My Sister Loved the Shrine Bears; Frisco Loved Burck's Tigers; John Pugh Loves Never Selling Cole Bros. Circus ...

A pithy potpourri, plentifully positive, properly plumped for popcorn people, prefaced by this glee-mail from my sister Kathy, in Omaha:

"Hi David,

I went to the Shrine Circus today, and I saw the MOST CHARMING BEARS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!!! I also saw a fella that worked with ropes and whips (I never would have thought I would have liked that in a circus........but he was a FABULOUS ENTERTAINER! And a high trapeze artist by the name of Rebecca, who was fabulous! I loved seeing these acts, but was somewhat disappointed by some other things. However, it was wonderful attending the circus again......and I am a "kid of all ages".

Can you name the circus? I'm still awaiting a name and place from Kathy.

And here, from the San Francisco Chronicle dated August 23, 1984, discovered whilst purging my papers to de-clutter and hone, bone down to durable dust, and admit fresh air into my musty walk-in closet, is rare praise for the our own ...

"On the other hand, Wade Burck, a fresh-faced tiger trainer from North Dakota, at least displays genuine affection for the beasts with which he shares his working hours. Burck's six Siberian tigers and nine Burmese white tigers are gorgeous, beautifully groomed, and evidently happier with their lot than those pitiful camels. Ditto the performing bears -- despite the foolish tutus and wrestler's togs they've been made to wear."

Oh, but patron Kathy might have adored the bruins in high fashion. High honor, anyway, from Frisco, a town not afraid to turn out real circus reviews! Wade evidently still values the beauty of beautiful animals; take a look at his blog, (the link, his name, to your right) and behold some of the most gorgeous photos you will see of life's living menagerie.

Covinton Connected, Cirque du Soleil is advance puffing record-breaking profits for the year 2011 exceeding (cry your hearts out, Hugo) $1 billion bucks. Revenues last year reached $850 million. Now wait, 2011? Isn't that the year we just entered?

What troubles me about such puffery: Claims second in commander, Daniel Lamarre, " so far, no show has ever recorded a loss." No, no, please Mr. Lamarre, are you telling me that your Banana Shpeel actually made money? I think not. The Beatles Vegas show, says he, "has continued ... to pack in audiences at a 2,000 seat theatre>" I'mmmmmm not so sure, sir. On the PBS Cirque give-away special, I thought I saw an ominous number of empty chairs, no? Now, here's the caveat kicker: The rosy "forecast" -- that's what it really is -- "relies on the success of three new spectacles," including the Hollywood installation at the Kodak Theatre and a stage spectacle at Radio City Musical Hall -- oops, that's New York, not exactly a guaranteed venue for any Cirque offering. Maybe they've learned their lesson and can magically avoid another banana bust.

OK, let it go, to myself I puff. Here's tenuous tanbark talk: Rumorhazzit (I miss Billy Barton when I spell it that way, his way) that John Pugh pitched his Cole Bros Circus to the Byrd family, but they were not buying. Rumors forever. How many centuries now have I been hearing that Johnny wants to get out from under the big top just as soon as he can find a buyer? Strange, he keeps on owning it AND having it up for sale. Maybe he's desperate to raise the $150,000 court fine he has to pachyderm up for his murky elephant sale to a Davenport named Gopher.

Kathy, I'm dying to know of those things at Shrine that left you wanting? Did you know that somewhere in China, a Panda bear performs! Those creatures are so absolutely adorable. How I would love to hug one, if only it would promise not to hug me back. Unrequited love sometimes is the only option, even with a pre-nuptial.