BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - If laughter is the best medicine then Fazo the Clown has the cure. Twice a week he heads up The Bingo Show, a live closed circuit TV program shown in patients rooms throughout UAB Hospital. With the help of his sidekick, Pixie, they call out bingo numbers, tell corny jokes and give away all kinds of prizes from umbrellas to back-scratchers.
Fazo first started clowning around 20 years ago as a Zamora Shriner. His alter ego, Brian Fason, makes a living as a mortgage banker with Regions Bank. That’s serious business, but Fazo is just as serious about the art of being a clown. He says, “I just love giving back to the community and people. It’s a calling for me, you can connect with anybody, everybody can connect with this red nose.”
So where is The Bingo Show studio? It’s in a small room in the basement of UAB hospital but after the show Fazo comes out of the basement to deliver the prizes. He walks the hallways with the confidence of a doctor and the heart of clown. A quick knock on a hospital door and Fazo announces, “It’s the Bingo Patrol. Congratulations!” Patient, Arrigus Hall, laughs as Fazo gives him a red nose and proceeds to juggle. Hall says it’s a nice distraction,“It helps take the pain away.”
Brian Fason says that's what it's all about. "That makes my day that I visited a lot of people and gave it all we have. We put a lot of energy into it and I can't wait for the next show." Fazo has good advice for all of us whether we're in the hospital or not. "The smile on your face is what its all about. People smile, laugh and have a good time. Life is too short to be sad about things that don't work out. Just laugh it off, keep laughing."
To learn more about Fazo the Clown check out Brian’s Facebook page.
If you would like to nominate someone for our “Doing Good” segment follow this link.
Copyright 2018 WBRC. All rights reserved.