"Are ya thinkin of joinin the circus, hahaha"

[Beener]

Ok, I know that I have started a thread like this before and we all talked about the goofy things that people say to us but I am 37 years old and I have been riding since I was 11. I stopped for quite a few years in the middle. I have started to ride again and was out the other day with the kids. I don't look like a clown, atleast I hoep I don't anyway but my neighbor, who is alomost my age comes out and says "Hey, are you thinking of joinin the circus. HAHAHA" I think that it now tops my all time list fo stupid things people say to unicyclists, I can be the only one, so post an answer on the poll and we'll get a count.

[phlegm]

I thought this was a poll about actually joining the circus. I've thought about it. It sounds more fun than my current job. ;)

[unitic]

My dad always says I should join the circus. It gets kinda annoying.

[James_Potter]

I thought this was a poll about actually joining the circus. I've thought about it. It sounds more fun than my current job. ;)
me too, I think it actually would be a lot of fun to be in the circus....

[burjzyntski]

Although I admit that it would be fun to be in the circus, I don't think I would want to make any living out of it. I'm more into engineering and building computers than entertaining children with my multicolor hair and 1337 balloon-tieing abilities..

[Tellurider]

I got it twice recently, we were being filmed for a clip on dish network high definition news and a person on the trail said on camera "I told that one guy he could be a circus performer". And my neighbor recently told me I should join the circus when I rode by. But far more common is the you lost a wheel or where's your other wheel type comments.

[chosen]

i never really get that. but i dance more than uni so that may be the reason.

[uni-steve5111]

i supprisingly never got that one i did get "hey what happened to your other wheel" about 4 times each ride.

[squeegy]

OOHHH I hate getting that one! I'm okay with circuses and everything but not being in the circus just because I can ride one.

[bmemike]

I've had some people say things like "Wow, it's like what those guys in the circus do" - which I always think "I wish I could ride that well!", but never any comments specifically directed at me like your neighbor said.

I think almost entirely everyone that's commented to me has been very impressed and just curious. Granted I haven't been riding that long and I'm sure it'll come up at some point, but no idiots so far :)

[abbabibble]

i get a lot of those, and their variations, such as "Hey, essay, the circus is THAT way..." *laughing wid his homies*

[podzol]

I thought this was a poll about actually joining the circus. I've thought about it. It sounds more fun than my current job. ;)

When my bro and I were kids we juggled, uni'd, stilted, pogoed, and slackroped. When we were in trouble we'd threaten to join the circus instead of going to college someday.

Now adults and graduated, my Dad tells my bro and me that he and my mother were actually very concerned about this and took our threats quite seriously!

I still think of it, but I'm not good enough.

[Matt.Weston]

The only time I've gotten the circuis one is from friends of mine, I geuss I can count myself lucky.

Some little kid (Like, 7ish or something) asked me if I'd left the other half of my bike at home... I was bewildered. Not that I haven't had it before, but from a 7 year old kid? Pretty onto it :p

Got a great one today, though. "HONKHONK (undeterminable speech)" - The occupants of the vehicle failed to take into account that a car at 50km/h (roughly 30miles/h) is

1) Loud
2) Travelling too fast to complete a sentence.

Silly people, it's simple physics!

-Matt

[subsonic87]

Got a great one today, though. "HONKHONK (undeterminable speech)" - The occupants of the vehicle failed to take into account that a car at 50km/h (roughly 30miles/h) is

1) Loud
2) Travelling too fast to complete a sentence.

Silly people, it's simple physics!

-Matt
Yeah, I get that one a lot too. Never sure if I should be insulted by what they're yelling at me, or honored.

[gabetheunicycleman]

i have only got it a few times in public but my family and family friends give me flyers and info about circus training programs etc. as you can tell my family doesnt quite get it:(

[tomtrevor]

hey your from brisbane! yet another Brisbane rider, yay!

i have gotten that remark from a friend's mother (which is kinda weird). they obviously don't get it either!

[sparrowhawk]

Yea i get that alot....but the other one get is when people say 'BOO' or something and expect me to topple off....but of course i don't :D

[irvinegr]

when they ask if your going to join the circus ask them if they are going to join the gay parade.

[sobriquet]

I am going to join the circus. But I am more into muni then any kind of riding, I'm not going to join the circus as a unicyclist.

[MuniAddict]

They also have a lot of bicycles in the circus as well, but I bet nobody has ever been asked if they were in the circus while riding one!:cool: I still like the idea of a shirt with a picture of a clown with with a big circle around him and line through it! Like the one below!

[MuniAddict]

One more...:)

[Ricky W]

I would say that is the number one thing I get asked or told. at first I thought thats al unicycles were for until I got into it and now I would think of it as being anything to do with the cirscus. now I almost hate it when i get asked or told about join the circus

[habbywall]

It's weird how knowledge changes your oppion about something, too bad the general public doesn't think before they blurt out stupid stuff.
WOW I think that may have been the smartest thing I've said on these forums yet.

[tobbogonist]

i got intoduced to unicycling by a now ex-girlfriend, she was part of a circus and one of the best hulu-hoopers i have ever seen ever, after leaving her i left the circus. People are constantly asking me if i am in the circus now, i just smile kindly and give them the finger.

[Ricky W]

It's weird how knowledge changes your oppion about something, too bad the general public doesn't think before they blurt out stupid stuff.
WOW I think that may have been the smartest thing I've said on these forums yet.

That was pretty smart

[zfreak220]

when they ask if your going to join the circus ask them if they are going to join the gay parade.
i'll have to use that sometime.

[JJuggle]

when they ask if your going to join the circus ask them if they are going to join the gay parade.
I like that. Fight prejudice and bigotry with prejudice and bigotry.

I'm pretty sure it was Martin Luther King who said, "Love can not drive hate out, only hate can do that."

[Brian MacKenzie]

One time at work (back when I worked for 'the man') we were talking and I said to the guy 'that would break the Carney Code' Not picking up on the Simpsons reference, he replied with 'what's that, don't f**k the midgets?'

[janey_moo]

i guess my response to that stupid comment is "but i'm already in a circus".

www.circuscarnis.com

although it's not quite the traditional kind, i am hoping to work a uni into the show once i learn to ride!

[GILD]

too bad the general public doesn't think before they blurt out stupid stuff
They're not blurting out stupid stuff.
They're blurting from a position of being very unsure of how to react to you.
Some do so with silence.
Some do so with an intended put-down.
Some do so with an awkward attempt at making conversation.
And yes, by the 10th time you hear it, it wears a bit thin.
What's the one complaint about 'the modern age' you hear all the time?
People aren't talking to one another anymore.
People don't know their neighbours.
The sense of community is disappearing.
So when someone does reach out, albeit awkwardly, and tries to make conversation, try n forget that you've heard it too many times before and smile.
He might just be a not-yet-practising unicyclist and by chatting to him, you could be responsible for one more of us and one less of them.

[BillyTheMountain]

They're not blurting out stupid stuff.
They're blurting from a position of being very unsure of how to react to you.
Some do so with silence.

are you trying to arouse compassion for those CREEPS who PUT DOWN us unicyclists? Whose side are you on, Dave??!

Here in the USA, we have a right to shoot on sight anyone who makes any circus related statements or sings the circus song.

A gang of NYC Unatics once shot an ice cream truck full of lead, because they mistook the song. And they all got off scot free.

[vuniw]

Ohh its close, that question and "where is the other wheel?" I get a lot

[Chrashing]

I get that circus line now and then. It bugs me most when a little little kid asks because I'm sure that the kid had asked their parent, "Why that guy rides that one wheeled bicycle" and the parent answered glibly, "He wants to join the circus".

The kid has been jaded. :(

[Brian MacKenzie]

I like it when it's a kid who is actually being sincere when he says 'WOW, you should be in the circus!'

[GILD]

The kid has been jaded.
There is still hope.
It takes 30 seconds to plaster a friendly smile on your face and explain that the unicycle developed outside the circus and has been used in the circus only very sparingly. Clowns normally can't ride them because of their big shoes (not always 100% true, but we're combating preconceptions here, having something to make people go 'Oh, that makes sense' is a handy weapon.)

On an old 'spectator comment' thread, someone told the wonderfull story of hearing a father tell his 4 year old daughter sitting on his shoulders to look at 'that one wheeled b*ke'.
"It's called a unicycle Daddy!" came the priceless reply.
Sod Hillary, I want that girl for president.

[johnson_johnson]

People always come up to me with this goofy little smile on their face, and you know whats comin and you just want to belt them in the nose before they say anything and they go "Oh, mate, you lost one of your wheels".

I think one day i'll probably end up hitting someone over the head with my uni. That'd shut em up

[GILD]

Seems that it's so true what Henry Rollins says about Australian schoolboys and their school-uniforms.

[johnson_johnson]

umm... just out of curiosity, what DID Henry Rollins say about Australian boys and their school uniforms?

[GILD]

He makes the point (on the story of Marius Bannister) that Australian men are so intense cause they grow up wearing hot-pants.

[UniMOG]

i would realy like to join but maybe not soon

[Into the blue]

i got intoduced to unicycling by a now ex-girlfriend, she was part of a circus and one of the best hulu-hoopers i have ever seen ever, after leaving her i left the circus. People are constantly asking me if i am in the circus now, i just smile kindly and give them the finger.

This made me laugh until I snorted.
Yes. Snorted.
I am not ashamed to admit it.

[Unibugg]

They're not blurting out stupid stuff.
They're blurting from a position of being very unsure of how to react to you.
Some do so with silence.
Some do so with an intended put-down.
Some do so with an awkward attempt at making conversation.
And yes, by the 10th time you hear it, it wears a bit thin.
What's the one complaint about 'the modern age' you hear all the time?
People aren't talking to one another anymore.
People don't know their neighbours.
The sense of community is disappearing.
So when someone does reach out, albeit awkwardly, and tries to make conversation, try n forget that you've heard it too many times before and smile.
He might just be a not-yet-practising unicyclist and by chatting to him, you could be responsible for one more of us and one less of them.

Wow. I needed to hear this.
I don't mind the "where is the other wheel" comment (I usually reply that I can't afford two)

the "it takes no fear to be able to do that" (pleeeease I have plenty of fear)

the "how do you do THAT?" (um... just like this...)

the "I tried that once and nearly killed myself" (how do you respond to that..usually a weak smile is all I can muster)

But "join the circus?".. that one always irritates me. Sometimes enough to ruin my ride for awhile. I'll have to keep in mind that it is probably just someone's attempt to make conversation in the spur of a moment when this is the first thing that comes to their mind as the circus might be the only place they've actually seen a unicycle.

I'll try to be more patient.

[Hazmat]

I'll join the circus just to prove people that i am unique at what i do. Oh and to prove that my stupidity is a good thing to have. :D :D

[picado]

hey i work beein a circus performer

i work on events , and iam a member of a circus company called Circo Fractais
www.circofractais.com.br

It is really cool

[GILD]

If the person and the situation lends itself to a bit of a chat, it's nice to point out to the person that the unicycle/circus connection is tenuous at best.
That the unicycle originated outside of the circus and has only ever been used fairly sparsely in the circus.
And even then more by 'accrobats' than by clowns.
All this done with a smile on your face and then you can tell the person that you have to excuse yourself, as you're planning on running away and joining an accounting firm.

[GILD]

If the person and the situation lends itself to a bit of a chat, it's nice to point out to the person that the unicycle/circus connection is tenuous at best.
That the unicycle originated outside of the circus and has only ever been used fairly sparsely in the circus.
And even then more by 'accrobats' than by clowns.
All this done with a smile on your face and then you can tell the person that you have to excuse yourself, as you're planning on running away and joining an accounting firm.

[OneForTheRoad]

The circus and clown comments are the most common for me. It was always like that when I learned to uni in the early '80's too. And the humming of the circus tune. I find it very irritating. My great grand father joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey when he was 13 and spent his whole life as a clown there. I was in a clowning club for a while when I was a kid but never performed on the unicycle. The comments always came when I was riding around the neighborhood. In December I rode for the first time in forever and "you look like a clown... " was the first comment from a little kid. I responded "you look like a clown and you don't even have a unicycle." Later I found out he'd just learned to ride a bike that day. I couldn't help myself and asked when he was going to stop using a training wheel. Haha.

[Unibugg]

So why is this comment so irritating?

I've been thinking about it. Though I really admire the human feats shown in a circus, when someone mentions the circus to me as I ride by I'm irritated because its as if the only reason anyone would ride a unicycle is to entertain others. I mean.. there is nothing wrong with bringing a smile to someone's face but this is NOT why I ride.

Watch or don't watch me ride past.
Take a second look and marvel at the balance (though I am really sloppy)
But keep the circus comments to yourself PLEASE!
I ride because like any other recreational activity it is a challenge, an outlet, its fun, it is for ME.

Toss your coins and circus comments somewhere else.

There I said it!

[GILD]

"Don't clap, throw money!" might be a comeback you'd like to consider adding to your arsenal.