During a zoom-based Portland City Council meeting yesterday, a man named Ronald Grimaldi requested to speak about “intersectionality and equity issues.” Ronald, who does party gigs as a “Ronnie the Clown,” shows up in a zoom window wearing face paint and a clown costume. He briefly explains how the city’s lockdown measures have put professional clowns out of work and forced them to engage in busking and miming to make ends meet. Then he praises the Portland city government and police department for giving great representation to the clown community. After that, he nominates Mayor Ted Wheeler for “clown of the year” and an “honorary clown commissioner.”
