Tuffy Gessling didn't mean to offend anyone when he put on an Obama mask and did his thing as a rodeo clown at the Missouri State Fair. Yet enough people mistook Gessling's good intentions for some sort of race-baiting minstrel show that he wound up getting banned for life from the fair and generating a national controversy of absurd proportions.
The Mesquite Rodeo learned an important lesson from all this: The ignominy that comes from trafficking in racial stereotypes is far outweighed by the attention it gins up. Hence the rodeo's decision to bring in an Obama clown of its own. Here's today's announcement:
Come see what is causing all the ruckus as the Mesquite Rodeo 2013 season closer gets visit from a "special guest president"You've heard about the controversy surrounding the Obama clown in Missouri. This weekend, an Obama clown is a special guest star as the Mesquite Rodeo puts on the grand finale to its 2013 season with non-stop rodeo action you will only find in the aptly named "Rodeo Capital of Texas." Though he promises to remove his hat for the prayer, people are wondering: How will an Obama clown be received in the Lone Star State?
Mesquite Arena general manager Steve Gander told Unfair Park via email that the rodeo is not simply trying to troll liberals, who have an innate and universal hatred of rodeos.
"Presidential and celebrity clowns and dummies have been in rodeo and other sports and entertainment events since before Richard Nixon," he wrote. Obama will be joined at the event by three other presidents.
That said, including the Obama clown was a conscious decision. "We are just being current and exercising our freedom of speech."
Gander promises "good clean family entertainment" and that the clown performance will be "respectful (probably more respectful than any deserve)." Friday and Saturday night only. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
