The author spends time as dean of the Clown College for Barnum Bailey - Ringling Brothers Fascinating stories told with all the humour one would expect from a former clown. You'll learn how clowns are trained and what they do in a performance, which is never as easy as it looks. Circus history looks at its inner workings and how big a role politics played. The Circus World Showcase sadly closed down before its time. After reading Ballantine's description, I can understand why. Famous clown lives, such as Emmett Kelly's and Lou Jacobs' were showcased, making heroes into humans.