@realmaxkeeble
I assumed the joke was literally from when "doctor" was that guy with the bird mask on who would bleed you for a few pieces of silver
like, what time period were they having clowns with one-person shows exactly? I thought it was then but maybe none of this joke holds up
(or...or I suppose Pagliacci could have been a somewhat common name those days. "Go see Bruce Willis in Armageddon, Mr. Willis." "But doctor, *I AM BRUCE WILLIS*", etc.)