Imagine this. You are a 4 year old girl and have never met your father, never seen a clown, and never been to a circus. Then, one day your mother takes you to the circus, you walk back stage and you see this strange, tall man who your mom introduces as your dad! That’s what happened to Bonnie Barnett and in this week’s show, she tells us about her journey to get her father’s love and to have a meaningful relationship with one of the world’s premiere clowns. She talks about her new book, “Bobo’s Daughter,” and shares the journey from how she first hated the circus because it had stolen her father from her to her deep love and understanding of clowns and the circus today.

As the current reincarnation of Ripley Radio celebrates its 2nd anniversary this week, we talk with 91-year old Fred Essex who was a director on Ripley’s first radio show in the 1940s. He reminisces how he would drop by Robert Ripley’s office every morning to discuss that day’s show and he tells the amazing story behind his favorite Believe It or Not! fact.

Additional random amazements discussed this week:
· The size of one’s index finger in relation to the ring finger can determine a person’s predestined vulnerability to everything from promiscuity to fertility to addictive behaviors.
· Many of the animals at the National Zoo in Washington DC reacted to this summer’s East Coast Earthquake BEFORE it happened.
· We learn of a man in India who lives in a 100-room mansion with 181 other family members, including his 39 wives.
· We’re advised to not waste time watching the world’s longest YouTube Video – a 571 hour video of vacation slides (in very poor resolution).
· We learn that a statue was sentenced to death for toppling over and killing a man.
· AND, we find that pumpkins are 90% water!