Sad news from the Big Apple Circus: Grandma The Clown Resigns

I read with a heavy heart the story about Grandma the Clown (Barry Lubin) ‘s resignation from the Big Apple Circus.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/nyregion/big-apple-circus-grandma-clown-resigns.html

It suffices to say that this is terrible news for everyone all around.  Of course, for the young girl, and for Barry, and for Barry’s friends, and for the Big Apple Circus, and of course, circus people in general.  To paraphrase my grandmother, whenever anything bad happened done by a Jew, this is not good for the clowns. And as Barry is Jewish, this isn’t good for the Jews either.

There is no excuse for what he did, and I am not going to try to excuse him. He has admitted that it is true, and he stands ready to take full responsibility for his actions.

What I will say is that throughout the course of his work as a performer, Barry Lubin has brought thousands of people to tears of laughter and joy as they watched him perform. I’ve seen him perform multiple times, I’ve taken a workshop with him, I’ve talked to him over a beer, and he is a brilliant and very funny performer that truly has the power to move people.  This is a case where I have no problem separating the artist from the misdeed.

Sadly, this last episode of his career has moved people to tears, but not of joy.

The Big Apple Circus moved swiftly to replace him, as did Cirkus Smirkus for whom he was doing some teaching.  It’s hard to imagine that the police won’t be looking hard at Barry’s activities, to see if there are other victims.

I’m thinking good thoughts for his victim, and yes, for Barry, too.  I hope that everyone involved in this case finds a way to recover and to come back to a semblance of normal.

It is not going to be easy.