Former Ringling Brothers Clown still makes people laugh

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The Austrian Rik Gern starts his day with a workout and a cup of coffee.

“Oh yes! Without her the day couldn’t start,” he said.

After a series of stretches, it’s time to go to work.

For those who like it, that means putting on a funny hat and a face full of make-up.

“Great googaly-moogaly! Look at you! “Exclaimed Gern’s alter ego Bonzo Crunch the Clown.

A clown has been happy to be a clown for decades. He started out with classic comedies.

“My world was blown open watching Charlie Chaplain and Laurel and Hardy,” he said. “You made fun of mistakes. I thought: ‘I want to live in this world!’ “

Luckily fooling around eventually brought him to Texas. In the 80s he was a clown at Schlitterbahn, then came Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

“So I filled out an application and told them all about myself and was very lucky and got into clown college,” he said. “I didn’t get a contract straight away. I wrote a letter every day until I got one! “

This clown deal literally put Glad into the spotlight, but it didn’t last forever. Today he performs as Bonzo Crunch in front of smaller groups.

The pandemic also forced Gern to make some changes to his actions.

“I learned a lot of magic tricks. I go outside and try to practice my circus skills, ”he said. “I tried to add new things that I never had time for before – a bit of spinning rope and playing the harmonica.”

Glad, now over 60, says he has no plans to slow down anytime soon. He says he will keep putting makeup and powder on to keep the child in us all entertained.

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