No fool, Calif. town's notorious clown resumes feeding parking meters

istockanalyst ^ | 6 Aug 2010 | via Santa Cruz Sentinel)

[smokingfrog]

The clown, who gained international notoriety 15 years ago after he was cited for feeding quarters into other people's expired parking meters, arrived back in the Santa Cruz, Calif., area Tuesday after spending the previous six years in Las Vegas, a city he says is known for being "fun for the whole family" but whose economy the recession has devastated.

While there, Mr. Twister _ aka Cory McDonald _ worked for Fairfield Resorts while also performing as a clown at pool parties, DJ'ing various events and "showing off certain skills within the latex manipulating world." But after going from earning $2,000 every two weeks to $2,000 every month to $2,000 every season, he, his wife _ whose stage name is Oatmeal the Clown _ and their 5-year-old son, Kevin moved to a home in Boulder Creek, Calif., on Tuesday.

For the past three days, and into the foreseeable future, McDonald, 41, has continued his work as a "licensed latex manipulator" while his wife, Cindy Crouch, works at a local hotel.

Told Friday afternoon that McDonald has returned to Santa Cruz, Vice Mayor Ryan Coonerty was reassuring that he would not encounter any trouble from local officials for feeding expired meters.

"I am pro-clown," he said. "Especially law-abiding clowns. I hope he is a productive and jovial member of the community."

McDonald admits that it's a financial struggle being back in Santa Cruz, but "it's great being in a place where the sun's not killing me, the air's not full of dirt and sticking on my makeup, it's not 116 degrees in the shade, and people actually smile and wave back."

[George from New England]

Now we should really think of this do-gooder clown when we disparage the word clown as we call obama a clown.

There are plenty of four letter words we can use for obama other than clown.

[newfreep]

Here's a clown....

[WOBBLY BOB]

why would it be illegal to feed meters? are the coins fake?

[smokingfrog]

No. That’s the clown that takes your money.

[Flag_This]

"why would it be illegal to feed meters? are the coins fake?"

I guess the city would rather have the fines.

[smokingfrog]

The city not getting the parking fines got them P-O’d I guess.

[newfreep]

He’s the scariest communist clown I’ve ever seen.

[truthguy]

"why would it be illegal to feed meters? are the coins fake?"

I guess the city would rather have the fines.

I found this story to be very interesting. Is there a law saying you cannot put coins into parking meters? Or is there even an ordinance? This guy really reveals how cynical the cites are with their parking meters. This is nothing but a tax plain and simple. They want fines. You would have to be an idiot to think anything else. They want the money. This guy was taking money out of their pockets and boy they didn't like it.

I thought this story was funny as did most people who have to deal with parking meters. Most of us usually don't carry all that much change around with us and many of the meters have unrealistic time limits. The only alternative is sometimes the expensive parking garage. I hate parking meters.

[rawhide]

For the past three days, and into the foreseeable future, McDonald, 41, has continued his work as a "licensed latex manipulator"

Seriously, what kind of job is this?

[Graybeard58]

He shapes balloons into animal looking forms.

The kiddies like it.

[pnh102]

Seriously, what kind of job is this?

One that provides more private sector experience than what our current president has.

[ViLaLuz]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[Deaf Smith]

Some cities sort of classify it as Tampering With Evidence, of a parking violation.

If some cities had their way, it would be a State Jail Felony to feed parking meters.

[hosepipe]

Parking meters is another way city government parasites the people.. as does the cameras on traffic lights..

[WOBBLY BOB]

pretty pathetic. sounds like goobermint fascism.

[mj1234]

in St paul minnesota - I saw the parking meter guy
coming to give tickets.. I started feeding every expired
meter there was- the guy literally ran after me and said he would call the cops...(he let me go with a warning) found out later- in St. Paul Minnesota -only the people that are
using the parking space can feed the Meter!!?? so I went
down to city hall and asked if my wife could feed the meter-
if she was traveling with me - Technically NO!!
Welcome to communist minnesota - by the way St paul is Boycotting Arizona- the Reds have truly taken over this place, so.. they basically are abunch of lawless A___holes
in minnesota.

[BerryDingle]

Where's that clown?

[smokingfrog]

[rawhide]

I understand now. Thanks!