"I was asked, in the mid-seventies, to go the Children's Hospital in Oakland and cheer up kids. On the way out the door of my house, someone handed me a red, rubber nose. I discovered it enabled me to get out of myself and be entertaining to the kids. After awhile, I began to paint my face up as a clown. I worked with kids almost every day for about seven years. I had to go to a political rally at Peoples' Park and I didn't have time to take off my clown stuff. I discovered that the police didn't want to hit me anymore. Clowns are safe." Wavy Gravy, the MC of Woodstock, hippie icon, beloved peace activist, humanitarian and clown shares more about his colorful journey in this interview.
