This video is from the 131st edition of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey's Circus (2001-2002).
It is Clown Alley's Spoof of the CBS show, Survivor.
This was filmed in Salt Lake City Utah in September of 2001.
The clowns in the gag here are:
Old Tribesman (Horn Blower) - Alan Ware
Ester (Big Mama) - Jay Stewart (Boss Clown)
Nanuk (Eskimo) - Albert Ramirez
Gilligan (Goofy Guy) - Darren Burrell
Bikini Model - Molly Pelley
Jungle Adventurer - Bryan Fulton
Latin Heart-Throb - Francesco Villares
Dr Flora Messenger (Dr Laura Schlessinger) - Pamela Ramirez
Host - Johnathan Lee Iverson (Ringmaster)
it is so interesting to watch the difference in style and directing from 2002 and1992. the clowns in 1992 are much more clown like and aren't afraid to be physical (ie bakery gag) in 2002 they don't have alot of character and you can see them going in and out of thier clown, and look afraid to bust out a good fall. also the direction is so scattered and doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteThe flora clown is a whole seperate gag and is not needed and violent for no reason. Also the lack of good props and sets. what a difference ten years make. its just not funny. bugsbe
Interesting to see people "see" the difference. In 1992 (bakery gag), we had total freedom to create the material and develop it in front of the audience and hone it to something we could be proud of.
ReplyDeleteBy 2002, the clown college was long gone, and the clown material was overseen by the show director first & foremost. Any major clown prop or number had to pre-approved for construction, budgets came into play, and there was always the feeling of a lack of confidence in the clowns themselves from the powers that be.
Sad, since there were quite a few very talented clowns in the alley, but the corporate culture of the circus really did a number on the potential & moral of so many new (and old) circus clowns. I can only imagine what Lou Jacobs or Otto Griebling would have done under these realities.
So much of what is being done these days on the Ringling show is over-thought out, pre- packaged, plastic, audience dictated survey versions of what the producers "think" is funny. Instead of having faith in the clowns they hire,(and there are some extreamly talented clowns on both units right now), they continue to ignore the fact that a clowns humor is a personal gift and his/her method of presenting it is theirs alone. The show's job should be to highlite in a positive way that unique talent.
Off the soapbox...
-Greg