In 1995, Francis Elsidore, an eccentric millionaire, was trekking through the South American jungles in his quest for the perfect mushroom salad, when he had an inspiration for a new business: He would train monkeys to deliver pizza. It was from this that Bomis was born.

Three months and fifteen rabies shots later, Elsidore left Bomis for "something that has more to do with crayons." The company was bought out by a large Washington-based media corporation, which, according to the terms of a later Severance Agreement, must not be mentioned by name in connection with Bomis. Nearly two months later control of Bomis passed into the hands of a private investment group hoping to take it public as a radio-based auction house for PEZ dispensers. It then passed briefly into your mother, as so many things had done before, then back to the investment group, then for two weeks the company disappeared completely. It was found in a Las Vegas motel room, drunk and unshaven, by the current owners who looked beyond the stench and broken bottles and saw the potential for a really cool Internet site. Bomis became Bomis.com, and the rest is history.