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CNN TONIGHT

Circus Performer Has Attention-Grabbing Hairdo

Aired April 09, 2001 - 22:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's usually the stunts that attract fans to the renowned Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus, but this year, a different gravity-defying dimension that is stealing the show. "Making the Moost of It" tonight is CNN's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His name is Bello, and his hair shakes like jello.

BELLO NOCK, CIRCUS PERFORMER: I can even wave goodbye. Goodbye.

MOOS: Bello Nock is the star of this year's Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus. He's the guy who rides a motorcycle on the high wire, who cavorts with Bo the elephant, who sways on a 90-foot pole without a net, while the kids chant "jump."

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Jump, jump, jump!

MOOS: And if that's not hair-raising enough -- Bello has raised his hair to new heights.

NOCK: Seven.

MOOS (on camera): Seven inches.

NOCK: And I just got it cut yesterday.

MOOS: Do you think that's his real hair?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: No!

MOOS (voice-over): Oh, it's his, all right.

NOCK: I blow-dry it upside down like this.

MOOS: But how does he get it to stay through gyrations that would give other hairdos whiplash?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Gel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he uses a hot comb and water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A vacuum cleaner. MOOS: Close.

NOCK: Blow, Bo, blow!

MOOS: Bello has a repertoire of hair gags.

NOCK: See, it works.

MOOS (on camera): It's great.

(voice-over): From hair spray labeled Viagra to height jokes.

NOCK: Without my hair, I'm only 4 foot tall.

MOOS: Bello comes from a circus family. He's worn his hair this way since he was 15.

(on camera): For any occasion, do you kind of like -- like a funeral or something, do you tame it then?

NOCK: No. For my dad's funeral, my mom even requested that I had it up, because my dad loved my hair.

JENNY NOCK, BELLO'S WIFE: The only time he doesn't wear it is when he's driving, because we found that police officers tend to think there's something wrong with him.

MOOS (voice-over): His wife and kids are used to dad attracting stares.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His hair!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yeah, what's with the hair?

MOOS: He did seem to fit in, though, amid the varied hairstyles of New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cool hair.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you get your hair like that?

NOCK: Can you keep a secret?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

NOCK: So can I.

MOOS: But we can't. Bello uses gel, hair spray and a blow dryer.

NOCK: Well, all right. You see, it works.

MOOS (on camera): It's in my ear.

NOCK: Oh, don't worry.

MOOS: What is it?

NOCK: Bo, you want to get it out?

MOOS (voice-over): Bello's orangey-red hair graces everything from mugs to popcorn boxes to dolls.

(on camera): Did you see this?

(voice-over): Kids kept bringing up someone else's name.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Johnny Bravo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "JOHNNY BRAVO")

JOHNNY BRAVO, ANIMATED CHARACTER: Baby!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOCK: I'm like a living cartoon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "JOHNNY BRAVO")

BRAVO: Man, I'm pretty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: Bravo for Bello. Whichever way he's heading, his hair gets there first.

NOCK: It's me, hi.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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