October 5, 2010

I cover the clown news.

3 items today:

1. Tiririca — "Grumpy" — the Brazilian clown just got elected federal deputy for Sao Paulo. Ad copy: "What does a federal deputy do? Truly, I don't know. But vote for me and I will find out for you."

2. And speaking of "you," the Delaware Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell, known for her spooky assertion "I am you," is in trouble for claiming that her father was Bozo. TPM has untangled the web of possible lies. Why would you claim to be the offspring of Bozo if you weren't?

3. Clowns stage a protest against the anti-clown bigotry. "It's very unfair to portray us as evil. I have always been a clown, I have grown up around clowns, my father and my grandfather were clowns and we are not evil."

33 comments:

tim maguire said...

Why would a politician claim to be the child of Bozo regardless of its truth? Poor Christine O'Donnell, she waited until mid-life to plan her political career in a society that seems to demand she start planning it in the third grade.

How dare she have fun in her youth?

traditionalguy said...

Now stop clowning around, Professor. This Blog should be a serious work. You know, like Trooper's Blog. For real humor I watch CNN.

Drew said...

Has anyone really actively pursued the clown vote before? And why not? There's an identity group just ripe for the pickin'.

MadisonMan said...

Speaking of clowns, I see doug LaFollette is on the ballot again for Secy of State.

I'm gonna write in althouse for Secy of State in Wisconsin, and I urge everyone else to do likewise.

Matt Brown said...

Only an evil clown would deny his/her evilness.

Amexpat said...

With apologies to Stealers Wheels:

Clowns to the right of me,
Jokers to the left, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you.

traditionalguy said...

Drew...That was a rascist thought. Clowns "ripe for the picking" could also be an insult at migrant farm workers.

AllenS said...

Hillary Clinton claimed that she was named after a famous mountain climber, who, as it turns out, hadn't climbed the big mountain when she was born. Hasn't hurt her career.

A.W. said...

TPM is itself a lying organization. i pay zero attention to them.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Drew said...
Has anyone really actively pursued the clown vote before? And why not? There's an identity group just ripe for the pickin'



Yes, and successfully

Hagar said...

Al Franken is a sitting U.S. Senator.

Tibore said...

"Clowns stage a protest against the anti-clown bigotry."

I understood there were some arrests made after 31 clowns in a subcompact committed a drive-by pieing.

(*rimshot*)

KCFleming said...

20th century murder stats:

Marxists: 100 million

Witch dabbling clown spawn: 0

Ignorance is Bliss said...

She didn't claim that her father was Bozo. She claimed that her father worked as Bozo. Which it appears that he did. Not an officially licensed Bozo, but an emergency backup Bozo.

Maybe she would claim this because it is true and she believe that voters are ready to vote for real people from real families with real quirks instead of more polished politicians.

Stone said...

I don't see where she claimed her father was Bozo. Looking at the NYT article, I see:

"The latest suspicion of inflated credentials, which arose over the weekend, involved Ms. O’Donnell’s father, Daniel O’Donnell, a long-ago local television personality in the Philadelphia area whose main claim to fame, according to the O’Donnell family, was that he used to play Bozo the Clown."

That says, "according to the O'Donnell family". And, as Ignorance is Bliss pointed out, the claim wasn't that he was Bozo, but that he played Bozo. That does make a difference, whatever people may think. If I play Hamlet, that does not mean I am Hamlet, nor does it mean that I have some sort of exclusive right to Hamlet.

Further on, the article says:

"Ms. O’Donnell’s older brother, Daniel, confirmed in a phone call that indeed his father had played Bozo."

That was her brother, not her, who said that. And what he said was the truth. He even clarified that he didn't mean the father was the one true Bozo, but only Philly's Bozo for a time.

Now, I didn't read every article on this. I read the TPM and the NYT article, and neither of them says that Christine O'Donnell said any such thing, only that her family said it.

Calypso Facto said...

"Grumpy" — the Brazilian clown just got elected federal deputy for Sao Paulo.

Explains why Ritmo's been so busy here lately....he's got a desk now!

Stone said...

I found an October 1 article by Liebovich which states:

“We were a big noisy family with a lot of backyard skits and carnivals,” said Ms. O’Donnell, whose mother, Carole, called her Chrissy the Pooh and whose father, Daniel, worked a series of small television roles before scoring his signature gig — playing Bozo the Clown.

Notice that the statement that the father played Bozo the clown is not in quotes. The source unknown here. But a few days later Liebovich writes:

...Ms. O’Donnell’s father, Daniel O’Donnell, a long-ago local television personality in the Philadelphia area whose main claim to fame, according to the O’Donnell family, was that he used to play Bozo the Clown.

So here the source is given as the O'Donnell family, not as Christine O'Donnell - by the person (Liebovich) who it seems reported it in the first place.

traditionalguy said...

Clowns are like carnival barkers in their essential skills to grab attention. Do you remember Red Skelton's skits? What I mean is that O'Donnell learned her talents of entertainer shtick to the dumb folks honestly.

jungatheart said...

Pogo:
"20th century murder stats:

Marxists: 100 million

Witch dabbling clown spawn: 0"

Pogo, I'm unimpressed by your wording, and suggest you add the word 'proven.' Who knows how many voo-doo dolls, hexes, or banana peels Ms. O'Donnell has employed for nefarious purposes?

KCFleming said...

And consider those who have been pied.

Oh, the humanity!

Peter Hoh said...

So her father was a part-time Bozo. Her claim that he was Bozo, when there were a good number of people playing the role of Bozo around the country, isn't unreasonable.

Let's get her to talk more about the secret Chinese conspiracy to take over America, which she knew about, but was somehow not allowed to share the details.

Unknown said...

In the final analysis, the real clowns are the ones who are so intimidated by women like Ms O'Donnell and Miss Sarah that they can't criticize them on actual issues, but have to rely on trumped-up character assassination.

And then hype the virtues of Biden, Franken, Dingy Harry, Pelosi Galore, Zero....

former law student said...

Did you guys see the Bozogate-related pictures in the TPM comments? I laffed:

http://www.stinque.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bozocertificate.jpg

http://www.stinque.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bozofindmeyet.jpg

Trooper York said...

I can't believe that Christine will admit that her father is Bozo.

Because everyone knows that Bozo is a rapist!

Drew said...

I believe in the One True Bozo.

traditionalguy said...

Drew...LOL. Counterfeit Bozos are what is wrong with America today.

Trooper York said...

I know I have a bracelet that says
WWBD.

Anonymous said...

Will O'Donnell throw Bozo under the bus?

William said...

I have nothing but contempt for those self pitying clowns. If you want to know public hostility try being a mime. The mockery of mimes is as widespread as the mimicry of Robert DeNiro. But in spite of their ill treatment, these silent witnesses continue their brave struggle to illuminate the human condition. They weren't put on this earth for your casual amusement. Give them your respect and sympathy. This goes double for those mimes who are afflicted with Tourette's syndrome.

William said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Phil 314 said...

Not an officially licensed Bozo, but an emergency backup Bozo

I wish I could put that on my CV.

George Leroy Tirebiter said...

This is why I'm voting for Papoon, whose slogan is "Not Insane!"

Unknown said...

The brazilian has ten days to prove he is no illiterate.Or lose his seat
http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/noblat/posts/2010/10/05/tiririca-pode-nao-ler-seu-discurso-de-posse-330074.asp