A Rodeo Clown Impersonates President Obama At Missouri State Fair and draws criticism for Obama mask

 

10:45 a.m. Monday   AP) — The president of the Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association says he didn’t know that a clown at the Missouri State Fair rodeo planned an act that critics on both sides of the political aisle have deemed disrespectful to the president.

The clown wearing a President Barack Obama mask appeared at the rodeo Saturday in Sedalia. Media reports said the announcer asked spectators if they wanted to see “Obama Run down by a bull,” and many fans responded enthusiastically.

Mark Ficken is rodeo association president and was the rodeo announcer. His attorney, Albert S. Watkins, said Monday that the clown was acting unscripted and it was the clown, wearing a microphone, who made comments riling up the crowd.

Watkins says Ficken’s only comment was to say, “Watch out for that bull Obama!”

 

 

5 a.m. Monday The rodeo announcer asked spectators if they wanted to see “Obama run down by a bull.”

The state’s second-highest-ranking official denounced the performance in a tweet Sunday. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican, said it was “disrespectful” to the president and insisted Missourians “are better than this.”

State Fair officials said the performance Saturday in Sedalia was “inappropriate” and “does not reflect the opinions or standards” of the fair.

Spectator Perry Beam says another clown ran up to the one wearing the Obama mask, pretended to tickle him and played with the mask’s lips.

Beam says the audience responded enthusiastically.

It wasn’t clear if any action will be taken against the performers.