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INKY HAS BEEN AROUND for
a little over 20 years, making his first appearance in the New England
area in June 1980. Roebuck and a friend answered a newspaper
advertisement wanting performers.
"The ad asked for amateur jugglers,
comedians and magicians. I was interested, so we went," Roebuck
said of his start in the clowning business.
Since then, his mere interest in juggling and
clowning has grown into what many consider the state's best clowning
act. Just two years after his debut, Roebuck moved his Inky act down
south, joining the. Mississippi Clown Alley, a group of traveling clowns
that performed all over the southeastern United States.
With the now disbanded group, Inky played
festivals as large as the World's Fair and as small as a child's
birthday party. And though the troupe is gone, Inky lives on.
"Honestly, I want to do every festival and
major event I can. I love being Inky. That's what I do," Roebuck
said.
Roebuck has other ventures. He's also known as
Juggling Jeff, a routine he uses as a stand-up comedian. It was this
routine, then as the Jackson Juggler, that was his first appearance in
Mississippi, taking place at Pelahatchie Day in 1982.
Yet clowning remains his love. Roebuck used to
tend bars at trendy, upscale Jackson restaurants, entertaining guests
with humor as he juggled bottles of their favorite liquor. But the
smokey environments seemed to disagree with Roebuck, and he has since
turned his full attention to Inky.
INKY GETS HIS NAME from
Roebuck's father's business. At age seven, Roebuck went to work in his
father's printing business. At age 10, Roebuck learned to juggle. So
when juggling gave way to clowning, ink gave way to Inky.
Inky has made appearances at drug prevention
seminars, entertained party-goers at Jubilee Jam and First Night, and
kept the crowds laughing at the Dixie National Rodeo. Audiences stand
amazed at Inky's juggling of bowling balls and axes, his slight-of-hand
magic acts and his partner, Bruce the Breakdancing Frog.
In Inky's life, he's met several of the state's
leaders. Roebuck attributes Inky as "destroying Evelyn Gandy's
career."
"Inky performed on a mainstage right
before Evelyn Gandy spoke to the crowd. She was running for governor at
the time. She lost," Roebuck explained.
But then again, it could be looked at another
way. While Inky's appearance with Gandy coincided with her loss, his
appearance that same day with Bill Allain could have been the spark that
put Allain over the top. But then again, that story isn't near as funny.
"Oh boy, I'll get a call from Evelyn
now," he joked.
Inky's look emulates that of a world renowned
clown, Emmet Kelly Sr. Kelly was known for his character clown, and
remains one of Roebuck's heroes today.
All in all, providing laughter to those around
him is Roebuck's dream come true. He's met a lot of people as Inky, and
he plans to meet even more. But most of all, wherever he goes and
whoever he meets, he just wants to have fun.
"Life is too serious to be taken
seriously," Roebuck said. "I'm serious!"
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