Time is almost up. On Sunday evening Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will pack up, leave The Garden and head back on the road. Step right up and see The Greatest Show on Earth with a ringside view of all the action.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey productions are known for their remarkable animals, entertaining clowns ... and incredible acts of agility, strength and courage from aerialists, acrobats and daredevils. Check out photos of The Greatest Show on Earth's amazing feats, snapped right here at Madison Square Garden.
I've seen a lot of crazy stuff in New York, but I've never seen a clown. This isn't to say that I've haven't had the honor of watching a clown in action at a birthday party or the circus. It's a clown's ecosystem, after all. It's where clowns are meant to live — parties, the circus, Halloween or in the movies.
But technically, I've never really seen a clown wandering the streets of Manhattan and I wanted to change that. I wanted to know if it's possible for several million people to remain so indifferent that not even a clown could change the ebb and flow of New York.
I've seen a man selling books dressed as Superman. I've even seen people riding the subway in just their underwear. Did I care? No. Did others really care? Not particularly, unless you made them late for work. And I'm dismissing the Naked Cowboy in this experiment because he's a) famous and b) hangs around Times Square all day. This is not part of the formula for ebbing and flowing as a New Yorker.
So would anyone really care if a clown wandered the streets of New York in search of at least one laugh? Here's Part I of my version of Tyra Banksdressing up in a fat suit, except I'm dressed as — you guessed it — a clown:
If you want to walk the clown walk and talk the clown talk, you'd better get yourself a clown name. Luckily, choosing a moniker is far easier than putting on all of that serious makeup.
What kind of a cranky spoil sport points out the nutritional value of circus snacks? This kind. But the news isn't all bad. Turns out you're getting a lot more protein and iron at the circus than you might have guessed — and if you opt for lemonade, you won't get scurvy. Otherwise, it's a food plan best reserved for such special occasions, which is why it tastes so good.
Here's a look at the nutritional values of some circus favorites (plus circus peanuts, just 'cause). Please note that this is an estimated average count based on several examples. These numbers do not reflect the exact nutritional value of Ringling concessions.
Popcorn:
Calories: 225 per box
Fat: 11g
Carbs: 26g The Goods: 5 grams of protein.
Lemonade:
Calories: 120 per 8 oz.
Fat: 0g
Carbs: 31g
The Goods: A day's worth of vitamin C!
Cracker Jack:
Calories: 120 per 8 oz.
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 23g
The Goods: 4% of your recommended daily allowance of iron.
Hot dog
Calories: 309 (with bun)
Fat: 20g
Carbs: 23g
The Goods: 10 grams of protein, plus some calcium and iron.
Peanuts:
Calories: 170 per 1/2 cup (with shell)
Fat: 13g
Carbs: 7g
The Goods: Seven grams of protein, two grams of fiber.
Circus Peanuts:
Calories: 160 per six "peanuts" Fat: 0g
Carbs: 39g
The Goods: Is there a recommended daily allowance for orange food coloring? Oh, and one gram of protein.
French Fries (inspired by our ketchup-skipping friend)
Calories: 212 per 2.5 oz.
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 28g
The Goods: 425 mg of potassium, plus a decent measure of fiber, protein and calcium.
It only makes sense that The Greatest Show on Earth would be a fantastic show on screen. Here is our list of nine films (and one very epic HBO series) that capture the magic of the circus ... you know, for the 49-or-so weeks per year that the big top isn't at an arena near you.
10. Circus of Horrors
Important lesson: Background check the heck out of any potential ringmasters.
5. "Trapeze"
Burt Lancaster is one heck of an acrobat. And Gina Lollobrigida isn't tough to watch either.
4. "Seven Faces of Dr. Lao"
Tony Randall's traveling circus features Medusa, the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable Snowman!
3. "Charlie Chaplin: The Circus"
The silent comedy master walks a tightrope with monkeys, does a stint in a lion cage and makes magic in a fun house maze.
2. "Dumbo"
A real heartbreaker, but imagine seeing an elephant fly? That's entertainment.
1. "The Greatest Show on Earth"
Cecil B. DeMille goes to the circus, brings Charlton Heston and Jimmy Stewart and cleans up at the Oscars.
Everybody loves a clown. Well, except for all of those people who are terrified of them. Red noses and big shoes don't send us running for cover, but even the clown-fearing have to admit that a good clown is a great thing.
6. Homey the Clown
Clowning didn't come naturally to Homey — it came as part of his parole. He isn't cheerful or good with children, but he certainly is
funny.
5. Emmett Kelly Jr.
He isn't the originator of the sad clown, and he isn't quite as iconic as his dad, but you can't discount his contributions to clownart.
4. Emmett Kelly Sr.
This circus clown delivered a mixed bag — his slapstick act got laughs, but the hobo origins of his sad-clown look was no joke. He was also a hero, who valiantly tried to stop the deadly Hartford Circus Fire.
3. Patch Adams
Is laughter the best medicine? Hey, it certainly can't hurt to try.
What's the best part of the circus? Which fun food beats all others? What animal is the toughest to imitate?
Alex Iglesias met the fans who came out in force to enjoy Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Over The Top on Friday and got the answers to those questions and much more.
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