Tuesday, July 10, 2007

RINGLING: Engine Repair 101

Video courtesy of Steve Copeland



Greg DeSanto and Kevin Carr from the 1991 Ringling Blue show performing one of my very favorite track gags.

From the vast DeSanto Archives...

9 comments:

  1. Excuse me while I look up the word "subtle"!
    Rather wasted as something other than a feature.

    John.

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  2. Look at freakin' Grainger Esch in the background throwing himself around!! (Around the blow torch bit) This is why Kevin, Greg, and Grainger are up at the top of my list of favorite clowns...

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  3. John,

    Nothing subtle about it!

    This is circus clowning by and for the Gen-Xers who were raised on an afterschool diet of Three Stooges, Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes and begged their parents to let them stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights to watch The Honeymooners.

    Classic comedy, just the way I like it...loud, fast and with an explosion at the end.

    And Neal, that does look like Grainger Esch across the track on the right hand side of the screen and that may be Joel and Lara Heidtman on the left.

    ~P

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  4. Kevin Carr is the embodiment of kinetic energy gone wild. Every movement looks free-flowing and spontaneous. I think we have found a new standard bearer here. Please, somebody send in some footage of him working solo.

    Elmo

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  5. Pat,

    PLease do a post letting us know how to contribute material.

    Elmoi

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  6. When you get 3 minutes and 44 seconds to be funny you go for the laugh. The best lesson I learned on Ringling was to construct a gag that moved and the audience could follow. And character is more important than bits. So if an audience looks at us and sees echos' of Gleason & Carney, Laurel & Hardy or Heckle & Jeckle then our job was done. Everything I did on Ringling was the basis for everything else I've done since...now I get more than 3 minutes to do it...

    -Greg
    PS. Ain't that Kevin Carr just incredible...what a funny man.

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  7. Amen! also one has to remember the vidieo is not far away but the audience is. three ring circus you gotta love it!

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  8. That is me and my sister on the back left, and yes that is Grainger on the back right as well.

    I was lucky to work with some really great clowns...

    Joel Heidtman

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  9. I realise it's not meant to be subtle.
    My English sense of humour, you know, old boy!

    John.

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