The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Tuesday, January 14, 2003  

WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
Melvin the Clown or the Shah of Iran?

He grew up as Gary Zarcone, the adopted son of Bart Zarcone, a man who, according to the Orlando Sentinel “for 20 years performed as Melvin the Clown for Armed Forces Television.”

But a Circuit Court last year granted the younger Zarcone’s request to change his name to Cyrus Nowia-Pahlavi, the name coming from the founder of the Persian Empire (Cyrus), the name Zarcone had at the orphanage in Tehran where he was adopted (Nowia), and the former shah of Iran, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (Pahlavi).

Why the former shah?

Because Zarcone/Nowia-Pahlavi believes he is the shah’s son by way of “an indiscretion” on the former ruler’s part.

Nice choice. Almost convenient, one might say, given the Pahlavi family’s still-considerable wealth.

But you know, he kind of looks like the shah. He really does.

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