I know it was a few weeks ago already but I was reminded of this story recently and had to share.

It was in Charleston, WV when Mike and I were in the circus. This was right before a 2 week break in the tour so everyone was gearing up for a vacation and when you work with a bunch of clowns, no really, things get weird as people get punchy.

I walked into clown alley, our dressing room, and the two main trouble makers come up to me and tell me that I need to run an obstacle course they made. It was a slow day so I asked cautiously, “What do I have to do?” They showed me a red cane and said, “It’s easy, take this, put it on the floor and put your forehead on it so you’re hunched over and turn in circles until you get really dizzy. When you’re dizzy enough we’ll say go and you run around the chair, jump over the basket and come back here.”

That was the stupidest obstacle course I’d ever heard of and I told them so. They insisted that I couldn’t do it and said if I wasn’t up to it they could get Richard to do it who was probably a better a clown than me anyway. I said, “Give me that stupid cane.” So I put one end on the floor and my forehead to the other end and turned in circles until they said go and I ran around the chair and over the basket and came back to where I started without a problem. According to them I just wasn’t dizzy enough so to really show them I did it all again and I was even faster than the first time.

Right after I sat down at my trunk, feeling very proud of myself, Richard walks into the alley and they explain the whole thing to him and he agrees to do it. So he bends over with his head on the cane and spins in a circle. When he gets up and goes for the chair I see that he has huge red smudge on his forehead where the cane use to be. My jaw hit the floor. I grabbed my mirror to look at my forehead and sure enough, I had a big red smudge on my face. Those lousy clowns put red clown make-up on the end of that cane. I quickly fixed my make-up before Richard could see me.

The only thing that makes you feel better after getting a joke played on you is to play it on someone else. I want to thank Richard, he was always there for me.

Miller

Mike and I are teaming up with the Jackson Street Polecats. Who are they you ask? There are a classic jug band which means lots of strings and lots of other things you would never expect to make music, like jugs and other various kitchen devices.  They describe themselves as having the subtlety of an over-caffeinated rhinoceros.

It will be the same great Miller & Mike show but set to live music. Right now it looks like you will find this great show at the Outagamie county fair this summer. Stay tuned for upcoming details.

Here is a sample of some of their great jug band music, enjoy.

No, it’s not a big weekend for Mike and I to perform in shows, we have the weekend off. But it is a big weekend to go and see some good shows and that’s what I’m doing with my time off.

The shrine circus will be at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is always fun and I try to go every year, especially this year. I hear that they have a very talented Russian clown named Olex Kartukov who used to tour with the Ringling Circus, just like me.

There’s more fun in Oshkosh. The Grand Opera House is hosting a show called An Afternoon with Groucho. Frank Ferrante puts on a one-man show as one of my biggest comedy heroes, Groucho. Discovered by Groucho’s son, Arthur, the New York Times called Frank, “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material.” The show starts at 2pm on Sunday and tickets are still available. Go to grandoperahouse.org.

As if that wasn’t enough, Frank will be at the gallery walk in Oshkosh on Saturday night showing off his collection of Marx Brothers memorabilia and The Grand will do a showing of Duck Soup that night, free of charge.

Oh, Yes! It’s going to be good weekend.

Miller

As if February didn’t have enough going on, February 25th is Commedia dell’Arte day. Commedia dell’Arte is an Italian style of comedy theater that has set characters which are over the top exaggerated and has an emphasis on improv. That’s the short version of the explanation, in the long version you spend years studying and practicing it like some people do. You learn the stock characters along with their Italian names like Pantalone, the rich old man. The most famous Commedia character is Harlequin the court jester, also called Arlecchino. He never has much money but he’s always cheerful and can outwit anyone.

As you can tell from the picture masks are a big deal with Commedia dell’Arte. The masks are used so the audience can tell right away who is who and also because they’re funny.

I heard of a great way to celebrate Commedia dell’Arte day. Just randomly break into an Italian accent. If you need help all you have to do is add vowels or just channel Mario from the Nintendo games or my favorite Chico Marx. Don’t be afraid to give it a try, it’sa nicee and easye.

Miller

Mike at the Dr. Kickbutt show

The show last Saturday with Dr. Kickbutt and Miller & Mike was the best to date. Some new members really pumped up the music and Lady Baltimore was in rare form. Also, Mike hosted a “game show” called Hook ‘em Up, based on the dating game where the audience bachorlette won a date with Jackie Greasehound, what a lucky girl.

I told you, you didn’t want to miss it and now look. Here you are kicking yourself. Well don’t worry, right now we are working on booking shows in Appleton and Green Bay. Keep an eye on the calendar page because the next don’t miss it show will be here before you know it and if you’re not careful you’ll back here again kicking yourself. Nobody wants that.

Miller

As many of you know I recently moved to Marinette, WI. It’s a town of 11,000 right on the U.P. border, I can see Michigan from my house. It’s not the thriving metropolis that Appleton or Green Bay is but everyone is very excited to have a new clown in town and I have some shows coming up in the area. I’ll be doing Clown Transformation Shows at Renaissance Manor in Marinette, Sharpe Care in Oconto Falls and Rennes East and West in Pestigo. All the details can be found on the calendar page.

The picture is from a Clown Transformation Show I did last year. If you’ve never seen this show stop by and learn about living on the circus train, touring North America and Wisconsin’s close tie to the circus world.

How would you like to have a Guinness record of your own so you can be just like Miller? Are you getting excited for the Superbowl? Now you can do both.

DiGornio Pizza is trying to break the record for the most people high-fiving at the same time. The event will be at Lambeau Field this Thursday the 3rd at 12:30 and everyone who participates gets a piece of pizza and DiGornio will also donate $5 to feeding America for everyone who comes. An official Guinness adjudicator will be on hand as well as former Packers receiver Antonio Freeman. The number to beat is 1,792 but hears the catch, a similar event will be going on in Pittsburgh at the same time. So the real number to beat is however many of those lousy Steelers fans are coming out to their event.

Here is your chance to support the Packers in Superbowl 45, or should I say XLV, and get a Guinness record that will belong to all us Packer fans. Go Pack Go!

Miller

After more than a year of practice, months of planning and weeks of waiting it’s now official, I’m a Guinness world record holder. I threw the world’s longest yo-yo, it went down 35 feet and 2 inches and came all the way back up when I caught it. It’s very exciting to know that yo-yo history was made in Appleton and I’m very happy to be a part of that. There are also two others who are a part of this, my performing partner Mike Lorenz and my father Howard Miller, because without them it never would have happened. This was so much fun I can’t wait to go after another record, if anyone has an idea let me know.

Here is pic taken on Aug. 22nd, when the yo-yo was thrown. There is also much more to see on the new Guinness page at www.MillerandMike.com, check it out.

Miller

Recently I was reminded of a very special new years eve. Mike and I were working on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship. Cruising is always a big party and on new years eve it’s even better, unless the name of your ship is Poseidon. Everyone was on the promenade, a long stretch in the middle of the ship that has bars, cafes and gift shops. They went all out for new years, live music, dancing, tuxedos and champagne for everyone, they also spent all day putting up 2 large balloon drops for midnight. Mike, who knows a thing or two about balloon decor, looked at them and said, “that’s not how I would do it.” As it turned out midnight came and the strings were pulled to release the drops and not one balloon came down from either drop. It was still a great new year and here’s hoping you all have a fun and prosperous new year too. The lesson is that cruise directors can sing and tell a joke or two but should leave the balloons to the professionals.

Here’s a shot of me on that promenade doing one of my cruise ship characters.

Miller

Miller "performing" on a cruise ship

One of the best things about living in Wisconsin, besides Miller & Mike, is all the circus stuff. The circus parade, clown camp at UW La Crosse, and now the International Clown Hall of Fame in it’s new home, just to name a few. Most people have heard of the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI, but a new place, the clown museum, recently open in downtown Baraboo. If you get a chance, stop by and learn about some the greats, Lou Jacobs, Otto Griebling and the more well known, Red Skelton and of course Emmit Kelly. When you’re there say Hi to the executive producer Greg DeSanto who Mike and I worked with on the Ringling show.

Ever watch the History Channel? Me neither, but the clown hall of fame will be featured on the show American Pickers on Monday December 27th, check local listings. So that’s a reason to watch.

Miller