Yet another fantastic photo from winter quarters 2002 when Mike and I helped to put together the 133rd of the Ringling Bros Circus. Mike and I are dressed like doctors for a one shot joke in the fitness gag, that means we came in got our one laugh and left.

It went like this, a muscle man was trying to lift free weights that were too heavy for him so he falls over in pain. Mike and I rush in dressed as doctors with a strecher, instead of taking the man we put the weights on the strecher and rush out. The fitness gag stayed in the show but the joke did not.

When it was all over my part was a clown in an aerobics class and Mike was the leather man in a clown version of the village people. I guess you had to be there.

Miller

Miller & Mike can cure what ails you.

Last tuesday I had a gig with Dr. Kickbutt in Oshkosh to play music at a retirement home for a Christmas party. The gig was booked several weeks ago for a start time I thought was 1:00pm and the people organizing the party thought was 1:30pm. Not a big deal but when I showed up at noon to get ready, the director of the retirement home thought I was really early and for a 1:30 start time she was right. I told her we can do a 1:30 show without a problem and I called the doctor to tell him the show was pushed back a half hour. He had to do some switching around but said he could do it.

Fast forward to 1:05pm. Everything was just about set up, but no sign of the doctor could be found and that’s late even for him. I get a call from him and he tells me he’s circling the building try to find the entrance and looking for a place to park. I frantically tell him he better hurry because it turns out the start time is 1:00pm and not 1:30 like I told him earlier. The director heard me, comes running over and says, “No, no, the show is at 1:30.” I covered the phone and said in calm voice, “I know.”

It was great, the doctor starts going off on instruments, set lists and running across the parking lot. The director was laughing and I just listened to the doctor go on and on.

I only let him sweat for a minute and at 1:30 sharp we played a great show full of punch and cookies and ending with Santa and a very fun version of Jingle Bells.

Merry Christmas,

Miller

I don’t know about you but I spent many hours this week digging out my sidewalk, driveway and car. In light of that I found a picture with warm weather, palm trees, sunglasses and everybody’s favorite zebu, Gandi.

While putting together the 133rd edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in December of 2002 I was paired up with with the zebu seen below. His name is Gandi and we walked together in the opening parade for two years. In all that time I never heard him say anything, I think Gandi is a mute zebu. He was such a funny little cow I had to have a picture.  For those who don’t know a zebu is an asiatic ox, I had to look that up so I knew what was on the other end of my leash.  Gandi is a minature one, he is almost full grown in this picture. Gandi’s best feature is his hump, next to my hand. The best tricks I taught Gandi were to stand and twitch.

If you look close at this picture you can see camels and zebras in the background. If you look real close you can see the back feet of a brown lama. If you look real, real close you can see me starting to go bald.

Miller & Gandi (Miller is on the left)

Miller