In the '40s movie The Pirate, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly sang the classic tune 'Be A Clown'—advice that Dean Kelley and Jesse Highley have apparently taken to heart. For a while now, Kelley and Highley have donned the greasepaint and entertained millions of people as clowns in 'The Greatest Show on Earth®'—Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus, which is currently in its 135th edition. ( Kelley joined in 2002 while Highley came along the next year. )
The entertainers—who are also a very happy twosome—recently took time from their hectic schedules to talk with Windy City Times about animal-rights activists, life as a traveling couple and the reason so many people actually fear clowns.
Windy City Times: Did you two know each other before joining the circus, considering you're both from Kansas City?
Jesse Highley: We actually knew each other as kids. We met in a circus in Kansas City and we performed three shows in a day there, and we kept in touch after that. Then, I went to college [ Central Missouri State University ] and Dean went and did his thing. Unbeknownst to us, our paths have interwoven through time and we landed in the Ringling show—just as we told each other we would do ( as kids ) . Now, we've been together for about two years now and we're on our third tour with [ the circus ] .
WCT: So you're together 24/7. I know some couples who couldn't handle that. How are you able to do so?
Dean Kelley: Luckily, we live on a train that travels around the country and we have our own separate rooms. If we want personal time, we can go to the rooms and watch TV or chill. However, it does get challenging at times [ bercause ] we see each other all the time. It helps that we do a lot of different things in the show.
WCT: What are the best and worst parts of being a performer?
DK: I think it's great that we have the opportunity to bring people into this environment and make them forget about what's going on outside of the arena. As for the negative elements, you have to do things like dodge elephant poop or we're in arenas that are really hot or cold. Also, sometimes getting that makeup off at the end of the day is a bit of a chore, but it's really good to do.
JH: I would say that one of the best things is the immediate benefit of seeing a child's joy or having a child run up and give you a hug. That really makes this job worthwhile. For me, one of the most difficult things is the [ limited ] opportunity to see your family; the tour only stops once in Kansas City in the two-year tour. However, as my mom likes to say, if we're close to home ( like Tulsa ) it gives her a chance to take a vacation and drive to see us.
WCT: You mentioned elephants. Last year, I spoke with a keyboard player ( Ryan States ) who said that they kept sneezing on him.
JH: [ Laughs. ] Yeah, that happens. On the flip side, though, elephants are the most pleasant creatures. I never thought about replacing my dog with a pet elephant, but when you're walking backstage they'll put their trunk up to you—and if you blow into their snout, that's seen as a sign of affection. Also, if you don't give them the attention they want, they'll take their trunks and pull you in until you acknowledge them. It's really cool.
WCT: What do you think of animal-rights groups like PETA that charge that circuses are cruel to animals?
DK: Jesse and I are animal [ handlers ] so we deal a lot with PETA protesters. It's everyone's right to protest, but the extremes that this group goes to ... it's kind of daunting. They try to pull things and then point the finger at Ringling. I could give you negative facts about PETA all day but it wouldn't solve anything. We work hand-in-hand with these animals. To abuse or mistreat these animals is not the smartest thing to do because there's no circus without them—so why would we want to destroy our livelihoods? Also, PETA doesn't travel with the show; the members get to go back to their warm homes—so they don't know what's going on with the show.
WCT: Plus, if you mistreat the animals, they might turn on you one day.
DK: Exactly. Some of the animals have been here for years. The elephants have been around for a while and they're smart. They're very gentle; if they didn't like it, they could leave. [ After all, ] they weigh at least 9,000 pounds each. They could easily leave, but they don't because of the care they get 24 hours a day.
JH: I believe that [ the attacks ] have to deal with the fact that PETA deals with large companies—and [ this ] is a multimillion-dollar corporation. If an organization like PETA can bring down one like Ringling Bros., they're going to do it at any cost. They've been trying for years and they've been failing for years. We've been running strong for 135 years and we'll run strong for another 135 more.
WCT: Let me switch gears briefly. Is there an actual LGBT circus community, i.e., do you all hang together?
JH: We have other gay and lesbian performers and crew members who work and travel with the show. We travel with a cast and crew of 300 performers; they'll always be cliques and alliances—but our situation allows Dean and I to have a relationship as well as to be with other gay performers. It's great to be able to relate with others and talk about how we feel being gay and living in this society. With all the gays and lesbians coming out and making themselves known, it's nice to know that all of our voices are being heard and that we can do great things together.
WCT: Being clowns, how do you deal with people who are afraid of you?
DK: I think the fear of clowns is an actual phobia. I occasionally run into the problem where it's teenage girls who just want attention—and I tend to ignore them. However, when a genuine fear is involved, I don't force myself upon them; I let them come to me. That's especially so when children are involved; they can start shaking if they see a clown. I'll just give children a little wave—and if they don't want to come, that's OK. You have some clowns, though, who try to force themselves upon the kids to try to get the them to like town—but that's even more traumatizing to a child. That's true of adults as well.
JH: To add to that, I also believe that American culture ( and, specifically, Hollywood ) that's contributed to this phobia. People will say that they've seen Stephen King's It, [ the movie ] House of 1,000 Corpses or any one of a number of movies that [ portray ] clowns as killers. So people are traumatized and, unfortunately, it comes back to us. However, if you handle the situation correctly and let them decide, it helps things immensely. We all have fears. I have a fear of snakes because when I was a little kid I sat on a nest of black snakes in a cornfield and they crawled all over me. To this day, I can't even watch snakes on TV. I like to look at that phobia and think that if someone's that afraid of me because of something in their childhood, it would be the same as me if I had a boa constrictor right in front of me.
WCT: Would either one of you like to add anything?
DK: We're being taken from this tour ( the Red Unit ) and being put on the other ( Blue ) one in a few weeks. The units alternate cities each year, meaning that the Red Unit won't be back for two years. However, since we're being moved, we'll be back in Chicago next year—so we get the pleasure of performing here in back-to-back years.
The 135th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus will be at the United Center through Nov. 27.
See www.ticketmaster.com or see www.unitedcenter.com .
