Ringling Bros. Kilted Clown

[HeathBar]

I was watching the local ABC affiliate yesterday morning when they did a piece on the Ringling Bros. Circus that is in town (Nashville). One of the clowns was wearing a kilt. Well...it was more of a "costume" kilt. It was gathered rather than pleated. He was a clown after all. Ringling Bros. currently has 3 shows traveling. This shown is know as the 135th edition or the Red Tour, starring Bello. The kilted clown's name was Luke. He spoke with a thick Scottish accent, though his clown bio has him coming from South Dakota.
http://www.ringling.com/explore/135/perform/

Unfortunately I can't make it this year. If this tour is coming to a city near you
you just might see Luke, the kilted clown.

[Ugly Bear]

Oh, good. Here I was just wondering what we could do to promote kilt-wearing as a viable option to trousers, and the answer comes: a kilted clown. Of course. That'll make kilts seem dignified.

Does Ringling Bros. get my support for this? Uhh ... no.

[auld argonian]

...oh jeeez...lighten up. It's the circus not masterpiece theatre!

Best

AA

[mddock58]

I just want to make sure the public doesn't see us as Kilted Clowns!

If he's a clown, he's not serious to begin with! So No Problem!

[macwilkin]

...oh jeeez...lighten up. It's the circus not masterpiece theatre!

Best

AA

Respectfully, though...would Ringling Brothers do this with any other ethnic dress? I think that needs to be taken into consideration here. I'm all for clowns and making children smile, but is the "kilted clown" allowed because of the fact that the kilt is not (in general) respected as a symbol of heritage?

Devil's advocate here...but I'm a bit worried about what image this presents to the general public.

Todd

[davedove]

I'm not worried about it. After all, we've seen clowns in police costumes. Does that make all policemen objects of ridicule? Of course not. The same with firemen, cowboys, and any other costume a clown may wear. If a clown wears it, it will look silly. If someone else wears the same kilt in a dignified manner, it won't seem silly.

[auld argonian]

I worry about those who jump on every little thing - including those things that are intended to amuse without being defamatory - and claim that it casts a negative light on their ethnic group/religion/national origin/profession...I fear that they're "crying wolf" and that it leads to trivialization of the really important issues.

Have we ever seen this guy perform? How do we know that he's not as great a clown as Emmet Kelly or Chaplin? The kilt could be incidental to his act (just looking for a distinctive clown personna) or he could be using the cartoon image of the "notoriously stingy Scotsman" as a basis for comedy...if he is, then he's in good company and that company includes the Three Stooges. Whichever the case, I doubt that Ringling Brothers - a good family entertainment - is going to let him really go off the deep end and offend anyone.

It's a circus...he's a clown...what does he have? A big red nose? Big clown shoes? Who's going to miss the point that it's broad comedy? Sit back and take it for what it is. Save the righteous indignation for when it's really needed.

Best

AA

[lrpddrummie]

Ugly Bear,

You have become blinded by your opinion and completely missed my point. You said you see no point in arguing with people who do not how to argue but yet you offered no counter argument to my point. You said in your original post that having a circus clown in a kilt is not a dignified means of promoting kilts as an alternative to trousers (This is called paraphrasing so don't get your panties in a bunch)

Oh, good. Here I was just wondering what we could do to promote kilt-wearing as a viable option to trousers, and the answer comes: a kilted clown. Of course. That'll make kilts seem dignified.

Does Ringling Bros. get my support for this? Uhh ... no.

My point was not about the definitions of the words "boycott" or "support" I am arguing that if you are going to look at a circus clown in kilt as having a potentially negative impact on the kilted community then you need to look at all the negative sources i.e. the portrayal of Duncan and Willie as buffoons.

[Ugly Bear]

You have become blinded by your opinion and completely missed my point. You said you see no point in arguing with people who do not how to argue but yet you offered no counter argument to my point.

Why not? Here it comes:

... I am arguing that if you are going to look at a circus clown in kilt as having a potentially negative impact on the kilted community then you need to look at all the negative sources i.e. the portrayal of Duncan and Willie as buffoons.

That's like saying that if you drink a glass, then you have to drink an ocean. Your point is nonsense. That's why I didn't respond to it. That's why I wouldn't have responded to it if you hadn't cried fowl.

Oh, well. As long as your straw man is up there, I'll expedite it with a quick whack.

I haven't seen much of MotG, but from what I gather, Duncan is not a clown in any sense of the word. Being hapless doesn't make you a clown. Being comic relief doesn't make you a clown. If you see Duncan and a circus clown as equivalents, you are being willfully and pitifully obtuse.

And "obtuse" is what I think of your side's position. You are still doing nothing to shake my argument. I'll restate it so that you may take it on, and not some cartoonish interpretation of it:

"I see no reason to go to Ringling Bros. circus to promote kilt-wearing."

That's the position. Grab a stick and get busy.

[mbhandy]

Most of the time I hate clowns, because they are so saad or making fun of other clowns. :-(

MrBil

PS I would still go to the circus.