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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
While this years Red Unit featuring Bello (Nock) is MILES ahead of last years show in terms of real Circus thrills and pagentry, Clown Alley has little to do but run around looking like a bunch of high school kids and I mean that literally...to the extant that there were 2 of them without make up! None.
Of course Bello is all the Hair-do and no makeup to speak of...but to see the Walk Around bunch with just kids in funny shirts and those with make-up anything but outstanding and mostly a slight mark on the face is a surprize and not a good one. The only feature they had was a rather tepid 'Dancing With The Clowns'. The show however is really a good one this year...just that I'll bet a group from this thread would have had the kids laughing instead of playing with the gum under the seats. Sad.
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adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
Ahh poor Doug, you forgot to mention the vignette walk-arounds, the pre-show clowning, etc.....yes they play a backseat to Mr. Nock's Bello-Brat-ive skills....however I believe that certain members of this alley deserve a big round of applause, especially Allan "Grandpa" Ware, Kelly James Boss Clown, and the rest of the hard working alley! Having brought this show out of winter quarters I can't say a bad thing about this alley!!!!
Thanks, Adam |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Grandpa did nothing. I mean that literally. Must have been an off night. Oh wait...he sat in a chair...my bad. Not really trying for smart ass staus Adam but that's what he did. I was hoping for a Cabbage or a Broom to come out and work the spot light...but nadda.
The walk arounds were a nice addition, grant you that (at least the idea of having them included again)...but I guess (again) that the make up car hadn't arrived with the rest of the train? Also knowing well, the old Alley's of yore...there was an overall lack of 'Sell' to the gags...there were a few 1 and a 1/2 takes though. What they did have was energy...lots of running around and a few pratts...but lack of gregarious 'character' kind of made that just a lot of...well...running around. Mentioning Bello's 'skills' is pretty much it for him...not very funny but does have some sets, most of us probably couldn't do...not an Emit (SR.) or Lou Jacobs though by any stretch. A couple of his bits were over long and non eventful...the Sway Poles come to mind...almost a throw away. 'Boss' clown was 'on' true but when he had the mic you couldn't understand a word he said and he had a lot of words...or something similar. Still I liked the show far more than (this years Blue) last year's attempt at a relevant but BORING story line and one ring approach. This year the rings were wonderful concoctions of shapes and lights and were filled nicely. It was also good to see the Thrills back in the program...Trap...Wire...Cannon..Big Cats (Marvelous!). The Specs were pretty much out of the picture though except for the money grab to haul some pricey seated patrons around the ring skirts in a 'train'. Ah for the days when the Spec rivaled CB Demille with fabulous floats and a Theme like Wizard Of Oz or such. Them WERE the days...and I stick with the opinion that this years Alley is not a patch on the former Alley's of old. Reason is political and economic probably but from an audience perspective it was not really front and center. I was sitting amongst a TON of kids and watched very closely. The Make up issue though (or lack of) still is a head shaker...I don't get it...unless the make up car didn't make it...or the kids got in late...it was Opening night.
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One Man Elite user Frederick, MD 491 Posts |
Thanks for the post Doug....you make me pine for my days at Ringling. Irvin died during my clown college and that was the beginning of the end of an era. I was fortunate enough to learn from Lou and Frosty. My first year we did clown band to open come-in then 15 minutes of track gags followed by a clown blowoff. We did the firehouse gag, chari vari prison break, and the obligatory Michu gag. Walkarounds before trapeze and 3 big productions, opening, menage and finale.
Those were the days..... Kevin |
One Man Elite user Frederick, MD 491 Posts |
Oh and I forgot intermission gags and an alley of 26!!
Kevin |
adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
Well I'm sorry to hear doug that Grandpa wasn't on his "A" Game, close to 10 years working for Ringling can do that to people though....a lot of the Issues with the alley can be directly blamed on Ken & Nicole & Tim D....they don't want clowns, they want production bodies who dress like clowns...it's sad but true...as to bello he's not my favorite cup of tea, but he's gotta be doing something right to be earning 1.6 million for 2 years plus concessions royalties! My favorite part of the show is still Taba & the tigers, that man is crazy but in a good way! Anyways I must leave now to get the Bello-Bration song unstuck from my head! Peace, Adam
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adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
An added note, the clown Doug mentioned with bad mic skills wasn't boss clown Kelly James, it was #2, Leo Acton (who is speculated to be the next boss clown of the red when Kelly leaves in December)......Just for posterity sake!
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Thanks Adam...there were no introductions...I guess the only one I knew you were refering to was Grandpa.
The Tigers were the hit and truly the BEST Cat Act I've seen (I've seen a lot)...the condition of the cats was magnificent and outside you get to see the big play area they set up for them. Looked like a bunch of young ones too maybe 3 or 4 yrs old? They also had some really rare Tabbys that are about as exotic looking as a Tiger can get...yeah even more so than the Whites. Pre Show Entrance Line was fun too...even though I only got into just 3 shouting matches with animal rights skanks...(I won)...it was great, pretty soon folks up and down the entrance line were in these lying creeps faces and basically pushed them off the lot. It was a good day. (uh...Evening) Correction: I don't think it was bad mic skills as much as his sound system begged for more transistors...it jyust got lost in the ambiance me thinks. Another odd thing...there was an unsusual and beautiful set by a group of Chinese acrobat girls...like a few other elements of the show, not even announced or a single word before or after... 'Bello-Bration' was heard by all though...probably 3 blocks away. arrg.
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adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
Yay Doug wins Against PETA, you win so many points back for that!!!! The chinese act is ok, although a little long and too many fans....lol....Tabas cats, again amazing, especially when you figure except for two they were all new to him at winter quarters they belong to Lance something out of Florida who has less then a sterling reputation, although these cats are nice outside the ring (they have a playful habit of finding the person with their mouth open and p@ssing in it..lol......the exotic ones you're referring to must be the pinkish ones, pretty as heck under the right lighting!!! And lastly, yes Leo's a few transistors shy of a full radio-shack!
See You Down The Road, Adam p.s. Doug a Pic Just for you Click here to view attached image. |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Tabby's pink? haha. Almost a sorta kinda washed out Bengal look...not quite as drastic as a Ligon but the stripes are fewer and a bit lighter...color leans toward the yellowish tan....pink huh? OK.
Thanks for the pic! They all had makeup! Whoda thunk. The Chinese act was sans fan...the fans were on the floor with the chorus kickers who were mostly in the dark. The crowd reaction to the Chinese was pretty strong. They may have tighened it up since you saw it. The male cats will find a target for the spray. Someday I'll tell you about when we (Me and Peter Gross) took Naj, a 500 lb stud through Ceasars Tahoe on a promo walk. Hilarious! He marked EVERYTHING and nearly every body he didn't recognize! But the Casino wanted the pictures so no beef even though there were more than a few 21 tables hit not to mention the hotel room that had to be closed after Naj introduced his scent to walls...curtains...bed...rug...haha...there was an entire totally ineffectual cleaning crew following us around. Naj was a Bad Ass and let every body know it. :)
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adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
Lol, tiger p@ss can be a pain, definitely not a mild odor, I'm glad that you enjoyed the Chinese act, I was with the show until MSG so it may have changed, but I tend to think changes would've been made prior to the official unveiling at MSG to prevent the blue show fiasco of last year! Good memories of the people, but not the company! And I swear those cats look pinkish tan upclose! Perhaps I need a tweak of my sense of color!
Adam Click here to view attached image. |
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