ðə klˈaʊn ˈækt wʌz ɪnˈoːɹməsli pˈɑːpjʊlɚ, bˌʌt ˈɔfən bˈænd ɔːɹ sˈɛnsɚd dˈuː tʊ ɪts sɐtˈɪɹɪkəl pəlˈɪɾɪkəl kˈɑːntɛnt.
The clown act was enormously popular, but often banned or censored due to its satirical political content.