>>> March 21, 2002
We’re all bozos

“We have noses. We have wigs. We are tired of circus gigs.” So began the call-to-arms of the recent Million Clown March in Santa Cruz, California. Short by about 999,920 clowns, the march was organized by Wes Modes, a self-described clown claiming to take issue with the fact that he and his brethren can only find work at circuses and birthday parties.
“If you go into any downtown business, not a single one has hired a clown behind the counter,” complains Modes.

The 80 participants in the march met, in greasepaint and full clown regalia, at a Santa Cruz café and made their way through the streets, blowing on kazoos and chanting such less-than common protest slogans as, “No more chanting!”

As Modes had promised beforehand, the march ended with the clowns piling into three small cars and driving off, “leaving the normals confused and frightened.” :

—Scott Saxon