Quit Clowning Around

You get up in the morning, get dressed for work, maybe scarf down something resembling breakfast and head out to your busy day. When you get to your office, you’re greeted by people who like and respect you. People who admire your work ethic and recommend your work to others.

In other words, all is good in your world.

But, to outsiders, you are perceived differently. Imagine having to hear “Jeez, what a freaking TV Producer that guy is!” or “Can you believe that TV Producer?” or “Who does that TV Producer think he is?”

It’s not funny now, is it?

Such is the sad fate of clowns. Barry Weintraub of AOL News has found that clowns do not like politicians being compared to them.

You can call Washington a mess. You can call it a farce. But please don’t call it a circus.

Clowns, jugglers, carnies and other performers making their living under the big top are frustrated by the state of American politics, but they say it’s unfair to compare their business to what’s going on inside the Beltway.

“If you look at the history of the American circus, you’ll find that it’s one of the most efficient and well-run industries in America,” says Keith Nelson, also known as Kinko the Clown of the Bindlestiff Family Circus, a New York City-based group that has traveled the world.

“Before you call anyone in Washington a clown, consider how hard a clown works, and that clowns make people happy. And at the very least, do no harm.”

Myron the Magnificent, another Bindlestiff performer, says a little tomfoolery is fine for the stage. “It’s great for the big top. It’s great for Las Vegas,” he says. “In Washington, I think they need to use their brains and diplomacy, to make the world a better place.”

But if Washington could learn something from the circus, it would be a very simple lesson. “Stop all the fighting,” ringmistress Stephanie Monseau says. “Don’t take yourself so seriously.”

To be sure, the United States isn’t the only place where politics is likened to a sideshow. Voters in Brazil recently cast more than 1.3 million votes for Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, better known as Tiririca the Clown. He received more than twice as many votes as his closest rival in the race to represent the people of Sao Paulo in the Brazilian congress.

Tiririca’s simple platform: “It can’t get any worse!” And voters clearly agreed.

Just FYI, the Kinko the Clown interviewed above is no relation to the Legendary Kinko the Clown made famous by Dr. Demento. So, in the future, if you feel the need to insult someone, please make sure that you don’t end up hurting the feelings of an innocent clown.