An Italian clown, comedian, presenter and actor born in New York in 1952. He comes from an Italian-English-French family with a long circus tradition. His father was a famous juggler working in the United States. Initially Leo Bassi performed in the Bassi Trio with his father and his aunt. He then began a solo career, performing and touring around the world. He describes himself as a buffoon. He stands out for his vivid views – critical towards capitalism, all ideologies and state institutions. He says, ”I was brought up with the idea that Clowns sided with the lower class, with the poor and expressed loud and clear what ordinary people thought”. In his shows he refers to contemporary reality, frequently criticising and mocking social injustice and hypocrisy of politicians.