He played the clown on Detroit and Windsor TV for decades, and now Art Cervi is coming out of retirement.
He will be putting on those famous floppy shoes and unforgettable costume to make a big appearance at the Retrorama Classic Collectibles Con.
“It’s incumbent upon us, as promoters, to revisit these things that we grew up on that made childhood so great for us and present it to a new generation,” said con organizer Michael Michalski
7 Action News spoke to Cervi about the first day he became Bozo.
“What blows me away is the love that they had for that character. That surprised me because I just tried to be myself,” said Cervi.
Sometimes it was hard for Cervi to separate himself from his alter ego, like at times when he was in the grocery store and saw a well behaved kid.
“When I look I almost start out in that Bozo voice and then I'm like 'Wait a minute. I'm not doing the show right now', and you look around, cause you do get some looks.”
Times have certainly changed. Now, there is a clown craze where people have been dressing up like scary ones and it has many frightened of kids.
“Sorry to hear that because it gives other people who are legitimately trying to bring joy to people and then you have the reverse segment who are deliberately going out to scare people and it makes no sense,” said Cervi.
Cervi told 7 Action News he hopes his appearance at Retrorama brings back a time of happiness and nostalgia for spectators.
“I’m so pleased that people still remember me and think of me in a good way,” said Cervi.
Bozo will be at RetroRama Classic Collectibles Con on Sunday, Oct. 30/2016 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The event is help at Caboto Club at 2175 Parent Avenue in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Some of the money raised goes to charity.
Tickets are free for kids under 10-years-old. You can buy tickets at the door or visit.
