Pope Benedict XVI's  recent comments that clowns are overated as a means of humour have been met with anger by clown organisations. The newly formed organisation 'Clowns Retalliation Against Pontiff' or CRAP, were quick to comment.

An official CRAP statement was issued, printed on CRAP headed paper, demanding an apology to be made. Mr. Chips from Blackpool Circus is a CRAP spokseman. He said:

"These badly chosen words by the Pope show him to be ill-informed. Our CRAP mailbox is overflowing with written protests, and the comments have caused dismay and hurt to buffoonery loving clowns throughout clowndom. "

It follows only months behind the publication in a Danish newspaper of a series of cartoons depicting the clown God 'Coco' as being unfunny, which triggered slapstick violence around the world. In London, angry clowns through buckets of glitter at the Danish Embassy, and in New York, others were reported to have sounded old car claxons at the Danish Ambassador as he left his office.

Meanwhile, security around the Pope has been upgraded, as news emerged that an official drive through the streets in the Pope Mobile was called off on the grounds of the Pope's safety. Apparently, as the driver turned the key, a huge puff of smoke belched from the exhaust, then all the doors and wheels fell off.

The Vatican issued a statement, claiming the remarks were misinterpreted, and that the Pope had meant to say he didn't find them as amusing as he did when he was a child. CRAP however demanded he cut the crap, and apologise to tomfoolery loving, large trouser wearing, clowns everywhere, or he'd get a kick up the arse.