Social Commentary through the Jester

Court Jester from Crestock Creative Photos Throughout history, there has been one kind of person who could speak truth to power. There was one kind of person who could point at the elephant in the room and make everyone see it. There was one type of person who could tell the crowd that the king had no clothes. Well, say it and survive. That would be the Jester. Today, we call them comedians, actors, goofballs, class clowns, and the like. They are the ones who make us... read more

"Mention a court jester, and one pictures a whimsical creature in a belled hat or, perhaps, the ill-fated character in King Lear. Otto's lively, well-researched text proves that there are centuries of other examples and that the jester has a rich tradition worldwide. . . . Through anecdotes, historical details, analyses, and commentary, Otto brilliantly delineates the court jester, and quotations and illustrations do much to enhance this eminently readable text. . . . Well worth a look by...

Comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects/things I associate you with. Then post this in your LJ and elaborate on the subjects given. Subjects given by aptly_titled . Hank Williams I discovered Hank through my father, who in turn discovered him through his father - Pop loved Hank Williams, and for me it's easy to see why.  Like any country singer worth his salt does and should, he runs the gamut of the human condition: he covers love and relationships and all aspects thereof...

Originally published at Hypermodern - Pete Ippel - Artist / Athlete . Please leave any comments there. Presently I am applying for the Artadia grant for residents of San Francisco. I’ve been working on revising a 300 word artist statement. A wonderful byproduct of sorting out my computer files, and getting everything indexed on one machine is that I can see my growth. Below are a variety of iterations on an artistic statement of purpose starting with the most recent and working backwards:...

It's that time of year again! The time where I get to play with some of my oldest/dearest circus buddies! These are the folks that inspire and enable. You hear me talking about them all the time. Now is your chance to see my circus family! You get a WHOLE LOTTA SHOW for only $10! Who: Re-united! The Accidental Circus: Paolo Garbanzo, Jester of England Mab Just Mab, DC's Own Sideshow Girl The Mezmer Society, Asheville, NC Sidetracked Theatre, Philadelphia, PA When/Where: ...

Seagulls in a Gas Station: The legend of the Jangly Sun Road June 9 This is the story of my ascent through the glass ceiling of triumph and into the brick wall of my next door neighbor's house. This is the urgent and untold sci-fi non-fiction account of my literal journey from Olympia, WA to the eventual destination of some place. Montana is the type of place that demands one’s attention. Montana is the number one producer of soy beans, phone booths, mailbox numbers, and seagulls who frequent...