Hey son you want to try the big top?

When recording "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite," John Lennon supposedly told producer George Martin that he wanted to smell sawdust on the floor, meaning that the song needed to convey the proper circus atmosphere. You know, carnies and cotton candy and the magnificent fire-eating man.

That's the way I feel about the circus too. It should be entertaining obviously, but should also contain a ceratin sense of danger, edginess and the unknown.

Today's Ringling Bros. version, which we saw yesterday, is not really like that. It's high-tech, has thrills everywhere, lots of elephants (take that PETA), is tightly choreographed and lots of fun.

But it isn't seedy enough. All performers seemed wholesome and there was a lack of mystery. You don't want to know what goes on back in those trailers with the bearded lady and the world's stongest man.

I didn't even see any tattoos, and circus folk along with WWII vets are the only people who should actually have tattoos.

I sure couldn't smell the sawdust.

As for the kids, they liked it. But the sense of awe and wonder that I experienced with the very edgy Irem Shrine Circus with J.R. Karl at the Kingston Armony as a kid was not there. I blame that on the special effects generation. Yesterday, we saw some fairly remarkable high-wire acts, juggling and acrobats. But for the kids, it was almost been there, done that.

It's going to take some doing for Ringling Brothers to remain the Greatest Show on Earth in the face of CGI and the technological revolution.