This picture was taken by photographer Marc Norberg. It was part of a photo session at the Southern Theater leading up to our show, The Vaudevillian. I was commissioned by the Southern to write the show in collaboration with playwright Kevin Kling, as part of their 100 year celebration. The cast was Rosie and I, Arsene Dupin, and Scott Crosby with his band The Medicine Show.
Great Memories,
*<[:o)
Here are a couple of pictures that photographer Layne Kennedy took of Gabe performing in the Mini-Apple Circus at a benefit that I produced for our neighbor Gabriel Grieling after he was seriously injured in a school bus accident in 2009.
The Mini-Apple Circus is a show that Rosie and I created as an after school project throughout Gabe’s childhood.
Also pictured are his friends Lucy and Lilly who played clowns. This is the only time that Gabe ever played the ringmaster in the show.
What fond memories… *<[:o)
Our family crisis is over. The household is now fully restocked with whoopee cushions. I’m amazed how many different sizes are now available in the classic whoopee cushion from my youth.
The center one has a hole in it and was the last remaining whoopee cushion in the house when our crisis began.
Our neighbor Carol Strand came to the rescue with a pack of the 4″ whoopee cushions on the day of the crisis. Unfortunately they contain the tonal volume of a humming bird fart.
Finally a rush order of one-dozen of 8″ whoopee cushions arrived from Oriental Express yesterday.
Gabriel will now be well supplied for the summer.
*<[:o)
My son’s street show is coming together. Most all the props have been built. I’m just waiting for the paint to dry on a few. Pictured above is his pitchman’s case with his new Danish top hat, and of course Gabriel needs his horn. In the background is a long stemmed Emergency Red Nose® leaning on the spool of rope to form his circle and “claim his pitch” as they say.
On the outside of the spool I painted our family’s trademark of a white cross on a red nose. My son is at the opposite end of the circle from me. He is the age I was when I began my career as a clown. Whether Gabe pursues a career in our family tradition is up to him, but so far the choice has all been his to street perform for the summer in Boulder, Colorado.
As I write this I’m watching Gabriel mow our lawn. His red hair is sticking straight up and he has been complaining the entire time. He will be turning twenty which was the age I was when I started performing at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, forty years ago this coming season. I remember I hated mowing the lawn too.
All of the props will be finished tomorrow.
*<[:o)
My sister Linda took this picture of me when I was the same age as my son Gabriel is today.
Source: Emergency Clown Nose (@EmergencyNose) | Twitter
My son Tweeted the question, “Is this what a clown’s hair is supposed to look like?”
I have been trying to convince him for years that he was born with the perfect hair for a clown.
Please Tweet him @EmergencyNose and share your opinion with him.
*<[:o) A Proud Dad
My neighbor Mary Ludington took this picture. The man on crutches is David Solnit who was directing us how to make protest art. David came to Minnesota last weekend from California to help MN-350.org prepare the artwork for the Tar Sands March on the Minnesota State Capital this June 6th.
David is on crutches because a pile of plywood fell and crushed his foot. The good news was that there were no broken bones. The bad news is that I guess a crushed foot takes longer to heal than a broken bone.
A crushed foot didn’t seem to slow David down this weekend. When your trying to save the world from Global Warming a little pain is worth it.
David told amazing stories of being one of the creators of the Rebel Clown Army that effectively shut down the road to the G8 Summit in 2005.
Join us on June 6th.
Gabe’s biggest struggle as a boy was learning a slow press into a handstand, which requires a tremendous amount of inner core strength. Today he blows up a whoopee cushion, then places it on a folding chair before pressing up into a handstand on the chair, and then slowly lowers himself into a seated position, releasing the satisfying sound of a Bronx Cheer.
I am a very proud father.
Source: June 6 Art Build – THIS WEEKEND!
Yesterday I spent the afternoon painting protest signs with my neighbors Kevin Kling and Mary Ludington in preparation for the upcoming June 6th Tar Sands Resistance March on the MN State Capital organized by MN 350.
350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it’s the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.
This afternoon I plan to return to paint more signs and talk about building a clown army. Do you want to join me?
Art Build for the June 6th Tar Sands Resistance March!
What: June 6 Tar Sands Resistance March Art Build
When: May 22 – 26 everyday from 12pm-9pm.
Where: 550 Vandalia St, St. Paul, MN
Who: YOU! This is a great way to get involved with your family and friends
Why: Diverse communities are uniting to stop the world’s dirtiest oil from being piped through the Great Lakes region.
