March 3. Day 64. Clowning around

I admit, I sometimes think occupation health and safety regulations are a bit of a joke. 

I also think they substitute institutional arse covering for any serious harm minimisation and are often ridiculously patronising. 

But in my line of business the risk comes from things such as climbing on chairs to carrying too many papers to mark (the risk there has nothing to do with the weight of the marking, let me tell you). There are probably 387 pages on how I should do that. I can only imagine what the OHS officer would say about riding in the Globe of Death wearing no safety gear - that's no laughing matter unless you are a clown. 

Enter Rafael Nino junior a 27-year-old clown in Brisbane with the Great Moscow Circus. 

I had a chat to Rafael this morning in the Big Top at Victoria Park. 

He told me he was a seventh generation Brazilian circus performer and sixth generation clown and had been clowning since he was a small child. 

Well, to call him a clown is probably a bit patronizing. 

He plays the clown on the highwires which involves looking as awkward as the acrobats look graceful which he tells me is extraordinarily difficult. 

I can only imagine. 

But then he joins the stunt team riding in the Globe of Death – but with no protective clothing because he’s the clown. 

He lists his injuries in good humour. 

You have to laugh, unless you are an OH&S officer in which case you probably should be lying down.