Clowns Offer to Raise Ailing Pope's Spirits

Pope John Paul may have the best medical care at

Rome

's Gemelli hospital, but there are some who think a red nose or two may cheer up the ailing Pontiff.

Hospital clowns Dr Little Cake and Dr White Cabbage told reporters they wanted to take some time out from their usual work on the children's wards and try their jokes on the Pope.

"We want to go and see him, if he'll have us," said one of the clowns, wearing a plastic red nose and a white laboratory coat decorated in colorful cartoon characters.

"After all it's our job to bring a smile wherever there is suffering," she added.

The two clowns were on their morning rounds in the Gemelli Friday when they were mobbed by journalists camped out at the hospital awaiting word of the Pontiff's health.

Soaking up the attention, Dr White Cabbage declared confidently that it was only a matter of time before they got a papal audience. "You can go everywhere with a red nose," he said, flipping up his joke tie for the cameras.