NYC circus performer quits over sexual misconduct

65-year-old man admits to porn photos of teen

NEW YORK — A beloved circus performer known as Grandma the clown has resigned from the Big Apple Circus after accusations that he pressured a 16-year-old aerialist to pose for pornographic photos.

The circus’s chairman, Neil Kahanovitz, told The New York Times that Barry Lubin, 65, offered his resignation Friday, shortly after the woman came forward.

The allegations “are true. What I did was wrong, and I take full responsibility for my actions,” said Lubin, who apologized in a statement released by his lawyer.

The accuser, Zoey Dunne, said she first met Lubin while she was touring with Circus Smirkus, a youth circus troupe based in Greensboro, Vermont. In 2004, Lubin contacted her and offered her work with Big Apple’s mini-troupe. Then he persuaded her to model, ostensibly for his personal photography business.

Dunne, who is now pursuing a doctorate in school psychology, ini- tially told the circus about Lubin in 2012. He had recently left Big Apple, and a circus official told her they recognized the seriousness of her allegations, but that there was little theycoulddo.

The circus changed hands in early 2017. Three months ago, Dunne learned on Facebook that Lubin had rejoined the circus.

“I saw this ad that said ‘Grandma is back!’” she said Monday, “and I almost threw up on the bus.”