ERNIE "BLINKO" BURCH: With Small Child

You know, it's hard to believe now but years ago... back before John Wayne Gacy and Stephen King turned us all into monsters, clowns were actually looked upon as one of the simple joys of childhood; "Capricious Ambassadors of Fun!"

Of course that was back in the days when Circus Day, not a trip to Disney World, was the greatest thing that a kid could imagine.

Now, in the age of Shrine Clowns, Hometown Clowns and Macy's Volunteer Clowns we wonder just why it is that television and movies so often portray clowns as humorless, talentless, kid-hating drunks... or worse.

Those left in the circus wear little or no makeup, no wigs, no shoes... none of the exaggerated costuming that once set us apart from the audience and helped create wild imaginative characters that could be seen and identified anywhere in the tent or arena.

Too many clowns now strive to be "cool" (which is the antithesis of clowning) instead of being what they should be: clowns.

This picture depresses me. Not only is one of the people (possibly both of the people) in this photo gone, but so to is the concept behind what the image in this photo so beautifully represents.