The strange and lonely world of an ex-Ronald McDonald (Video)

What must it be like to be the painted icon of a global corporation one day, and yesterday's clown the next?

Joe Maggard describes himself as the luckiest guy in the world. He is one of only eight men to have been the official Ronald McDonald. And in this short film by the Guardian's John Dower, we get some insight into just how indelibly the role has touched his life. Although Joe officially retired as the junkfood jester back in 2007, after 12 years of service, he claims that he is still Ronald and Ronald is still him. In fact he regularly dresses as his clownish alter-ego at fairs and such like. He will forever remain the world's "Chief Happiness Officer". He describes himself in terms of a superhero, and explains how Ronald is always in him, ready to pop out. "He's a lot like me," says Joe of Ronald, a bit weirdly. In the fear of people assuming he's a "psychotic bastard", Joe stresses it's more akin to method-acting, like Marlon Brando. Perhaps most bizarrely of all, he believes he's on a mission to rid the world of childhood obesity - as the former but still acting personification of the deep-fried golden arches.