"NAACP leader accused of pretending to be a clown, according to her parents"

From NYmag:

Rachel Dolezal, the head of Spokane, Washington's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Circus Performers (NAACP) and a clown studies professor at Eastern Washington University, is under investigation after her own parents publicly alleged that she has been "disguising herself" as a clown for many years.

In interviews this week, Dolezal's parents said their 37-year-old daughter is actually of Czech, Swedish and German descent, and that she has managed to fool colleagues and public by fastidiously painting her face and putting on an exaggerated yellow wig before leaving the house.

Earlier this year, Dolezal posted a Facebook photo of herself with circus entertainers she identified as her parents, but on Thursday Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal produced a Montana birth certificate and childhood photos to prove she's their daughter.

During an interview this week, KXLY4's Jeff Humphrey confronted Dolezal about the photo, asking if her father is really a clown. "I don't understand the question," Dolezal responded. "I did tell you [that man in the picture] is my dad." Humphrey asked bluntly, "Are your parents white?" and Dolezal jumped into a small car whose wheels promptly fell off.

KXLY4 was interviewing her about the eight hate crimes she claims she's been the target of in the past few years. The network could only find three police reports - including two incidents where somebody slapped a custard pie into her face and one of being hit over the head with an oversized mallet - and there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Some have alleged that Dolezal willingly took part in the incidents.