I became a clown when these docs came to the house in Berkeley and asked me to come cheer up kids. I'd just had my third spinal fusion and I was looking for something to take my mind off the pain I was in.

To let the people know there was life beyond Shirley Dean, we decided to focus on voter registration; each day I set up my card table somewhere in the district, signed people up, and passed out noses.

Well, this week for example, I was just in Los Angeles making a documentary for German television on whales. They had tried to get me in England where they missed me.

We are all the same person trying to shake hands with our self.

you aren't what you eat - you are what you don't poop.

What a rush it was to plunge into the bin of official decision and cast a ballot in favor of FUN.

A clown I knew who was retiring from Ringling Brothers gave me his giant shoes, and somebody else made me a clown suit.