, Jill Bumby.
"I'd been hearing people talk about this phenomenon of street performing that was happening in Williamsburg at the time and a friend took me to a gallery opening and Gill Bumby was doing his thing, and I thought he should have a girl sidekick."
Gill eventually agreed to team up with Jill and they've been together ever since.
"It's our life," Gill says. "We feel pretty cool about it."
"We all live this way, you know" Jill explains. "We all Bumby all the time. It's just that we put it on a 4x6 index card, for you to enjoy forever - hopefully framed, passed down to your grandchildren."
"At the very least, on your refrigerator," says Gill.
And most people seem to enjoy the Bumbys' critique of their looks. As Gill explains, it's more about point out what you're doing right and let you know that you're doing okay.
"It's not really meant to tear you down," Gill says. "Most people come up and say 'Do your worst,' you know, or 'rip me apart,' and it's not really about that you know, it's about telling a story about you in about 80 to a hundred words."
"It's not about perfect hair, it's about you know, the insecurity behind the worry about the imperfect hair you know," Jill says. "It's about, you know, sometimes when the person approaches you and and they want to talk to you just to show you that they're smarter than you think."
But, the Bumbys never talk back. This helps them stay anonymous, which they say is critical to their performance.
"It's pretty important," Gill says. "I mean, it turns the whole thing into a one-way street, and so it's not really about us, you know? We could be burn victims under here, it doesn't really matter, it's just all about you."
"It's your moment to be seen and really looked at and then know what we see," Jill says.
What do the Bumbys see for their future? Hopefully, growing their brand. They've already reviewed fashion shows for New York magazine and continue to look for new opportunities.
"Honestly, I think the cards themselves will be, you know, something worth saving," Gill says. "We're working on a book project right now to collect them, and we're just gonna keep traveling and having a great time doing this."
A great time that seems to be infectious. But, you can be the judge of that.
For more information on The Bumbys, visit their website.
