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Salisbury anoints court jester in bid to relieve gloom
August 21, 1997
Web posted at: 4:09 p.m. EDT (2009 GMT)
From Correspondent Siobhan Darrow
SALISBURY, England (CNN) -- Salisbury is not exactly known as the most exciting town. Yeah, it has one of Europe's grandest cathedrals and impressive medieval archways. But even locals admit the place could use a boost.
"It's always been boring. It's just really boring," one local says.
So the newly elected mayor decided to do something about the city's malaise. He's brought back a long-lost tradition: that of the court jester.
"The jester's main job," explains Mayor Paul Semple, "is, when he sees groups of people who look as if they could use a bit of cheering up, is to charge in, tell a few weak jokes, do a bit of juggling and some fire eating, and generally cheer them up."
CNN correspondent Siobhan Darrow's report as it appeared on CNN
But the chosen bearer of mirth, Jonathan Russell, tends to fumble his juggling balls and fire batons. Watching him in action, even Semple has some doubts about the idea.
"I think there's some hope for him," Semple says. "I know that he will keep practicing very hard. He's got a little way to go, but I think he's going to cheer up Salisbury in a big way."
Trouble is, even the jester is a tad on the morose side.
"The real purpose of a court jester is to advise the king or his master. To make sure he doesn't get too bigheaded," Russell says.
Nobody said it would be easy, driving out centuries of entrenched gloom.
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