Scary, Scary Mexican Clowns

Mexico must really love clowns.  Every comedy program on television has a clown. Maybe if I understood the language better, I would think they are funny.  Instead I think they are lame.

Or scary.  I swear every street corner in Reynosa has a clown.  I think most of them woke up that morning and decided, "Hey, I know how I can make a few pesos. I'll dress myself up in a clownish way and beg for money."

One, in particular, scares me the most. He usually hangs out on the center in some mismatched dirty clothing, and a little white paint on the face with a red nose. The store where he hangs out is always playing some loud, thumping music so he kind of dances along with the noise.  Actually to say "dancing" is too far fetched. He kind of squirms along with the noise.

Sparkles

I don't hate all clowns.  Any child of the 1960's should remember Bozo the Clown.  In my hometown I know of 2 local clowns.  Sparkles the Clown makes awesome balloon figurines but he doesn't make a sound. That's because Sparkles is deaf. Literally. But the clown I really loved was Mombo.  He was on the Dr. Max Show, a local children's program from the 1960's and 1970's on Channel 2 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The show was awesome since it included Three Stooges, Bugs Bunny and all Looney Tunes, David and Goliath, and Gumby,   We were out of school at 3:30 and parked in front of the television from 4 to 5. Any child of that era will recognize Mombo.  I even had an autographed photo of Mombo that I received when my Bluebird group appeared on the show.  Mombo was a foil for Dr. Max and always in trouble.  But what I really loved was Mombo's magic tricks.  Mombo's real name was Fred Petrick, a graduate of my alma mater, Coe College, and by all accounts a wonderful person. He died in 2001 at the age of 94. RIP Mombo.

Mombo

Anyway, the point is while I was growing up my clown contact was minimal.  Sparkles, Mombo, Bozo and the occasional circus clowns.  Here in Mexico one could have hours of clowning around daily whether it is on television, birthday parties, or just down the road at the next corner.

That's just too scary.