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Quotes of the Day for 9 December 2003 - Clowns

Emmett Leo Kelly was born at Sedan, Kansas on this day in 1898. His father worked for the railroad and the Kellys lived in company housing right next to the switching yard until moving to a Missouri farm in 1905. At 19 he moved to Kansas City with hopes of becoming a cartoonist, but first created his clown act when he was working for an advertising agency. He debuted as "Wearie Willie" in 1933, the hobo character became a great hit in the depression era. He joined Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1941, and became a major star, probably the best known clown in the world. Sorry, I find no Emmett Kelly quotes, but here are a few on clowns.

But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
     - Carl Sagan, 1934 - 1996

All the world loves a clown.
     - Cole Porter, 1893 - 1964

Though the clown is often deadpan, he is a connoisseur of laughter.
     - Mel Gussow

I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.
     - Charlie Chaplin, 1889 - 1977

For public opinion does not admit that lofty rapturous laughter is worthy to stand beside lofty lyrical emotion and that there is all the difference in the world between it and the antics of a clown at a fair.
     - Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, 1809 - 1852

I don't want to be called 'the greatest' or 'one of the greatest'; let other guys claim to be the best. I just want to be known as a clown because to me that's the height of my profession. It means you can do everything - sing, dance, and above all, make people laugh.
     - Red Skelton, 1913 - 1997

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