Blossom talks about saving face (VIDEO)

As a child, Lynda Lilley worshipped Bozo.

When she was five years old, she drove with her parents to Boston, Mass. to appear on “Bozo’s Circus,” a television show starring her idol, Frank Avruch.

"He was approachable," Lilley says of Avruch’s Bozo. “He had a simple outfit and simple makeup. That’s important. You never want to look too good."

Approachability is why Lilley keeps Blossom’s hair, makeup and clothes disheveled. It’s also why when people ask her how long it takes her to get into character, she tells them five minutes, followed by: "It gets easier as you get older. You just follow the lines in your face."

For more on Sarasota's self-described "granny clown," pick up a copy of this week's Observer.

Scroll down for video.