That is Priceless by Steve Melcher for November 13, 2023

The clown had the best view.

/// The American Circus in France

shows a well-trained performer can dance

on a man’s upper thigh,

(he’s a very strong guy),

astride two broad-backed horses that prance.

Kid in red, to Ringmaster: This blows – the turn out will barely pay for the horse-feed

Worse than him forgetting his pants is her forgetting to wear her panties.

he always knew politics was a circus but this was ridiculous!

The act was never the same after Mister Ed left to find TV stardom.

Cheap thrills—what some clowns won’t do, just to look up a woman’s dress!

He always had that nightmare about standing in front of an audience and realizing he’d forgotten his pants.

Being an exhibitionist, this is not what Mary had in mind when she was told she would be “riding a couple of stallions for all to see.”

See dear…we don’t really need the carriage I lost in the poker game

The circus star named “Jimbo”

Held his partner Jessup akimbo

To the crowd’s applause and cheers.

.

The horses would slowly gallop,

As Jimbo held the winsome gal up,

Around the Big Top Center Ring.

.

The stunt was fraught with danger,

‘Cause if he should disarrange her

They both would slip and fall.

.

For it’s always been there said

With fear and constant dread:

“There’s many a near slip

Betwixt Jessup and Jimbo’s hip.”

Hello, Marge? Yeah, it’s me. I know I’m at work, but you’ve got to see this new act!

“Cirque Disarray”

I see London I see France……

Mr. Ed, in his younger years,/

Was the envy of equine peers../

He ruled like a King/

in the center ring/

And he always elicited cheers…///

Unlike the poor slobs at the track/

Who are risking a heart attack/

Ed’s casual canter/

Left him leisure to banter/

With that couple of schmucks on his back..///

Ed acquired conversational skills/

Whilst performing those tedious drills/

Which the circus demands, /

And a horse understands/

Are the way that a guy pays his bills..///

But time, as it does to us all/

Holds even the greatest in thrall../

In the midst of the show/

One rider let go – /

And Ed took the blame for the fall///

Ed was certain that he was now doomed:/

His career never would be resumed../

There’s only one course/

For an elderly horse:/

For poor Ed, the glue factory loomed !///

Ed was certain that hope was gone/

But it’s darkest just before dawn/

A producer had heard/

Ed utter a word/

From the circus old Ed was withdrawn !///

Although he was “merely” equine/

Turns out Ed had a way with a line/

Once again he’s a star/

(From that factory far ! )

And everything turned out just fine.

(There ARE second acts in American lives! Fitzgerald was wrong!)

Mary Ellen remembered going out for a couple of celebratory birthday drinks with the girls from the office. The circus, her bareback riding, and the other escapades of the evening were mercifully lost in a cloud of alcoholic amnesia.

I know how uncomfortable you get when you’re all sweaty down there, but really, there must be a better way to “dry the twins” than this!

They were one-trick ponies, but fortunately for the circus, it was a pretty good trick.

Winning her affection away from the horse was difficult; first he had to show that he was equipped to handle the job.

One time Naomi’s head got caught in the trapeze safety net.

I remember the parades when the circus came to town..

On the far right, behind the guy with the green tunic, what’s with that tentpole? It looks like its wearing a one-breasted body suit.

The guy looking up: I see London I see France…I don’t see any under pants……..

The big question: How did they manage to pose for that painting? And how long?

The American Circus In France: 

Paste (including the quote marks) 

"Category:Paintings by Frederick Arthur Bridgman" Wikimedia 

(syntax supported by the Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ecosia and Yandex search engines) in the browser address bar (or search for it using one of those search engines) and choose the first Category: found and once there find the text string cirque, and click its link for info and links that point to more info about this painting.

Again, a larger strip image is shown by (Ctrl- or right-) clicking the image in Mr. Melcher’s MASTERPIECE #3220 (November 13, 2023) blog entry, accessible by the Check out the blog! box after the last comment, and using the dropdown menu (even larger, if you trim what’s after .png from the URL). I have added a comment there (awaiting Mr. Melcher’s approval) pointing to info about this artist I used to point to here. So far, 5 works (6 times total, including 1 repeat) by him have been used here, the January 13, 2020, strip being the prior (the repeat).

Two by two with tutu.

You cannot imagine the effort they went through to get that child’s balloon from the roof of the tent so that he would stop screaming.

First time Nora’s foot was planted correctly, last 4 men will be all right after ice bath.