(urth) 666 Saltimbanque St.

[Lee Berman]

>Jerry Friedman: Jerry Friedman is sure that "saltimbanque", meaning "clown", couldn't possibly 
>be a clown-clone pun, because that would be beneath Wolfe.  Not.
 
 
Erm..are we talking about the Gene Wolfe who wears a Texas bolo tie, a Chicago moustache and 
quotes Roger Rabbit and enjoys Pinnochio, the Disney movie? Some here have attempted to paint
Gene Wolfe as an academic elitist, divorced from pop culture and cheap humor. I think they succeed 
only in painting themselves that color.
 
Anyway, clown might be a pun on clone. But since Gene WOlfe inserts his name into the story as
an author, I lean toward the "saltimbanque" interpretation as performer/trickster. With the not-
so-subtle allusion to The Great Deceiver. But could be all of the above.