Friday, October 30, 2009

From Don Covington


nakedclowns1009, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

San Francisco Clown Calendar.

Posted by Buckles at 10/30/2009 05:49:00 AM

4 comments:

clownron said...

Thank heavens they didn't show us their funny-bone...

30 October, 2009 12:58
Anonymous said...

Hello All: I think perhaps a bit more information is due here. This is the second "Naked Clown Calendar" that is produced by the previous year's graduating class of The Clown Conservatory, which is part of the San Francisco Circus Center. The Clown Conservatory is under the direction of Jeff Raz, one of the New American Circus clowns that originally started with Larry Pisoni, Bill Irwin and Geoff Hoyle. This program is a one-year long professional program that combines classical clowning with comedic acting, physical comedy, acrobatics, mime and dance. Many of the CC graduates go on to work in shows all over the world, including many who've populated RBBB's alley, since Clown College went by way of the horse and buggy. Some 30% of the proceeds from the sales of the calendar go to fund research for a cure for Multiple Sclerosis in Honor of Judy Finelli, who was one of the original founders of the Pickle Family Circus School, then the San Francisco School of Circus Arts and now the Circus Center. For those who don't know her, Judy Finelli was a student of Hovey Burgess in New York originally and became a world-class juggler back in the 1960s-early 1970s. She is noted as Hovey's partner who is the only woman known to have passed 10 and 11 clubs between 2 people with Hovey. Maybe that's been surpassed now, but she and Hovey held the record for years. In 1984, Judy was diagnosed with MS which quickly affected her entire body to the point that she has been a quadriplegic since 1984. She remains an inspiration to all who have ever been touched by her, and she is held in highest regard by the circus community in San Francisco and around the world. She is a consummate circus historian and I've had the pleasure in seeing one of her lectures on the history of juggling, which was an incredible experience. She probably knows more about juggling than any other person on Earth and has traced it back to practically the very beginning of humankind on this Earth, yet the biggest irony is that she could not pick up a prop if she wanted to. Still, she is one of the most dynamic and charming people that you could ever want to meet. Thus the Calendar is more than what meets or doesn't meet the eye. They are available for $14.99 plus $3.00 postage and they can be ordered at www.nakedclowncalendar.com . As we've all heard before, "Now, that's the rest of the story!"
Neil Cockerline
Minneapolis

30 October, 2009 16:17
Anonymous said...

So that's were Mr. Stubbs moniker derived from!

30 October, 2009 18:24
Adaline said...

Someday, the SF Circus Center will put in an elevator so that Judy can get to the second floor!

Adaline

30 October, 2009 22:17

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