The clown prince of bulls and barrels has held court this week at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo.
Flint Rasmussen, a former high school teacher from Montana, has been the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Clown of the Year eight times and the Coors Man in the Can seven times — rodeo clowning’s top titles.
Rasmussen, 39, gives his final performance of this year’s rodeo at 7:30 tonight, then he’s off to Pueblo for a Thursday night show at the Colorado State Fairgrounds.
He talked with The Post before Tuesday night’s show.
Q. How much of your act is scripted?
A. Monday night here in Denver, 98 percent of it was on the fly. In Denver, where there’s a culture of bulls and rodeo. it’s pretty easy. Performing in New York City, I wouldn’t have a chance.
Q. If a kid watching your show wants to be a rodeo clown, what’s your advice?
A. I get that question from 35-year-old men with two kids at home. It’s one thing to say ‘I want to do what you do’ in front of a big crowd here in Denver, but when the national anthem is playing and you look up and there’s 36 people in the stands, you’ve still got to be up, you’ve still got to give them a good show. I tell people to learn everything they can about bulls and rodeo.
Q. You’ve won more titles than you could fit in a clown car. What are you most proud of?
A. The first time I rolled in a barrel at the National Finals Rodeo was the coolest. I grew up in a rodeo family that gathered around the TV when the National Finals was on.
