I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. As a small boy my favorite television show was “Howdy Doody.” My favorite character on the show was Clarabelle the Clown, a mute circus clown with a bicycle horn who was always pulling pranks. I loved watching “The Red Skelton Show” with my parents. Red was both a stand-up comic and a mime. My favorite character of his was Clem Kadiddlehopper, a mute hobo in the tradition of Emmitt Kelly’s circus clown.
As I grew older, my taste in clowns grew more sophisticated. Rowan and Martin, Mort Sahl, Lenny Bruce, Flip Wilson, Johnny Carson, and my favorite clown of all, George Carlin. All of my clowns are now dead and gone, George joining the celestial class clown hall of fame a few days ago. This post is dedicated to George, who I will miss dearly. Losing one’s heroes is difficult any any age, and when you are my age, it becomes especially poignant, because it is such a stark reminder of your own mortality. Read the rest of this entry »
