“I want a loud answer to this question… Who’s your favorite clown?”

“CHRISTINE!”

She claims not to be a witch, but is there any truth to the rumor that Delaware Senate candidate, Christine O’Donnell’s father used to portray Bozo the Clown on Philly TV? Apparently so, but the zany, anti-masturbation Republican wacko’s dad was only an unofficial Bozo. Has someone been padding his resume, too?

The New York Times called Daniel O’Donnell and got the scoop:

“Who told you I was Bozo?” he wanted to know.

“Your son,” I said, at which point he confirmed that yes, he was Bozo, but not an official, full-time certified Bozo, more of a part-time Bozo.

“To be an official Bozo, you had to go to a special school in Texas,” explained Mr. O’Donnell. He never did. Instead, he was asked to fill-in for the official Bozos whenever they would have to travel out of the Philadelphia area for acting gigs.

“They would leave, I would come in and work for two or three weeks, whatever, until the regular Bozo came back,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “I was the fill-in Bozo.” He worked out of a local station in Jenkintown, Pa., he said, adding that station employees did his make-up and hair. He would also do remote appearances, got to supermarkets, meet kids, sign autographs and ride around in the Bozo Mobile. His son Daniel was his assistant.

Send In the Clowns — and the Truth Squad (New York Times)