How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (2024)

Arquette brought his Bozo the Clown to Chicago last weekend for a series of nostalgic events at Corgan's suburban tea house

How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (1)

When David Arquette revived the beloved Bozo the Clown several years ago, he knew he had big shoes to fill — literally.

And that he has done, stepping (loudly) into a room of about 100 fans over the weekend at Madame Zuzu's in Highland Park, Ill. — a café run by Smashing Pumpkins rocker Billy Corgan and his wife Chloe Mendel —to lead a Bob Ross painting class.

Yep, you read that right.

The event was part of a weekend dedicated to the nostalgia of Bozo's Circus at Madame Zuzu's from Oct. 18 to 20, bringing together clowns, kids and fans of the loud, red-haired jokester and his crew for a weekend of reminiscing.

"Bozo transformed my life," Arquette told PEOPLE exclusively prior to the weekend. "The way kids want to run around acting like Spider-Man, with me and my friends, I'd be Bozo and my friend would be Cookie and we'd just joke around. That's one of my earliest memories."

Growing up in part in Evanston, Ill., not far where Bozo's Circus taped in Chicago, Arquette remembers his dad, actor Lewis Arquette, dressing up as a clown named Butter for his own birthday celebrations. "And so then I knew I always wanted to be a clown," added the actor, 53.

While Bozo's distinct white makeup actually shows he's the "boss clown," Arquette said, he added that some research has shown people are often scared of clowns of such a hue. But when he decided to drop Bozo's white makeup for a time, "it got real pushback from Chicago," he added.

How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (2)

Related: The Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan on '90s Feuds and Fandom — and How HeReallyFeels About Green Day (Exclusive)

In exploring the character —whose eponymous show went off the air in 2001 — Arquette has brought some new pals into the fold, including Jozo (a.k.a. Jessica Harrison), the first female Bozo. He is also working on a documentary about clowns, he shared, since buying the rights to Bozo in 2021.

A Chicago kid, Corgan, 57, grew up watching Bozo's Circus, and even performed a song on the clown's farewell special in 2001. In opening his café doors to the recent Bozo-themed event, his hope was to "get back to where clowns are fun and not scary," he told PEOPLE. "We live in this complicated world and sometimes when things are stripped of their innocence ... clowning at its root really is something really innocent and beautiful."

"I've got a bunch of fun ideas," Arquette continued of what's next for his character and the clown community. "There are so many incredible clowns that people don't know about, that are like literally Charlie Chaplin level of brilliance."

The Bob Ross piece to Arquette's Oct. 20 event — one of many sold-out activities the Bozo weekend boasted —came out of the actor's love for the late TV painter.

How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (3)

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I've never taught it as a clown," he admitted. "But at one point in time I went down to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and became a certified Bob Ross instructor." The moment tied in nicely with PBS and American Public Television's “Bobtoberfest” — a month-long, multi-platform event commemorating Ross' legacy.

Unfortunately for Arquette, WGN, the network that ran Bozo's Circus, "actually threw out a lot of their stuff," he actor said. "They didn't even keep a lot of the recordings of the show."

Though some archival pieces are on display at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, for Arquette, it's the work of original Bozo, Bob Bell, that really lives on.

"He was such a superstar. He was the face of clowning," Arquette shared of the actor, who helped embody the character born in the 1940s.

Related: David Arquette Reveals He's 'Studying to Be a Clown': 'It Takes a Lot of Training'

How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (4)

For Corgan, the ask to open Madame Zuzu's to the event was an easy one — even if both his and Arquette's wives "are not crazy about clowns," they agreed.

"I first opened the tea house because I just wanted something to do," Corgan admitted. "We didn't necessarily see ourselves as community leaders or anything like that. But then after what happened here on July 4 two years ago, this horrible tragedy, we stepped forward and did a fundraiser."

The reaction put them "in this unlikely position of being community leaders" he shared. "And we started saying, okay, well if people want this from us, we can do more."

Combining Corgan's giving spirit, the serenity of Bob Ross and the fun of Bozo led the pair to this "incredible world," Arquette said. "When you do events like this — especially with adults who had seen it as a kid —they become kids again. Their eyes light up and they get so happy."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.

How David Arquette and Billy Corgan's Shared Love of Clowns Led to an Unlikely Partnership (Exclusive) (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Golda Nolan II

Last Updated:

Views: 5381

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Golda Nolan II

Birthday: 1998-05-14

Address: Suite 369 9754 Roberts Pines, West Benitaburgh, NM 69180-7958

Phone: +522993866487

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Shopping, Quilting, Cooking, Homebrewing, Leather crafting, Pet

Introduction: My name is Golda Nolan II, I am a thoughtful, clever, cute, jolly, brave, powerful, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.