Clown Perdue heckled at Atlanta Circus – Report by Billy Bearden

Photos from the Circus 2/15/06 are below the story....

I took my family to see Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus February 15th. I had won free tickets to the "Greatest Show On Earth" at Phillips Arena. The show began at 7:30pm, so I loaded up my wife and two boys. My 11 year old invited a friend.

We arrived about 6:15pm and wandered around for a while. The last time I was in this neighborhood, I was the lone Flagger at the Final Four basketball tourney, and the last time inside Phillips Arena was to witness the Booting of Barnes and Inauguration of Perdue. I also sported one of those certain "banned" 1956 flags... and we knew something was "wrong" even before Perdue was inaugurated.

Anyway, the show began promptly at 7:30 and as the Master of Ceremonies began to speak, he announced that a special guest would start the show. So, flanked by a woman on each arm, out comes Clown Perdue!

From my seat on the opposite side of the arena, I gave my best and loudest "BOOOOO!" when he was walking up to the microphone. Then when it got quiet, I yelled out "LET US VOTE!" My 11 year old son chimed in on that one. He also flagged Tom Murphy from my truck cruising down Highway 27 towards Bremen a few years ago---so he knew the drill.

Chicken Perdue was awarded a proclamation making him the official Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus Chamber Monkey, and then he departed - "Exit, stage left." Though a stench lingered for a little while, it was an enjoyable show thereafter.

Webmaster's Note: The above report is 100% true, however, Mr. Bearden explained that he must have had something on the lens of his camera because the photos shown below were "not exactly" what everyone saw. We regret this, but thought the photos were worthy of your examination anyway.
SIDEBAR: We understand from reliable circus sources that the Ringling Brothers elephants filed suit immediately after the circus to enjoin the Republican party from ever using the elephant as its symbol again. Elephants find such displays very offensive and demeaning...but if Perdue is a 'representative' Republican, they find the indignity "just too much to tolerate."