Audiences for this sort of show dwindle as the routines get commonplace. The audiences of the world that once looked with the eyes of a child have all grown up. They've seen this show before. Every adult has seen the classic pie in the face, and for most, they first saw it on TV. But isn't that a testament to how funny it really is? Does it ever stop being funny?

My son laughed at this, I laughed too. Is this the fundamental building block of all comedy? Is it innately built into our system, are we hardwired to find humor in it?

With dwindling audinces, the light may fade on the circus as we know it, but clowns will alway remain in the spotlight in some form or another. We simply enjoy laughter too much to let them go.