Art Cervi, longtime Bozo the Clown on Detroit TV, dies at 86 [[freep.com)
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Well, durn it!!!
For those around my age, Art Cervi was "Channel 9 Bozo", with a live audience in the studio in Windsor and Mr. Calliope and Mr. Whoodini. "Channel 4 Bozo", who suddenly became Oopsy when the Bozo franchise moved, and who worked without a live audience, was the late Bob McNea.
We're all Bozos on this bus.
I have to be honest, back in the 50’s all these clowns kind of creeped me out. Every major city had a Bozo. Even secondary size cities. There were a lot of Bozos. There were a lot of peculiar Bozos. I’m sure there were a number of Bozos that could possibly have achieved sainthood, I never met any of those Bozos. I’m happy the age of Bozos is over.
I thought it was John Wayne Gacy in that clown costume.
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At least a couple times in the late 1960s, as a 3 or maybe 5 year old kid, I was in the audience of the Bozo show. I believe it was Windsor, but maybe channel 4's studios?
Before the program went live, Bozo would pass through the audience, saying hi to us and I guess trying to make sure none of us were going to cry [[the whole coulrophobia thing). I remember one time i Was seated in the 3rd or 4th row, so when he leaned down to talk to a kid sitting in-front of me, that obnoxious orange hair was right out in front of me. I reached out & touched his hair, and 50 years later, I can still remember the fear & anxiety I had when he looked-up at me & said "Hey kid, don't touch the hair!"